Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-07-18
I-Year Draft
Held Peril
To Nation
johnson Backs Marshall
on Time Extension
BY HUGH S. JOHNSON

- VISIONS Tor only one years
service by selectees and others
unless Congress shall declare
the national interest imperiled,
is thicker than you think.
General Marshall is absolutely
right. Neither these lads, nor
the National Guard and the re-
serve officers on active duty.
can be permitted 10 60 home in
shoals without making our army
and our country the laughing
stock of the world and worse
perhaps the football of the
world.
The idea of assembling a vast
army of 100000 men, only 10
per cent trained and Is per cent
equipped. and then permitting
il TO melt in a month like
SNOWFALL on a hot stove. is too
great a folly 10 be even debated
outside a lunatic asylum.
This column called attention
10 the absurdity of that one
year provision while the act was
being debated. Several times
since. it has accurately pointed
TO the certain development OF
this situation.
WHAT TO do? -here are three
w ternativeS Shall We
amend these laws by putting
into them arbitrary provisions
permitting the President TO eX-
tend their terms of service.
when we we'll know that if such
provisions had been proposed
when the bills were up in Con-
greSs, they would have failed of
enactment?
Shall we take a proper adj
vantage of a clear provision in
most Of these statutes requiring
indefinite service when Congress
shall declare that tf1r national
interest Is impcriled, and have
Congress so declare Shall We
urge these people voluntarily 10
agree to indefinite extensions of
service q?
Those people who urge the
first course say that there was
no contractual obligation 10
these men and that therefore
there is no reason why the gov
eminent shouldn't simply change
the law. 1t is true that the
obligation TO military service is
not contractual
Legally, this course could be
followed But there is a very
good reason why IL shouldn't be.
There is an element of sharp
practice in this kind of abraca-
dabra that would be rotten for
morale both in the army and in
the country among the families
and friends of these men
II is highly important 10 pre-
serve popular confidence in the
promises or Representations of
our own government AT least. II
is about the last government
toward which that confidence
exists.
TIP TO today. l felt that an
- appeal 10 these men by the
President, setting forth frankly
the terrible dilemma presented
by gross errors in legislation,
would result in such an ava
lanche Of voluntary consents 20
service for the duration Of the
emergency that the whole pre-
dicament could be avoided. Now
/ am not so sure.
If we tried il and il failed. we
would stand Shamcd before the
world. / don't know whether IL
would fail or not. but that is n
very great gamble and | have
very recently learned that there
are some circumstances that
raise grave doubts of its success.
No sufficient efforts. such as
confidential polls of commanders,
have been made 10 explore this
possibility thoroughly, but |
nave HO hOuDL lIldl Itlltl al
Marshall has good reasons for
his reluctance 10 try 1t, even II
he hesitates to state them.
If that is so and l. volunteer
alternative is out why not use
the third method and, in faith
full compliance with the terms OF
the original statutes have Con-
gress frankly declare that the
national interest is imperiled'
which would automatically make
extended service not only legal
but fair and Just.
IF CONGRESS doesn't think
Il that our interest is imperiled.
why are we spending all these
billions and why did we pass the
lease-lend bill? OF course, the
answer is that Congress is afraid
that such an action would in
woke other totalitarian powers
in the President which il is not
yet ready TO grant.
That &c oil nanar hnUnhnn