Evening star., 1948-03-21
Military Chiefs Confer
All Day on Plans for
More Manpower
H John 4. Giles

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< BY John A. Giles
The Nations military leaders met
all day yesterday to iron out plans
for requested new manpower ceiS-
ings for the armed services while
talk Of q compromise draft grew
In volume on Capitol Hill. -,
One Democratic leader said a
compromise selective service law
providing for registration of men
without an immediate call to arms
might be the only such legislation
Congress would approve.
The lawmaker, declining to be
named. talked about registering all
men 18 through rs but now on war
time draft rolls, but with no actual
draft call unless the armed forces
proved unable to fill their quotas
with voluntary enlistments. It has
been estimated such a law would
provide q pool of 5000, 900 men.
There was some military opinion
that this might be sufficient to spur
voluntary recruiting to an extent
where the present ranks of the
Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine
Corps could be filled.
Constant Conferences. -
However. should the national de-
fense establishment request higher
manpower ceilings, and Secretary Of
Defense Forrestal told the Senate
Armed Services Committee that 1t
would, the picturc might be changed.
The Joint Chiefs of staff and Mr..
Forrestal and his top aides were in
almost constant conferences yes
terday. seeking to complete plans
for the requested new strengths and
the temporary draft which Presi-
dent Truman asked Congress to pass
promptly. ta
Mr.. Forrestal, who with Secretary
Of State Marshall will appear at q
closed session Of the Senate. Armed
Service Committee tomorrow. has
said that the Army wants a ceiling
increase from $50 900 to 900 900 men.
An aide said yesterday that boost
Of the Air Force from 100000 to
100000 officers and men was being
discussed but that there might not
be any requests for larger strengths
for the Navy and Marine Corps.
Senator Ferguson, Republican, OF
Michigan, said the compromise draft
measure sounds reasonable because
then we could study the facts as
to- whether the men are actually
needed" There was some criticism
Of the military on Capitol Hill Tor
not being prepared to give full
picture of needs and not being in
position to suggest draft legislation.
. Chance to Dodge Issue.
One ardent supporter Of universal
military training, who would not be
quoted. said Mr.. Truman's double
request for UNIT and the temporary
draft may have killed the long
range training program.
"A lot Of Senators and represent
atives have been on the fence on
UNIT" he said. This will give them
a chance to duck and dodge by
voting for temporary draft"
The Joint chiefs and Mr.. Forrestal
likely also were still discussing the
roles and missions Of the services
in the light of developments.
althougfy~thes defense chief an
nounced general accord on all
differences following last weeks
meeting at Key West, Fla.
There has been no announcement
Of the results of the Key West meet
ing. The military leaders had been
at loggerheads over several 1mpor-
tant points. The Air Force has
wanted to restrict the bombing mis-
sions OF the Navy'S air arm to those
which are essential to naval oper-
ations. Navy men contend this
would drive the sea arm back to
the role Of a surface feet.
The Army is said to want the
Marines confined to minor amphibi-
Gus operations essential to Naval
campaigns, which would restrict
the famed corps to the Pacific where
islands must be taken as bases. This
desire on the part OF the Army IS
not new but it was no secret that
Marine Corps officers have been in
creasingly concerned about 1t.
AN aide said Mr.. Forrestal had not
had opportunity to make an an
nouncement of the decisions on roles
and missions arrived at the meet
ing in Key West.
There was some Congressional
criticism on the lack of this an
nouncement, since Mr.. Forrestal
had announced the meeting In ad-
vance. Representative Hinshaw,
Republican, of California, voiced
such criticism on the floor of the
House Wednesday. -,
Even Chairman Gurney Of the
Senate Armed Services Committee
said I'VE have not had enough facts
and actual details presented to u.s."
Senator Gurney has co-operated
closely with most major armed
forces and administration moves for
defense since Republicans gained
control OF Congress.
Facts and Figures Asked.
That is why Senator Gurney said,
his committee has asked Secretaries
Marshall and Forrestal to return
late Monday afternoon with facts
and figures for a closed hearing"
The Republican Policy Committee
decided Friday to let Senator
Gurney's> committee continue its
hearings before trying to decide