Evening star., 1938-12-11
Modest Reurmument
Program Anticipated
By OUen L. Scott.

tion's defense needs. Those needs, as
now determined, will not plunge the
United States deeply into the world arm
ament race.
Arms making today is absorbing the
greatest share of the national energy of
England, France, Germany, Russia, Italy
and Japan. Democracy, traditional cap
italism and freedom of the individual all
are being sacrificed in the quest for more
and more armament.
The program of defense, as it relates to
the United States, Is found to be many
sided.
In the event of trouble, the first load
falls upon the Navy. The United States
Navy already is engaged in large-scale
building program that taxes the capacity
of available shipyards. The Navy now
is costing approximately $600,000,000 q
year. That cost may be stepped up to
$780, 900, as an outside figure, with
acceleration of the building program.
National defense planners are agreed
that this country, without straining its
economy and with readily available facil-
tiles, can keep the American Navy in full
readiness to meet any possible trouble.
New bases in the Atlantic and strength
ening Of available bases in the Pacific
would add greatly to the Nations naval
power.
But it is in the military field that the
greatest problems arise. Generals have
asked the questions that are stirring the
present defense planners. The Army
wants to know the answer to questions
like the following
What if an enemy should by any
chance penetrate the naval defenses?
should require use of American forces in
Central or South America? Is there
adequate equipment for modern army
OF even small size? Are there sufficient
guns for immediate service? What of
tanks? What of airplanes?
How quickly can American industry
turn out artillery and rifles and tanks
and airplanes
Are there skilled workers available to
do the technical jobs that would need to
be done in the event of trouble? Does
the Nation have sufficient supply of
pilots and of airplane mechanics? Is
the country's transportation system ade-
quate? Will its industries have adequate
power supplies to carry the higher load
OF production that defense needs would
demand? Is American industry too con-
centrated and.too vulnerable?
The mere asking of these questions and
others like them brings to light the real
defense problem that President Roose-
velt will pose to Congress.
The United States, for 10 years, has
allowed its younger generation to 20
largely unframed in special skills be-
cause industry did not offer sufficient
jobs. Army surveys reveal serious short
ages of trained men, capable of handling
the tasks that industry would be called
upon to perform in the event of war or
even in preparation for defense.
Other surveys show the prospect of an
acute electric power shortage in Is key
manufacturing cities. Those same sur
Veys reveal what is described as a bad
transportation bottleneck in the New
England States, in which key industries
IN the defense program are concentrated.
The industries supplying munitions hap
pen to be centered in the most vulnerable
districts along the Eastern Seaboard.
The Army wants $4,000 900 for use in
giving educational orders to industry so
that industrial plants not only along the
seaooard, but in the interior as well, NAV
be equipped and trained in producing the
vital weapons that the Army requires.
Then the Army wants to be provided
with full equipment for 1000 men-rep-
resentlng the combined force of the exist
Ing personnel of the Regular Esta ablish-
ment and the National Guard 1t wants
to be assured that, if the need should
arise, industry quickly could turn out
equipment to supply an Army of 1000 900
men. But there is no demand for
standing Army larger than that of the
present.
Congress will be asked TO provide addi-
tional funds for larger Army air force.
The general staff finds that the public
right now is very air-minded and 1t is
interested IN strengthening the Air
corps while this mood persists But
there appears to be no intention to rush
into program of building that would
give force of 10000 or 10000 planes.
Rather the emphasis will be on creation
OF facilities that could be used to create
force OF that size in hurry if need be.
again, there is the problem of training
personnel to operate larger air force.
The American aviation industry is held
TO be abreast of or even in advance of
tne aviation industry of any other nation.
again, however, the elapsed time between
oeslgn OF planes and actual production
spans several years, so that emphasis has
10 be on continual progress.
All in all, the Army at the outside
Will want no more than $3.50 00O, 900 addi-
tlonal to carry out its defense plans. At
present national defense, including the
Army and Navy, is costing 81, 900 900 900
year. Projected plans may raise this
10 Sl'3oo,oOo,ooo. That larger figure
going along with reductions in relief out
lays and some other Government ex-
pendltures-would hardly strain this
Natlons economy or force American in
oustry 10 go on a war footing.
one big question mark continues. how
ever, to affect defense plans. That oues-
ton mark grows from the Presidents
reference to hemisphere defense"
army omcers, who know what is going
SNN h.