Half a Million More Draftees?

With the job of Defense Secretary, Bob Lovett inherited a bitter squabble. In an effort to work out a long-range "Statement of Forces" and a budget for the next fiscal year, his Joint Chiefs of Staff had reached a deadlock. The Air Force wanted to expand from 95 to 163 groups (138 combat, 25 transport). The Army and Navy filed a strong dissent. Navy air (equivalent to 30 groups) ought to be included in the air-power total, they said. The Air Force should organize more transport groups and concentrate on tactical, close air support. Neither side would give an inch.

Lovett took the scrap away from the J.C.S., handed it to his civilian secretaries of Army, Navy and Air. Last week he took their answer back to the Joint Chiefs, told them they would sit in conference until they agreed. That same-night the Statement of Forces was unanimously accepted.

The Army will probably get 100,000 more men and will add three new divisions, all of them from the National Guard. The Air Force will wind up with close to 140 groups. The Marines will get a third air wing and build up to three divisions on the ground. Navy growth will include few capital ships, will be reflected in smaller auxiliary vessels and destroyer escorts. In the compromise, the Air Force made the largest concessions. Even so, it will have by far the greatest increase in both dollars and men.

The manpower problem is already worrying draft boards. The expanded services will need 4,000,000 men, 500,000 more than the present total. At week's end, before the Statement of Forces could be approved by the President, the Defense Department announced that nearly 56,000 men would be inducted in November and December. The 4,000,000 figure cannot be reached without drastically changing the present policies of deferment.

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