Evening star., 1939-01-07
The Political Mill
U. S. Must Make Provision for Tremendous
Expansion Of Forces and Supplies

OF this sum he plans to spend only
$2l0 900 900 in the next fiscal year.
Already there is discussion on Cap
itol Hill as to what he will do with
the other $3.50 900 900 If it is now
provided. Also there is a growing
opposition to any blank check" ap-
propriations which would enable the
President to spend this money as he
sees fit, or to shift part of the ma
tional defense funds from one activ-
ity to another. Congress. it is said,
will insist on saying what the money
shall be spent for, after hearing the
testimony of the officers of the Army
and the Navy.
Plea to Gain Momentum.
While there may be controversy
over details, the impression Is grow
ing that the plea for increased ma
tional defense made by the Presi-
dent will be largely effective. And
this feeling Is likely to grow stronger
rather than weaker as the military
and naval situation of this country
is brought more and more into the
open through congressional hearings
and debates.
The military situation of the
country, with its vast stretches of
territory and its outlying possess
sions, is not encouraging, although it
can be improved, and probably
without great outlay of money, as
public expenditures 60 today. To-
day the standing Army-the regular
Army-numbers about 1855, 900 men.
The National Guard forces number
about 205 900 men and the "enlisted
reserve" made up of men who have
had service in the regular Army and
who have not re-enlisteda is expect
ed to reach 10000 within a COM
paratively short time-it is now
about 10000. All told, these consti-
tate force of approximately 400
600 men, trained and ofYicered,
which is available for immediate re-
Sistance of attack.
The next step is to create an ef-
fective additional force OF 600 900
more men, who can be compara-
lively quickly mobilized and trained
and to provide them with the neces-
sary arms and supplies. This would
mean total force of 1000 600 men
for military service within a rea-
sonable period after the threat or
outbreak OF war. After that the
manpower Of the country could be
drawn on for military service as
needed, and expansion continued.
1t does not seem at all unreasonable
that the country should be in a
position to put a million men in
the field within short time after
the threat Of war.
Air Bases Hard TO Defend.
One of the expected proposals of
the national defense program is the
development Of air bases, both for
the Army and Navy. An adequate
air base is a huge affair, a question
perhaps of tens of square miles. And
an air base must be protected by
the ground forces of the Army in
fantry, cavalry and tanks. or it be-
comes q mere undefended parking
place for airplanes that on the
ground are entirely helpless. 1t is
estimated that a force of perhaps
10000 men would be required to
guard a single air base. With the
existing Army taxed now to carry
out all its missions, the military
forces will have to be increased-the
standing forces-if these air bases
are to be constructed.
Like it or not, conditions in the
world today are forcing Americans
to think of adequate-andi increased
national defense. 1t is the only
kind Of language, apparently, which
some of the nations of Europe and
Asia understand.