The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1937-03-27
By ALEXANDER 4. GEORGE

IA. r. FG0ture service Wr1tefJ
WASHINGTON, March 27.-
The goth annivsr.sry of the
United States entrance into the
World war finds the nation more
peace-minded than ever but ap-
PATIENTLY committed to the build
ing Of defense strong enough to
discourage attack and to insure
national safety.
The military experts will tell
you that while this defense today
falls short of ''iron-clad security
we are much better equipped to
meet a war emergency than in
April. 1917.
Not only have there been great
improvements in the combat eff
cheney OF our sea, land and air
forces but probably even more
vital are the intensively developed
plans to mobilize the nations
tremendous industrial resources
and mighty man power in the
event of war.
Navy IL Main Defense
Isolation from potential enemy
countries in Europe or Asia, to-
gether with our cordial relations
with neighbor nations, obviates
the need OF a huge peace-time
conscript army such as constitutes
a huge financial burden on near
ly every other major country.
The navy remains our first linel
of defense and congress seems del
termined to put it on a partly
with Great Britain, long rated the
worlds No. / sea power.
Last summer congress enacted |
the nations biggest peace-time |
military budget-a $526, 900, 900
naval appropriations bill. Andi
now President Roosevelt has askedr
congress FOR an appropriation Of
$587, 100000 for naval expendi- |
ture in the fiscal year beginning
next July 1.
The fighting forces of the
worlds three largest navies at
present are: United States 305 i
warships of 1,046,475 tons and 95
ships of 255,215 tons under con-
struction; Great Britain-279 !
warships of 1.192,103 tons and
60 ships of 321.310 tons UNDER
construction; Japan = 1872 war
ships of 734,672 tons and 81 yes
sells of 90,194 tons under con-
struction.
Some PIP of the United States
ships, however. arc "over age" as
compared with 1913 British and 30
Japanese in that category. ives !
sells are rated lover age" when a
specified number of years have !
elapsed since their completion.)
When this country entered the
war, the navy had a total of $40
ships but that included gunbOats, |
sundry other small craft not now,
listed in naval strength, and many
old battleships in the ''relic" /
class.
Navies today are "high speed"
compared with 20 years ago. In
addition to ship speed increases
and armor Improvement, there
has been rapid development in
fire control and communications
and a marked strengthening in
the numbers and caliber of per-
sonnet.
The United States is weak in
land strength compared with the
other great powers but the army
has made tremendous progress
since 1917.
Maj. Gen. Douglas Macarthur.
former chief of staff, says Eve
have developed tanks, combat cars
and other types of armored vehi-
cles which beyond doubt are the
equal and in some respects prob |
ably superior to any others in the
world"
Guns Improved
The army had 900 field guns
when the United States entered
the war. Our war reserve" in
artillery today, although a mill
tary secret, is known to be in !
comparably greater. We emerged
from the war with some 1000
pieces of light field artillery of
the famous French rs model. j
Pilot models since developed have +,
greatly increased flexibility of |
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