Shrinking Manpower

Delayed by last summer's Lebanon crisis, delayed again by the Communist Chinese bombardment of Quemoy, the Administration's year-old decision to trim military manpower finally went into effect last week on orders from Defense Secretary Neil McElroy. Under the plan, total U.S. military manpower will shrink by 71,000--from 2,596,000 to 2,525,000--by June 30, end of fiscal 1959. Breakdown:

Army: 902,000 to 870,000. With all of its 15 divisions, at home and abroad, already under strength, the Army says it will have to deactivate one of its U.S.-based divisions.

Air Force: 864,000 to 850,000. To avoid closing out any units, the Air Force will thin out all around. Maintenance will be slower, airmen say, and some research and development projects will have to be trimmed.

Navy: 641,000 to 630,000. With crews now at 75% of war strength, the Navy will scrap or mothball 30-odd ships.

Marine Corps: 189,000 to 175,000. Already at its legal minimum of three divisions and three air wings, the Corps, too, will have to spread its manpower thinner.

The new Congress that convenes in January will doubtless challenge the cuts, may try to force the Administration to cancel them. Rumble of the coming storm: Texas Democrat George H. Mahon, able chairman of the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, pronounced himself "troubled" by McElroy's order, called it a "complete repudiation'' of Congress, which last spring specifically appropriated extra funds for keeping military manpower at present levels. One cause of Congressional unhappiness: the service cutbacks are justified on grounds that manpower per se is less important in the nuclear age--yet many a Congressman is far from convinced that the U.S. is ready to use atomic weapons in the event of war, especially of the brush-fire variety.

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