Evening star., 1953-06-07
143 Wings 10 Hinge
On Draft E|igibIes,
Wilson 10 Testify
By Mortin S. Hoyden

Defense Secretary Charles e.
Wilson will warn Congress to-
morrow that if it wants the 143-
wing regular Air Force demanded
by air-poWer advocates, it soon
will have to find more teen-age
draft eligibles.
Revealed yesterday by Deputy
Defense Secretary Roger M.
Kyes. the point will feature Mr..
Wilson's answer to Air Force
generals and hostile Senators
who have turned the battle over
a $5 billion Air Force appropria-
tions cut into a personal ven-
delta against the former preSi-
dent of General Motors Corp.
At the same time, it was
learned from other sources, the
Defense Secretary is ready, If
rough tactics be necessary, to
document charges of wholesale
Air Force waste Of money and
manpoWer. Included is an item
of more than 1000 now-un-
needed automobiles and trucks
held in Air Force storage,
Cites Personnel Problem.
"One important factor in this
matter" Mr.. Kyes said, "is that,
at our present rate of selective
service induction, we will. with
i'll 80 months, reach the bottom
of the barrel. BY that time we
will be right up against the low
depression year birth rates and,
If we took every 181a-year-old
available, we would still be un-
able to meet present quotas for
the three services"
Mr.. Kyes' statement becomes
significant in the present argu-
ment because of the plea by
Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg, Air
Force chief of staff, that econo-
mics in personnel and the
eirbaSe construction program,
rather than in plane procure
ment, constitute the current Air
Force objection to the Elsen-
hover budget.
Specifically, the general COM
plains that the new Pentagon
regime is requiring a 10000
man cut during the next two
years in Air Force military per-
sonnel, instead Of a manpower
buildup to the desired l43-wing
goal.
Selective Service officials sup
ported the KyeS argument. A
spokesman for the draft agency
said that whereas World War II
calls could be aimed at an
annual 100000 youths esching
the age of 20, the current new
crop of draft eligibles numbers
under 100000. 1t will shrink
further, draft statistics show,
Until the country begins to profit
from the higher birth rates of
the 1940's
Currently, Selective Service
figures show, the National pool
of 20-year -oldS without prior
military service is exhausted and
all States are exclusively de-
pendent on 19-year-olds, or
younger. to fill their quotas.
Mr.. Wilson and Mr.. Kyes
would meet the problem through
modernization of Air National
Guard and reserve units. AS ex-
planned before the Senate Ap-
propriationS subcommittee, their
plan for an interim" regular
Air Force of 100 wings provides
that new planes being delivered
for the larger 143-wing program
would be diverted to the re-
BerviStS.
Get wilson Battle.
Reservists and Guardsmen,
particularly those fresh back
from Korea. would. Mr.. Wilson
and Mr. Kyes contend, be ready
for almost immediate D-Day
service if they had new-type
planes. In addition, they argue,
the reserves already have the
bases and maintenance equip
ment which will have to be ac-
Quired if new ships are added to
the regular Air Force.
The degree to which hostile
Senators. anxious to avoid ap-
parent conflict with President
Eisenhower's military judgment,
have turned the Air Force dis
pute into a get Wilson" battle
has become evident to the Secre-
tary. AS a result, he will go to
Capitol Hill with figures to dis
pute the claim of Air Force
commanders that there can be
no major economies without cut
ting battle strength.
In line with his contention
that the buildup toward the dis
tant 143-wing goal has resulted
in unnecessary advance pur-
chasing and storage of easily OBJ
tainable items, the Secretary
has the example of the 1000 un-
used commercial vehicles. They
are stored in Chicago and else
where in anticipation of the day
when still unactivated air wings
will need them.
95 Air Force Bands.
Again, Air Force figures show
that. for every pilot flying 30
hours a week. there are 40 uni
formed men and 10 civilians in
ground jobs. Included in the
ground overhead are more than
95 Air Force bands.
Another fact available for rev.
elation is that one air base, in
addition to usage of regular Air
-..