Evening star., 1941-07-04
Army Of 100000
Seen as Object Of
Marshall Request
Tempest Begun in Copitol
By Plea to Lift SeIective
Service Limitations
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
Plans for q substantial increase in
the size Of the Army-perhaps to
double its present strength-were
believed indicated today by Chief Of
Staff George c. Marshall's contro-
versial request for power to hold
National Guardsmen and selectees
in service, and to use them-outside
the Western Hemisphere If neces-
sary.
The question of the Army's future
size was momentarily obscured by
the rush of highly critical congress
sional reaction to the request, but
officials pointed out that the two
subjects were very closely linked.
The Army's present strength Is
about / ,400,00 men. If the bulk OF
those men are to be kept on duty,
new Regulars recruited and the
scheduled 100000 trainees indicted
in the next year. the land forces
would be close to $500, ,000-the goal
the Army has in mind for the first
expansion, if one is deemed neces-
sary because of world conditions.
Equipment is being manufactured
for an Army of that size.
Tempest in Capitol
Regardless of its ultimate objec-
tives. Yesterdays request touched on
a wordy tempest on Capitol Hill,
where most of the legislators to
volunteer comment were openly
hostile to granting the power asked.
Generally. congressional reaction
followed two lines. Some rejected
the idea of extending the tour OF
service on the ground that it would
be breaking faith with the Guards
men or trainees who had been mobl-
lized or inducted with the under
standing that they would be re-
leased after one year of service.
The other attack centered on the
request for permission to use
Guardsmen or trainees outside OF
the hemisphere. Critics of the ad-
ministration's foreign policy viewed
it as another step toward eventual
United States participation in the
war, and Senator Wheeler, Demo-
crat. of Montana charged the ad-
ministration planned to use Ameri-
can troops to occupy Iceland.
Army Seeks Free Hand.
officials close to the War Depart
ment said the Army in making its
twin requests merely was asking
Congress for a free hand to act
decisively If and when military con-
siderations should demand. They
said that modern warfare was not
charitable to delay, and that con-
ceivably circumstances might arise
when the time required t. change
the laws would be costly.
Furthermore, they said, Regular
Army units now contain number
of selectees. Under the present LAD,
they pointed out, if such units were
ordered out of the hemisphere for
an emergency, they would have to
leave selectees behind, thus reduc-
ing the units strength and break
ing up trained combat teams.
For the most part, legislators con-
centrated on the Guardsmen and
selectse phases of Gen. Marshalls
request. The chief of staff also
sought the power to extend the serv-
ice of Reserve officers.
Much Opposition.
Representative ThomaSon of Texas,
ranking majority member of the
House Military Affairs Committee,
said he opposed both major sugges-
tions because there appeared to be
no need for them. But he said he
would qualify that statement re-
garding the National Guardsmen.
THE original idea of the Selective
Service Act was to rotate the train
ing by keeping the boys in only one
year and that would not be possible
under Gen. Marshalls suggestions.
Mr.. Thomason said. "Of course, the
Guardsmen went into service with
their eyes wide Open"
Some military men held a diff
ferent view regarding selectees now
in training. They said selectees au-
tomatically become Reservists at the
end of their years service, and
might be continued on duty as Re-
servists, thus permitting the induc-
ton of new trainees who cannot
number more than 100000 in one
year.
Senator Taft, Republican, of Ohio
opposed using selectees outside OF
the Western Hemisphere. Until
Congress, representing the people,
declares war-and I doubt that Con-
eress ever will-our Army should