Evening star., 1947-03-03

lgroup. Shortly before the extern
lsion was voted the War Department
ANNOUNCED 1t would not draft men
I'm July and August. Soon after
wards President Truman limited the
draft ages to 10 to -.
Operated Only Sir Weeks.
The draft actually operated for
Ionly SIX weeks during the nine
month period Of the extension. That
Twas from September until October
Is, 1915. when 10000 men were taken
4 into uniform.
| The President made no reference
I IN his message to selective service
IperSonnel or whether funds should
be made available to Hquidate the
lagency. At present, Selective Serv-
ice has 7.641 full-time and last
Ipart-time paid employees. It's volun-
Iteers. spread over the country In
l6,442 draft boards, include I64 ,568
draft appeal board members, re-
employment committeeman, doctors
and appeal agents many Of whom
have stayed with the draft since its
Y inception in October, 1910.
Text Of Presidents Message.
The text Of the Presidents draft
message follows:
aThe Selective Service and Train
ing Act viii expire on March 81,
1947. The only assured way Of main
tanning the Army and the Navy at
their required strengths during the
fiscal year 1913 is through resort to
i Selective Service. I have decided,
however, after most careful con-
federation and consultation with the
Secretary Of War and the Secretary
Of the Navy, and with the earnest
desire Of placing our Army and Navy
on an entirely volunteer basis at
the earliest possible moment, that I
should not recommend an extension
of the Act at this time. In order
that my position may be better
understood. the following facts are
Submitted:
The strength of the Army, in
cluding the Air Forces, must be
maintained throughout the next
fiscal year at 1,070 600 and the Navy,
Including the Marine Corps, must be
maintained at q strength of 571,0O0
II this Nation Is to have reasonable
assurance of security. These require
ments are absolute, and we must not
divest the War and Navy Depart
ments OF the means of meeting any
material shortages.
Personal losses from the Army
through separation during fiscal
year lS48 can be computed with a
reasonable degree Of accuracy. They
Will reach a total of $50, 900, or an
average Of 10000 per month. Gains.
on the other hand, cannot be so
accurately determined. A recruit
ing campaign for volunteers for the
Army was initiated in September.
1945, but shortages in recruiting have
heretofore forced the War Depart
ment to fill the gap through Sc
lective service. The last two months
OF 1946 provided an average of 49,
coo recruits per month. During
January, 1947, however, they rose
to some $4,000 enlistments and dur
ing the first two weeks of February
were about $4,000. Giving weight to
the fact that past records prove
January to be the best recruiting
month of the year, it is estimated
by the War Department that If pres
ent efforts to obtain volunteers are
continued 1t can count with a fair
degree of certainty on an average
OF 10000 enlistments and re-enlist-
ments per month during the coming
fiscal year. If only 10000 recruits
per month are obtained, the deficit
in required strength will be about
10000 by July /, 1948. However,
there Is a reasonable expectation
that better results may be obtained.
Nonvolunteers to Go.
The War Department is now
engaged in reducing the Army to
the strength Of 100000 on June
80, 1947, provided for in the hudget.
In effecting this reduction Is will
shortly direct the discharge of all
nonvolunteers.
"Ihe Navy Department is also
reducing the Navy to the strength
provided for In the budget for the
next fiscal year. To maintain an
average strength of 571,00 during
the fiscal year Of l948 the Navy viii
require approximately 100000 re-
cruits. Without the incentive of
Iselective service 1t is not certain
thatt his number of recruits can
be obtained.
The Army and the Navy are still
reducing their forces and the Army
Is not using inductees for the fun
term the law allows; consequently,
an extension of selective service at
TINS time would be solely on the
basis of predicted shortages during
the next year. With q recent bright-
ening In recruiting prospects, this
appears to be the logical time to
shoulder the risks involved.
Draft Extension Not Desired.
Therefore, I recommend that no
extension of selective service at this
time be made, but with the under
standing that:
First. the War and Navy Depart
ments will request the re-enact-
ment Of a Selective Service Act at a
later date If they are unable to
maintain the Army at strength of
1,070, 600 men and the Navy at a
strength Of ST. 900 through volun-
| tary enlistments. .
Second, the Army and Navy be
authorized from appropriated funds
to employ temporarily the necessary
civilian personnel over and above
those specifically authorized and ap-
propriated for by the Congress to
the extent necessary to balance any
shortage Of enlisted personnel when
strength may fall below the required
levels.
The efforts of the War Depart
ment to reach the desired goal Of an
entirely volunteer Regular Army are
worthy of the maximum support on