Evening star., 1944-12-02
Writer Urges Truth
On Military Training
Sees Postwar Potential Need of
Army of Millions
BY Dapid Laurence

BY Dapid Laurence
Now that the political campaign is
over, some of the delicate subjects which
were discreetly kept from public dis
cussion are being brought forward.
One of them Is the plan for universal
military training. The American people
are being urged by church groups to
defer action on this question until after
the war, but the War and Navy Depart
ments are urging immediate legislation
because they do not want the military
and naval organizations set UP during
the war to disintegrate in the transition
period.
The fact is that the American people
might just as well get acquainted with
the truth about their future military
requirements. For long time to come,
1t now develops, the United States will
have to maintain potential army of
many millions of men.
Reliance on the new League of Ma
t1onS or the use of moral force is an.
parently to be secondary. Military men,
OF course, never have had much faith
In international organizations, anyway.
And they argue that until security is a
reality, the United States must have
IN the meantime large military force
to maintain its influence in world
affairs.
Colleges Worried.
| There have been some interesting dis
cusslons this week here between college
presidents and military authorities, and
| the whole story was disclosed. The COL
leges, to be sure, are very much worried
ABOUT the plan for universal military
service, not because they oppose the
idea itself, but because many of them
/ would like to avoid the interruption be-
tween the high school and college period
and let military training be taken after
graduation from college.
| 1here Is, moreover, a traditional preju-
dice In America against compulsory
military service. The War Department.
however, is insisting that this is not
plan for military service, but a plan
| Tor military training. Congress, 1t is
pointed out, would have to authorize the
use of the trained men in any military
| service.
1t goes without saying however, that
IN case OF emergency of any kind, the
trained citlzenry would be available for
service militarily because Congress
would be compelled to act at once, so
1t amounts to the same thing.
The plan for universal military train
Ing Will get much further with public
opinion If the present administration
exhibits candor and frankness in ex-
planning the need for the plan to the
American people For one thing, it NAV
be necessary to call into military service
the same men who are fighting the
present war unless considerable reser-
Volr OF younger men is brought into uni.
form Immediately after the armistice
to act as reserves.
Actually the present law STIMULATES
that men in the Army and Navy are
subject to call after the present war 70,
period of years.
Large Standing Army.
All in all, it evidently is the plan Al
the administration to maintain a large
perhaps OF 100000 regulars and approx
mately 100000 trained youth, who
could be called into service when Con-
gress so desired. On top of this would
be at least 100000 to 5000, 900 men who
are now in the armed forces and who
would be subject to call.
Since the United States intends tn
have a potential army of several million
men, 1t seems probable that Russia will
do likewise and very likely that France
Will create huge force as well. Britain
Is expected to concentrate on air forces
and navy rather than on a standing
army.
The prospect seems to be that the
United States will furnish the bulk of
the manpower for any future war. There
seems to be no getting around the fact
that the United States intends to make
commitments to police Europe and that
in order to give the President a large
enough force to put instantly in actor
without waiting for a debate in Con.
gress, 1t will be essential that many
millions OF men either be kept under
arms or in reserve so that they can b,
Immediately called to the colors
The military mind conceives all thi,
as preventive of war and argues TO,
1t on that basis. Irrespective of tn,
merits Of that age-old argument as K
whether standing armies prevent war.
or provoke them by means of rivalr,
in armament. the fact is that the United
States has been called into European
conflict twice in Is years, and if the
American people can be convinced that
by a system of military training of 49,
year-old boys. a third world war will be
prevented, they are likely to recommend
to their Congressman that they pass
such statute.
The whole question will be decided not
on basis of whether standing armies
prevent or provoke wars, but on whether
the security of the United States actu.
ally requires such step.
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