Evening star., 1948-06-21
Military Awaits
Truman Action
To Start Draft
Bradley Halls Passage
Of Bill as Step Toward
Averting Foreign War
BY the Assoeioted Press

The Nations military leaders
were ready today to swing speedily
into action building 1000, ,000-man
defense force-when President Tru-
man orders the draft.
Not until 80 days after Mr.. Tru-
man signs the selective service re-
} vival bill can men-19 through 25-
be indicted into the armed forces.
But the defense chiefs were rush.
ing plans to set up the training ma
chinery for the thousands of peace
time draftees. Congress gave them
more than $4,000, ,000,000 to do the
job of strengthening the Army,
Navy and Air Force.
Gen. Bradley. Army chief of staff,
said passage of the draft bill is a
long step toward preventing for
eign conflict
He told a news conference in Los
Angeles yesterday it will back our
leadership in the world and will
strengthen our foreign policy
"Anything Might Happen"
As to the chances of an emer-
eency arising, Gen Bradley said:
We're faced with the possibility
anything might happen. No one
knows-unless 1t would be IA men in
the Kremlin.''
Gen. Bradley's forces received the
major share of the defense bilious
handed out by Congress and will get
the largest number Of men through
the peacetime draft.
On the dollar score, the Army got
S6.767 ,668, 1863; the Navy. s4,749, ,059,-
$50. A s3,224,0O0,oo0 appropriation
to build the Air Force up to 10
groups, also included funds for the
Army and Navy.
Military authorities have esti-
mated it will take about S1,700,0 ,000,-
900 to draft and train the future
inductees.
Veterans May Aid Training.
Gen. Bradley said some key per-
sonnel may be brought home from
overseas to help in the training pro-
gram. Reserve and National Guard
officers already have been put
through special courses to admin
lister the peacetlme dra1t.
The fanfare which featured the
beginning of the previous drafts will
be missing this time.
There will be no drawing OF
numbers from a goldfish bowl. In
stead of lottery, the order OF in
duction will be decided by age.
Tentative plans call for begin
ming the draft with 21-year-olds.
Under this plan men who turned 81
on January / would be first in line
for induction, January 2 next and
so on through December 81.
Hershey Expected to Resume Role.
Whether all eligibles in the first
age group will be called before
drafting is started from another
group still Is to be decided.
The Office al -Ssleetiye Service
Records, caretaker of the wartime
draft records and planning agency
for the peacetirne draft, will be alb
sorbed by the new selective service
organization. Maj. Gen. Lewis B.
Hershey. who headed the wartime
draft, presumably will head the new
agency.
Approximately 1000 local draft
boards will be set up. There were
GAP boards during the wartime
draft. The local boards, like before,
will be appointed by the Governors.
The Army probably will call be-
tween 100000 and 225,o00 inductees
rI,,ri,,e tbe fret 70 monthS
Under the draft bill the Army
would be increased to $4,000 from
its present $4,000 strength; the
Navy and Marine Corps to 666, 1882
from $1,000; the Air Force to
$4,000 from $4,000. The total
strength Of the military establish
ment is set at zoos 1882.