FREE HAND

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 July 1941, Page 6

FREE HAND

I SOUGHT BV AMERICAN | CHIEF OF STAFF I IN MEETING EMERGENCY. DANGER SEEN OF SUDDEN ATTACK. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 1.25 p.m.) WASHINGTON, July 3. General Marshal, Chief of the General Staff, in his biennial report, said: “The events of the past few days had shown even more forcible indications of the suddenness with which armed conflict might spread to areas hitherto considered free from attack. Therefore he urgently recommended that the War Department be authorised to extend the period of selective service to men and officers of the Reserve corps and units of the National Guard. ' The Chief of Staff also asked for the removal of restrictions which confine the armed forces to the United States. He said: “All will admit that the time factor has been of dominant importance in the march of events since November, 1939, in the availability of material and complete readiness of huge, highly trained units for employment in chosen theatres. I submit that the limitations should be removed as quickly as possible, if we are to have a fair opportunity to protect ourselves against coldly-calculated, . secret and sudden action directed against us.” General Marshall also strongly urged immediate Congressional action on the legislation already submitted and 'designed to vitalise Army leadership, ithe purpose of which is the removal from executive duty of a few officers who slow down the development of the emergency Army, through lack of the qualities of vigour and intelligent, aggressive leadership. “One purpose of these proposals,” he said, “is to enable us to meet the dangers of the present situation and such purpose does not admit of delay.”