Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-11-06
America to Spend Billions
For Monroe Doctrine Defense
Government Hopes, However, Huge Arms
Program Will Bring End to Race
in Europe.
By Constantine Broom.

An unparalleled rearmament program
will be presented this winter to Con-
gress. While actual figures have not
been agreed upon there are indications
that more than 5000 100000 will be
spent over period OF about five years.
The chief expenditure will be on the
Navy; the Air Force will be a close Sec
ond, with the Army rating third.
President Roosevelt and his technical
and political advisers will submit this
staggering budget with the reservation
that the appropriations may be scaled
down should the international situation
show signs of improvement. On the
other hand, if the United States rearma-
ment program causes a corresponding
increase in the budgets of other powers,
particularly Japan, the amount may
have to be increased.
The administration has decided re-
luctantly to initiate this extensive re-
armament. But careful survey of the
international situation has convinced
the President and his advisers that there
is no alternative course at this time.
The United States is like an island in
the midst of a torrent caused by the
melting of mountain SHOWS. Postwar
edifices have crumbled and the debris
threatens the foundations of our ma
tional structure. Pacts, agreements and
treaties upon which our limited national
defense and our pacifism were predicated
have gone with the wind. Friends of
yesterday or today may be the enemies
of tomorrow. The files of the State
Department bulge with ominous reports
as to the lengths to which the shaky
democratic governments may 60 to save
their own skins. Germany, Italy and
Japan have terrorized once proud gov
ernments. They are prepared to sacri-
flee anything and anybody provided they
can save themselves from territorial loss.
Current discussions for the sale" of the
Belgian Congo to the Reich and the
eventual participation of Great Britain
in the Far-Eastern peace" high lights
this development in international diplo-
macy.
This is the basis for administration
suggestion that the United States build
Navy capable of guarding both oceans,
without outside support, and an air
force equal to the combined German and
Italian fleets. 1t can be done provided
we have the time and the money. OF
these two elements the former appears
the more important today.
Reports Are Disheartening.
Reports from Central and South
America are disheartening. Not only
does economic competition from the
bartering totalitarian states continue
keen: politically the relationships have
become more aggressive.
A German military mission, camou-
tagged as a group of technical experts.
has recently arrived in Mexico. This
mission intends to place the Mexican
army on an European footing. A new
law regarding recruiting and compulsory
military service is being devised New
airdromes will be organized on the Ger
man pattern and arms and ammunition
factories will be created within the re-
public.
toward the United States. The recent
frictions can be ironed out. But Presi-
dent Cardenas is not opposed to an
improvement of the Mexican forces.
Moreover, being hard pressed economi-
cally, he is compelled to do business
with all prospective buyers. Hence his
contracts for sale of oil to Germany and
to Italy, and his conversations with the
japanese for an improved trade under
standing. While the United States and
Great Britain are still looking for COM
pensation for the appropriated lands
and oil fields. the totalitarian states tell
Mexico that their interest lies exclusively
in seeing that country developed into a
well-organized and prosperous state.
They have no capitalistic claims all
they want is fair deal with plenty of
business and no cash involved. There
is no past between them and the Mexi-
cans-simply the present and the future.
These facts are hammered into the
heads of not only the Mexican officials
but also the Mexican people who can
read. Publications with photographs Of
Hitler and Goering-the latter in
his gaudiest uniform-are distributed
throughout the country. German and
Italian goods can be purchased at prices
defying all competition. Never in its
history has Mexico been courted with
more enthusiasm by important Western
powers than it is today.
See Menace to Independence.
Central American and many of the
South American states are being sub
jected to similar campaign. The most
powerful republics of the southern con-
tinent don't like this friendly infiltra-
ton. Argentina, Chile, and especially
Brazil, see in this wooing menace to
their independence. They have raw ma
terials which cannot be found in Eu-
rope or in any of the colonies which
might be returned to the totalitarfan
states.
The probability that Germany will
edge closer to South America by the
return of West Africa to the Reich con-
Germs them as much as it does the
United States. At present too many
nationals of the totalitarian states live
in these republics to have Germany and
Italy comfortably within the neighborly
range of modern aviation.
The United States Navy is considered
today probably the foremost in the
world. It has more striking power than