Evening star., 1939-02-12
France and Britain Looking
To U.S.. for War Equipment
Armaments They Lack Must Se Obtained Here if
Spring Conflict Finds Them Poorly
Prepared to Meet Foes
Bv Constantine Br0wn.

(Mr. Bro,Dn of The Stars stat has
lust returned from an ertended sur
uey OF conditions in war-threateneo
Europe.)
France at the present time is produc-
ing 81 planes a month. 1t has mlxeo
eouipment-some excellent material con-
structed in the last two years and some
good but antiquated weapons. tanks,
tractors and artillery, dating 10 years
back. Her ammunition factories are pro-
ducing shells for the field and anti
aircraft artillery at peacetime speed.
The French have only some 1900 shells
: ner gun-the amount necessary in the
event of war is some 10000 shells per
gun. The airplane factories are being
I modernized with American machinery
: but the process is slow. The French air
{ ministry hopes by the middle OF April to
Z. be producing some 200 planes month.
F" War preparations in Great Britain
= more industrialized country than
France-are also progressing on a peace
I time schedule. British factories are now
delivering some 200 planes month. Mr..
Chamberlain, while keeping the actual
figures confidential, expects this produc-
ton to increase to 800 a month some
time after April The arms and ammuni-
ton factories are delivering war material
in sufficient quantity for the small army
Britain might be compelled to send out
as an eXpeditionary force-smaller than
= in 1914 The factories, following govern
:. mental instructions, are concentrating
: on material primarily for the defense
a of the civilian population-anti-alrc
guns. gas masks, nets, etc.
! Dictators Rushing Equipment.
Germany at this time is producing an
I; average of 73O airplanes every month.
Her factories are delivering enormous
quantities of guns and mountains OF war
implements Krupp, Skoda and the Steyer
(Austrian) works, equipped with the
most modern machinery, are working at
war pace. There is no limitation to the
hours of labor, the average being IS
week Her entire equipment-tanks guns
of all kinds and calibeys-is the most
modern in the world. No guns older than
three years are in service. The defects
of the motorized corps, discovered during
the march on Austria, have been rene
died. 1t can safely be said that the Ger
man forces which would be thrown into
action in the first few months of cam.
paign-some 100000 men-are equipped
with the most modern and efficient in
struments of war, with ample ammuni-
ton for lightning attack.
ie
than that of the French. There are de-
ficiencies in her artillery, mainly in the
heavy anti-aircraft guns, but these are
being taken care of by Herr Hitler. Air
plane production amounts to some $50
units a month. In this figure is included
the planes which are being manufac-
tured for certain South American coun-
. tries. These are being delivered while
Italy is at peace, but will be comman-
deered if still in the country the day
Italy goes to war. In the meantime her
factories maintain production at top
speed since the South American coun-
tries pay for the craft with the raw ma
terials necessary to manufacture planes.
1t is like bringing leather to the shoe
the material with which the shoes are
made. The mechanical forces are be-
lieved to be better than the German
The 100000 men Italy could send into
the field the first few days of mobiliza-
ton are highly trained.
Seek to Equalize Ratio.
These cold statistical facts tell the
story as to why the totalitarian states are
In position to demand at this time any,
thing they want from the European
democracies. In less than year it is
probable that the French and the British
manufacture of war materials will be in
creased sufficiently to resist the chal-
lenge.
An Italian staff officer expressed the
situation to this writer in the following
equation: Since September 30, the effort
of the French and the British could be
expressed by the formula x plus S. Dur
ing the same period the effort of Italy
and Germany has become x plus 4.
What the equation will be year from
now we don't know, but it would Ger
tainly show less favorable proportion
in our favor"
This purely technical position of the
two groups facing each other in Europe
is considered here one of the funda-
mental reasons for the present fear that
war in Europe will not be delayed longer
than next spring. The general belief in
military quarters, which judges situa-
tions internationally, is that $4,000 men
~of the 125,000 which the Italians have in
Ethiopia will attack the $500 French
force in Djibouti, conquer the town and
the port; then II Duce will turn to
France and Great Britain and ask them
whether they want to begin world war
for the sake of hole in the Red Sea" ;"
The Italians are positive that the French
will not dare retaliate.
Five Divisions Concentrated.
There are indications that the appre-
tensions of the French general staff are
correct. Five Italian divisions of white
troops and Askaris are concentrated on
the three roads converging toward
Djibouti. Italian detachments have al
ready entered some sections of the
French territory. Stores of gasoline and
oil for airplanes have been established
on the African-F -French-Italian border
The Italian fleet on the Red Sea has
been increased in the last three weeks