The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1946-04-12
Arny;s Needs
by ARTHUR KROCK
WASHINGTON. April II "

WASHINGTON April H. Very little is be-
ing heard on Capitol Hill, during consideration
of bills to extend Selective Service. to the eff
feet that the A1rny's manpower budget for the
next fiscal year is too high. This is in sharp
contrast to what happened in 1913 when MANY
Congressional and other admirers of the War
Department high command felt and said that
it's projected total for that calendar year was
excessive and too far ahead of any possible
production Of essential supply. The reason for
the change is that the Arny's manpower re-
qurements for the period ending July l947,
have been most conservatively estimated.
For the end of this fiscal year, July |, the
ground and air forces requiI ement has been set
at 1850, 600, to be reduced to 1,O7OOC on the
succeeding July 1. The subtraction proposed is
in the ground and service troops, the r an being
to maintain the air forces at minimum of
10000 men in seventy air groups. The Selec-
tive Service Act is extended, preferably for a
year and without Gripping restrictions as to
age limits, etc. it has estimated that both year.
end figures can be met. But as numerous ex-
pert witnesses have patiently explained to Con-
gress-the latest being General Eisenhower to-
day-the best judgement is that neither can be
met by sole reliance on the volunteer system OF
recruiting
There are several reasons for this Judgment
Among them are G) the natural reaction from
military service of peace-minded people. and
90 the shorter term of service which citizen
can sign up Cor if he volunteers instead of wait
ing to be drafted If the draft act is maintained
the authorities have concluded from experience,
volunteering will be brisk enough to fulfill the
budget in combination with those men provided
Selective Service. But if the act is abandoned,
or crowded with hampering amendments vol
unteering will not provide the requirements,
even if soldiers pay is increased. The official
Army estimate of the deficit in these circuna-
stances on July1 1947, is 1855, 900, and that a.
gain is conservation
The War Departments presentation Of the
whole issue has been SO moderate and factual
that the resistance to its manpower plans in
Congress would be surprising if the immediate
explanation were not plain. This is to be found
in the pressure On members of the House and
Senate in election year from families which be-
lieve they have made all the military contribu-
ton that can fairly be expected from them
How wide is the base from which this pressure
is being exerted is matter of guesswork. But
the members of Congress are made to feel that
the foundation is broad and deep.
The Army cannot very easily reach those
families which are making Congress hesitate
to extend the draft as it is for year. That must
be left to the impact of the serious internation-
al news in the daily press to public conscious
ness OF the obligations In peace this assumed
in war and victory, and to the effect of de-
mands OF members Of these families still in
service Especially in occupation forces) that
they can be replaced But the Army can get its
case before Congress, and it has done so with
candor and conservatism That, however. is
not the same as winning the case.
In this presentation the Army has listed the
functions which the rest of the government ex-
poets it to discharge in the period between the
end Of what General Eisenhower calls sthe
shooting war and real peace. These include
normal protection OF the United States and its
possessions, and of the bases which are and
will be maintained; foreign occupation duty;
a quota for the United Nations guardians OF
world order; and the supply of service units for
all men engaged in the foregoing. In estimating
its requirements to perform these functions.
the Army, after counsel with the State De-
partment mas relied on a number of assump-
tons, the optimistic nature of which explains
the conservation Of the estimates
Among these assumptions are that the shoot
ing war is over for period of years at least
and that the United Nations will succeed in its
oDJectlves. But still required is military force
exclusive of he Navy, sufficient to fulfil the
Army's expected functions in such world ON
July l, l947, and also able to deal with minor
emergencies that may appear within the frame
Work OF the larger assumptions. That force
dropping from 1850, 900 next July l. to O7O 600
year later-is one which the War Depart
ment does not feel can be assured by volun
teerlng, but only through the extension of the
draft.
Even with this extension it has been thought
necessary TO lower the standards Of admission
to what the authorities consider the lowest point
consistent with safety and effectiveness Nv
that move il mas become possible to make use
OF 4-F's of fine capacity exclusive of the physi
cal whose services were denied to the nation in
wartime.
The impression left with this correspondent
after hearing the Army's case in detail, is that
its estimates as well as the bases on which
these rest are intelligent, prudent and sound
And certainly. they are moderate. 1t mas only
been few months since more than 5000 600
men were in combat service under the War
Department. The shooting war; as General
Eisenhower says, is over. But the shrinkage
to l,O7o,OOo in July, 1947, is far more rapid
rate OF descent toward normal than the reduc
ton in war making potentials among the ma
lions in the same period. - New York Times.
QUOTATIONS