The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1940-08-29
Economic . . .
eMhA9A

pointed out, this country seems to be
copying Great Britain in getting ready
for possible war. "The United States
is getting tough with Japan in one
ocean," says the News. "It is promis-
ing to use force to keep Hitler from
taking title to territory that may be
his through right of conquest in an
other ocean. 1t is denying Hitler
access to investments inside the United
States that are owned by peoples he
has conquered. It is talking about
ways to let Britain have warships as
well as airplanes and guns that belong
to the American Army and Navy. Any
one of these gestures, overnight can
lead to trouble. Yet the National Gov
ernment is proceeding in slow motion
Ito get set for the time when some
body, somewhere, may call bluff"
There can be no doubt that the
American people, by an overwhelming
approve this governments
aggressive pro-British, anti Axis
policy. The government thus simply
reflects the thoughts and emotions of
its citizens, which is what it is sup
posed to do. On the other hand, it
is probably true that the American
people at large have no conception of
the lethargy with which the rearm-
ament program in proceeding. They
have read in their newspapers that
Congress has approved or is about to
approve defense measures involving
appropriations of close to $4,000,
900. This money is to be turned into
clouds of fighting planes, swarms of
tanks, and two-ocean fleet which will
dwarf the naval might of any other
power All that makes an encourag-
ing picture. What is not encouraging
is the hard fact that government Of
ficials, and the distinguished indus
trialists in charge of defense prepara-
tions, are experiencing very difficult
time in turning the dollars into arms.
According to the War Department,
an army of 100000 men is necessary
to defend this nations interests in the
Western Hemisphere. The Department
is certain that such an army can be
raised, in an orderly manner least dis
ruptive to the social and economic life
of the nation, only by compulsory,
selective conscription. Yet, due large
ly to political reasons, the conscription
bill has foundered about in Congress
for weeks, and the Army has been
growing only at the rate of $4,000 to
to 10000 new recruits month.
The two-ocean navy, under the best
of conditions, cannot be completed for
five years. And the best of conditions
are not in sight now. Some ship con-
tracts have been signed, but nothing
seems to have been done to provide
needed new facilitss- for making the
necessary armor plate.
All authorities agree that gigan-
tic air fleet, whatever the exact num-
Der Of planes, is absolutely necessary.
But military plane production has been
increased comparatively little. The
Germans are supposed to be able to
produce up to 1000 planes each month.
August plane production in this
country will total about 895 ships, of
which d considerable proportion are
military, or are built for export.
Tanks are considered by many to
be as vital as planes-it was German
tanks which won the battles of Bel
gium and Flanders and France after
aircraft had done the preliminary
work of destroying factories and towns
and military depots, and disorganiz-
ing and terrorizing the civilian pop
ulations. We have not yet put in or
ders for big tanks, of the kind the
Germans employed so effectively, and
we have less than 700 light tanks on
order.
We are even moving slowly in pro-
ducing that basic arm--the rifle. Gar
rand rifle production runs around 500
a day, which is considered far under
the desirable rate. And experts have
found serious faults in the Garrand's
design and operation "a problem
which is still being acrimoniously de-
bated.
During June and July, military con-
tracts signed totaled $1,250,0 600.
That's big sum-but the bulk Of it
was for Naval purposes, under pro-
gram which has been underway for
considerable time. Only about $780,
100000 represents orders for the
Army. So, unless the unexpected hap
pens, it will be long time before
our defense amounts to much except
on paper.
All this does not mean that we are
unable to prepare against war-no
nation on earth possesses our poten-
tial production 1t simply illustrates
the tremendous obstacles that arise