Show Round Merry-Go-Round Guard Reserves J Might Supply Answer to Draft Drafty By y Drew Pearson V WASHINGTON ASHINGTON Now that the 7 group air force has been definitely decided 1 on lets let's take a careful look at the nex next big military question the question the draft Ii Two things are arc important 1 When it comes to raising an army of foot soldiers the USA U.S.A. can never com con com compete pete with Russia The latter's population is too great Furthermore no land army has ever been able to penetrate Russia Napoleon tried it and met his downfall Hitler tried it and discovered it was wa nil hi j greatest mistake Therefore the Us USA U.S.A. has got to develop weapons airplanes and atomic bombs that can take the place of oi ofa oia ofa a big land army 2 When it comes to a sized moderate American America land army we need troops for fox two chief purposes a forces to maintain bases abroad b a police pOllee force to gua guard the USA in case of atomic attack at home Regarding the last of these categories the United States has a tremendous reservoir reservoir reser reser- voir of trained man power the power the vetera veterans While they should not be called upon fo for ov overseas duty they would be the first to help maintain domestic order and prevent invasion in case American cities were devastated devastated devastated dev dev- by atomic bombs Local defense defens therefore should hould not require the drafting of men Citizens' Citizens Arm Army Regarding the other phase that phase that part of the army which would operate abroad abroad it it seems to me inc that defense defense defense de de- planners have overlooked one of the most of our oui war potentialities potentialities- th j national guard and the reserves The other day Senator Kilgore D D. W. W Va telephoned Major General Kenneth Kenneth Ken Ken- neth F. F Cramer chief of the national gua guard d bureau to ask him to appear as a B. witness in favor of a strong national guard p pro gramI gram I cant can't come to talk to you General Cramer excused himself supposed to make my views known Yet in ever every ever war so far the national guard and the reserves have made notable records In fact it has been the resourcefulness resource and initiative of the Individual American soldiers which have made the American army victorious in every war r ao 10 far No conscript army has ever been able to equal it Despite their record the national guard and the reserves today are the stepchildren of the national defense defonse department They are woefully neglected If on the other hand they were built up they might b be bethe bethe the answer to the draft Substitution for Draft Draft Draft-As As a basis buis for congressional discussion therefore this thu column suggests the following 1 A compulsory three-month three military training program for year 19 then let them join the national guard 2 Catalogue each ni man man mana according a t to i abilities so he can be called upon for army or factory in case of emergency 3 Put national g guard u a r d and reserve reent training under the army's best men not hacks and has has-beens 4 Have uniform requirements for na as national guard and reserve officers Make ake them take periodic examinations Such a program plus the 70 air gro groups pe p. for offense should give the United States Stales an efficient well-trained well citizens' citizens army without foisting upon the American people the militaristic system they just fought a a war to avoid 1 i Copyright 1948 Bell Syndicate i I i |