Evening star., 1948-05-03
Defense
Continued From First Page J

to the committee recently by DR..
Vannevar Bush, chairman of the
Resources Development Board.
Renewing his plea for separate
universal military training, Sec
retary Forrestal said the blended"
draft and military training plan
pending in the Senate Armed Serv-
ices Committee was not an adequate
answer to UNIT as long-term
need.
But 1t is better than none," he
declared.
Representative Ahrends, Republi-
can, of Illinois, asked how he would
stand if the congressional choice
were between the House draft bill
or UNIT.
Il do not withdraw my stand for
UNIT" Secretary Forrestal replied,
but I'd like to see prompt action
on selective service now"
Sees Training Benefits.
Secretary Forrestal explained that
the proposed draft-mhitary train
ing plan before the Senate COM
mittee would at least give con-
siderable measures of training for
National Guard and Reserve per-
Sonnel. At present most OF those
are in units without adequate pro-
vision for efficient training.
Il don't think that any one in
this room would deny that all of
us have encountered difficulties in
our continuous and continuing ef-
forts to secure the enactment of
UNIT" Secretary Forrestal said in
referring to the varying proposals
now before congressional commit
tees.
Under these circumstances feel
that it is my responsibility, in the
light of world conditions and in
view of the duties assigned to me by
the National Security Act, to try to
strengthen our national security
in every way that can by working
for the best legislation that seems
to have a practical opportunity Of
being enacted at this session"
Urges Immediate Action.
The Secretary, referring particu-
larly to the House committee draft
bill, said he advocates immediate
action on this selective service
measure not only because the bill
is good but because "the simple fact
is we must have selective service
and this bill provides it." He added
that there is imperative and i'm
mediate" need to expand the armed
services and the quickest way to
do it is through limited draft bill.
Secretary of the Army Royal
went over the bill in detail with
the committee and said it would
benefit the Navy and Air Force,
even though the Army especially
needs it to increase its manpower
strength.
I'VE can say that the Army
definitely needs Selective service"
Secretary Royal said. The Navy
probably needs it and certainly
needs the impetus it would give to
voluntary recruiting. The Air Force
may or may not need it, but with
out this impetus it also might have
difficulty keeping up to its man
power requirements"
While the House measure relates
only to selective service, an effort
may be made on the House floor
this week to tack on UNIT amend
ment. The committee last July ap-
proved a UNIT bill which since has
been on the House Rules Commit
tee shelf.
Outspoken Against Merger"
Representative Towe, Republican,
of New Jersey, the committee men,
ber who introduced the original
UNIT bill, said he may offer it as
an amendment to the Andrews draft
bill Several other members oppose
the idea. Representative Vinson,
of Georgia, ranking Democratic
member, predicted the House will
have nothing to do with it."
Chairman Andrews did not COM
init himself on the Towe plan to
amend the bill but he and most
other committee members were out
spoken against a draft and UNIT
merger" compromise suggested to
the Senate Armed Services Com
mittee.
That recommendation, scheduled
to go in tentative legislative form to
the Senate committee tomorrow
would draft about $4,000 among
18-year-old boys for one-year service
and another 10000 men from 19
through Is for two years. All would
train together with the regular
forces, but the younger group could
not be sent outside the continental
United States.
Attacks 70-Group Air Force.
Opposition to the military
training blend" came today from
former Supreme Court Justice Owen
j. Roberts, as chairman of the Ma.