Evening star., 1949-12-04


members of the 81st Congress.
The peacetime draft-the first in
our history, except the act Of 1910.
when this country was preparing
itself to meet any eventuality
growing out of the war abroad
is not popular with the politicians.
They fear the wrath of the peace
lovers, the labor unions, the edu-
Gators and of the run-of- the-mine
mothers and fathers. With con-
gressional election coming up next
fall, they do not want to vote to
continue the draft.
Services Want Extension
Chairman Carl Vinson OF the
House Armed Services Committee.
Georgia Democrat. has been
quoted as saying there Isn't a
chance in the world" Congress will
extend the draft law. Two other
Democratic members of that COM
mittee, Representatives Kildare
of Texas and Price of Illinois.
echoed this belief. 1t looks omin-
GUS
! Senator Tydings. Democrat, Of
Maryland, chairman of the Senate
Armed Forces Committee, refused
to- make any prediction. He did
say. however. that the committee
of which he is chairman would
call on the Department of Defense
and the Army, Navy and Air Force
early in the coming session of
Congress for all the facts, and
that the committee would then
determine its course
It seems quite clear that the
representatives Of the armed
forces will go to bat strongly for
an extension of the draft act. In
deed, they will ask a permanent
law and, very properly, they
should. The present act was put
through at time when the
strength of the Army had dropped
to $4,000 men. Notwithstand-
ing increases in pay and allow
ances, intended to spur enlist
ments in the armed forces. not
enough young men were enlisting.
The peacetime draft act proved
an immediate spur to voluntary
enlistments. So successful was 1t
as a prod that the draft has been
used very little. Starting in No
vember, 1948, 1874 young men
were inducted in that month; in
December. 1852; in January.
1s49, 14,0o3, and in February.
1s49, only 81. Since then there
has only been one draftee, in June,
when a man who had been evad-
ing the draft for several months
was called into the service. In
all, only a few more than 10000
men were drafted. On the other
hand, more than 100000 enlisted
since the draft act became effec-
tive.
Army's Attitude
About a month ago. Gordon
Gray, Secretary of the Army,
made clear statement OF the
Army's attitude toward the draft
act and the need for its contin-
uance. Mr.. Gray. discussing the
problems of national defense at
the list Conference Of the Ma
tionaI Guard Association in Bir-
mingham, Ala, spoke strongly for
universal military training-about
which nothing has been done
whatever. He added, "Of more
immediate importance, the Army
is also urging that selective
service law be retained in effect.
Declaring that such a law is
an inyaluable asset to our ma
tional defense, Mr.. Gray said:
s"Iaving such law available to
is means that we could, in event
of sudden emergency, Immediately
call the manpower Of this country
to arms, thus eliminating the
agonizing and possibly fatal Pc
riod of waiting-estimated as at
least four months-which might
ensue II new legislation were re-
quired."
. Secretary Gray pointed also to
another important reason for re-
tanning a selective act on the
statute books.
"Our Nation" he said, "is max
ing every effort to assure the ma
tions of Western Europe and
other freedom = loving people
throughout the world that we are
determined to support them in
opposing totalitarianism and ag-
gression. Through the Atlantic
pact and the military assistance
program. we have pledged our
cooperation and our resources.
ALLOWING the Selective Service
Act to lapse, and thus losing the
only means we have of calling
our Nation Immediately to arms,
might well be interpreted as a
weakening of our effort and of
ou- support. Extension of this
law would constitute a further
reinsurance to our Allies and
friends throughout the world"
Law Not Abused
One of the arguments made by
opponents of the selective service
law Is that 1t will tend to mill
tarize the United States. This Is
similar to their argument against
universal military training. OBJ
viously. however. If this country
is to be strong in its own defense
as well as in defense Of the
peace of the world, it must have
trained manpower, and 1t must
have it's necessary quota OF men
at all times In the regular armed
services. There has been toe
much said and written to the
effect that the United States can
place its whole reliance on air.
planes alone and the atomic
bomb. Too much that tends to
lull the people into a feeling
: that strong land and sea forces