The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1940-05-30

(By Staff Writer)


Washington, May 80, - Wash
ington woke up to a realization
of the length and strength Of tn
German arms when the new
came of the surrender of Holland
and great thrust into France.
Because there had been so mucl
advance publicity about Hitler
proposed "bltzkrieg" or light
ming war;" and SO much delay IL
getting it started, the feeling hat
grown in Washington that ther'
was a good deal of bluff about thu
whole thing. Now the most com
plete and rapid change in officia
sentiment that has ever occurred
has taken place. No one nov
speaks of a "phoney" war.
Congress has, until now, refused
to take seriously the warnings o.
Administration leaders and mill
tary and naval men that the Uni
ted States is not prepared to de-
fend itself against a world-con'
quering enemy. The events II
Europe have changed that atti'
tude completely. For the first
time since the World War politi'
cal partisanship has been buried
or at least showed into the back
ground, in the face of a general
realization that the nation has not
been giving sufficient attention tc
our defenses.
The Presidents appeal for the
enactment of comprehensive de-
tense program to cost an estima-
ted 81, 1882, 100000 above what has
already been appropriated for the
Navy, the Army and the Air Ser
vice has met with substantially
unanimous APPROVAL, in and out OF
Congress. Republican leaders like
former President Hoover, Alfred
M. Landon and Thomas E. Dewey
have given their hearty approval
to the Presidents proposal. Col
Frank Knox, Republican candi-
date for vice-president in 1886,
has volunteered to organize train
ing camps for student flyers, and
his offer has been accepted.
First Line of Defense
The first line of defense, next
to the Navy, is generally recog-
nized as the air force. The Presi-
dents proposal to build military
planes at, the rate of $4,000 air
craft a year is not regarded as
impossible, with facilities now
available which can be- speedily
expanded. Germany is producing
planes at the rate of 5000 a
month, or $4,000 a year. The pro-
gram is to enlarge existing plants,
which are mostly located on the
two coasts, and to set up new
plants in the Middle West, out OF
range of sudden raids by air on
either coast.
The whole Army program looks
to concentrating the production OF
munitions in the Midland region
between the Rockies and the Ale
ghenies. Next to aircraft the
greatest need is anti-aircraft guns
The few which our Army now has
are practically absolete. Con
gress is now in mood to grant
funds for modern weapons Of thai
type.
Speeding up of naval construc
ton now in progress is part O.
the program, and the President /:
considering authorizing the re
commissioning Of some fifty nava
destroyers which have been rust
ing in port because they are no
up to date. The idea Of a two
ocean, navy is now generally &C
copied.
An essential part Of the plan
for defense is speeding up tn
purchase of quantities of strate
gic and vital supplies which ar
not produced in the United States
such as rubber, manganese an
various other essentials in tim
of war.
Improved Equipment
Not only does the President
program contemplate the enlarge
ment of the Regular Army fror
its present 100000 to 100000 mer
but the rapid improvement of il
equipment. The European wa
has demonstrated conclusively tn
superiority of a completely me
chanized army, equipped wit
tanks of different sizes and wit
trucks for the transportation
infantry and tractors for haulin
field artillery. The day of tn
horse and mule in war has prat
tically passed. Great factorie
for turning out trucks and trat
tors, as we'll as tanks, are cor
-