Marshall, Bradley Ask Senate Lower Age for Draft to 18

Secretary of Defense George C. Marshall and General Omar N. Bradley yesterday repeated their appeals to lower the draft age to 18 in the "interest of genuine security."

Marshall said that there was no certainty of keeping the current military manpower goal of 3,500,000. It might have to be raised. Bradley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, added that, in this event, any compromise with the 18-year-old figure would result in a shortage of men.

On the Senate floor, Senator Saltonstall (R-Mass.) urged the passage of legislation to lower the draft ago, and extend the time of service. He also asked for long-term reserve service as well as universal training. He added that much of the present fighting in Korea is falling on veterans.

Senators Morse (R-Ore.) and Taft (R-Ohio) accused the military of a waste of manpower and asked a ceiling around 3,000,000 on military manpower.

Marshall said that he hoped the presetn manpower goal would hold.