Evening star., 1951-05-05

no more at this time. .
Senator Russell-Pardon me,
Senator Green. I don't believe
Senator Green has been asked.
Senator Green-No more ques-
tionS.
Chairman Russell - Senator
johnson.
Senator Johnson-General, I
have just two or three clarifying
Questions. At this moment we
have pending in the Conference
Committee Of the Congress as very
serious question of providing the
men to make up our armed forces.
You could help the Congress and
u think the country if you would
give us some exact figures, some
estimates as to how many addi-
Itional members of the armed
forces you think would be desirable
in carrying out the specific pro-
gram that you have recommend
led for the Far Fest.
In other words. I know what
your problem was in the early
days of World War II; you had
to attempt to hold almost bare
handed. I know what your prob
lem has been throughout the
Korean Campaign. I am sure that
lyou asked for men that weren't
supplied. Now, you presented this
program.
Our embracing of that program
will be a hollow one unless we
provide the men and materiel
to back it up and carry it through
and reach ultimate victory.
We touched on that briefly in
our discussions the other day. If
you feel disposed, I should like
to have you elaborate on the per-
hapS inconSequential number that
would be necessary to increase,
or perhaps the larger number that
would be required.
Gen. MacArthur-It would be
difficult to try to reduce to exact
figures in advance what you have
to have to defeat an enemy. 1t
is not a unilateral proposition.
Too Difficult to Predict.
1t depends upon the relativity
OF the two forces engaged. So, it
would be quite ridiculous at any
stage Of the campaign to try to
predict exactly the norm of force
that you would need to conclude
the campaign.
I will say, in answer to your
basic question, that I am sure the
overall strength which is being
provided now or debated now,
would well encompass, without
prejudice to any other operations
or demands that may be made
upon it, the conclusion of what I
had in mind in the Far East.
1t would only take a relatively
small fraction of that force to
carry on the campaign that 4
would have in mind The in
creases that would be necessary
in the Far East would not be
great as far as ground troops are
concerned.
The greatest thing that would
be necessary is to release the
power that we now possess so that
it can be utilized.
1t is quite possible that when
we do that there should be added
lncrementS Of both the Air and
the Navy.
I believe those increments would
be readily available without preju-
dice to any other area or opera
tion that is in contemplation.
In that respect. too, Senator, it'll
must be borne in mind that the
general objective, as I understand
it, of our preparedness program
its accomplishment in
about two years time or some
thing of that sort.
During that time, those forces
can be used in Korea without
to their ultimate use
some place else, merely as a basis
of training or something of the
sort: they would be quite available
If the projected program is only
going to reach its completion and
it's fruition at some future date of
two years or IS months, whatever
it may be.
So, I can't see that there is
the slightest prejudice involved to
the ultimate overall global pro-
gram which is before the Congress
now, because Of any demands that
might be made in the Far East
to carry out the program that
the Joint Chiefs apparently vis-
and hoped for on Janu-
ary IL.
Asked About Universal Training.
Senator johnson - And theI
Joint Chiefs plan at present as
sumes that they get the legisla-