Evening star., 1942-09-05

shall. chief of staff, that an Army
Specialist Corps be established from
which civilians of proved compe-
tence in administration could be
selected to relieve able bodied mill
tary men to command troops.
The plan looked we'll on paper.
Dwight Davis, former Secretary of
War, was appointed director general.
In short time he organized it, and
from all over the country came VOL
unteers. Some were of draft age.
but married and with dependents.
Some were physically disqualified
from active service. Some were
above draft age. Many were heads
OF businesses who found they could
leave their work to subordinates and
go to war. Some were specialists in
technical fields much needed by the
Army.
Many were willing to work as civ
ilians or in uniform, to accept Army
pay or clerks pay, as the case might
be. But throughout all the appli-
cations was spirit of patriotic en-
thusiasm which has been unexcelled
In the present war.
Only 5000 Placed.
More than 225,O00 applications
have been received. Those which
seek to avoid the draft can be read
LILY eliminated and constitute a rela-
lively small percentage. But out of
the 225,000, the Army set a goal of
only 1000 places to be filled and to
date not even half of that number
6,000-have been placed.
The fault does not lie with the
Army Specialist Sorps, which has
been receiving complaints for fall
ure to act on applications. 1t lies
with the Army itself-somewher in
the Army organization. Army colo
nels and generals are not asking for
the personnel they need and are
reluctant to let go of the men they
have in subordinate desk jobs.
Something has to be done to prod
these administrators and make them
realize that the whole Nation is Won
dering why the partially deaf, the
partially blind and the citizens with
heart ailments are forced into So
called limited service" disrupting
family life and dependency relation
ships, when there is big reserve of
volunteers ready to do those quasi
civilian chores needed by the Army.
What is unfortunate, too, is that
nearly Dos, 900 citizens are getting an
impression of Army inefficiency,
Army red tape and Army delay and
lack of foresight and planning.
The citizen expects his Govern
ment to be efficient in time of war at
least on the military side. He
doesn't believe it possible that there
could be call for men without
knowing what to do with them. He
doesn't relish being forced to wait
months and months to get into the
Army which he is eager to join
while at the same time the head of
the Selective Service is warning busi-
nessmen that there are really no
necessary men and that everybody
Is replaceable.
"Sad Slip" Somewhere.
Paul McNutt is supposed to be
head Of the Manpower Commission.
He has had reputation for eff
cheney OF administration, but some
where between Mr.. McNutt and Maj.
Gen. Hershey of the Selective Service
and the manpower managers of the
War Department, something has
slipped badly. There is no co-ordi-
nation.
This kind of situation can only
serve to injure the war effort and
impair morals. The citizen does not
like unfairneSs or discrimination.
II he must be called to active service,
he wants to be sure he will get
active service. If he is physically
disqualified. he wants to make sure
that he is replacing somebody who is
able bodied and can 60 to the front.
The whole manpower situation de-
serves the Presidents personal at
tention. He may be getting excuses
and alibis from those around him,
but the mail coming in from all parts
Of the country to members of Con-
gress shows that improperly -worded
regulations and lack of uniform ad-
ninistration of the draft has done
considerable damage and that the
deep-seated confidence which the
citizen was asked TO have in the
fairness and efficiency OF his Gov
ernnent in dealing with the citizen s
life is being impaired every day.
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