STRENGTH OF U.S. ARMY

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23316, 30 April 1941, Page 8

STRENGTH OF U.S. ARMY

150,000 RECRUITS A MONTH WASHINGTON. March 24. The Army, having overcome many early difficulties in camp construction and organisation, is now taking recruits through the Selective Service System at the highest rate thus far attained, 150.000 men a month. Disclosing this, Selective Service Headquarters said the induction average for the first four months of the training programme was round 50,000 men a month. Moreover, headquarters officials said the present rate falls far short of utilising the full capacity of the system. “In fact,” he asserted, “we are,now so well organised that if we were called upon to do it, we could raise 3,000,000 men in 15 days. All we would have to do would be to press a button and the local boards all over the country would go into action.” This official added that the organisation was also ready, should need arise, to handle national projects other than the draft. It could count workers, register women for defence service, or otherwise aid in the preparedness programme. he said. First Selective Service trainees were called last November, and the total inducted to date is 265,000. Together with 487.000 regulars. 268,000 national guardsmen, and 38,000 reserve officers, these form the United States Army of to-day, a total of 1,058.000. Approximately 400,000 men, according to present War Department plans, will be added before July 1 to make the maximum force now planned unless the emergency becomes much more serious—l.4lß.ooo men. Officials sail the great majority of these would come from the Selective Service rolls, so that peak operations would continue until midsummer at least.