RELEASE SUSPENDED

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 68, Issue 142, 29 March 1948, Page 3

RELEASE SUSPENDED

U.S. RESERVE OFFICERS (Rec. 10.30) WASHINGTON, Mar. 28. The Army Department announced today that because of the international situation, thei release from active duty of 20,000 reserve officer wsould he suspended. The directive, which was issued secretly, orders that release will be considered under only two narrow circumstances —inefficiency and hardship. Following a recent conference . of service chiefs at Key West, Florida, general accord has been reached on the field of action of each service, said the Secretary of Defence, Mr James Fovrestal to-day. Observers have described the dispute between the service chiefs over control of stategic bombing as a “bitter feud.”

Under the new agreement, air force will be given primary responsibility for strategic bombing and for air defence of the United States, hut as a compromise the nayy will be allowed to built an 80,000-ton aircraft-carrier and conduct air operations to “accomplish the objectives of a naval campaign.” . The Marine Corps will he forbidden to build up “a second land army,” meaning it will be limited to four divisions ,instead of six divisions, as in the last war.