Evening star., 1941-07-15
The Political Mill
Need for Extending Military Service Beyond
Yeor Said to Be Apparent Despite Protests

demands, 1t has decided for the
time being, at least, to pass up
the bill, also recommended by
the chief of staff, which would
authorize the President to send
to duty the draftees and the
guardsmen outside of the West
ern Hemisphere. Opponents of
the administrations foreign pol
icy Immediately seized on this
proposal and declared it was in
tended for offensive war" not
defensive; that it meant another
A. E. F. in Europe or in Asia.
Indeed, this particular recon-
mendation of the chief of staff
was used as weapon to help
beat down the proposal to keep
the new Army intact by ex-
tending the period of service for
the draftees and the National
Guard and Reservists. 1t was
shouted from the housetops that
the President was seeking such
action by Congress merely to give
him countenance when he Or
dered the Army to go into Euro
pean or Asiatic territory. AS a
matter Of fact, the recommended
ton is eminently sensible.
Only Regulars to Iceland.
The President as Commander
1n-Chief of the Army can send
the forces where he deems it
necessary for the protection and
defense Of this country. 1t seems
idle to say that he can send the
regulars one place, and that he
cannot send the rest of the Army
to that same place. As mere
matter of proper administration,
particularly as regulars, draftees
and guardsmen are all scrambled
together in the units of the Army
today, this recommendation
should be carried out. To avoid
the clamor of the isolationists, it
is being dropped. AS long as the
present law remains without
change, in this respect, the Presi-
dent must send only regulars to
Iceland-or else declare that Ice
land is within the Western
Hemisphere Other bases taken
over from the British along the
Atlantic Coast, however, are we'll
within the Western Hemisphere
as it is known, and can be man.
ned by any men in the armed
forces.
After months of training the
Army of the United States is
being whipped into we'll trained.
cohesive force. At present it is
made up of 476,O00 enlisted men
in the Regular Army, 14,7OO Regu-
ar Army officers, $4,000 enlisted
men of the Regular Army Re-
serves. $4,000 reserve officers on
active duty, 266,000 enlisted men
of the National Guard, 27,800
officers of the National Guard,
and 605,000 draftees. They total
1852 500 men. This is about the
figure which was designated a
year ago as the Army at which
the General Staff would aim.
Now there is talk of materially
increasing the numbers. perhaps
doubling them, by further enlist
ments and drafts.
Under the draft law. 100000
selected men may be drafted into
the military service for training
and for service-for a years
period. No more than 100000
may be drafted in any one year.
The draft law continues for five
years, making the total number
possible for training, in one year
periods, 100000. If the number
of drafteeS is to be considerably
increased for training and service
at the same time, the law must
be amended in this respect, too.
The Government is authorized to
take men into the service only
when the facilities for housing
and caring for the men are at
hand.