Home by Spring?

DEMOBILZATION

The Army, which has been turning men loose at a steadily accelerated rate (1,000,000 last month), abruptly jammed on the brakes. As if realizing it for the first time, the Army announced last week that the problem was no longer how to bring the boys home and get them out of uniform, but how to keep intact a force big enough to meet the nation's global commitments.

These commitments would compel the Army, as of next July 1, to have 335,000 men in Europe, 375,000 in the Pacific, 87,000 in other areas overseas, 360,000 manning U.S. installations, 343,000 in training or transit. Total: 1,500,000.

But at the rate the Army has been tearing down its establishment, it would have nothing like that number next July i. After January, declared the slightly confused Army, the U.S.-bound legions will be reduced to less than 300,000 a month--although there is shipping available for twice as many. The new order means that a G.I. eligible for discharge may nevertheless be kept overseas until a replacement arrives.

The Army's plan to have every G.I. with two years of service back home by March was now only a pious hope, unlikely of fulfillment. The best comfort the War Department could offer: the delay should not exceed three months.

In G.I. minds, this was not good enough. In Manila, the news completed a breakdown in Army morale, started thousands of men protesting and demonstrating. In speech and pamphlet, leaders of the "Going Home" agitation struck out against "imperialism," "militarism," the big brass, War Secretary Patterson, Congress--even businessmen. Highpoint men threatened to "lie down" until sent home; 12,000 men booed an explanation of the slowdown offered by Lieut. General Wilhelm D. Styer.

Worse Plight. Reasons for the erratic performance of the Army's demobilization machine were manifold. Spurred by public and Congress, disturbed by the outcries of G.I.s, the Army had demobilized faster than it had wanted to. Neither Selective Service nor enlistments had supplied men fast enough to fill the holes.

Enlistments and re-enlistments totaled about 400,000. But the pool of such volunteers was fast drying up, and too many had only signed up for short terms--12 or 18 months--because they feared that otherwise they would be caught in the draft and kept in longer.

Selective Service had failed to fill its quota, although the quota was reduced from 80,000 a month to 50,000 after V-J day. Of 100,000 youths reaching 18 each month, many were volunteering in the Navy or Marine Corps. Almost 35,000 were being deferred on account of physical disability, educational plans, proved hardships. Instead of 200,000, a more lenient Selective Service in four months had produced only 140,000 new soldiers.

The Army's problems will not get any simpler. The Selective Service Act expires May 15. Unless Congress,'now in a mind to repeal the act, votes instead to renew and strengthen it, by next spring the Army will be in a worse plight.

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