Evening star., 1950-08-31
The Political Min
Nation Not Yet Awake.
Lodge Warns Senators
Calls for Immediate Action
On Mobilization Efforts
The Political Mil
By Gould Lincoln

~ SVuf0 AsUSOiH
Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, jr., Re-
publican member Of the Foreign Rela-
tions Committee. told the Senate: AL
though we have had our Pearl Harbor,
we are not yet awake"
He was, of course, discussing the Red
attack on Korea and our, to-date, mobili-
zation plans. In the opinion Of the
Massachusetts Senator veteran Of the
last war-our plans for additional mill
tarily trained manpower, for combat
men. are woefully inadequate, If We
really are engaged in o struggle for
existence" as we have been told. They
contemplate only an increase of 658.648'
men by June 80, 1851, bringing the total
up to 2,120,000.
While Mr.. Lodge was speaking in the
Senate, President Truman was telling
Senator Tydings and Representative
Vinson. chairmen respectively Of the
Armed Services Committees Of the Sen
ate and House. to postpone action on the
universal military training bill until
next year, when the new 82d Congress
meets. The President gave as his reason
the fact that military housing and mill
tary instructors were not now available
to train the boys under the proposed
UNIT act-that all these facilities and
instructors were needed for the present
war effort.
Reasons Good, in Sense.
The Presidents reasons were good, In
a sense. However, the bill put forward
by the Defense Department does not
compel the President to put the universal
military training system into effect
forthwith, but leaves it up to the Presi-
dent to decide on propitious time. The
important thing, therefore, Is to get the
legislation on the statute books, and not
let it be stalled forever by politics
Congress has the time, and probably
the willingness, now to act on this legis-
lation. But the President is proposing
to put it off until after the November
elections. He says he is in favor Of
UMT-and indeed. he has urged it upon
Congress ever since 1947. He's for 1t.
according to the present record-after
the next election. UNIT has many
enemies. particularly among the labor
leaders and the educators.
Senator Lodge, In his statement to the
Senate, points out that UNIT. as proposed
in the bill now before the Armed Services
Committees, would not provide trained
men for combat service in Korea wher-
ever they may be needed He believes it
would be more important to enact ad-
ditional legislation calling into service
large number Of young men for periods
of 18 months at least, and train them
without delay for combat service. In
this Mr.. Lodge Is entirely right. How
ever. Mr.. Lodge continues, he believes
in system of universal military train
ing as a long-range plan for developing
reserves for national defense. He Is
ready to vote for it now. So should
all other members of the Senate and the
House.
Sees Real Test Of Issue.
The Massachusetts, Senator says that
the real test Of whether we have aban-
doned politics as usual" and business
as usual" is in connection with man
power for the armed services. The con.
templated total of 2,120,000 men, or
even 100000. by June 80. 1851, shrinks
into complete insignifcance when it Ii
compared to the 14,000.00 men in the
Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force
at the close of the last war. That was
an all-out war effort by the United
States.
Mr.. Lodge does not suggest we go so
far at this time. He does insist. how
ever, we should so increase our armed
forces that We will be able to send .
considerable number of divisions to the
aid of Western Europe should it be at
tackled by Soviet Russia. with the under
standing that these European countries
will supply the great bulk Of fighting
men for their own defense. He wants
the Navy and the Air Force similarly
h,,ilf ,1y, for o,,r ou,y, defense and for ths
defense of our allies. Further, If our
trained manpower is so increased, the
diplomatic advantage will rest again
with the free peoples of the West instead
of the Kremlin. This means leSsening
the chances of World War III.
The heroism and tragic loss Of life in
Korea might have walked us up. Per-
haps they will.