Evening star., 1951-01-10
Marshall Urges
27-Month Draft
OF 18-Yeair-0|ds
Offers Plan Combining
UNIT With Longer
Period of Service
By George Beveridqe

18-year -olds for 27 months as
part of a program that would
meet our needs" at "the rea-
sonable price a resolute people
will be willing to pay for their
liberties
Gen. Marshall made the first
official presentation of the Pen
tagon's manpower program at the
opening of series of hearings
by the Senate Preparedness Sub
committee.
Immediately after Gen. Mar
shall's statement. Mrs. Anna M
Rosenberg, his top manpoWer
aide. began a long explanation OF
details of the universal service
training program.
80 Million June 80 Goal.
While she will present most of
them at an afternoon session, Mrs
Rosenberg's statements in pre-
pared testimony included these
points:
l. That the official goal of the
armed forces by June 80 is 80
million. The strength figure two
months ago was 2.5 million.
2. That about 100000 of the
1,050.000 men who will become ia
would be taken into the armed
forces during the year beginning
July /. BY using present induc-
ton standards. she said, the serv-
ices could get 100000, but it is
felt the lesser number will be ade-
quate for the first year.
3. High school students would be
allowed to graduate, provided they
do so before their 10Th birthday
and men starting college before
the age of 18 could not be inducted
until the end of the school year.
S30-a-month Training Pay.
4. That during the first three
years. the White House could su-
spend service of up to $1,000 stu
dents. However. they would have
to take four months of military
training and finish their service
after graduation.
5. The 18-year-olds would get
$40 a month during training, then
receive the same pay as other
armed forces members during
their service terms.
6. A period of from three to
six years in a reserve component
would follow the service training
duty for each man, the length
OF time to depend on whether
the man Joined an active or in
active unit.
Mrs. Rosenberg's statement
pointed out that the 18-year-old
draft would be far less "destruc-
tive in family and community
consequences" than a draft of
husbands or fathers.
! Hope to Lengthen Training.
Gen. Marshall said present
plans call for four months OF
training, but that it is the inten-
tion to raise this later to six
months. During training, mer
would not be sent overseas, but
he asked the committee not to
make it unlawful to use 18-year-
olds abroad.
Mrs. Rosenberg also told the
group the Pentagon later will ask
Congress to lift ceilings on the
number of women which can be
used in the armed forces. Or
another point, she stated that
the Army already has been able
to provide an additional division
land probably two" of combat
soldiers. The ratio of combatant
to supporting troops was ques-
toned sharply by committee
members.
Mrs. Rosenberg, who stressed
that all the armed forces and all
other agencies are in accord with
the new service training (UMST)
said plans are being made to indi-
cate which of the 100000 18-year-
olds would be called the first year
1t might be possible, she said, to
rule out during the first year all
those who had not yet reached 1e
years and four months or five
months.
Some Student Deferments.
BY lowering induction stand
ards. she said, it would be possible
tc induct 100000 of the 1850. .00C
supply during the next year. She
indicated strongly that the White
House would recommend some
ether form of service for about
10000 of the remaining 18-year-
olds who could not qualify for
military service. Only between
y