Evening star., 1951-01-20
Universal Training Plan
Again Knocking at Door
Congress Action Called VitoI
With Threut of New War
The Political Mill

Congress Action Called VitoI
With Threut of New War
By Gould Lincoln
Once again universal military train
ing as permanent measure of national
preparedness is knocking at the door.
It comes at a time when the country
Is desperately striving to rebuild its
military strength through the draft
which might not have been necessary
had the country and Congress not neg
lected their full duty Immediately after
the end of armed hostilities in the Sec
ond World War. After the five years in
tervening, large reserve of trained men
and large number in actual training
would have been found in this country
when Korea happened, had a universal
military training law been in existence.
President Truman did his best in those
years to prod Congress into action on
UNIT. The question was studied by
commission, appointed by the President,
and recommendations for legislation
were made. But Congress paid no at
tention. Two world wars, with their
tremendous cost in lives and money.
have failed to bring home the lesson
that military training and preparedness
are great preventive when aggressor
nations and potential aggressors are
abroad in the world. Now, with the
terrible threat of third devastating
world conflict hanging over it. Congress
is asked again to act. It seems incred-
ible it will fail.
Marshall Sounds Plea.
Gen. George c. Marshall, Secretary
OF Defense. in transmitting to chair men
Of the Armed Services Committees of
Congress draft of the proposed Uni
versal Military Service and Training
Act, commented
I'VE are confronted with world situ-
alton of such gravity and such unpre-
dictability that we must be prepared
for effective action, whether the chal-
lenge comes with the speed of sound
or is delayed for lifetime. To con-
tinue to put our reliance on our forces
in being "a standing army without
making provision for dependable ci-
villain reserve of trained military man
power would put crushing burden on
the productive economy that is the basis
OF our national strength"
The bill he has presented provides
changes in the present Selective Service
Act to produce more readily the men
Immediately needed for the armed serv-
ices. At the same time it lays the
groundwork for continuing and per-
manent system of training reserves-if
and when the immediate emergency
passes. Gen. Marshall has pointed out
that such permanent system would
make 1t possible to build up combat
forces with all possible speed, should
they become necessary at any time.
Further. this end could be accomplished
with minimum cost in men and money
and with the least dislocation of in
dustry, agriculture. education and fam
lily life.
Not standby legislation"
Already in some quarters it is urgec
that the universal training part of the
act amounts to standby legislation
because of the present need for active
military service. and that it can be put
into effect if and when it is deemed
wise. 1t is even suggested that UNIT
may not be necessary unless Congress
and the President determine to place
20 sor 80 or so divisions in Europe,
integrated with the armed forces of
the North Atlantic Pact nations. This
ignores the real issue-which is the need
OF a permanent system of universal
military training as a measure of ma
tional defense. The UNIT provisions of
the new bill are not standby legisla-
ton" except in the sense that the sys-
tenn will not become merely a training
system until after the present war and
threat of war have ended.
The bill, as Gen. Marshall explains,
makes 1t the national obligation of all
physically fit young men reaching the
age OF 18 to undergo military
service and training and to follow that
service with a specified term of duty
IN reserve component. It's operation.
however. would send no young man
under 10 years of age overseas with
less than four months training. It is
planned to call young men of 18
nearest to their 18th birthday, so
that the effect would be not to send
18-year-old men on overseas duty.
The period of service, in the present
emergency, is fixed at 81 months, of
which at least four would be devoted to
training. AS soon as the need abated,
the President could have the right to
cut down the service requirement and
eventually to eliminate everything ex-
cept the training.
Universal military training and serv-
Ice is the Qemocratlc as well as the
effective and economical way of natural
preparedness and defense. George WASH
ington, as President, having gone
through long war, urged the need of
training men for military service-all
men. But the country paid no heed.
Benjamin Franklin, who was not a
military man, said: "Let us beware of
being lulled into dangerous security;
.. of neglect in military exercises and
discipline. and in providing stores of
arms and munitions of war, for the
expenses required to prevent a war are
much lighter than those that will, If
not prevented. be necessary to main
tain it."
Americans lull easily.