Evening star., 1936-12-01
us. .S.PREPAREDNESS
C|TEDBYWOODR|NC.
Radio Forum Speaker Says
Industry's Readiness Helps
Assure Peace.

A carefully laid, far-reaching plan
Of Industrial preparedness for war Is
Americas notice to the word that she
intends to be assured of peace"
Secretary of War Woodring declared
last night.
Secretary Woodring spoke to huge
RADIO audience in the National Radio
Forum, arranged by The Star and
broadcast over q coast-to-coast net
work of the National Broadcasting Co.
through WRC.
This peacetime study and paper
plan of industrial preparedness" Sec
retary Woodring said. lis not provoca-
tive OF war. Our national policy does
not permit aggressive militarism with
large standing armies and huge mill
tary supplies. We want none of that.
Rather, our plan for effective indus
trial preparedness is further de-
terrent against war"
The War Department head told his
hearers also that the War Depart
ment is making every effort to inform
Congress of the necessities to bring
our air and land forces to a strength
commensurate with the minimum re-
quirements of this country for ma
tional security"
Text of Speech,
The text of the speech follows:
ITO keep this country at peace. 1t
y imperative that we maintain our
armed forces in a state of sufficient
preparation capable of defending this
Nation against aggression and thus
give it that security which is potent
factor in the maintenance Of peace.
Peace without adequate security is an
illusion impossible of attainment.
Peace and security go hand in hand.
With them we need not fear for the
future of America. The War Depart
nent is constantly engaged in defense
preparations designed to give this
Nation a practical security COM
menSurate with its needs as dictated
by the activities and developments
among the nations of the world.
II have found that most people
think OF defense in terms of man
power and overlook the importance
Of supply preparedness. 1t is my
purpose tonight to sketch briefly some
aspects of this supply preparedness.
THE World War had not progressed
very far when it was suddenly realized
with considerable alarm, by all par
ticipating nations, that material was
. limiting factor in all strategy and
operations. They had to acknowl-
edge that industrial organization-the
ability to produce necessary supplies
was Just as important as men and
money. In our own country it was
clearly demonstrated that we could
obtain men and train them much
faster than we could equip them.
Quotes War Policies Commission.
"Since the World War there has
been universal recognition of the
necessity for industrial mobilization
as an important adjunct to military
effort. This thought was significantly
summed up a few years ago by the
War Policies Commission appointed
by the President under the direction
6 the Congress, In the following
words:
Modern industrial progress has
consequently occasioned q kaleido-
scopic change in battle conditions, in
spite OF the fact that the basic
principles Of war remain the same
from age to age. More and more
the soldier has come to depend for
his effectiveness upon the skill of the
inventor who designs his weapons
and the work of the artisan who pro-
duces them. Complicated
weapons and machines are used up
rapidly in war. Armies and navies
must not only be well supplied
tnitially-but maintenance must be
adequate and continuous. Thus, the
success of a modern fighting force
Is directly and Immediately dependent
upon the ability of the nations IN
dustrial resources to satisfy promptly
It's requirements in supplies. In addi-
ton, throughout the duration of war
the nation must continue to produce
all the material things upon which
the health and well being OF its
population depend War is no longer
simply battle between armed forces
IN the field-it is a struggle in which
each side strives to bring to bear
against the enemy the co-ordinated
power Of every individual and every
material resource at its command. The
conflict extends from the soldier in the
most forward lines facing the enemy
to the humblest citizen in the re-
motest hamlet in the rear
Present Trend Cited.
We are informed through the press
that there is today widespread trend
IN the nations of the world, not only
toward rearmament, but also toward
effective supply and industrial mobili-
xation preparedness. We hear on all
sides such questions as, When will
Germany be ready?' When will
Russia be ready?' When will England
be ready?' Similar questions are ap-
Piled to other nations. The answer
Invariably made is: They will not
be ready until certain features of their
economic plans are developed to in
sure . reasonable supply prepared
ness We are told that France Is
interested in the development Of in
dustrial mobilization in all its de-
tails with a considerable measure of
governmental control. Germany has
announced to the world her deter
mined effort to become self-sustaining.
A few weeks ago the press carried
reports that Gen. Goering was given
power to carry out four-year plan
Of economic rehabilitation-a plan
said to envisage strictest co-ordina-
ton Of all forces of the state and
Mani party to make Germany inde-
pendent of the world. Japan is said
10 have promulgated q law which
regulates the direction Of supply fac
tories and shops and covers the
mobilization Of the war equipment
industry. In Italy, under the Fascist
regime, 1t Is said that the state has
absolute control at all times and can
direct the economic activities Of the
nation In peace or war. and that
necessary steps are continually in
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