Evening star., 1947-03-03
Army 10 Release
All IFS Draftees
By June 30
President Requests
Congress to Let
SeIective Service Die

President Truman today told
Congress to let the draft die, and
the War Department announced
the release of all its non-volun-
teers by June 80.
The White House action, and the
War Department announcement
which followed soon afterward,
were both aimed at the goal of OBJ
tanning an army Of 100000 volun-
teers by July /. :
In recommending against extern
sion of the draft beyond March 81,
the President left the door open for
re-enactment of selective service
legislation at some later date if
the Army and Navy are unable to
maintain their authorized strength
through voluntary recruiting.
Personnel Chief Confident.
Maj. Gen. Willard S. Paul ex-
pressed confidence at a press con-
ference, however, that the Army
would reach its strength require
ment without the draft.
Gen. Paul, the Army's personnel
chief, said the War Department
was willing to take a chance"
Approximately 100000 men will
be released under orders going out
to all domestic and overseas COM
manders today.
Nonvolunteers in this country,
who make up approximately 40 per
cent of the draftees still in the
Army, will be released in time to
have completed their terminal leave
before May Is.
Overseas commanders were given
an additional two months because of
shipping and replacement consider
ations, but they must return those
eligible for discharge in time for the
men to complete their leave not
later than June 30.
To Be Discharged at Posts.
Gen. Paul conceded the Army
may run into some difficulties in
getting all the men home on sched-
ule, but he said the goal was June
30.
To expedite the release of the
men in this country, they will be
discharged at every post, camp and
station rather than being shipped
to separation centers.
Only men awaiting trial or the
result of rtial or certificates of dis
ability for discharge or those who
voluntarily submit themselves for
further medical care will be held be-
yond the May and June headlines,
the general said.
The decision to release the last
remnants of the Nations tremen-
.doas draft Army came as result of
the recently imposed limit of 1070,-
600 men, including noneffective
personnel for the Army's July Il
strength. Previously the limit did
not cover noneffectives including
men being processed for discharge,
those on terminal leave and those in
hospitals who are not expected to
return to active duty.
To Seek Immediate Discharge.
Gen. Paul revealed that the War
Department will ask Congress for
legislation to discharge men at the
time they are sent home on terminal
leave rather than to keep them on
the books until their terminal leave
has expired. If Congress passes
such a measure, he explained, the
Army would be made up of 1,07O, 900
effsctives.
The Army, he said, was gratifed
to see the increase in the number
of men enlisting for three years. AS
the average length of service in
creases, he pointed out, fewer men
are needed as replacements.
Gen. Paud estimated that 10000
recruits would be needed each month
during the next fiscal year.
Asked If the War Department be-
lieved it could keep up this recruit
ing average without the spur pre-
vic.lsly given recruiting by the draft,
Gen. Paul said he believed 1t could
be done, but it would involve sales
manship.
I'VE hope we will never need the
draft" he said. 1--WE want a volun-
teer Army, and this is the time we
are going after it.
He pointed out, however. that if
the Army falls below strength it has
reserved the right to ask for the
draft.
In his message to Congress to let
the draft die on March 81 the
President conceded that the "only
assured way" of maintaining the
armed forces at their required
strength during the 1948 fiscal year
is through resort to selective service,
but he added:
II have decided, however, after
most careful consideration and con-
(See DRAFT, Page A-6D