Evening star., 1944-09-09

statement contains preview OF
what Japan can expect when Ger
many has been disposed Of. 1t Is
a preview of an endless armada OF
troopships and ships filled with
fighting machinery moving out
through the Mediterranean to the
land Of the no-longer-rising sun; an
expeditionary force that, having
done the impossible in Europe, will
in due time be on its way to do the
same in the Far East.
But the people of Germany and
Japan could take no deeper interest
in the plan than do the people OF
the United States. For it tells how
under what conditions and in what
order. the men in the Army are to
be returned to their homes.
At first reading it looks like a
good plan. 1t will be subjected to
criticism from various quarters, OF
course, and it may be that flaws will
be found in it. But, compared with
rehabilitation processes at the end
OF World War I, it seems emf
nently fair and feasible. Obviously
the War Department has given long
and hard study to the problem and
has noted the serious shortcomings
OF the method used last time.
Slow In Starting.
1t was not until October 8, 1918
a month before the end of the war
that the problem of rehabilitation
was taken up by the general staff
AS the then Secretary of War later
said, '"The first. steps in demobiliza-
ton were taken while the policy
itself was being formulated"
The method finally adopted, after
this brief study, was that of de.
mobilization by military organiza
tions or units. 1t was the only
method the military authorities
were prepared to put into operation
quickly. Three other plans were
considered: ID BY industrial needs
or occupations, CD by locality
through use of the local or regional
draft boards, and 90 by length OF
service. These were discarded.
The first had been attempted by
the British and found unavoidable
Furthermore it involved a species OF
regimentation In civil life quite un-
acceptable to Americans.
The second, that of using the draft
boards, was found to have merit as
the one most likely to bring the re-
turned soldier and a job together
with least delay. However, this
plan did not come up for real con-
slderatlon until the miiitary-unit
rehabilitation plan already had
been adopted and announced.
The third, discharge by length of
service, was rejected because the
country had been at war for only
lS months, the majority of the men
had been In service less than a year
and 1t was important, in any case,
that the men in France should be
returned to this country as soon as
possible.
Based on Mems Rights.
The plan announced now is based
primarily on the rights and needs
OF the individual soldier. Discharge
OF whole military units would vio-
late these considerations in many
cases, since every unit contains both
veterans and recent replacemsnts
who have seen only short service,
Every unit also contains men with
and men without dependent chill
dren.
A provision for Separation GEN.
ters" In all parts of the country
from which the actual discharge will
take place, is believed to provide
some OF the same advantages con-
tanned in the suggested plan for
using regional draft boards.
The War Department has tested
on the soldiers themselves the plan
1t now announces. The soldiers saw
they like 1t. The same probably
Will be true as to the soldiers fam
lies and the country at large.
In any case, 1t has now been made