Evening star., 1943-09-16

over SO for guard duty at home tt
release younger soldiers he said ar.
now so assigned.
Many Youths Volunteer.
Gen. Hershey testified that of the
100000 boys who reach l8 eacf
month, about 10000 already have
volunteered Tor some branch of the
service. OF the remaining 80,0Ot
who register, he said, so per cent
would be liberal estimate of the
| number found available for induc.
ton.
Senator Gurney. Republican, OF
South Dakota brought out by Ques-
tioning that of the 5,500,000 fathers
on the registers only out of IL will
have to be taken, but that all OF
them are in an uncertain state of
mind. He suggested that the sooner
the class 3-A roster is reviewed the
better, so that the millions of fathers
who will not be called may be in
formed of their status.
Gen. Hershey agreed that this is
desirable, but pointed out that
out of 6 probably will have to be
examined to get out of IL who will
pass for induction.
In other testimony today, Rear
Admiral Randall Jacobs, naval per-
sonnel chief, said the Navy must
draft $4,000 men to meet its man.
power needs for the balance of this
year.
Army spokesmen testified yester-
day that inductions will vary from
$4,000 to 175.O00 a month for the
rest of 1943 to build up an Army
of 100000 men. The drafting of
prewar fathers is scheduled to be-
gin October /.
Discuss Cut in Age Limits. A
The advisability of lowering the
draft age, coupled with a year of
training, was injected into the
father-draft hearing by Senator
Reynolds after Admiral Jacobs tes-
titled the Navy has 58,742 youths
under l8, who volunteered.
What would you say to lowering
the draft age from 18 to II, since the
military authorities try to give a
year of training and they would be
18 before being used?" asked Senator
Reynolds.
Without expressing an opinion
Admiral Jacobs replied:
Frankly. Senator, we don't take
all the l7-year-olds that come in,
because they are not all mature
enough. There is that fact to be
considered"
Sees High Rejection Rate.
The admiral predicted that, from
his experience. the percentage of
reflections would be much higher
among l7-year -olds than at Is. if
the age limit was lowered. He also
emphasized the Navy only takes IT,
year-olds when their parents con-
sent.
Senators Reynolds and Wheeler
also inquired why men over 38 could
not be drafted for guard duty in the
United States now being performed
by soldiers, thereby avoiding the
need for drafting 446,0O0 fathers.
I've been informed, and it's Leen
published, that there are IN the
Army 350,00o men guarding high
ways, BRIDGE: and factories" SAID
Senator Reynolds. I'm view of that,
I'm wondering If you could not get
men over SO to do that?"
Senator Wheeler added that he
had seen young soldiers doing guard
duty at home. He said he realized
men over 38 might not be able to
stand combat training, but that they
could take over the guard assign
ments.
Gen. Hershey gave the number of
men in each of the deferred cate
gories and predicted that even if
all those deferred for work in war
industries were called in, "it is
doubtful whether more than 754 600
would be actually available for mill
tary service after physical exami-
nation"
This number" he said, would
do little more than complete the
calls through January l, 1914, and
1t should be borne in mind that
the selective service system. accord