Evening star., 1948-04-27
Plans 10 Draft
100000, Train
$4,000 Drawn
Senote Committee
And Military Leaders
Discuss Program
o.. D-lx " MILL
By Robert K. Welsh


The Senate Armed Services
Committee announced today it
has hit on "a real practical pro-
gram" to draft 10000 men an
nually for two years Army serv-
ice and select another 161 900 of
18-year-old youths for one years
training in the Army, Navy and
Air Force.
The plan was discussed at a closed
session with Secretary of Defense
Forrestal, Secretary of the Army
Royal, Gen. Bradley, Army Chief
of Staff, and other military lead
ers.
Committee Chairman Gurney said
the plan was not formally acted on
by the committee but that it re-
ceived very favorable" indorse-
ment as very practical compro-
mise" to assure a supply of trained
reserves and to build up the regular
forces without adding further to
present requests for the prepared
ness program.
UNIT Principle Retained.
Although the revised proposal
differs greatly from the original plan
for universal military training of
approximately $4,000 youths of 1s
annually, Senator Gurney denied
that it meant that the basic princi-
pie Of UNIT has been abandoned.
This doesn't mean that the long
range program to obtain a trained
reserve has been junked," he de-
clared. This is military training,
but 1t is not universal"
Committee staff employees will
work with representatives of Sec
retary ForreStal's office and Mai,
Gen. Lewis B. Hershey in preparing
a tentative bill to be presented to
the committee within a few DAYS.
Gen. Hershey, director of the Office
of Selective Service Records, also
attended todays committee meet
ing.
In Reserves Four Years.
AS outlined by Senator Gurney,
the revised bill will contain the
following points:
A total of 161, 900 youths 18 to 1917
years old would be brought into the
regular services annually for one
year training with those regular
units. The Army would receivS
10000; the Navy, 10000; the Ma
rine Corps, 5000, and the Air Force,
$4,000.
This 161 900 would come from an
estimated available pool of 600 1000
youths year.
After serving one year, these
trainees would be required to join a
Glass A reserve unit such as the
National Guard for four years.
A total of 10000 men from 1917
through Is would be drafted an
nually for two years service. All
of these would go into the Army
under present plans because the
Air Force and Navy believe they
can meet their manpoWer needs by
voluntary enlistments.
On completion of the two years
service, the inductees would not be
required to serve in Glass A Reserve
units, but would have to 20 into
the Unorganized Reserve for three
years.
No Maj jor Distinction.
There would be no major distinc-
tion between inductees and trainees
so far as actual military service in
this country is concerned. Both
would be brought into the service
through local draft boards. The
main difference would be that the
trainees would not be sent outside
the continental United States.
Senator Gurney conceded that
this might create complications if a
regular unit had to be sent over
seas suddenly and its contingents of
members in the 18-19ta age bracket
had to remain behind.
The proposed compromise. SEN
ator Gurney explained, would not
change the overall strength of the
regular forces as recommended by
Secretary Forrestal last week in his
recommendation for a 66-grour
Air Force. The manpower total re-
quested by Secretary Forrestal was
1,795 900.
Moreover, the new plan would
not require any funds in addition
(See DEFENSE, Page A-6J