Evening star., 1946-01-20
Nation S Biggest Drive
For Army En|istments
Urged by Johnson

Senator Johnson, Democrat, of
Colorado yesterday advocated
"the biggest advertising cam
paign this country ever saw" to
draw volunteers for the Army.
Chairman of a special Military
Affairs Subcommittee which has
been studying demobilization prob
lens, he told a reporter:
"The adoption of a voluntary sys-
tenn is the answer to the whole thing
We must get vigorously behind a
program to get whatever men we
need in the Army.
Volunteers May Kill Need.
While declaring the Army should
reassess its requirements, Senator
johnson said he did not consider the
War Departments estimate of July
l needs excessive. That calls for
l 100000 officers and men.
1--WE have 100000 volunteers in
the Army right now" he said. Then
there are 10000 officers, all volun-
teers, which leaves 950000 volun-
teers to be recruited by July l. I
believe the whole need can be filled
by volunteers"
The Senator said the develop
ments of the past few weeks should
convince us that an impressed Army
in times of peace is disastrous"
He added that the Navy appears
to be filling all its needs with volun-
teers and is experiencing little
trouble with rehabilitation.
Senator johnson said he hopes to
have the report of the committees
investigation completed in the next
few days.
Meanwhile, with the future of the
draft law clouded, the Army sought
to make re-enlistmentS more at
tractive so as to assure itself the
minimum force it needs for it's occu-
patton and war liquidation roles.
The latest re-enlistment induce
ment, it was disclosed, will give
soldiers returning to civil life dur
ing the period ending July /, 80
days in which to decide whether to
re-enlist in the Regular Army with
the privilege of retaining their
present grade and pay.
Recruiting Drive Is Key.
Thus soldier discharged Feb
ruary would have until May / to
make up his mind, but one dis
charged June "a would have but a
week in which to make the decision.
With talk on Capitol Hill of let
ting the Selective Service Act expire
without renewal after May Is, the
size Of the Army by midsummer and
continuation of the present occupa-
tion missions hinge largely on the
success of the recruiting drive, Off
cials said.
BY February l, or less than six
months since the war ended it is
expected that more than 100000
volunteers will have joined the reg
ulars as a result of an intensified
drive that has broken all recruiting
records.
About II per cent are from civil
life, including a number who other
wise would be drafted, Maj. Gen.
Lewis B. Hershey, selective service
director, told a congressional COM
mittee last week.
Under estimates given Congress
by Gen. Eisenhower, chief of staff,
the Army is counting on 650,000
volunteers by July 1. But no such
limitation is accepted by Maj Gen.
Harold N. Gilbert, who has directed
Army manpower procurement drives
since prewar days.
Maybe we will get a million" Z"
he said.
Current manpower difficulties are
the Army's alone. The Navy expects
to reach its reduced goal of 100000
enlisted men and $4,000 officers by
September l, and the Marine Corps
is as confident of being able to re-
tain the 100000 men estimated as
| its interim postwar needs