Evening star., 1951-02-25
Marshall 10 Oppose
Vinson's S Plan 10 Cut
Induction Standards
By George Beveridee

PcCIcu W iOUSc SiidIp plOCCoLS W.
morrow over some provisions of
the new draft bill proposed by
Chairman Vinson of the House
Armed Services Committee.
Meanwhile, the Senate Armed
Services Committee prepared to
take it's own draft expansion
measure to the Senate floor for
consideration, probabaly Tuesday.
Leaders, optimistic about the bills
chances, hope to get decisive
Senate vote by the end of the
week.
While they differ in some re-
spects about the best way to ex-
pand military might. both bills
meet many of the Defense De-
partment's requests for legisla-
tion to raise force of 3.5 million
men by next June 30 and to main
tain it indefinitely. Most impor-
tant provision on which there is
agreement is the proposal to write
permanent universal military
training service program into the
statute books.
Cut in Standards Protest.
Called before the House COM
mittee tomorrow, Gen. Marshall
is expected to oppose Mr.. Wilson'S
proposal to roll back physical and
mental induction standards to the
rock-bottom level of January
1945. That was the Battle of the
Bulge era when. according to draft
officials, standards were, at their
lowest point.
One top Pentagon offlcial
pointed out that In 1945 about
II million men were under arms
and that such "less desirable
draftees could be absorbed. In
addition. training facilities had
been set up to handle them. With
a force of only 3.5 million. this
official said. such low standards
would bring in "illiterates" who
could not be readily trained for
general duty.
Even in the face of inSis-
tent congressional demands that
standards be cut, Mr.. Wilson'S
proposal came as a surprise. The
Senate bill demanded that stand
ards be reduced, but specified no
level on assurance" from the
Pentagon that this would be done.
May Get Reserve Report.
The Pentagon official also indi-
Gated disapproval of the House
proposal to lower the draft age
to 1872 instead Of Is. The Pen
tagon originally proposed that be-
tween 10000 and 450, 900 18-year-
olds be drafted during the year
starting next July i. along with
older draftees. The Senate bills
restriction on this point goes
further, stating that no draft
board can induct men at 18 until
it has taken all its pool Of eligible
men 19 through rs.
There also is a possibility that
Pentagon officials may be ready
tomorrow to give the House COM
mittee its plans for revamping
reserve forces Chairman Vinson
laid down a March l deadline for
a report on the plan, after the
Pentagon said it would have one
ready within six months" The
new draft bills propose that all
servicemen under 26. who either
enlist or are drafted, be routed
into reserve units after active duty
is finished.
Mr.. Vinson said that Gen.
Bradley. chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff, and Mrs. Anna M.
Rosenberg. Pentagon manpower
chief. also will testify tomorrow.
Good, Workable Plan"
After that, military heads of the
armed forces and other witnesses
will be called. But the chairman
said he hoped to get a committee
vote soon, without a long series
of hearings.
On the other side of Capitol
Hill, Senator Lyndon johnson.
Democrat, of Texas. predicted that
the Senate. after it hears a dis
cussion of the Armed Service
Committees bill. will realize it is
a good, workable program"
"I hope it gets the same una
nimity there was in the commit
tee," he added. Senator johnson
headed the Senate Preparedness
subcommittee, which drew up the
and will be Senate floor
manager for the legislation.
Morse to Offer Amendments.
Democratic leaders decided to
call the draft bill up after a party
caucus Friday. Majority Leader
Mcfarland announced a decision
change to put the bill before the
troops Europe controversy, and
said he did not believe the two
issues would become entangled.
Senator Morse, Republican, of
Oregon, has served notice he will
offer several amendments to the
bill. He especially has protested
provision to increase draft serv-
ice from 81 to 26 months.
In both the Senate and House
any men drafted under
the age of 19 would take their
training and service along with
other recruits. But, in their uni
versal training provisions, periods
of service later could be cut of
for 18-year-olds, so that at some
future date they just would take
four or six-month military train
ing as members of Security