Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-12-19
BEHIND y
THE NEWS
BY Paul
MalIon

a sur vi WilcliltI IL II Ilklt I'D
criticize" our allies. The Penn
sylvania Republican, Mr.. Gavin.
said something about the Brit
ish being willing to sacrifice
American boys and questioned
their draft policies in way
which caused the reporters TO
deduce he was apparently re-
ferring to Canada" Up jumped
the Texas Democrat, Johnson,
saying, oh no, you must not
say such things about our allies
because you are aiding Ger
many. The leader, Mccormack,
trying to referee the argument,
thought constructive criticism
all right but urged prudence.
1t did not occur to any one to
ask what the facts of British
Empire CONSUMPTION policy
really are. No one asked
whether what was said was
true or untrue, and indeed this
normal gauge of whether criti-
eiSm is justified or not. was
never mentioned. l got the facts
from no less an uncritical a
British source than the British
Information Service and the
various empire legations and in
formation services here. An
hour of work by any congress-
man could have avoided or set
tied the still unsolved dispute.
T1E British Isles have draft
4 system more extensive than
ours, but Canada, Australia and
the Union of South Africa have
systems limiting the use of
their drafted troops in various
ways to home defense, although
their volunteers fight any,
where.
India has no CONSUMPTION of
any kind on the native popu-
lation, but the British Isles
draft system applies to British
subjects there.
The India volunteer army is
seldom fully identified in dis
patches as it fights in the name
of the British, but numbers
more than 1000, 900 troops plus
10000 in the navy and air
services.
Three of its divisions are now
fighting in Italy, one division in
Greece, and while the exact
number of its men in use on
=theEBuFnfa front tnorth and
SOUTH has not been given out,
l was surprised TO learn 80 per
cent of the units in action there
are Indian. Also the Indians are
policing the Middle East and
North Africa.
Australian law prevents use
of draftees beyond certain
arc covering the islands just
north and east of the home
land Git runs through New
Zealand and New Guinea).
However, SO per cent of the
Australian army Is volunteer
and the draft militia is used
mostly for home duties as it
includes those least physically
fit. Volunteer Australians
have fought conspicuously in
Egypt, Syria. Greece, Yugo-
slavia and Malaya
CANADIAN law, which Prime
~ Minister King is trying TO
break so sensationally uses
only volunteers abroad, and
conscripts on home soil only.
Although some few went TO
Alaska. The Union of South
Africa also has CONSUMPTION (18
to COZ only for home service,
but over 10 per cent of its total
population has volunteered and
volunteers were used in North
Africa iLibya) by special act
OF their parliament.
In the British Isles 81 per
cent of the male population, 19
TO 40, is in the armed forces
under a strong draft act. Men
Al TO so can be sent to industry
to work, and draftees have been
sent into the coal mines. Women
Is TO 81 are drafted for home
service. BY last March, the
United Kingdom british Isles
alone) had raised 4,500. 600 for
the armed services (excluding
women and Industry
-
THESE facts show the British
i at home are ahead of us in
draft strictness, although their
total 100000 is less than half
our 100000 and more, and
the bulk of Allied forces fight
ing on the western front are
ours. Draft criticism, there
fore. can justly be made only
against Canada, Australia and
South Africa.
My criticism would be that
they have an archaic conception
of home defense, although it is
the same one we had at the
start of this war. and IL is GER
tainly well rooted in a solid un-
derstanding of freedom. What
changed us vas the expanded
range of military weapons and
methods proving that defense
can well start abroad success
full defense of Singapore and
the Philippines would. for in
stance, have saved Australia).
Strictly from the standpoint
of new military considerations
(planes, rockets, etc. il is evil
dent the homeland is the last
line of defense.
Al