Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-03
MiIitory Service for All?

Military Service for All?
Retiring Assistant Defense Secretary
John A. Hannah apparently talked out of
turn about the military manpower problem,
but the plan he outlined to reporters follows
generally the pattern which President
Eisenhower gave his advisers last January
At that time the President called for "a new
approach" to the manpower program, es-
pecially as it affected the building and
maintenance of strong reserve system
DR.. Hannah seems to have discussed pre-
maturely a touchy subject, involving as 1t
does the future Of military training and
service in this country between wars.
General Eisenhower instructed defense
chiefs in January to hold in allegiance UNIT
universal military trainingj plans pending
thorough study of reserve needs. The
tentative program disclosed by DR.. Hannah
presumably would substitute for UNIT
peacetime selective service policy under
which all young men would have to serve
two years in one Of the armed branches and
six years in the reserve.
It is a foregone conclusion that any
such program would encounter strong OPP
position in and out of Congress. With the
world in state Of continuing atomic-age
crisis, however, the need for continuing
maintenance of our military strength is
urgent. And all commissions and commit
tees that have studied our present military
manpower requirements are unanimous in.
warning that permanent system of train
ing men for regular or reserve services is
essential to national security.
The present draft law is scheduled to
expire on June 80 Of next year. It calls for
two years of active military service by young
men and six years of service in reserve
unit But the reserve requirement has
proved to be widely misunderstood or evaded
and the law provides no means of COM
pelling enrolment in reserve component.
There are no penalties for noncompliance.
Under the proposed extension of the draft
law, however, every qualified young man"
would have to serve not only on active duty
for two years, but would be subject to REIN
duction for further active duty If he failed
to join reserve branch Of one Of the armed
services. And the reserve units of the Army
and the Air Force would be merged with the
National Guard into federalized organiza-
ton. The Navy and Marine Corps would
continue their own reserve organizations.
In short, the administration is so con-
cerned over the international situation, as
far as it may be foreSeen, and considers the
threat of aggression so serious that it sees
no safe alternative to maintenance Of
strong regular forces backed by a ready
reserve" Of about the; same number Of
trained men. Such ready reserve is sup
posed to exist today, but it is mostly paper
organization. Defense Mobilizer Arthur
Flemming recently told the President that
1--WE do not have reserve forces adequate to
the needs Of an emergency" BY putting
teeth in the present draft law as it affects
reServists, the administration hopes to build
up an effective ready reserve, plus a "selec-
lively callable" specialist reserve composed
largely Of men deferred because Of scientific
or other important work.
How Congress reacts to any new man
power plan next session will depend great
deal on developments between now and then
In Asia and Europe. If today's precarious
peace has become less precariouS by next
January, the question Of continuing the
draft in any form will be subject of warm
debate. Certainly the debate will be on
higher plane, with fewer political overtones,
after the November elections than it would
be today-and that is all to the good. For
the problem Of how. large the Army, Air
Force and Navy should be in an era of tech
biological warfare Is one that calls for nom
partisanship, clear thinking and fortnight
craftsmanship.