Universal Service?

To George Marshall it was an old story. Under the bright floodlights in the marble-pillared Senate caucus room, he sat quietly, facing the microphone. But energetic Anna Rosenberg, seated beside him, making her first appearance on Capitol Hill as Assistant Secretary of Defense, was never still. She toyed constantly with her glasses, fluttered papers, jangled her heavy charm bracelets, restlessly tucked her hair up under her sequin-studded pink hat.

When members of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Preparedness finally straggled in and the hearing got under way, General Marshall formally laid down the Pentagon's plan for the nation's first universal military service and training program (TIME, Jan. 15). It was a plan calculated to supply the nation's military manpower needs, not just for the moment, but at least "into the next decade." Marshall wanted authority to draft all able-bodied youths for 27 months of service when they reached the age of 18. After active duty they would be enrolled for another three years' service in the organized reserves or for six years in the inactive reserves.

Said Marshall: "Men of 18, 19 and 20 make our finest soldiers. The excellent Marine divisions are made up largely of men in these age groups." He stated bluntly that universal military service and training* would have saved months of preparation in World War II, might have staved off the Korean war entirely, saved countless billions of dollars.

Jumping Generals. Marshall laid down his statement and marched back to the Pentagon, leaving Anna Rosenberg to answer questions and present the details. Mrs. Rosenberg promptly proved that she was a powerhouse of both information and energy. For two hours she reeled off a staggering list of statistics, carried on a discussion of policy, and kept a brace or more of brigadier generals hopping up & down to supply her with papers.

Out of an estimated 1,050,000 18-year-olds, she figured that 800,000 would go into military service. Most of those physically unfit for military duty could probably be drafted for "some work" in the nation's service. For the first three years of the program, the President would have authority to defer 75,000 students annually so they could finish collegebut only after they had completed four months of basic training and agreed to serve the other 23 months after graduation.

To help meet the nation's needs for doctors, scientists and technicians, the President would also be authorized to grant them additional deferments after they had finished college. If they were not called within ten years, their duty to serve would be automatically cancelled.

The committeemen were obviously impressed with Mrs. Rosenberg's presentation. But for all her charm and information, she soon began running into trouble. When the hearings began, her charts were based on the armed forces manpower goal of 3,200,000 men in service by July 1. On the basis of those figures, the present draft law would just about supply the military's needs. At week's end, when the President belatedly raised the figure to 3,462,205 men, the committee complained about the revision and asked somewhat querulously if they could expect further ones. Mrs. Rosenberg answered with spirit: "I asked the statistical department if there was such a thing as a rubber chart so they would not have to stay up nights revising figures."

Doubts Creep In. Some Senators doubted if the services could absorb draftees quickly enough, even if the 18-year-old manpower pool was made available. Said Texas' Senator Lyndon Johnson, subcommittee chairman: "You come up before this committee asking us to draw up legislation for the drafting of 18-year-olds, and at the same time men are rapping at your door and you can't take them."

This week, as the hearings continued, it was clear that some kind of universal service law would be passed. But it was just as clear that Congress wanted plenty of time to make up its mind on the details. Looking forward to weeks of hearings and debate, Chairman Johnson explained: "We are in the first five minutes of a football game which may be decided in the last three minutes of play."

* Which combines features of both universal military training and universal military service. U.M.T. would require 18-year-olds to take six months' basic training in a special corps, after which they would have a choice of serving six more months, or enlist in the armed forces, join the National Guard, Reserves or R.O.T.C. U.M.S. would require six months' basic training followed by two solid years in active military service.

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