Evening star., 1941-07-13
Member of the Associated Press.
Military Realities

United States, it is of the greatest
Importance that decisions affecting
our armed forces be governed by the
military realities in each case.
During the past year or more de-
cisions have been made which did
not take these realities into account.
In March of last year, for example,
long after the war had started, the
War Department asked for 496 re-
placement airplanes. The request
was cut by the House to the ridicu-
lousy low total of flfty-seven planes.
At the same time, an estimate OF
$4,000 900 for the development of a
defensive force in Alaska was re-
fused. AS subsequent events proved,
the Judgment of the military author
ities in each of these instances was
better than that of the legislators.
These deficiencies, of course, were
made up later, but the fact remains
that If the decisions of March had
been based on the military realities
then prevailing much valuable time
would have been saved.
There is little disposition in any
quarter, and less reason, to revive
past errors of judgment for reasons
of mere criticism. But they should
serve as object lessons for the future.
The fact that errors of a year ago
have not resulted in disaster for the
country by no means warrants con-
clusion that mistakes in the future
can be anticipated with complacency.
Pending before Congress at this
time is legislation to give effect to
the recommendations by General
George C. Marshall, Army Chief of
Staff, that restrictions on the period
of service and on the geographical
distribution of selective service men,
National Guardsmen and Reservists
be lifted. These are recommended
tions concerning which controversy
is to be expected, but it is most un-
fortunate that there already has
been evidence of a disposition to ex-
tend the debate to matters which
have no relation, real or fancied, to
the military considerations underly-
ing the recommendations.
These military considerations, par
ticularly with respect to extension OF
time of service, are both obvious and
persuasive.
Our entire military defense pro-
gram is based on raising and training
a unified and effective Army. To
accomplish this, it has been neces-
sary to combine all units - Regular
Army men, selectees, GuardSmen and
Reserve officers.
The result, according to General
is that Regular Army di-
visions contain from rs to 80 per cent
Of Reserve officers whose term of
service Is legally limited to twelve
In two of the regular divi-
sions the enlisted personnel has been
restricted to three-year enlisted men,
but in all of the others it has been
necessary to include from Is to so
per cent of selectees. In the National
Guard units selectees comprise more
than so per cent of the men in the
ranks, while 10 per cent of the Off
GERS are Reservists.
Is it conceivable that at this dam
eerous time the Army must lose the
services of from rs to 80 per cent Of
Its officer personnel, for whom there
are no trained requirements? Is the
crganizational setup of the Army
which has been so carefully worked
out to be wrecked by the demobiliza-
ton of only partially trained selec-
tees and Guardsmen-a demobiliza-
ton which would deprive the Army
of tWo-thirdS of it's effective
strength? Such a procedure in a
time of assured peace would be
wasteful and inefficient, and at a
time when there is an ever-present
danger of major war it could only
be regarded as an act of incredible
folly.
General Marshall had less specific
arguments to advance in support of
his recommendation for removal of
geographical restraints on the use of
all component parts of the Army. 1t
has been pointed out, however, that
the training of task" forces-units
which might be sent to particular
place to do particular jOb-requires
time, and that if it is to be necessary
to secure specific authorization Of
Congress to send troops to any given
danger point outside the hemisphere,
the training would have to be done
after the authorization had been
made and after the enemy, as re-
suit of public debate, had been fully
informed of the Army's plans. That
is a course which would not seem to
make for military efficiency.
But, whatever may be the decision
with respect to this latter proposal,
there should be no confusion with
Yeeard to the recommendation for
nv%ansion of the time nf service of