Evening star., 1939-01-22

bindtion of enemies, is presented
here in series of tWo articles, OF
uhich this is the first, by q Ueterdn
War correspondent and military
historian. The second article ,UiH
appear tomorro,u.J
We are perfectly secure. No enemy
can reach our shores. Yet We have
never been more apprehensive lest we
be attacked
From what direction? BY whom?
How?
1t is still a common remark that we
shall be drawn into the next European
war overseas as We were into the last.
Why? To what end? What shall we
get out of it? Will the cost of blood and
treasure accomplish the purpose for
which We fight? How can We be sure of
keeping out of war?
AS one who has had much experience
of war and kept in touch with the prog
ress of arms and the present world situ-
alton, I aim to answer these questions
in order
This is with deep respect for my good
friends, the trained experts of the regu-
lar services. They know best how to
apply the funds We appropriate for arma-
ments But they would not be as human
as the rest Of use if they were always
free from special pleading. Also make
courteous nod to those alarmist Ameri-
cans who fear they will be blown out of
their beds by surprise European air
raid.
Simply Force Against Force.
War is force. I shall deal strictly in
- the measure of force against force, deal
with the outlook in the same matter-of-
fact fashion that you do with your own
budget, the insurance on your car, your
house. your life.
No one insures against an attack from
Mars But, should people begin worrying
about that, the insurance companies
would soon be issuing policies, which
they could afford to do at invitingly low
rates after their actuaries had surveyed
the stratosphere and consulted astrono-
mers.
Undoubtedly there are some nations
cess to gold and our natural resources
If they had any chance of victory We
would protect all these and all that is
dear to us against any such chance in
the most practicable, thriftiest, wisest
fashion when our Nation is going deeper
and deeper into debt.
National defense means, first, the Sc
curity Of the integral soil of the United
States; then the Caribbean Sea, the
Panama Canal, Hawaii, Alaska the Mon
roe Doctrine-and there are also the
Philippines, where our flag still flies.
First, what nations, OR combination
.,of nations could afford to attack us on
the Atlantic side?
England Busy Holding Own.
Great Britain? In her vast empire
she has about all the raw materials we
have with the addition of tin rubber
and tea Under the pressure of the
situation on the European continent, as
she looks across the English Channel and
over her far-f1ung trade routes, her con-
Germ is to hold the domain she has and
her Mediterranean lifeline.
France? She also has great natural
resources in her homeland and her colo
nies. Her concern is to protect her do
main in North Africa, Madagascar and
Indo-China in the face of the German
Army on the Rhine and Italy's Mediter-
ranean threat.
All sentiment aside, for Britain and
France to make war on us would be to
place themselves between two fires, ut
terly against their self-interest, which
the old European hands never neglect
But the danger on the Atlantic side
which the alarmists see is in the Rome
Berlin axis, with the main concentration
of their fears on Germany.
What is Germanys situation in the
light Of the cold facts and of national
/, self-interest? What is it in the terms
of force, leaving out her lack of gold,
her resort to managed state currency
and the balance of trade that has turned
: against her in recent months?
Z With the annexation of Sudeten-
land, she has 100000 people. Six or
/! seven millions of Germans not yet in
:, corporated in the Reich are widely scat
! tered.
On Germanys right flank in her
much-heralded coming march to the
southeast, is France. On her left flank
: Is Poland, and in front she may face
Rumania, Yugoslavia and Turkey. The
Reich is not their racial home. Will
they not fight for their own racial homes
as they have through all history? The
vital recent European news that they
will is known in Berlin.
Merged Army Superior.
Together, Poland, Rumania, Yugo-
slavla and Turkey have 100000 people,
ana armies, counting trained reserves, of
total of 5850,OO0 well-armed, nearly
sdouble the present German Army at
the highest estimate. This without men
tioning the French Army, still the largest
army of trained men in Europe.
Suppose Hitler invades the Russian
Ukraine. Since when have the Russians
refused to fight for their own soil? So
Wet Russia has standing army of
! 100000 and claims total of 10000 900
+; with trained reserves.
In temporary self-interest, Hungary
; might fight beside Germany to bring her
racials back from the Rumanian fold
into her oNn. And there is Mussolni.