Imperial Valley press., 1938-03-14
News Behind
the News
Sending an Army?
Fools, of Course
Nv RODNEY DUTCHER

WASblNG ION. - vi COURSE, dS
any member of Congress or the
administration will tell you, the
United States never again will send
an army to fight overseas.
Curious enough, however, the
War-planners go right on planning
wartime schedules on a scale which
permits no other explanation un-
less it is seriously suggested that
a foreign army is likely to invade
the United States in force.
The War Department let's it be
known that its wartime mobiliza-
ton ~plans provide for placing
100000 well equipped troops lin
the field within four months. This
is old stuff, actually, and preSum-
ably the army boys are beating the
drum in that way because they
don't want the navy to get all the
money that is to be voted for what
is known as national defense.
After that first "quickie" of l.
100000, the army plans on raising
two or three million more fighting
men. But you still can't get any
one to admit-at least not publicly
that there's any chance OF Amer
lean invasion of a foreign nation
or any chance of a foreign nation
invading the United States.
The War Department officially
bases its war plans on two alter
natives - universal conScription or
campaign for volunteers which
would be led by the American Le-
gion posts. The latter alternative
Is just SO much eyewash because
what the General Staff really
figures on is another draft law
In fact, the generals aren't even
willing TO wait for Congress to pass
a conscription act until war is de-
clared or threat Of hostilities ap-
pears. They want a draft law
passed right now So that Congress
won't even have a chance to use
its discretion later.
Congress is asked to authorize
military conscription of all men be-
tween the ages of 81 and 81 in a
bill approved by Chairman Andrew
j. May and a majority Of the House
Military Affairs Committee. This
measure IS a revision of the old
Sheppard-Hill bill and its alleged
purpose is to take the profits out
of and to equalize the burdens Of
war.
The bill makes no pretense of
explaining why these millions OF
men would be needed if there is
no thought of another large Amer
lcan eXpeditiOnary force. But no
matter now small and unimportant
a war in which this country was
involved might be, a President
would be given power to order them
under arms. Numerous studies OF
neutrality and related problems in
the last few years almost invariably
nave reached the conclusion that Il
President could so handle this coun-
tryS foreign relations that war
would become inevitable.
This war profits" bill has prof
tied from the original impetus Of
the drive to get a real bill aimed
at taking the profits out of war.
which begun after the sensational
exposures of the Senate Munitions
Committee. Many people who be-
lieyed in neutrality and peace and
heartily opposed American entry
into any foreign war thought that
Il law which insured that there
couldn't be any war profiteers in
the next war would do a lot to
discourage war. These same people
ere now battling desperately against
the May bill, holding it a travesty
On their original proposal for elm
ination of war profits through a
schedule of wartime taxation