Dwindling Supply

When the draft began to reach out for fathers last year, some Senators-- notably Wheeler of Montana--cried out that it was not necessary, that there were plenty of deferred single men to fight the war (TIME, Oct. 11). Congress promptly called on the President for the facts.

Last week the President's five-man medical board turned in its fact-crammed report. For fathers the news was gloomy: combing the nation's 3,357,000 4-Fs would probably produce only about 200,000 fit for active service. Draft boards, already behind in their quotas, would have to 1) quicken the fast pace at which fathers are being inducted, 2) reclassify still more men--single and married--now classed as essential workers.

But the report was even darker as a commentary on the health of the nation's young men:

P: Recently draft boards and induction centers have been forced to reject as unfit 46% of all men between 18 and 38. "An increase in these rejection rates can be expected as men in older age groups, men living with their families, are called up."

P: Among U.S. males of 18, who should be at the peak of good health, one out of four up for induction is unfit for combat.

P: Leading cause for rejection (14.5%); mental diseases. Furthermore, neuropsychiatric disabilities accounted for the discharge of almost half the 474,000 enlisted soldiers returned to civilian life lately. In the Navy, with a much higher percentage of volunteers, one out of three discharged is a neurotic.

Limited-service draftees now account for only 5% of the present monthly quota of some 250,000 men (last year: 20%). Reason: the army has nearly as many partially fit men as it can use. Now that full-scale warfare is about to begin, the Army needs men who can fight.

Unexplained Dilemma. The investigating board was "astonished" at the dismal results of its findings, Vice Admiral Ross T. Mclntire, chief Navy surgeon (and chairman*), told newsmen. A special "cause for concern" was the number of discharges for neuropsychiatric disabilities, "particularly those occurring in the first six months of service." In other words, the number of men who could not stand the regimentation that must go with military service is already too high; lowering of standards is out of the question.

The commission gave no reason for the state of health and mind of the country's young men. Of one thing Admiral Mclntire was certain: education of coming generations toward sensible diet and bodily care is necessary. Said he: "Any time a country has as many rejections as this one, it's serious . . . suppose a war should go on for ten years."

Public Health Service officials pointed out that the rigors of modern combat require men who can take it, but "a man can be free of disease and capable of doing a civilian job but still incapable of soldiering in the field."

One thing was certain: the U.S. would soon have to realize that its supply of men tough enough to fight is severely limited.

*Other members: Major General Norman Kirk, the Army's Surgeon General, Dr. Alan C. Woods of Johns Hopkins, Dr. Frank H. Lahey of Boston's Lahey Clinic, Dr. Edward A. Strecker of the University of Pennsylvania.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.