Kansas State Historical Society Topeka, Ks.
Calmness Urged In Malott Letter
To Men Students in the University:
All students are to be drafted in February. The V-12 is to be reinstated immediately. All the fraternities are to be taken over for military programs. All reserves will be called up at once. The military forces are to be doubled over all previous estimates.
Each of the above and many more such statements can be heard in a walk down the length of any corridor these days at the University of Kansas. It is so in every other institution in the land.
"What are the facts? At the moment, no student will be inducted into military service, unless in the reserves, until the end of the academic year, if he requests postponement. At the moment, there are no announced plans for any emergency training programs in the colleges. At the moment, there are no known plans to reactivate V-12. At the moment, it is the intention of the Department of Defense to continue, and if necessary to increase, the R.O.T.C. programs, all of the major branches of which are available at K.U. As yet, the Federal Government has not announced, or given approval to, any comprehensive plan of Universal Military Training, Universal Military Service, or a new type of Selective Service.
It is further true, that all branches of the military departments have surveyed the university facilities throughout the nation, including K.U., as a measure of peace time planning and just in case the emergency deepens to the point where such programs are required. In each instance, we have been specifically told that immediate inauguration of such programs was not contemplated.
These are some of the facts of this stirring, dramatic, and changing period of history, as our nation speeds toward what appears to be the inevitable mobilization. And then there is a further fact to be kept in mind. You young men of K.U. may live most of your lives in the midst of great uncertainty, with storms and whirlwinds head-lining the nation's press from day to day. You must ground your lives somehow to withstand the shock, or you will be mentally and spiritually battered to pieces, long before you have had a chance to be useful in a world which needs you badly.
"It is true also that mobilization takes time. It is perfectly clear that the military forces cannot be suddenly stepped up to astronomical size, because the military facilities are not staffed or equipped to take on millions in personnel in the space of a few short weeks.
"It seems clear that most of you, at least those who have had no previous military service, will be required to give x months in x capacity at x time. That is about all you have to go on in the way of personal facts at the moment, although the situation will change, probably daily, with many an excursion and alarum, between now and the time a plan of military procedure emerges as national policy.
In the meantime, the most intelligent advice we can give you is to hew to the line, live as happily as possible from day to day, and do as good a job as you can do. By your attendance at the University, you are, each of you, preparing yourself for your life's work. The more education and training you possess, the more effective presumably will be the military service which will be required of you
The farther along you are in your university training, before you are diverted to military service, the nearer you are to the career in civil life to which you aspire, and which some day we all expect to be available to you.
This is the time indeed for great strength of mind and purpose, the time to be calm, to give your attention to the day to day problems of your education. We shall continue to make every attempt to keep informed as to changing events, and to keep you posted, too, as our national policy emerges and adapts to the ever-changing demands of world events.
Deane W. Malott, Chancellor.
Wednesday, Dec. 13, 1950
"The advantage of Russian industry is that it is geared for war," he said. "The Russians have an enormous output and stockpile of weapons."
Lawrence, Kansas
hansan
48th Year No. 61
He said, however, that production is hindered by the limited size of Russia's industrial plant, and by lack of training and low morale among the workers.
Development of Russia's transportation system has been hampered by the fact that most of Russia's steel is used to make weapons, Major Eliot said.
Chancellor Proposes Plan For UMT
UNIVERSITY DAILY
60,000 UN Troops Begin Evacuating Northeast Korea
Major Eliot advocated building up our long-range airpower.
"The average Russian has been driven too hard, too long, for too little." he said.
By United Press
Sixty thousand United Nations troops were evacuating northeast Korea by sea today, with Chinese Communists in American uniforms shooting at their heels.
"Russia herself is reasonably self-sufficient in raw materials, but limited in mobility," he said.
He pointed out that loss of west-ern Germany and France would transfer the balance of the world's industrial power to the Russians.
"Service thus would be given at the level of training and competence
The grimy, weary men of the
"Transportation is the weakest part of the whole Soviet military structure," he said. "Railroads highways, and pipelines are inadequate."
Lack of transport and adequate outlets to the sea hinders the Russians, while our control of the sea provides a connection between the U.S. and our allies among the "fringelands" around Russia, Major Eliot said.
The industries of western Europe are the Russians' primary objective, Maj. George Fielding Eliot said at the 12th "World in Crisis" lecture Tuesday.
Major Eliot, who is a columnist and radio commentator on military affairs, said that "these industries are practically within reach of the Soviet Union."
Eliot Discusses Russian Wants
lessional training, bringing to the nation's service education and skills in such scientific fields as pharmacy, medicine,, engineering,, electronics and chemistry,.
The chancellor said that many would elect to do their service while 18 years old or upon finishing high school. Others might choose to start to college immediately. Some might pursue graduate or pro-
"Such a plan will provide a military force containing all sorts of trained personnel," Chancellor Maelott said. "It will not drastically curtail the flow of men into the scientific and professional curricula of the universities, and the trained and skilled intellects will be mobilized as well as the sheer physical abilities of our country's youths."
A universal military training requirement of 18 months or two years for all men, beginning while the men are between the ages of 18 and 26, was proposed recently by Chancellor Deane W. Malott in an address before the National Association of State universities.
U. N. 10th corps shuffled onto transports on the Hammung-Hungnam beach in the biggest mass evacuation since the British and their Allies fled under fire from Dunkerque in 1940.
The meeting was held in Washington, D.C. Chancellor Malott is president of the Association.
"Such a plan, tentatively put forth by General Hershey, has implications which seem to be all bad," he said. "It would place undue influence on scholastic grades, ignoring other qualifications or lack of them. It would place the individual professor under terrible pressure to raise a grade one-tenth of a point or 'You'll be sending my boy off to war.'"
which may be expected most to appeal to the individual." he said. "Hence the proposal will be more readily adopted and will give a sense of real contribution on the part of many men."
Chancellor Malott described briefly the three most frequently mentioned schemes for obtaining a military force of $2 \frac{1}{2}$ to $3 \frac{1}{2}$ million men, which military leaders say we need.
The first is an accelerated draft for all men, with certain occupational deferments, including liberal deferments for college men with high scholastic standing.
If you chose college,you could serve in an R.O.T.C. program which would qualify you for a reserve commission when you enter the service. the Chancellor said.
Universal military training, the second scheme previously requested by President Truman, would require six months in a training camp, and then a period on duty or in a reserve program or national guard unit.
"It is not true that the Soviet Union is better defended from air attack than we are. Russian industry is the most highly concentrated in the world, and could not be defended from attack by the U.S. strategic air command."
The chancellor said that this plan cannot provide the technical and scientific needs of a large military force. Also, it tends to postpone the technical training of persons entering fields of science, so important for military purposes.
Chancellor Malott believes this proposal would stop entirely, though temporarily, the flow of young men into the colleges and universities. Too, it would dry up for 24 months the flow of training for doctors, engineers, physicists, pharmacists, chemists and other specialists.
"The service period is too short. After the brief training period, most men will feel that they have done their service, and will not readily be available for service overseas," he said.
A third proposal would require a universal service program for all men, beginning at the age of 18 and continuing for two years. This is the Conant plan.
He pointed out, however, that such an attack would have to be totally effective, since we do not have the planes to carry on a sustained effort.
Russian airpower is dangerous to the continental U.S. only in the form of one-way atom bomb missions, he said, because the emphasis of Russian air strength is on defense and tactical support for ground troops.
The total manpower of the western nations exceeds that of Russia and her satellites, he said but the Communists have more trained men and more under 25 year old.
"The Russians are more physically fit than we are," Major Eliot said, "But we have a tremendous advantage in the technical fitness of our men for the various demands of modern war."
Our troops are equal or superior to any in the world, he said, but we have far too few of them.
Veterans recalled to active military duty while they are receiving benefit payments from the veteran's administration can save themselves and the government a lot of trouble by notifying V.A. immediately of their recall, the Veteran's Administration announced recently.
Recalled Vets Must Tell VA
These benefit payments include GI bill or public law 16 subsistence allowances and compensation for service-connected disabilities.
Prof. E. R. Elbel, director of the K.U. Veteran's Bureau, said Tuesday that any veteran receiving active duty orders need only bring them to the bureau and the bureau will notify the V.A.
This insures that the veteran will not be held responsible for an overpayment, because the Bureau keeps one copy of the notification on permanent file.
If an overpayment is made, it must be returned to the V.A., Professor Elbel said. This also applies if a veteran drops from college for other reasons. If recalled to active duty, he receives compensation up to the day before the day he reports for duty. If he drops for personal reasons, he is paid up to the end of the calendar month. In either case, the Veteran's Bureau will turn in the report if notified.
The first day of the evacuation, Monday, saw no enemy attacks on the flight of the once victorious U. S. marines, British marines, and American and South Korean infantry. News of the evacuation was withheld at the request of Gen. Douglas MacArthur.
The GI's beat off the Chinese attack and chased the survivors away in a small-scale counter-attack.
But today the Chinese Communists who had pushed the United Nations forces from points near the Manchurian border back to Hungnam attacked American 3rd division elements guarding the rear of the evacuating troops.
All the Chinese appeared to be dressed in American winter uniforms, including GI helmets.
The Chinese Reds who have been fighting fanatically for days to push the U.N. out of Korea did not attack the evacuating force in strength, however. They also bided their time on the 8th army's front above Seoul in western Korea.
MacArthur's daily communique on the ground activity was one of the shortest of the war. It reported only light enemy contact northwest of Hamhung and only patrol activity on the Seoul front.
The Chinese invasion army of 1,000,000 men, including reserves, seemed in no hurry to assault anew.
B-29 superfortresses went out in strength to blast Pyongyang, restored capital of North Korea, with 176 tons of explosives. They were trying to prevent use of the city as a base for a new Chinese offensive.
Hungham, Korea—(U.P.)-Standing on the main pier of this Oriental port town in a cold Siberian wind, one can see a transport heavily loaded with retreating United Nations troops and equipment heading out into the Japan sea.
Transports Carry Tired, Cold UN Troops
There is no band to play martial music for the troops. They don't smile and they don't look sharp and confident. They are tired and cold and disgusted. And many are sick with colds.
This is the first phase of the United Nations Dunkerque in Northeast Korea.
One can hear the chug-chug of winch motors on the decks of the rust-flecked freighters and the shrill scream of winch cables as another load of equipment is swung into the holds.
And one can remember another scene near here two months ago—a scene in sharp contrast to today's picture.
Two months ago troops of the Republic of Korea Capitol division swung through the city and onward up the coast.
They had taken Hamhung and Hungam the night before. And on that warm, sunny day in mid-October, with the South Koreans swinging smartly through a canyon of welcoming banners and South Korean and United Nations flags, there was no thought of retreat in North Korea.
Today the dock area is covered with the slop churned up by laboring trucks and plodding feet in snowy streets—the trucks and feet pointed toward the flotilla of ships waiting in the harbor to take the U.N. force away.