Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-07-15
Extension
For Draftees
A Necessity
Poorly Trained Soldiers
May Face Professionals
BY PAUL MALLON

~ W. Y - ~ ~ ~ " 80 HN' -
we will ever have one
II is generally recognized in
the war department that the
draftees only receive about 10
months good training out of
their year, if and when weapons
are available. The rest of the
time is spent going 10 and from
camps. with innoculatIonS. i'll
nesses. outfitting, etc. Then
along comes another batch 10
acquire another 10 months cX-
perience. Thus. when we get
through Ohc way we are going
we will have mass civilian
army large in number, but so
weak in training it would be a
crime TO set it up against any
well-prepared fighting force.
HITLER has a professional
- army, soldiers to whom
arms is a profession. His war
rior class enjoys better food and
clothing and a standard of liv-
ing above that of the ordinary
population. The British and
French have relied mainly on
brief civilian training, as we
do. The Russians have mostly a
civilian army, but they train
their citizens for five years.
This civilian army idea was
wise product of the original in
spiration of our Constitution.
The founding fathers did not
want a professional army. Its
maintenance cost would be high,
but more important, the man
who controlled the army might
control the country Gas in Latin
America today. So they put Il
provision in the Constitution
against quartering soldiers IN
private homes for this very
reason. To-day in Europe sol
dierS are CHARTERED in private
homes for the payment of the
equivalent of l cent day per
soldier.)
Since then, however. war has
ceased TO be problem of shoOt-l
ing flint-lock, with superior
spirit. 1t has become science
Of mechanics, based on superior
experience. Long training Is
required even to handle the new
automatic rifles.
4 7 THE beginning of this war,
"A the training situation was
something like this:
Regular Reserves
Germany $4,000 2250.000
France $4,000 100000
Russia 562 900
Britain 175000 215.000
United States 10000 '2400
National Guard.
You can see the French were
not so far away from the NaziS
in total numbers, but they were
miles behind in training. The
French conscripts spent a year
or a year and a half (the time
varied) and got it over quickly.
They did not expect war.
The Nazis knew there would
be a war, because they were
after their place in the sum and
their troops were consequently
twice as we'll trained.
Frankly ours had not then
been trained at all in the most
moderk sense largely because of
lack of money and equipment.
OBVIOUSLY something must
" be done. We are on the
wrong track. Every one can see
that. Even so not more than
half our military experts want to
break our civilian army trad-
ton. 1t could be done by boost
ing the pay, and otherwise recog-
nizing the ancient nobility of the
profession of arms This would
cost no more money than raklng
leaves and unemployment relief
have cost the past few years,
without general public benefit
Yet somehow most govern
mcnt authorities cling TO the
spirit which makes II a sin for
any one TO mention 10 the CCC
boys, for instance. the subject of
how 10 defend their country.
The needs test was abandoned
months ago by CCC. but the GOV
ernment nevertheless SHES away
! from mentioning the primary
fact of life, self-prescrvation, to
the boys il is housing,
Somehow officialdom has not
yet worked itself completely out
of the fallacy that the way tc
keep a nation secure and peace.
full is not TO have an army, or "a
have an inefficient one.
WHEREFORE. il seems likely
Il that some halfway measure,
POLITICALLY more dcsirable) vii
be taken, such As extension oil
the time of service of draftcc,
in order TO give some of then
slightly more training IN one
form or another.
1t would be cruel and inhumar
mot TO say diSaStrous) 10 pa
! men with 10 months training ul
against any armWn thc WORT
Al