U.S.A. COMB-OUT

Grey River Argus, 28 February 1944, Page 2

U.S.A. COMB-OUT

ARMY OVER 200,000 SHORT. (Rec. 9.50) WASHINGTON, Feb. 26. President Roosevelt, in a message to the War Manpower Commission said: Selective service has not "delivered the expected quantity, of men with the result that the Army will not reach the planned January strength until April. The shortage of men had reached a total of two hundred thousand by December last. Mr. Roosevelt has ordered a review of all occupational deferments with a view to making available personnel required to carry on the war. Mr. Roosevelt pointed out that there will be crucial campaigns this year which will determine both the length of the war, and its price in men and goods. He said: “We are well equipped with food and munitions, but their production has drawn too heavily on our manpower. ft is time to strike a new balance, because the present allocations of personnel to the armed forces cannot be further reduced, and there is very real d'anger in the failure to supply, trained replacements at the time and in the numbers required.”