Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-08-15
Peacetime Traininq
Provides u. ). With
Prepared Youth
C.C.C. and N. Y. A. May
Ploy Major Role in
Defense Program
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
A youth-training program built
in times and in terms of peace to-
day provides the United States with
an army of young men in national
preparedness.
These fellows are fit to fight if
need be, but their major contribu-
ton would be through intensified
ton of training they already are
receiving.
In use of arms they have not been
trained because the two agencies
which encompass them-Civilian
Conservation Corps and the Ma
tional Youth Administration, both
devoted to fighting unemployment
have opposed anything even re-
motely akin to the youth move
ments" of Europe's dictators. But
the physiques of these boys are
tip-top through vigorous life in the
open and they have learned to work
and endure hardships together.
Many of them are in the age
group between 10 and "a years.
Some Liable to Draft.
Under Army Consumption plans
some of them would be liable to
drafting into compulsory military
service. But IS per cent of the
c. C. C. boys are under 81, the
lower age limit of the initial draft
in army plans. Likewise, large
percentage of N. Y. A. youths are
under the draft age.
The plans are all in. Whether
the c. c. c. and the N. Y. A. gear
into the defense machine depends
on the planning of labor co-ordi-
majors in the Defense Commission.
The c. c. c., with its enrolment
now at the 100000 limit set by law,
proposed this as its contribution:
10000 trained truck and Dispatch
car drivers every six months.
$500 to 10000 truck and automo-
bile maintenance men every three
months.
5000 skilled mechanics a year.
(The maintenance men would
be trained for servicing replacing
parts and other simpler opera
tons; the others would be thor
ough-going repairmenD
Cooks and Bakers.
nm rOpEc he
months.
100000 first aid men, equipped with
the standard Red Cross course, every
six months.
$500 skilled dispensary attendants
and medical orderlies every six
months.
1000 competent welders every six
months.
1000 airplane motor mechanics in
the first year of the program.
Not less than $4,000 reasonably
competent road, bridge and tele-
phone line workers.
1000 men with a knowledge of
elementary map making and con-
siderable knowledge of map reading
and Interpretation every six months.
10000 men reasonably competent
in basic photography with a knowl-
edge of ground picture making and
developing every. six months.
Twenty thousand men, reason
ably familiar with the. sending and
receiving code and with elementary
repair OF radio sets, every six
months.
Boys to Go to Alaska.
Already companies of youth are
being fitted into the Nations de-
Tense needs.
Two companies of the C. c. c.
400 boys-will sail from Seattle next
week for a lonely, tree-covered
island off the coast of Alaska.
There, with Army engineers, they
will labor through the winter clear
ing and leveling a landing field to
be used as a way station for Army
planes.
This defense proposal is just what
the c. c. c. has been doing in a
minor way all along" an official ex-
planned. 1T would only mean in
tensifylng our vocational training
program. Such stepup probably
would mean slowing up our work
program about Is per cent"
The N. Y. A. has offered to ex-
tend its training program in wood
working. mechanical, electrical, au-
tomotive and airplane shopwork to
cover 1890 young men. There are
1897 trainees under the present
program.
Training in Shifts. .
Such an increase would not in
volve an expansion of shop facili.
Ties, ofnclals said, because the men
could be trained in shifts. At pres
ent, the machines stand idle part
of the day.
Increasing emphasis on the me-
chanical side of modern warfare
may have indicated the c. c. c.,
some officials declare, in its long
resistance to turning the camps for
unemployed into centers for mill
tary training.
The emphasis has been on the
labor of builders and mechanics.
But the nature of the work has
trained the boys in handling ma
chimes, in living together, in obey
ing orders and in healthful living.
Director j. j. McEntee is proud
that 685 c. c. c. boys joined the
United States Army when they were
graduated" from the G. @. G. last
spring.