Evening star., 1939-01-17
A||.Henliisphere
Defense Held
Vital 10 u. 5.
Maj. Eliot, Military
Expert, Heard in
Cutting Lecture

national defense, must maintain
the inviolability of the Western
Hemisphere" Maj. George Fielding
Eliot of New York, author and au-
thority on military affairs, said last
night in the first of the 1899 series
of Bronson Cutting memorial lee
lures.
Maj. Eliot spoke in Constitution
Hall before a large audience which
included numerous ranking Army
and Navy Offices, Government off,
cials and members of Congress. His
subject was What Our Democracy
Needs for National Defense"
He said the historic military pol
icy of the United States of building
up defense forces hastily and
wastefully" in time of emergency
and then allowing them to fall into
decay in time of peace is mo longer
safe in the world in which we live
today"
safety in Strength"
Democracy is being challenged"
the speaker asserted. Our only
safety is in strength, = = so that at
some future date our statesmen will
not have to 60 hat in hand to some
Berchtesgaden."
For adequate national defense,
considering this country's insular
characteristics, Maj. Eliot suggested
Cd large Navy superior to those
OF potential enemies and C2) small,
highly trained Regular Army.
More specifically, he advocated
building up the Navy in line with
the provisions of the naval expan-
sion bill, improving the equipment
OF the Army, development of an
adequate reserve and construction
Of necessary naval bases to serve the
fleets protecting North and South
America.
Maj. Eliot said the military policy
he advocated has for two centuries
been Great Britain's traditional
policy, but now would be more ad-
vantageous for the United States
because this country cannot be at
tackled from this hemisphere. To ex-
clude hostile bases, he said, it is
necessary to keep command of the
seas to the east and to the west.
He described the Navy as "the
foundation of our security" and said
that the battleship is the core and
center of the fleet" He also said
that the Army, for defensive pur-
poses, must be highly trained and
ready to act Immediately, and
added that air power has not altered
the principles of war, but only their
application.
Air Power Becomes Blackmail.
Air power has become an instru-
ment of international blackmail, .
he declared. 1T makes no differ
ences what the final outcome Of the
war is going to be, the certainty is
TO a European state-that women
and children will be Immediately
and ruthlessly slaughtered. We
must make sure that we do not be-
come subject to this sort of terror.
istic attack"
AS an important factor in ade-
quate preparation, Maj. Eliot en-
phasized that there should be an
enlightened public opinion support
ing a continuous and farsighted
policy on national defense. Only in
this way, he said, can a Democracy
offset the advantage of the dictator
state in the matter of efficient CO.
ordination of policy.
He also emphasized that this
country's military and foreign policy
must be co-ordinated in planning
for national defense.
While we are resolved not to %
to fight in Europe or Asia" Mai.
Eliot said, I'VE do not need great
armies, great fleets of planes, or a
reorganization of all our national
lie IN war time. We must protect
Democracy with the instruments
which do not themselves require its
destruction by our own hands,"
The speaker, in conclusion. ex-
pressed the opinion that American
sea power may well become, for the
next century, "the great stabilizing
force in the world that the British
sea power has been for the past GEN.
tury." This. he said, would be "a
true contribution to peace, and a
safeguard to liberty which may find
here in the Americas its one remain
ing impregnable citadel"
| Assistant Secretary of the In.
terror Oscar Underwood presided
and directed the question period
that took place at the conclusion of
Maj. Eliot's address.
Against Merging Forces.
In reply to one question, the
speaker said he did not consider it
wise to consolidate the Army, Navy
and air forces into one Department.
OF Defense, and said that where
this has been tried it has failed.
This step has been proposed during
the present Congress. He did advo-
cate, however, the appointment of a
select joint committee of both Houses
OF Congress ito give full re-exam-
ination" of a policy of national de-
fense.
! The speaker was asked if the Neu-
trality Act by placing an embargo
on shipments of munitions and war
materials to Loyalist Spain was not
inconsistent with the program he
advocated for national defense. He
drew applause when he replied, 81
think it would be to the interest OF
the United States for the Loyalist
cause to be successful" He added
however, that some South American
countries might favor the other side
and for this or other reasons the
State Department might be infiu-
enced by matters on which he was
not informed.
The second of the 1899 series will
be held March 6, it was announced
and the speaker will be A. A. Berle
jr. His subject will be Democratic
Policy and Foreign Policy"
The lectures, being given for the
third year, were provided by Mrs
w. Bayard Cutting, mother of the
| late Coro for C,,tfjpo of Na,r, NEav;.o