Evening star., 1945-07-27
THE EVENING STAR, Washington D. C. *s~ A-s
n,

testimony was that the Army Is
with other agencies in
the recruiting drive for railroads,
including an order to furlough 1000
soldiers for railroad work, but he
repeated the War Department stand
against the general policy Of fur
large groups Of soldiers on
an occupational basis, pointing out
that the railroads comprise only one
of several industries requesting
such furloughs.
Senator Mead insisted that in
view of the total size of the Army
and the fact that it will not all be
required In the Pacific, "the Army
has splendid opportunity to prove
its efficiency by going through its
records and picking out railroad
men for furlough to their old jobs"
Gen. Franklin and Col. Luke Fin
ley told the committee that the
Army's railway battalions in Europe
are busy getting men and material
to the ports on the shattered Euro
pean railroad system, and that if
those men Were brought home first,
the other soldiers would not be able
to return.
Alternative Explained.
In explaining why they felt there
would be no crisis on the Western
railroads, the Army men said that If
1t became apparent all of the Pa
cific supplies could not be moved
through the bottlenecks on the
Western railroads more supplies
would be dispatched by boat from
Atlantic and Gulf ports.
Gen. Franklin testified earlier that
the War Department kept ODT Di-
rector johnson advised from the
start on overall troop movement
plans, although no information was
given ODT or sought by 1t as to
daily or weekly troop movements.
Col. Johnson had told the ccm-
mittee other railroad arrangements
could have been made if he had
received more advance informa-
ton The Army officials at today's
hearing assured the committee ODT
now is receiving any information
it desires.
Gen. Franklin testified that a
larger portion of our shipping must
be used from now on for direct
shipments from Europe to the Pa
cific and from our own West Coast
to the Pacific.
Our military timetable for the
defeat of Japan has been moved
forward as a result of our recent
air, sea and ground successes, and
top priority must be given to the
movement of the forces and supplies
needed by Gen. Macarthur and
Admiral Nimitz.
1T Is changes of this type in the
calendar of military operations
which make it impossible to forecast
with exactness any phase of military
transportation on long-range
basis"
Gen. Franklin acknowledged that
/ the rate of return Of troops from
Europe had been stepped up. He
said the original plan called for re-
turn Of about 435,000 men by now,
but that actually $4,000 men we're
brought back from Europe within
81 days after We DAY.
Mead Wants Coordination.
"All of these men have boarded
trains and started toward their
homes without delay except for one
group which arrived at Hampton
Roads, Va, during a period when
there was temporary regional
shortage of cars caused by the
emergency move of troops into Chi
cago during the recent truck strike
there" he said
Chairman Mead interjected: IT
think We are all agreed that we
want the largest number brought
home at the earliest possible date.
There might be some improvement,
however, in the coordination of the
agencies involved"
Col. johnson will 60 on the air
over the Columbia Broadcasting
System at 10:45 pm. tomorrow.