The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-11-29
BEHIND VI THE SCECIESI WASHINGTON gV RODNEY DUTcHER-A
 Democrat Washington
 Correspondent
Mythical War Program Now Most Persistent
 Recent. Rumor
 In Washington

Washington, Nov. 29-A mythical two and half billion dollar arma- ment program for the United States next year is the subject of Wash ington's most persistent recent ru- nor.
 There are several versions of the tale, all of which insist that RooSe- welt whispered to this man or that one that an armament boom was his rabbit-in-the-hat for curing the present business recession"
 The facts are that the President
 is "big navy" man, that he aI-
 ready has decided on 8 policy of
 having an American navy second
 to none, that he would like to
 build up the navy rapidly and
 probably would try to do just that
 if there were no deterring factors.
 But he and like-minded men in the administration realize that the American people won't support a huge naval program unless they feel there's imminent danger of war. So the "big navy" boys temporarily, at least, must be content with long, time program to build up the kind of 8 navy which they would like to see produced all at once.
 And the immediate plans for a "shot in the arm" for business are confined to proposals for stimulating private housing boom.
  No Immediate Danger
 The President himself doesn't be- lieve there is going to be a big war in Europe, at least not in the near future. But he has urged Ameri- cans not to imagine that the vest ern hemisphere can escape in any worldwide conflagration.
 Meanwhile, America can't afford
 to take chances, in his view, be-
 cause no one really can tell what's
 going to happen in the interna-
 tional field. F. ID. R. and many
 others here are impressed by the
 spectacle of England, who found
 herself insufficiently armed to
 keep the Fascist powers from
 showing her around. The lesson,
 as seen here in high places, is
 that this has become 8 world
 wherein only nations which are prepared to "be tough" can pro- tect their interests.
 NaN and Fascist penetration into South America, especially in Brazil, has given Roosevelt and Secretary Hull a real headchaSe and enters into considerations as to naval building. British Hold Key
 At the time of Roosevelt's Chi cago speech it had been decided that this country ought to go al- most any distance in cooperation with England and France to curb Japanese aggression in China, short of war. This attitude has been toned down coniderably as result, first, of an unenthusiastic reaction to the Presidents speech in this country, and, second, discovery at Brussels that Britain felt in a con- ciliatory mood toward Japana.
 The British position is still the key to the international situation and British unwillingness to act sternly anywhere should have been no surprise to the State Depart ment.
 Word was quietly conveyed to the State Department long ago that his government would try to take no strong role on the inter- national stage until 1t felt rearma- ment had reached the point where England could clear up the Medi- terranean situation," situation which involves Italian machinations in Egypt, Palestine, Arabia and other Mediterranean areas. British attitude, as understood here, has been that England could placate Hitler and either beat or frighten into subordination. How this idea will really work out or what may happen in the meantime is anybody's guess.
 A large group of other rncertain- ties have combined to make Roose- velt's big navy, be-ready-for-any- thing attitude increasingly more popular in Washington.
 (C0nyright. l937. NEA Service, Incl