Evening star., 1941-12-22
20-fo-44 Draft Bill
Signed; Senate Backs
More Men for Navy
Fovors 200, 900 Increase
In Emergency Strength,
~ 900 for Marines

President Roosevelt today signed 6
bill enlarging the Selective service
plan, while the Senate moved with
unusual dispatch to give approva
to legisls ton increasing the Navy's
emergency strength by 100000 men
and the Marine Corps by $4,000.
Under the new Selective service
Law, all men of Is through A must
register and all men from 20 through
~ are liable for active military
service.
The Senates action came unani-
mously at the request of Chairman
Walsh of the Naval Affairs Commit
tee within an hour after the COM
mittee heard testimony of Navy and
Marine Corps officers and approved
the bill.
Rear Admiral Randall Jacobs,
chief of the Nays Bureau of Navi-
CATION, told the committee that
Congress last April authorized an
increase in the regular strength of
the Navy from l3l .485 to 232 900.
and of the emergency strength from
l9l 900 to 100000. The regular
strength is not changed by this bill,
but the authorized emergency
strength is raised from 100000 to
100000
EnliStmentS Soaring.
IN the Marine Corps the effect is
to increase the authorized strength
from $4,000 to 100000 Senator
Walsh said speedy passage was es-
sential because Marine Corps enlist
ments have increased rapidly. and
the increased authorization is
needed at once.
The bill still requires House ac-
ton.
The committee also approved a
bill raising the rank of the COM
mandant of the Marine Corps from
major general to lieutenant gen.
eral. The new rank would be con-
ferred on Gen Holcombe and his
successors, while they hold the post
Of commandant.
As the Government moved by
these swift steps to raise the neces-
sary manpower to combat Axis enc
mics, Senator Hill Of Alabama, the
Democratic whip. voiced the opin-
ion the Army would cease recruit
ing and rely entirely on selective
service for raising needed armies.
Held More Efficient.
Senator Hill argued that the draft
was the most efficient method of
doing the job, and in support of his
contention he cited the case of a
doctor who had enlisted as a private
when the Army was crying for more
doctors"
Secretary of War Stimson already
has announced that the Army will
stop accepting volunteers as soon as
there is falling off in the patriotic
rush prompted by declarations of
war against the Axis powers. The
Navy already has asked and re-
ceived from Congress the right to
draft $4,000 for the feet and 10000
for the Marines
Senator Pepper. Democrat, of
Florida. asserted. We must build
our Army up to at least 5000, 900
men as soon as possible. We are in
a tvo-ocean war with enemies on
many fronts. 1t is a fight to the
finish and We must be prepared to
the hilt'
Back Expansion Beyond 2 Million.
Several members of the Senate
Military Affairs Committee. includ-
ing Senator Hill and Senator Cur
ney, Republican, of South Dakota,
agreed that the Army must expand
beyond recent plans for a force of
100000.
Most Senators who heard conf
dental testimony by military au-
thorities on the measure broadening
the Selective Service Act favored
halting voluntary enlis;ments and
obtaining men by means of the
draft Chairman Reynolds of the
Senate Military Committee and
other Senators say that sooner or
later Congress must make 19-year-
olds available as fighting men.
Senator Gurney said that military
nnanpower must come through Sc
iective service lin order to keep