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Show KlERRj-GOfUtlD Washington, D. C. NEW SELECTEES It needed no mind reading to fathom what was behind that war department announcement of the purchase of 700,000,000 feet of lumber lum-ber and 240,000 kegs of nails the biggest order of its kind in U. S. history. The materials are for the corf-struction corf-struction of numerous new army cantonments and the enlargement of existing ones. Army strength, down to 1,600,000 after the demobilization of 28 to 35 year olds last fall, is due for a big increase at least another 1,000,000 after the next draft lottery following follow-ing the February 16 registration of men between 21 and 44. An estimated 24,000,000 will register regis-ter next month, and on the basis of past experience only about 5 per cent will be rated 1-A; that is, subject sub-ject to immediate call. Heretofore the army has inducted only men in good physical condition, with no dependents de-pendents and not engaged in "essential" "es-sential" production. However, as the need for military manpower develops, 1-A standards will be broadened and many thousands thou-sands of 1-B, 2-A, and 2-B deferees by pre-war standards will be called up. For the present, the army still is placing primary emphasis on youth. The February 16 registration is expected ex-pected to list around 2,000,000 20-21 youngsters and the largest proportion propor-tion of new inductees will come from this group. Registrants to the 36 to 44 group will have to be in top condition to get to the army at this time. However, big scale inductions from this age group can be expected by fall, particularly those with no dependents and with previous military mili-tary service. For the present the army will take its older-age recruits from the 28 to 35 year olds who were exempted because of dependency or defense work. EEDTAPE BUSTEK Ordnance is the haughtiest and most hide-bound branch of the army. So much so that it has been the object of much bitter, private criticism by civilian defense chiefs. But there is one notable exception to this Ordnance rule. 'He is William Wil-liam Van Antwerp Kemp, a tall, husky, dynamic engineer, who made a big success in private business and volunteered his services when the national emergency arose. Since then, as an Ammunition division executive, ex-ecutive, he has been making history, his-tory, busting redtape to tradition-bound tradition-bound Ordnance. There are many tales of Kemp's unconventional exploits. The latest is one of the best. Asked by a general to suggest a manager for a new government munition plant about to begin production, pro-duction, Kemp recommended a crack expert who had been loaned to the British to build a plant in England. "He ought to be finished with his job over there by now," said Kemp. "If he is, get him," was the order. From the British, Kemp learned the expert had completed his work and was available. So Kemp picked up a phone and called the state de-pprtrpent de-pprtrpent "I want to talk to the guy," he said, "who gets juys back from England." Eng-land." There was a gasp, but the operator switched Kemp to scrmeone who asked him who he was , and what he wanted. "I'm Kemp of Army Ordnance," he said. "There's a Juy to England we want to run an ammunition plant for us. Get him back here right away, will you?" Six days later the expert reported to Kemp and left for his new job. A few days later the general again summoned Kemp, asked what had been done about the expert. "It's all taken care of, general," said Kemp. "He's been on the job at the plant two days." "How did you get him back here so fast?" "No trouble. I just called up the state department, asked for the guy who gets guys back here and he arranged it." "Kemp," said the general severely, severe-ly, "do you know who that guy to the state department was?" "No, sir." "He was the undersecretary of state." Note: Kemp has persistently refused re-fused to accept an army commission. commis-sion. Finally, pressed by the general gen-eral for the reason, he retorted: "Some day I may want to come in here and blow up. If I do, as an officer you could court-martial me. But as a civilian, all you can do is fire me. I'm remaining a civilian." JAP SCHOOL LESSONS After three years' probing of subversive sub-versive activities, it takes a lot to excite Rep. Martin Dies, but the other oth-er day the rangy Texan hit on a discovery that took his breath away. His committee has been making a sweeping inquiry of Jap fifth-columning fifth-columning on the West coast including includ-ing subversive teaching in Japanese language schools located all over southern California. Investigators found that from the primary grades up students to these schools are indoctrinated in-doctrinated with militarism and the ideology of their Jap ancestors. |