WASHINGTON NEWS BUREAU
POTOMAC POSTSCRIPTS ROBERT GIBBS, Associate Editor New universal military service plan calls for t w o years military duty for all 18-year-olds . . . Exemptions a n d deferments w o u l d be prohibited T'M C.I.AD they have conic around to my -*• way of thinking," says Carl Vinson (D-Ga. ), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, in referring to a plan proposed recently b y the Committee on the Present Danger. The committee proposal calls for two years of military service for every 18-year-old. Rep. Vinson states further that h e will introduce legislation to this effect when the new session of Congress opens in January. The committee's plan was announced at a press conference held at Washington in mid-December. Spokesmen for the 25member nonpartisan citizen's group were James B. Conant, President of Harvard University, and Vannevar Bush, President of Carnegie Institution of Washington. Citing Communist aggression in the Far East as a threat to the United Nations and the United States, Dr. Conant said he believes that this country must mobilize its manpower and reserves on a scale great enough to meet the danger. The committee feels that the nations of Western Europe are militarily weak, and
American power is far from adequately mobilized. A withdrawal from overseas and an attempt to make the North American continent impregnable provides no safety. Even in this crisis, the committee rejects the idea of a preventive war and does not feel that w a r with the Soviet Union is inevitable—"unless the Soviet so wills it." Dr. Conant stated the committee believes that as long as t h e military position of free countries remains weak, there is no hope of attaining enduring peace. U. S. Atomic Superiority Threatened T h e ability of the U. S. Air Force to inflict heavy damage on Russia's strategic centers has been the chief deterrent to a full scale Communist attack, Dr. Bush said. T h e effectiveness of this restraint is becoming progressively weakened as the Soviet Union increases its ability to produce atomic bombs and develops radical improvements in defense against air attack. Unless the U. S. supplements its atomic- potential, all of continental Europe
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may soon be forced into the Communist fold. T h e committee considers an allied military force sufficiently strong to furnish effective resistance to military aggression as the necessary supplement to America's current atomic leadership. At present, neither the U. S. nor its allies possess such a force. T h e U. S. must take the leadership in building a military force. Dr. Conant stated that European nations will make the greater effort required on JtljU?ir part o n l y if America takes a firm stand beside them, provides t h e balance of the equipment needed, and, most important of all, makes a powerful contribution of troops. Basic Manpower Plan Outlined Dr. Conant believes that a total armed force of at least 3.5 million Americans will be needed. This total includes forces to serve in E u r o p e and the F a r East as well as a strategic reserve in this country. Dr. Bush emphasized that a force of this size is not considered sufficient in itself to meet aggression. To it must be added t h e armed forces of our allies. The committee recognizes that great sacrifices will be required to meet the needs of an a r m e d force of 3.5 million men. Dr. Conant believes that neither the present Selective Service system nor proposals for universal military training programs offer a solution to the present problem. Under the existing Selective Service law, only 21-month inductions are possible for the 19- to 26-year-old age group. T h e r e are several major factors which make it inadvisable to draft many of these m e n . Among these are prior military service, family responsibilities, and interruptions in training for careers. Oil the other hand, most proposals for universal military training call for relatively short periods of training and do not permit use of trainees in active service. " T h e danger of an all-out war is so serious that all our young m e n must have military training," Dr. Conant said. Therefore, " t h e time has come for a new concept that universal service in defense of our freedom is a privilege and an obligation of our young men. T o accomplish this with t h e least interference with education, with business and professional careers, and with family life, this service should commence at the age of 18 or upon graduation from high school, whichever is later. T w o years of such military service, including training, will b e necessary, and the program should embrace radically broadened standards of fitness." Both Dr. CoiiDX and Dr. Bush stated that t h e c o n m r ' * proposal is considered as a supplemen .md not a substitute for the current Selective Service Act. They noted, for example, that there are approximately one million youths reaching the age of 18 every year. If every young man upon reaching age 18 were called into service, it would still take more than three years to attain an armed force of 3.5 million men. Therefore, the Selective Service, w h i c h is concerned with the 19AND
ENGINEERING
NEWS
to 26-year-old age group, will have to supply a great many men. Dr. Conant observed, however, that universal service over a period of years will result in all men having had two years of training and thus eliminate the need for selective service. Dr. Bush a n d Dr. Conant stated that the committee has not worked out the many detailed provisions interpreting and applying these principles of universal military service. T h e committee is working on fehis problem and expects to present concrete proposals in the near future. The committee plan is essentially the same as that announced earlier this month by the Association of American Universities. T h e AAU resolution, however, went into more detail in several respects. It is expected that the specific proposals will outline the details of the "broadened standards of fitness," the manner in which those who are not fit for combat service may be used in military or civilian capacities, proposed amendments to the Selective Service Act, reserve poliices, officer candidate training, assignment of inductees to technical and professional training, educational benefits on completion of training, and utilization of women in the a r m e d forces. Of equal importance to manpower is a program for equipment and supplies which must b e expanded far beyond goals already announced. T h e committee is also expected to make some specific proposals in this regard.
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Copies of this 45-page booklet just issued by the Federal Civil Defense Administration are available from t h e Government Printing Office, Washington 25, O . C , at a cost of 15 cents. The report states that 8 0 % of all structural damage resulting from air attacks in World War II were due to fire. American cities are highh susceptible to fire and blast. Methods of appraising this susceptibility are outlined. Techniques for dealing with fire warfare will be published in later reports. Gulf Tidelands Oil. A recent Supreme Court decree giving the Federal Government title to submerged coastal lands oil the coasts of Texas and Louisiana makes invalid leases granted by these states for oil and gas well drilling. The Interior Department will allow holders of state leases to continue their operations until Feb. 11, pending consideration of applications for federal leases. Chemical Statistics. T h e Census bureau plans to initiate annual surveys of shipments a n d / o r production of several industries, including inorganic chemicals and gases. Manufacturers of sulfuric acid, superphosphates, steel containers, metal cans, and commercial closures w h o have not been filing quarterly reports will be
Committee on the Present Danger T h e committee, originally established about t w o months ago, is still being expanded. At present, its membership totals 25. It includes several university presidents a n d others whose positions during World War II were closely related to defense matters. T h e college president members are: R a y m o n d B. Allen, University of Washington; James Phiiiney Baxter III, Williams College; James B. Conant, Harvard University; Harold W . Dodds, Princeton University; Frederick A. Middlebush, University of Missouri; Robert G. Sproul, University of California; and Henry M. Wriston, Brown University. Other members are: Julius Ochs Adler, General Manager, New York Times; Frank Altschul, National Planning Association; Laird Bell, Chairman of the Board, University of Chicago; Lewis H. Brown, Ohairman of t h e Board, Johns Manville Corp.; Harry A. Bullis, Chairman of the Board, General Mills, Inc.; Vannevar Bush, President, Carnegie Institution of Washington; Will L. Clayton, former Undersecretary of State; R. Ammi Cutter, lawyer; Qharles Dollard, President, Carnegie Corp. of New York; E d w a r d S. Greenbaum, lawyer, Monte M. Lemanxi, lawyer, William L. Marbury, lawyer; John L o r d O'Brian, former General Counsel, W a r Production Board; Robert P. Patterson, former Secretary of War; Harold C. Petersen, Executive Vice President, Fidelity Philadelphia Trust Co.; Stanley Resor, C h a i r m a n of t h e Board, J. Walter T h o m p son Co.; Robert E. Sherwood, author and playwright; a n d Tracy S. Voorhees, former Undersecretary of the Army. T h e committee has established its administrative office in Washington, D. C.
requested to file a n n u a l reports. Forms and further details are available from the Director of t h e Census, Washington 25, D. C . ECA Aid t o United Kingdom Suspended. Economic recovery of Britain and t h e sterling area, plus t h e demands being imposed on t h e United States under foreign military aid programs, have m a d e it desirable t o suspend ECA aid to the United Kingdom after Jan. 1, 1951. N R C I n t e r n a t i o n a ! Relations Division.
Allocation of funds by the State Department's Science Office has made possible the activation of t h e International Relations Division of t h e National Research Council. Wallace W. Atwood Jr., formerly of the D e p a r t m e n t of Defense's Research and Development Board, has been appointed executive secretary. Dr. Atwood will coordinate the international activities of the seven existing divisions of NHC. Close liaison will be maintained with t h e United Nations and its specialized bodies, and with international scientific unions. Stockpiling. The President has asked Congress for $1.8 billion for stockpiling additional quantities of strategic and critical materials. Together with funds appropriated earlier this year, the total for this p u r p o s e will be 2.9 billion. T h e new funds will be used not only for procurement but also t o encourage expansion of production.
New Text D o e s Not Destroy M a t e r i a l Being Tested M e a s u r e s 20 /Vlicro-microlumens of Scattered Light
1 0 0 T i m e s the Sensitivity o f S i m i l a r Instruments FOR
THE MEASUREMENT
OF:
Droplet size of aerosols . . . Purity of proteins and other colloids . Rate of change of molecule size in solution . . . Particle size and concentration in dispersed systems . Concentration and size of undissolved particles . Opacity of almost-opaque materials . . Molecular aggregation in antigen-antibody reactions . . Microfluorescence in dilute solutions . . . Depolarization, turbidity, and dissymmetry of high-molecular-weight solutions . Light reflectance of dark surfaces . Minute precipitation, flocculation, and crystallization Molecular weight of high pol-.'mers in solution . . . Scintillation efficiency of nuclearradiatior.-sensitive crystals and phosphors . . . . Microchemical turbidity analyses F E A T U R ES Excellent sensitivity
Compact
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accessible
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Comparisons of light intensities indicated as decimal percentages WRITE FOR BULLETIN
Removable slit and optical systems
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