Evening star., 1954-12-19
Review Of The Week U.N Takes Flyer Case to Peping

choices that all added up to eight to
10 years of service in one form or
another-the total period depending
on the amount of active service time.
Some young men would be drafted
-or would enlist-for two years and
then would 60 into the ''first-ine
reserves" for the rest of their ten
year period. Others would get six
months training and 9l2 years Of
first-line reserve duty. Men who en-
listed for long hitch Of active duty
would get less reserve time.
The second-line reserve would BE-
filled with veterans-the men with
the most active service would get
first chance to graduate to the safer
category.
First-line reservists would have 10
report regularly for drill periods and
attend summer camps when di.
rected.
The existing law. which provides
for roughly the same sort of pro-
gram, has proved ineffective because
mandatory reserve participation has
never been enforced. and because o
worthwhile training program has
never been set up.
The new program hopes to correct
those two faults. Veterans who have
ignored their present reserve obli-
cation will take part in the new
one or get Q less-than-honorable
discharge and lose their veterans
benefits; while Sinking non-vet-
ersns will simply be drafted for two
years service. Congress will be asked
for enough money to pay for Q
genuine training program.
In the past there has been opposi-
tion to full use of the reserve law
from four quarters: Some of the
less-than-topmost brass has objected
to giving up men to the reserves,
viewed as just another boondoggle;
administration manpower advisers
have said there weren't enough
young men to flll the armed services
and reserves at the same time:
reserve associations have shied away
from support of the present poorly
organized. equipped and trained
reserve; and many Congressman
have baked at forcing veterans to
participate in reserve duty.
The present plan was tailored
carefully to meet these objections.
Whether it meets them or not will
be demonstrated when the recon-.
mendations go to Congress next
year.
Service Pay. The President in
dicated he would push next year for
a revised pay schedule for military
personnel. designed to make the
service more attractive to career
men. A modern army needs years
to train many of its specialists. The
Pentagon wants to keep such men,
and this costs money.
Appropriations. The reduction In
armed strength, will save some
money, but an effective reserve pro-
gram, the higher cost of materiel
and a boost in service pay will wipe
OoV GAkV ocfLA16 ollu SOlllGs
How much the then-some will be In
the coming fiscal year was not re.
vealed last week by the President.
but apparently Secretary of Defense
Wilson wants to add several billion
dollars to the defense budget.
Foreign
Aid. The series of meetings last
week laid to rest the rumor that the
President would ask for a new Mar
shall Plan for Asia. It all boiled
down to less aid on all fronts, but Q
larger percentage of what's left 60
ing to the East Aid in the coming
year will be voted by the hundreds
of millions. rather than billions.
Trade. With aid decreasing. the
President wants to go after more
trade. He said he. will try again for
his three-year program Of tariff re-
ductiens and trade concessions. Ap-
parently he has in mind the same
program that was rejected this year
by the Congressman in his own
party. A Democratic Congress OBJ.
viously will be q help the second
time around.
Treaties. The Senate will be asked
to ratify two important treaties: Tie
agreement with the Chinese Nation
alists. which some conservative Re.
publicans believe will hinder Chang
as much as help him. and the treaty
with our NATO allies which VIII
bring Germany into that organiza-
tion.