Statement by the President on the National Security Training Commission and on Military Manpower Policies.

I HAVE NOMINATED to the United States Senate Julius Ochs Adler, Warren Atherton and Dr. Karl T. Compton to fill the vacancies now existing on the National Security Training Commission.

The National Security Training Commission was created by Public Law 51, 82nd Congress, to study and submit National Security Training plans and exercise civilian control over such a program. The three gentlemen whose names I have submitted to the Senate, serving with the two military members, Lieutenant General Raymond S. McLain (ret.) and Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid (ret.), will complete the membership of this Commission. Upon his confirmation by the Senate, I shall designate Mr. Adler to be Chairman.

I am requesting the Commission to submit to me not later than December 1, 1953, a report which shall include, but not be limited to, (1) an examination of inequities in the present method of securing men for our Armed Forces' reserves and the burdens imposed, with suggestions to remedy these inequities; (2) the feasibility and desirability of operating a military training program to supply trained non-veteran reserves while at the same time continuing induction for service; and (3) the relationship of such a program to the building of a strong and equitable citizen reserve sufficiently advanced in training to permit regular forces to expand rapidly from peace strength to war strength. I am also requesting the Office of Defense Mobilization to submit to me by December 1, 1953, a definitive report on the availability of manpower to operate simultaneously a military training program and supply our active duty military personnel, including an analysis of the impact of such a program on our requirements for agricultural, scientific, professional, technical and skilled personnel.

I am confident that it is the will of this nation that the responsibilities for its defense should be shared as equally as possible by all of its citizens.

And yet, as our veterans of Korea return home they find themselves under legal compulsion to shoulder a six-year reserve obligation. Our only effective military reserve under this present system is--and apparently will remain--composed almost wholly of men who have already served the nation in the Korean War, World War II, or both.

I also find that under the present system thousands of our young men have not yet assumed any military obligation to our country. Men who have not been inducted for Korea not only escape the ordeals of that conflict. They also undertake no reserve obligation.

Thus our system requires our soldier of today also to carry the future national defense burden ahead of the man who has received no training, has done no service, and has assumed no reserve obligation.

These inequities appear to me to directly contravene some of the most basic principles of our society.

I have had doubts, and have voiced them publicly, that sufficient manpower would be available to supply our active-duty military personnel requirements and a military training program at the same time. I have, however, reviewed our manpower data in the light of the recent reduction in the size of the standing forces, and I am hopeful that the studies I have requested of this matter can produce suggested remedies for the inequities which have long characterized our military manpower policies.