Evening star., 1942-08-29

But. all in all, David Lawrence.
the employer who is faced with con-
siderable worry about how to make
war production schedules with the
least amount of turnover in per-
sonnel is getting additional prob
lens thrust upon him because of
official predictions concerning the
drafting of married men.
Maybe after elections, when the
i8-to-2 -20-year- old group is ordered
drafted by Act Of Congress, this
pressure will cease, but for the next
two months the increased burdens
placed on already heavily strained
managements will not be dimin-
ished.
What is causing much more per-
plexity and annoyance, however, is
the way the War Department is
failing to take advantage of the
reservoir of 5000 men who have
volunteered for the Army Specialist
Corps The corps was the idea Of
Gen. George Marshall and it is as
sound an idea as the Army could
possibly have for mobilizing man.
power, because it provides that men
of technical knowledge shall do the
jobs that able bodied men with
military training are likely to be as
cd 10 he
Many Functions to Perform.
Most people do not realize that,
. apart from combat, there are nu-
merous functions which must be
served by an army. Men must be
housed and clothed. They must be
fed and provided with the necessary
utilities-heat, light, water and SAN
itary facilities. They require means
of transportation, innumerable re-
pair shops, roads and huge quanti-
ties of tools and materials that must
be gathered and stored Vast ac-
counting jobs must be done.
1t was assumed that the Govern
ment would accept the services of
volunteers for these tasks and thus
release trained combat men for
active duty. But for some reason
or other, known only to the War
Department. this hasn't worked out.
While 225,000 men have volunteered,
places for only 1000 have been de-
veloped and it is believed that less
than 5000 jobs have actually been
filled.
One reason is that the Army Spe-
cialist Corps functions as person
mel placement bureau so far as the
rest of the Army or War Depart
ment is concerned. There is no
vacancy unless some one in the
Army asks for an individual for a
particular job. 1t may be natural
for officers to hold on to their as
sistants or staff. because these men
have become familiar with the work,
but at a time when even married
men with children are being told to
prepare for induction, it is un-
fortunate that the same severe
discipline isn't being used to oust
from their swivel chairs and desks
men who could be used in the COM
bat units.
Age Limits Applied.
1t should be understood that only
men above 80 years of age are
eligible for appointment in the
Army Specialist Corps. They are
accepted below that age only il
they are now in Glass IV-F in the
draft. which means they are physi-
cally disqualified for military serv-
ice. Men up to the age of As with
Al classification or men who
have been deferred for occupationa
reasons are ineligible.
Thus men above 80 years of age
who are married and have children
are eligible and can be used if the
Army will make up its mind to cal
them for the jobs. There are three
groups in the corps-officers, spe.
cialists, and mechanical and tech.
nical men. The rate of pay for thu
last class is the same as that of thu
prevailing wage for skilled men il
the area concerned
Sometime soon the Army Spe
cialist Corps will have an increased
volume Of applications from marriet
men with dependents. But tn,
corps management can do nothin,
about this vast number of ap
plicants till the Army makes up it
mind to call for them. The thou
sands who have applied are dis
turbed because they haven't hear
from Washington. The trouble ism
in the Army Specialist Corps. It's il
the Army routine itself
Somebody soon will have TO loo
over this reservoir of 225.000 mel
If only to answer the criticisms nov
being leveled at the selective servic
policy which demands that tn
partially blind and the PARTIAL
deaf shall be hustled into uniforr
when there are so many men VIII
want to go but aren't being accepted