Evening star., 1952-01-24

before the Senate Armed Services
Preparedness subcommittee, but
told a reporter his suggestion was
that students, farmers and youths
In other deferred classes could be
used to begin UNIT without en-
dangering the supply of manpower
needed by the armed forces.
Gen. Hershey, called before the
Senate group to testify on the
way the military services are
using manpower, also:
/. Disclosed that draft physical
and mental reflections have in
creased at an appalling rate"
He charged that the reason Is that
the Army stepped up reflections
because it was 'fbeing forced to
accept more than its share of less
desirable types Of men,"
2. Suggested that an "unex-
pected growth" in ROTC enroll
ments may be due to students
joining the program-and escap-
ing induction-after failing toI
qualify for college student defer
mentS. . .....
Criticizes Educators.
3. Sharply criticized report byl
educators groups last week which
proposed that the present student
deferment plan be Scrapped.
4. Said indications within the
last i've weeks" have changed his
mind about the necessity for
Tightening up deferments in order
to make more men available for
the draft. He told a reporter his
conclusions were based on indica-
tions in budget messages sent to
the Capitol that no drastic in
crease In military strength Is i'm
minent.
Gen. Hershey stressed, however,
that eventually draft boards are
going to have to induct either "less
usable people" or groups now
exempt. such as veterans and
fathers. He also warned that a
sudden international change could
reverse present prospects.
Sees Workable Program.
''It would take only two months
of 10000 (draftee) calls to put me
into q precarious position" he
declared. The draft chief said he
was absolutely confident" that al
workable UNIT program could get
under way which, within fiveI
years, would provide a powerful
reserve Of trained men. He added:
81 would start it now for only
one reason-I couldn't start it any
faster" |
The Senate subcommittee ex-I
pressed concern last year over
statements that the Army was
being forced to take all low-cali-
ber draftees, while the Navy and
Air Force were "skimming the
cream of the cror" through vol
untary enlistments. It ordered
military officials them to take
steps to assure that all services
would get a share of the less de-
sirable men.
Reflections appalling"
Gen. Hershey declared. however,
that an effort by the Army now
''to protect itself" is "the greatest
contributing factor to the currentl
appalling rejection rate at the
armed forces induction stations. ~
He warned that unless some
plan is set up to distribute men
equally among the services, "weI
shall continue to create an un-
real shortage which ultimately
may drive us to the use, at theI
least opportune time. of greatly
disproportionate numbers of less
At men,"
Gen. Hershey said that between
last June 80 and November 80,
the rate Of rejection for physical
and mental reasons increased 81
per cent. He compared this with
an increase in men classified for
draft status of only 6.2per cent.
On the ROIC situation, Gen.
Hershey said he had no conclusive
proof that students were signing
up in order to escape the draft.
But, he said, students who enroll
after failing to qualify for de-
ferment could certainly not be
counted on as q strong asset to|
that program"