The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1943-02-04
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Washington, D. c.
ARMY'S SIZE AND
LABOR PROBLEMS

ManpOWer BOSS Paul McNull mas
been seasoning with the Truman
committee regarding certain prob
lens which touch the lives of every
one. They include size of the army,
where we will get labor for farms,
and whether the army shall be used
in mines and industry.
Senators on the committee were
impressed both with the gravity of
the problems McNutt placed before
them, and his general views regard
ing them.
McNutt revealed that Undersec-
rotary of War Patterson had been
talking to him about a total armed
force of 1000, 900 to $4,000, 900 men.
This included not merely the army,
but the navy, the coast guard and
the marine corps-everything except
the merchant marine.
However, McNutt pointed out that
shipping facilities and submarine
warfare seriously limited the num-
Der Of troops which could be sent
abroad and supplied. The figure he
mentioned must remain a military
secret, but he indicated that with
Hitler's U-boats working overtime
around North Africa, it was going
to be difficult to maintain a very
large army in North Africa.
In addition to North Africa, he
pointed to the problem of supplying
other war fronts in the Pacific, to-
gether with Russia and England.
As a result, McNutt doubted the
feasibility of worlds record army
now. He was all for giving the mill
tary and navy what they wanted so
long as it could be transported to
the combat zones, but he opposed a
huge army which would eat its head
off at home, especially in view of
the fact that morale deteriorates
when an army is kept idle.
At enc time, McNutt said, large
army at home was considered nee
essary to protect the United States.
But now military experts felt this
danger greatly lessened, though
certain number of reserves must be
trained
Army and Industry.
McNutt was asked a great many
questions about farm labor, especial
ly by Senator Truman of Missouri.
He replied that the army had been
unwilling to let men go home on
furleugh to help with the crops be-
cause this hurt morale. However,
he said the army was working on
plan to send army units into farm
areas, in battalions or companies,
and have them help with farm work
on an organized basis under army
command.
Though the matter was not dis
cussed in detail, it seemed to be the
unsPeken feeling of the committee
that too big an army going into in
dustry and agriculture on an or
gained military basis might come
close to developing a militarized sys-
tenn in the U. S. A. similar to that
against which we were fighting in
Europe.
Only one member of the commit
tee, Senator Hatch of New Mexico,
AS1l AlldI LIlS IIlCO 1O1SCo UC
given free rein to go ahead and
build up tremendous strength not
subject to civilian check and super
ViSion.
Other committee members ex-
pressed the view that it was only
natural for any military leader to
want the army to be the biggest in
the world; so a civilian check-rein
by the White House or congress
was necessary to balance farm labor
and industry against armed strength.
Finally it was decided that the
most important problems to lick be-
fore increasing the army to world
beating proportions was the subma-
rine and shipping.