Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-08-26
Reviews American
Defense Needs
This Country's Security Held
Dependent on Prompt
Action by Congress
To the Editor OF The Star:

10 the Eoltor OF Inc star:
If Congress could guarantee that we
never would be attacked, that no for
eign country ever would come into the
Western Hemisphere and cause us trou-
BILE, then we would not need large
army, a two-ocean navy and billions of
dollars worth of war equipment. But
unfortunately this it cannot do. Along
with a good ma jority of our run-of-
the-mill citizens I feel that our ma
tional security lies in having just these
things, so let's have prompt and INTEL
ligent action now in place of this end
less flow of argument and recriinination
that has emanated from our lawmakers
during the past two weeks.
Full and complete defense against any
emergency means that we need from
1000 900 to 100000 men fully equipped
and thoroughly trained, 10000 to $4,000
tanks, $4,000 anti-aircraft guns, 10000
anti-tank guns, 49, 900 or 5000 field guns,
10000 or $4,000 fighting planes of various
types, 100000 to 100000 Garand auto
matte rifles, an abundance of ammuni-
ton and war reserves and supporting
services of all kinds, and we need these
things at the earliest possible moment.
Anything short of this granting, of
course, that the figures named are sub
stantially right will be waste of money
and effort, as it will not give us security.
To prepare partially would prove only
provocation to those who do not like us.
Now who in this country is logically
the best qualified to decide just what
we need in equipment, how badly we
need it and just how grave is our dan
ger? I would say soldiers, sailors and
the marines, meaning of course, the
heads of such services, our general staff,
our Bureau of Naval Operations ct al.
These men know just what is happening
in Europe, Asia and Africa in a military
and naval way. They have spent their
lives in the study of such problems and,
while it may be true that this war abroad
has developed many new methods in a
short time, 1t is safe to say that these
men know far more of modern war and
proper defense against attack than a
group of our ordinary citizens who, for
various and sundry reasons and in va
rious and devious ways, have had them
selves elected to Congress.
These men on Capitol Hill hold the
fate of this country in their hands
What are they going to do about it and
when? I know a good number of the
members Of Congress quite well and in
all truthfulness. I must say that those
know I like and admire, yet I simply
cannot understand the attitude some of
them assume in this matter of national
defense. I wonder if political expedi-
ency can be playing its part in shaping
some of their utterances and if the fact
that this is an election year is making
it more difficult to get truly honest opin-
ions and actions?
A good many men now in Congress
were in the Army or Navy during the
first World War and unquestionably
conducted themselves with distinguished
gallantry, but they were not, nor are
they now, thoroughly trained and wise
officers, capable of truly learned dis
cussion, on equal terms, with Gen. Mar
shall and the officers of the general
staff. Their military training was of
short duration and incomplete. but it
should be sufficient, along with their
native ability, to give them fair judg-
ment and willingness to help those
directly responsible for the handling of
our Army and Navy in time of threat
ened war. For these partly trained off,
GERS of the last war, now members of
Congress. to obstruct our preparation at
such time is proof of the saying, "a
| little knowledge is a dangerous thing"
I had about five years of service in the
Regular Army before the late war and
my experience during that war yet
most certainly consider Gen. Marshall
greatly my superior in knowledge and
judgment of such matters. Politics
ruined France; please keep politics out
of our judgments here in America.
Just what is proposed by this regis
tration and draft we have had 50 much
talk about? Nothing but an accurate
and complete inventory of the disable
man power of this country. We count
them, we classify them. we register
them, and we induct a certain number
of them into the Army of the United
States for training These we train and
fully equip and we ask them to be ready
to defend their own homes and their
own country in case of need. Unframed
they are of little value, but trained in
| proper numbers and fully equipped this
country will be safe and secure from any
| and all attack.
We definitely want registration of all
| from 18 to 81 and draft for the fight
| ing Army of from 81 to As. In special
cases men above As will be of great
| value. In training capacities their age
and experience will be necessary. Their
understanding of human nature will be
essential, and as many have had pre-
vious service they will know what it is
| all about and will have decided stabi-
lizing effect on the younger men.
I cannot dismiss this subject without
few comments on another phase Of
| this draft problem. The statement has
| been made quite frequently that such a
draft was the first step in the direction
of dictatorship and the motives of our
President have been impugned. This is
most unfair. I we'll remember the in
valuable work of Mr.. Roosevelt and my
| old friend Admiral Sam MCGOWAN, when,
in the early days of 1917, they occupied
the Offices of Assistant Secretary of the
| Navy and paymaster general of the
| Navy, respectively. They performed
| u,opderfIll uork in tho Yraporo tio, IF