Evening star., 1935-03-17
Uncle Sam to Spend Billion Dollars
In Next Fiscal Year ON National Defense

Washington Naval Conference, and
until 1894. when world conferences
on military and naval disarmament
were functioning, the United States
allowed her armed services to deter
iorate.
The Navy went for four years
without a new ship. The Army was
permitted to lag far behind other
armies in undermining its equipment.
Air services of both branches Of the
country's defense forces complained
Of neglect.
Now large outlays are defended in
Congress on the ground that they
are needed to bring the Army and the
Navy up to modern standards.
Ships are being turned out as
rapidly as possible under the Coun-
try's largest peacetime building pro-
gram. Much of the money for this
building is coming out Of funds ap-
propriated by Congress to provide jobs
for the unemployed. Harold Ickes.
administrator of public works, ad-
mitted to Congress that the number
Of Jobs growing out of the naval
building program vas relatively small.
Both services are being brought up
to date The operation Is expensive
but necessary, in the view of both
branches of Congress and of the
President. This country now is spend
ing more than any other nation on its
defenses and is TO increase that spend
ing
8. Unrest within the United States
makes necessary a larger and better
equipped Army to deal with any dis
turbances that may arise. Such is
the argument advanced in Congress
as an important reason for increasing
the size Of the Nations standing
Army
Speakers paraded the possibility of
calling on trained soldiers to cope with
internal trouble. They pointed out
that there now are but $1,000 Regular
Army officers and men stationed
within the borders of the United
States. This total was described as
only three times the size of the New
York police force.
In the past the Job Of maintaining
order has been left to the National
Guard when police forces fell down
That Guard has strength Of 10000
men. 1t is to be enlarged and
strengthened under plans already ap-
proved by Congress.
These are the three chief reasons
advanced 10 defend the huge expendi-
lures being made on the American
Army and Navy. They picture the
Government preparing for trouble
that may develop abroad or at nome
But they leave unanswered many
questions.
One is: Why does this country re-
quire a great fully prepared Navy, il
it is interested only in defense? Doe:
the existing danger from any outside
source justify the huge expenditure,
that sooner or later must be met BY
taxation?
Another is: Does the emphasis on
preparedness mean that the United
States is going to move to checkmate
Japan in her effort to dominate the
Far East? If so, would we be bearing
the burden of a struggle that really
concerns Russia. Great Britain and
France more than it does this coun-
try? Our interests are less important
than theirs in the region of japanese
activity.
A third IS: If defense alone IS the
object in view. why do War Depart
ment plans call for maintaining a
nucleus 1or a force of 100000 men?
The fact is that Congress has shown
an eagerness to shove the United
States into the swim of worldwide
military and naval preparedness. If q
building race Is what the other coun-
tries want, they will have to step fast
from now on.
Copyright. 1851