BY REMOVING RESTRICTIONS ON COMMITTEE ON MILITARY AFFAIRS SEVENTY-SEVENTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION ON H. J. Res. 217, H. J. Res. 218, H. J. Res. 220, JOINT RESOLUTIONS DECLARING A NATIONAL EMERGENCY, 61230 JULY 22, 25, AND 28, 1941 Printed for the use of the Committee on Military Affairs UNITED STATES WASHINGTON: 1941 INITED STATES OF AMERICA AUG 15'41 CONTENTS Gen. John McKay Palmer, United States Army, retired Maj. Gen. Milton A. Reckord, commanding general, Fort George Maj. Gen. Jacob L. Devers, commanding general, Fort Bragg, N. C. Brig. Gen. Lewis B. Hershey, Director, Selective Service System. Mr. Frank Murray, president National Parents of Selectees, Inc. Mrs. Catherine Curtis, representing the Women's National Committee III PROVIDING FOR THE NATIONAL DEFENSE BY REMOVING RESTRICTIONS ON NUMBERS AND LENGTH OF SERVICE OF DRAFTEES The committee met at 10 a. m., Hon. Andrew J. May (chairman) presiding. The CHAIRMAN. The committee will please be in order. Gentlemen, we have met this morning for the purpose of considering House Joint Resolution 217 and other similar resolutions [reading]: to further provide for the strengthening of the national defense by removing the restrictions on numbers and length of service of draftees, and for other purposes. We have this morning as the first witness Gen. George C. Marshall, Chief of Staff of the United States Army. The general is in the witness chair, and the chairman would like to say to the general we would like to have a statement from him of the reasons for the resolution; and, during the course of your testimony, if you reach a point where you think some war secret is involved that should not be disclosed to the public, you are privileged to say so and to reserve that for further closed sessions of the committee. Now you may proceed, General, and I am going to ask the committee to allow the general to complete his statement, after which he may be subject to questions by members of the committee. STATEMENT OF GEN. GEORGE C. MARSHALL, CHIEF OF STAFF General MARSHALL. Mr. Chairman, I have no prepared statement. I have already testified twice before the Senate Committee on Military Affairs. The first hearing has been printed, and I assume some of you have read it. I do not know just to what extent I should repeat myself, but I can be guided in that by your questions, if what I say now is not sufficient for your purposes. I would like to begin with a reference to my biennial report covering the period of my first 2 years as Chief of Staff. The recommendations submitted in that report were made by me at that particular time and in that specific manner because the situation was so serious that, in my opinion, it had to be brought before the people of the United States. My recommendations were based on military necessity only, and I was especially concerned that they be made in a manner that was clearly nonpolitical. I consulted no one with respect to them and no one knew that I was going to make them. I thought that my action was in the best interests of national defense. 1 |