Evening star., 1941-02-10
Peacetime Army
Is at Record Peak,
But Schedule Lags
Army Air Corps Meets
Current Goal of 7 900
New Pilots Annually
By the Associated Press.

The Army of the United States
reached record peacetime strength
OF 100000 officers and men today, but
still Jagged behind the original tent
atlve schedules for mobilizing and
housing total force of 1,418,000.
Despite camp construction delays,
which Secretary Stimson has attrib-
uted TO bad weather and other fac
tors beyond the War Departments
control, the high command reported
these signs Of progress:
Virtually all of the immense hous-
ing program will be completed dur
ing March, the last of it by May L.
Whereas only third of the projects
were on time two months ago, about
half are now on schedule.
The Army Air Corps is meeting a
current goal of 1000 new pilots a
year and has sufficient qualified can
didates in sight TO fill larger classes
in March, when the goal rises 70
$4,000 annually.
Some Work Runs Ahead.
A start has been made, varying
from initial conferences with op-
Grating companies 10 months OF
actual construction work, on 81
200 600 900 worth OF new plants or
additions to manufacture guns,
shells, tanks, planes and other muni-
tions. Work is on time or slightly
ahead at some of the major projects.
among them the $40 900 900 Chrysler
tank plant at Detroit, the S74 900 900
powder plant TO be operated by Du
Pont at Charlestown. Ind. and the
S35 900 900 Hercules Powder plant at
Radford, Va.
Everything points to attainment OF
the present manpower goal, l,4l8,-
900, by late June as originally
planned. Because the United States
started its armament program later
than the other powers. 1t will be
many months more before her troops
will compare in training and equip
ment with the best of the foreign
forces. Production Of equipment
should reach substantial proportions
by fall. however, and tremendous
levels next year, officials said.
Last October Secretary Stimson
announced tentative schedules un-
der which the 225.000 men of the
National Guard would have been
inducted into the Federal service by
February 3 this year.
10000 More Guardsmen.
About $4,000 National Guards
men already have been inducted
and about 10000 more are scheduled
to be inducted today tthe oath
Division. composed of men from
Iowa. Minnesota. South Dakota and
North Dakota, who are 10 train at
Camp Claiborne. La. The four
remaining divisions are expected TO
start their active service either later
this month or the first week Of
March
The number OF selective service
trainees now in the Army is about
126.500 This compares with 100000
selecteeS scheduled tentatively last
fall to be taken in by this time. The
reason for this great discrepancy is
not entirely the delays in housing,
however. A partial explanation is
that there have been 1880 one-year
enliStments not contemplated orig
inally, and another is that three
year enliStments have increased the
Regular Army faster than expected
to an enlisted strength of 425.000
This month, instead of the l60.0 900
selectees once scheduled tentatively
to be taken in. the selective service
system is being called upon to supply
$4,000 Next month the number
will rise to 10000, and from then
until June 80 it will be whatever is
required to provide the total force Of
1,418OO0.
SelecteeS Are Praised.
Officers who have visited posts at
which selectees are training reported
that the men were knocking EN-
for loop" BY that. they said, they
meant that they were fine physical
specimens whose interest and intel
ligence were pleasing their COM
manders.
officials reported that the selective
service system had provided the
new armored force with more than
10000 men, over half of them spe-
cialists such as tractor drivers and
welders.
Figures are not yet available on
the percentage of seleCtive service
registrants who are being rejected
by local and Army doctors for phys
ical shortcomings, but some officers
believed the percentage of reflections
by both groups was running about
30 per cent.