European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 25, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 16 the stars and stripes August 1985 will they bring Back the draft by Richard Halloran new York times Mother id Register to the signs Are no bigger than a sail on a Distant but with the Economy improving and jobs easier to get in civilian service in the armed forces has begun to look less add to that a shrinking Pool of men of military age Over the next 10 years and talk of resuming the draft begins to Ernest has introduced legislation that would bring Back military and Gary has called for National service for Young including military the heritage a research recently queried advocates of a Strong military and found them split on whether the Volunteer Force was Zbigniew who was president Carters National Security said he favored National service in which military service would be an Malcolm said volunteers had taken the Middle class out of the but Jack and David retired chairman of the joint chiefs of favored the Volunteer among military officers on Active Bernard Rogers has expressed in Public what some military officers say in private that the United like most of its european should have a but Reagan administration officials said the president was adamantly opposed to a peacetime Secretary of defense Caspar in an reflected that there int the slightest need for conscription has been a contentious Issue in America since the War of when Secretary of War James Monroe proposed a draft to enable the nation to continue the Battle against Daniel Webster helped defeat the proposal when he Rose in the House on to deliver a denunciation that is still considered the classic condemnation of the where is it written in the Webster in what article or Section is it that you May take children from their parents and parents from their children and compel them to fight the Battles of any War in which the Folly or the wickedness of government May engage it both sides used conscription in the civil but the Issue was not raised again until after the United states entered world War when the supreme court ruled that being drafted was a Noble duty and not involuntary which is prohibited by the 13th the first peacetime draft was enacted in then was dropped for a Short time after world War it resumed in the cold War Days of conscription lasted through Korea and the Volunteer Force that began in 1973 had several rough years in the late missing recruiting quotas or meeting them Only by accepting Young men who were marginally after 1980 the military services enjoyed increasingly better years in achieving records in 1984 in the number of High school graduates and in scores on the armed forces qualification test for every indicator of Good discipline was recruiting so far when w went id the Post office this morning a what Une Pip you stand in this year has been if not quite up to the 1984 but the census Bureau projects that the number of men who Are 18 to 21 years of age will drop to million in from million this the armed forces in 1984 enlisted of whom slightly less than 10 percent were military say its is Good social they contend that the White Middle class is not bearing its share of the common defense but is leaving it to members of minority groups who enlist because of economic the advocates argue that the military helps democracy by mixing people of All economic backgrounds and social absent a they Many americans have Little knowledge of the armed forces and Lack the emotional connection that would support the forces if they went to recruiting will become More difficult As the Economy continues to with the services unable to compete in the labor advocates demographics May Force a return to the proponents citing the projected decline in the number of Young men of military coupled with that is a need for More troops for reagans military if the draft is not they the armed forces will have to accept Les qualified that would mean a drop in military readiness because the recruits would be less skilled with weapons made with advanced conscription would make Good military the advocates it would be a sign of resolve to be seen by the soviet Union or other potential adversaries and by allies of the United states who question american willingness to help defend if drafted men there is Little thought Given to drafting women Are paid less than the competitive wages required now to enlist and retain the Cost of military which takes 20 percent of the Pentagon could be enlistment bonuses and recruiting costs would also be they the inescapable argument against say its is that there is no Way to have a fair draft unless eligible Young men Are required to no advocate of the draft contends that the services could absorb More than one in every four or five Young opponents argue that selection by birthday or any other system is unfair so Long As some Are drafted while others go about opponents the military services Are not the place to teach patriotism or duty to country to the White Middle class or any other those they should be taught in the school and opponents contend that a draft would not bring racial balance to the services unless All not just the were required to take even a draft would not guarantee that All races would be proportionally represented unless quotas were the military services have become perhaps the Best equal Opportunity employers in the nation for members of a draft could deny a Young Black Man a Job he wanted while compelling a Young White Man to serve against his opponents opponents note that the military services in peacetime have historically been channels for social gains and Are serving As such today for hispanic and asian much As they did for the Irish and other immigrants a Century As for fostering a link Between the Public and the armed draft opponents say that so Long As the size of the military services remains As it is it matters Little whether Young people Volunteer or Are the experience is the advocates of the Volunteer Force assert that recruiting will go Well so Long As the armed forces pay competitive even As the Pool of Young men shrinks into the 1990s and the Economy continues to recruiting May become More difficult but will be they on military opponents say that the absence of a draft guarantees that a president would be unable to engage the nation in a venture like the Volunteer Force is enough for operations such As the invasion of they but a larger conflict would require the vote of Congress to resume administration officials and some personnel specialists also argue that a draft would be More costly than the Volunteer assuming that current Levels of pay the turnover and the Cost of training would More than offset cuts in recruiting costs they Young men Are now required to Register for the draft within one month after turning no physical examinations Are Given and no classifications or exemptions Are women Are not required to both opponents and advocates of conscription agree that the draft must be resumed Chhe United states gets into a conflict like those in Korea or but Short of Public and congressional sentiment appears to be against military officers who might otherwise favor a draft acknowledge that it could revive the divisions and ant military feelings of and thus they do not favor perhaps most important is the opposition of Reagan reflecting that assistant Secretary of defense for manpower Lawrence Korb said in an interview 1 the Volunteer Force is Here to