Evening star., 1945-09-19
Truman Pledges
No Padding in
Armed Forces
Declares Services
Won't Hold Any One
Day Beyond Need
Ey the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
President Truman declared to-
day that there will be mo pad
ding in our armed forces" and
that mo one is going to be held
in the service day longer than
is necessary"
The President said in statement
that no one can accurately forecast
at this time the future military
needs and noted that Gen. Douglas
Macarthur had revised his own esti-
mates of the number of troops nec-
essary for the occupation of Japan
and Korea.
Gen. Macarthur first estimated
that he would require a force of
100000, but cut this to 100000 and
then to 100000.
The Armys plans call for the re-
turn to their homes of more than
100000 soldiers between VI day
and Christmas, 1945," the Presi-
dents statement said. Between
now and Christmas the discharge
rate will rise steadily from the pres
ent daily figure of 1920 to not less
than $4,000 per day and by January.
1916, to more than $4,000 per day."
Interpretation Left to Press.
Meanwhile, Press Secretary
Charles G. Ross told reporters they
would have to put their own inter-
probation on Mr.. Truman's news
conference remarks yesterday on
Gen. MacArthur's occupation force
statement.
The President had observed that
Gen. Macarthur reduced his pre-
liminary estimates and commented
that he was pleased to know that
Gen. Macarthur thought he could
get along with fewer men.
A reporter told Mr. Ross that some
Of those who attended the confer
ence interpreted the Presidents re-
marks as being sarcastic and that
others thought he was supporting
Gen. Macarthur estimate.
The President said he wanted to
make one thing clear-that the
speed of demobilization is not gov
erned 'by our future needs for occu-
patton and other forces"
The services, he added, are carry
ing on demobiliZation as rapidly as
they can and 1--WE shall not really
face the problem of the size or
makeup of the occupation forces
until next spring" By that time,
he said, I'VE ought to know how
many men we shall need for occu-
patton and to what extent that need
can be met through volunteers"
Text of Statement.
The Presidents statement follows:
Every American has an interest
in when our soldiers and sailors
will return to civilian life. With
many OF us, this is a personal in
terest. We all want to feel sure
that no one is going to be held in
the service a DAY longer than is
necessary to see the job through.
I think We should all be very
clear about one thing. An impress
sion has spread that the speed Of
rehabilitation is governed by our
future needs for occupation and
other forces. That is, of course, not
true.
No one now can accurately fore
cast what these needs are going to
be. Our earlier estimates are being
constantly revised. For example,
Gen. Macarthur this week stated
that he would be able to handle the
occupation of Japan and Korea with
half the troops that only a month
ago he estimated he would need
for that purpose.
Carrying on our rehabilitation
as rapidly as we can-which we are
now doing-we shall not really face
the problem of the size or makeup
of the occupation forces until next
spring. BY that time, we ought to
know how many men we shall need
for occupation and to what extent
that need can be met through VOL
unteers.
Has Confidence in Army.
Il think the Army has given all
of us good reason for the same con-
fidence in its ability to win the bat
tie of rehabilitation which we had
in its ability to win the war. The
day japan surrendered the Army
had to scrap all its plans for an
all-out assault and do q right
about-face. That was August IA. In
less than one month since then the
number of men discharged from
the Army each day has risen from
4 200 to more than $4,000.
Our soldiers are now being re-
turned to civilian life at a rate in
excess of $50 per hour, "a hours per
day. This represents a speedup OF
better than 375 per cent in 80 days.
Such performance justifies full
confidence.
"The Army's plans call for the re-
turn TO their homes of more than
2, 100000 soldiers between VI day
and Christmas, 1945. Between now
and Christmas the discharge rate
will steadily rise from the present
daily figure of 1920 to not less than
22,000 per day and by January, 1916,
TO more than $4,000 per day.
Keep Only Number Needed.
"The Army and Navy mean to do
the task set for them with the mini
mum number of men. There will be
no padding in our armed forces.
America is going to keep the full
strength she needs for her national
commitments. But the rest of the
men are coming back home, and
coming as fast as the services can
get them out"
Meanwhile, Gen. MacArthur's an
nouncement that perhaps 100000
soldiers would be enough to. police
(See DEMOBILIZATION, Pg. Aid