Evening star., 1936-01-28
to that end, to bring about agreements

10 C1aC emu, 10 pIluB aDOut dBIccLNcutS
for actual disarmament.
Let us now turn from the many ef-
forts to obtain peace and look at the
world about us. Is 1t not a fact that
today all Europe, and the Orient as
well, are shadowed by war or threats
Of war? Is not the world outside the
United States, instead of moving in the
direction of disarmament, expanding
its armaments on land and sea and in
the air? I believe the assertion, that
all the world is now an armed camp"
Is not exaggeration.
How, therefore, can we consider the
broad questions Of national defense in
their concrete application to our own
Government and our own Army and
Navy and air forces today. without
dealing with actual facts rather than
with theories.
Adequate Defense Outlined.
The facts are that adequate national
defense means today Cd strong Navy
and CD a peace-tine Army in terms
of both Regulars and Reserves, which
shall constitute a real basis of defense,
and 90 a largely augmented air force
In keeping with the tremendously ex-
panding air forces Of other nations.
We are forging no weapons Of attack,
but we are urging potent weapons Of
defense. We are adhering to the doc
trine that the way to insure peace is
to be prepared against war. That by
being strong to resist, we shall have
immunity from attack. Without TAX
ing further time in discussion Of the
reasons and circumstances which
shape our present policy Of national
defense, I desire, in the time remain
ing, to tell you precisely where our
Army and Navy stand today in COM
parison with those of other nations
and precisely what 1t is proposed to do
with respect to their further strength
ing
First let us consider the United
States Army, which is composed Of
three elements-the Regular Army,
the National Guard and the Organized
Reserves. The Regular Army consists
at present of $4,000 officers and 100000
enlisted men. These are our profess
sional full-time soldiers. For reasons
Of economy, the size Of the standing
Army has been kept at the lowest pos
sible minimum. For number Of years
up to last July there were only $4,000
enlisted men In the Army. The new
budget proposes an increase Of 1000
to 147,000 for the next fiscal year. The
duties of the Regular Army include the
defense of Hawaii, the Philippines, the
Panama Canal, Puerto Rico and
Alaska. Nearly one-third Of the Army
is absent from the homeland on this
duty. The Regular Army also must
provide garrisons for our coast and
harbor defenses, furnish nucleus for
rapid expansion in time OF emergency,
take charge Of training our National
Guard and Organized Reserves, and
provide force sufficiently strong to
hold or repel an invader in the initial
phases Of war.
Our standing Army is one of the
smallest Of any country. It ranks
about on a par with that Of Turkey,
and IS smaller than the armies OF such
countries as YugoslaWa. Czechoslo-
vakia and Spain. Russia, for example,
has q standing army Of about million
and q quarter. Our National Guard
Is q civilian force organized under the
States, and subject to call into the
service Of the Nation in time Of emer-
gency. The National Guard at present
has an aggregate strength Of approxi-
mately 100000, which is less than half
that authorized by the national de-
fense act.
Naval Building Halted.
In addition to the National Guard
there are $4,000 civilians composing
the OfIicers' Reserve Corps. who hold
reserve commissions in the Army and
may be called to active duty in time Of
need. Now, turning to the Navy, we
find that 1t was not until 1888, IL
years after the Washington Naval Dis
armament Conference. that we ini-
tiated any substantial naval building
program. During these II years, while
we were striving for disarmament by
treaty, our own Navy stood still while
all the other nations were strangthen-
ing and increasing their navies. Dur
ing the period between 1922 and 1888
the British Navy laid down $4,000
tons Of new naval craft and Japan laid
$50, 900 tons for her navy, while the
United States, total was 173, 900 tons.
As q consequence Of this slowing down
of our own naval building program, in
1888 we had 351 900 tons Of ships yet
to be built under the London naval
treaty Of 1880. Our Navy, instead Of
being the equal Of any navy In the
world, was distinctly inferior.
But even our substantially inferior
naval tonnage, compared with other
naval powers, fails to reflect the in
adequacy Of our Navy. An actual
comparison has to take into account
= nations merchant marine, which is
available In case Of war as naval
auxiliary. Much has been said about
the development Of IN American
merchant marine. I myself have been
an earnest advocate Of the develop
ment Of q large merchant marine un-
der the American nag, not simply for
considerations Of national defense, but
as an agency for the promotion Of
American foreign trade. The fact Is
that we have no merchant marine
worthy Of the name, whereas Great
Britain and other maritime nations
have q large merchant marine, which
Is IN additionally important element
Of their naval strength.
Air Force Inadequate.
Turning to our air force, first the
Army, We ind that the total force
on December 2 for the Army Is 1000
planes and Of supreme significance
y the fact that only 400 Of these are
of the modern Npe. Some 6oS Dir.