Survey Indicates Students Oppose Draft and Believe Current Army Inadequate

Eighty-two per cent of the 150 undergraduates randomly surveyed yesterday said they are against reinstituting the draft, although 70 per cent said the nation's present volunteer armed forces would not be adequate in wartime.

While 17 per cent of the students polled said they would be willing to serve active duty, 21 per cent said they would not be willing to serve at all.

Earlier this week, the subcommittee on Military Personnel of the House Armed Services Committee held hearings on several proposals calling for new national draft registration practices.

The most controversial of the bills introduced in the House--H.R. 2206 introduced by Rep. Paul J. McCloskey Jr. (R-Cal.)--would require men and women between the ages of 18 and 24 to serve the country in a civilian, reserve or active capacity for at least two years.

Bills suggesting changes in draft registration are also pending on the Senate floor, following charges by Sen. John Stennis (D-Miss.) that the nation's all volunteer forces are a "proven failure."

If the proposed draft bills should pass, most women surveyed said they would not be willing to serve active duty.

Erica Cohen '79 said she would not want to serve active duty, stating "most wars are fought for idiotic reasons and destroy more than they create."

Many women, however, said they would support a war by serving in a civilian corps.

"Required public service is good, but as for active duty, I'd consider myself a conscientious objector," Jessica S. Banthin '81 said yesterday.

Most men surveyed, however, would be willing to support a war in any capacity, but several held reservations depending on the nature of the war.

Toronto, Please

"I'd serve the country if we were attacked, but not if we were in another situation like Vietnam," Douglas R. Mason '80 said yesterday.

Many other students cited the Vietnam war in their comments. "Vietnam horrifies people," Craig Gerhardt '79 said yesterday. "Most people are only willing to fight to defend American freedom," he added.

Students who said they felt the need for a draft cited many reasons.

"There is a serious problem now because there are not enough intelligent, college-educated people to operate the complex systems used in the armed forces now," Charles S. McNew '80, said yesterday.

Samuel J. Bloomfield '79 said yesterday he thinks the armed forces now are poorly disciplined and educated. "I think there are many problems which reflect a lack of discipline, including racial tensions," he said.

Several students cited problems with the military system in general. "I don't believe in our military system, and I don't think the use of it would ever be adequate," Thomas P. Lyons '79 said yesterday.

Perfect

Other students, however, said they believe the armed forces are effective and necessary.

"The armed forces are good for discipline," Lisa Beach '80 said yesterday.

Kevin D. Donovan '81 said yesterday he would be willing to serve for a year. "The armed services need a healthy mix of people so they don't stagnate," he said.

Michael R. Powtrell '80 said yesterday he would be reluctant to serve during a war, but said he would fight in extreme circumstances. "If people I loved were killed I don't know if I could resist," Pontreli said. Student Opinion on U.S. Military Service   Do you favor the reinstitution of the draft?  If there were an all-out, nonnuclear war, do you think our present voluntary military forces would be adequate?  If there were a selective service program instituted now, would you serve in any or all of the following capacities?   YES  NO  NO OPINION  YES  NO  NO OPINION  Active  Reserve  Civilian  None men  16  60  5  14  60  7  20  25  37  16 women  4  62  3  9  44  16  5  31  51  15 total  20  122  8  23  104  23  25  56  85  31