Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-05-14

Tile ACTIVITY OF DAVo Lawrence.
the air forces. After Pearl Harbol
1t became necessary to build an Or
ganization looking toward a 1000,
000-man goal There was a sudden
need for experienced administrators
and specialists-a few thousand
who could relieve pilots from desk
duty and put them into the air.
Every one hears about pilots and
navigators and even about ground
crews, but a modern army organiza-
ton needs, among other things, map
experts, industrial engineers, build
ing constructors, personnel experts,
teachers, warehouse supervisors, pur-
chasing agents and men experienced
In the technique of camouflage.
There was no time to go through
the personnel OF the Army to find
these specialists. They were needed
In hurry. There was no time for
months of training. The Air Corps
found it necessary to raid the ranks
Of private industry and business.
And yet there we're only Is regional
Officers on the personnel procure
ment staff. This staff needed help
In locating the specialists and the
officer material for the supervisory
Jobs which were being created by
ths thousands.
Committees Set Up.
To get help the Army called on
100 committees set up among lead
ing employers of 100 different COM
munities. Usually there were five
men to q committee. They served
without titles or pay and had no
official status. They furnished Office
space and acted generally as as
sistants to the regional officers Of
the air force.
These committees found 1t nee
essary to raid their own stats, to
deplete their own ranks to get the
needed personnel in q hurry. A
president of a telephone company
was asked to pick 81 communications
experts. This group was finally
selected after the telephone execu-
tive had interviewed 1913 men. The
local committees rounded up the
applicants, modified the necessary
data and had the personnel ready
for interviewing when the regional
officers of the Army arrived. Refer
ences had been checked, experience
records had been tabulated, and thus
Q monumental job of personnel in
vestigation was done within the
shortest possible time.
From these applicants were chosen
men to be recommended for COM
missions in the Army Air Corps. The
papers were checked again in Wash
ington and approved by the adju-
tant general and finally passed upon
by q War Department board.
World War veterans were given
preference when they had the prop
er qualifications. Draft dodgers
we're not considered. Applicants un-
der 80 years of age were not in the
picture. as the War Department
doesn't commission them anyway
except in rare cases of technical
qualifications.
Some Critical
The rush order now has been
filed. The necessary number OF
specialists to expand quickly the Ali
Corps has been found. The loca.
business committees have been dis
banded. Air Corps commanders are
sending back praise for the mer
given them. The latter have beer
trained by industry for exactly the
Jobs they now are filling.
But the idea Of doing things II
the quick and perhaps unorthodo>
way has aroused some opposition or
Capitol Hill. Possibly it reflect:
pressure on members of Congress!
from those who were disappointed
applicants. Possibly it is some othe
influence that is related to loca
politics. 1t Is true that member
of Congress had no part in recon-
mending these men for commissions
Usually they like to have hand il
ANYTHING of this nature being don
for constituents. But the Unite'
States Army is at war and it can
not wait for all the amenities to b
served.
The Air Corps must win the wal
because air power is conceded to b
the most important single factor /
modern war. Congress had falle
to provide a sufficiently large a.
force. When, therefore, red tape
cut and the Army officers do I'm
conventional things in order to say
time. they should be commended in
stead of being criticized. Otherwis
the Army will acquire an inferiorit
complex about moving promptly an
by the shortest method to a desire
goal for fear of offending politics
sensibilities. And that would not
conducive TO efficiency in wartim
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