Evening star., 1948-04-10
Hearings by House
|0n Defense Measure
To Begin Monday
By J. A. o'Leory

Bills to revive the draft and
expand air strength are due to
make headway in both House
and Senate committees next
week, with the backing Of Re-
publican leaders.
Although universal military train
ing also is being considered, its
chances of passing this year are
slim, in comparison to the temporary
resumption of the selectiye service
system.
The House Armed Services Com
mittee will begin open hearings
Monday morning on the new draft
measure, Chairman Andrews made
public late yesterday. Under it the
United States could raise an armed
force of 1874, 900 backed up by an
organized Reserve of 825. 900. It
would give the Air Force the man
power needed for an expansion from
IS to 10 air groups strength.
Senate Session to Resume.
The Senate Armed Service Com
mittee will resume closed sessions
Monday to get more information
from Army officials before voting
later in the week on both the
draft and UNIT proposals.
The House Appropriations Com
mittee hoped to have ready for
floor debate Wednesday a $725,-
000,00 fund to permit an immediate
start on Air Force expansion.
The UNIT bill won approval OF
the House Armed Services Com
mittee last year, but the House
Rules Committee has shown no in
clination to give 1t clearance, for
floor action. Neutral observers at
the Capitol believe opponents OF
UNIT will welcome temporary re-
vival of the draft as an added
argument for putting of the uni
versal training program.
The 1,944,000 armed force auth
orized by the Andrews bill-to be
reached not later than July l, 1850
would be 100000 more than the
administration bill asked for and
about 214,000 more than the present
authorized strength.
The increase is accounted fol-
largely by plans to build the All
Force up to 10 groups, and to allow
the Marine Corps 10000 more men
than the administration bill con-
templates.
Figures given the House Armed
Services Committee recently show
the present actual strength of the
Army, Navy, Marine and Air Force
is only 1,377,00O. Thus, to reach
the quotas in the Andrews bill, 567,-
900 men could be added to all uni
formed branches.
In back of this new regular armed
force of 1914 900 would be the Ma
tional Guard and various organized
reserves. The Andrews bill would
build up these units by exempting
from the new draft veterans of
World War II who served more
than three months but less than a
year. If they join one of these re-
serve forces.
Such exemptions would be grant
ed up to the following limits: In
the National Guard, $50, 900; Organ
lied Reserve Corps of the Army and
Air Force, 175,0O0; Naval Reserve
250,000 and Marine Corps Reserve,
$4,000, This would produce a sec
ond line of defense of 825, zoe men
s60-Day Gap Proposed
In order to encourage voluntary
enlistments before any one is
drafted, the Andrews bill provides
that no one could be inducted for
so days after it becomes Law. s9
In order to begin inductions the
President would have to notify
Congress the quotas had not been
filled by volunteers and, in his
judgment, will not be filled. He
could not submit such notice sooner
than so days after the bill passes.
As predicted in advance, the An
drews bill limits the registration tc
men from 18 through 80, with in
duction limited to those from ls
through Is.
In the case Of doctors, dentists
and veterinarians, however, induc-
tions could be made through the
44-year age bracket. The number
called would be at a fixed ratio to
the number Of men in service.