Evening star., 1940-08-18

| Argentine troops are sho1Dn emu
Buenos Aires. Anti-Nazi elements b
DY WAY of clinching the Declaration
- of Havana, Secretary Of State Hull
issued a pronouncement in which he
maintained that "vast forces Of lawless-
ness, conquest and destruction are still
| moving across the earth like a savage
and dangerous animal at large" and
that, by their very nature, those forces
will not stop unless and until they rec
| ognize that there exists unbreakable re-
sistance."
At Havana, he continued, I'VE forged
new instrumentalities of continental de-
fense"-one for which full and adequate
preparations could not be taken too soon
if the threatened danger from abroad
was to be checked and terminated
Such militant proclamations suggest
| an inevitable question. What contribu-
ton, actual or prospective, are the Latin
| American republics in position to make
| in behalf of a continental defense of
"unbreakable resistance?" A composite
summary is ventured as follows. with
warning that certain of the figures can
be little better than approximations:
AS result of the European crisis. of
the 20 republics thus far have undertaken
new programs Of rearmament. They are
Argentina and Chile. 1t is too early to
learn what steps may be taken by other
republics to implement the Act of
Havana.
Argentine Measure Pending.
On June rs, Argentinas Chamber of
Deputies voted an appropriation Of S30l,-
05O 900 for national defense The meas
ure is pending in the Senate. The plan
is understood to call for two modern
cruisers, several destroyers and subma-
rines and 400 up-to-date military and
navy planes. The Civil Aeronautics De-
partment is working on a scheme for
training 5000 pilots; already registered
are $500 applicants.
Argentinas current program is said
to include $183,6O0000 for the army,
slO3 $50 900 for the navy ana 13,500,OOO
for war industries. The total requested
constitutes leap of nearly six-fold over
the national defense budget of l939-40.
which was $50 ,o87 $50; and is $17,888, ,O5O
in excess of total Government expendi-
lures for that year, amounting to $685.
161 $50.
Under consideration in the Chamber
of Deputies of Chile is an appropriation
of $50 900 for national defense, cor
responding to a program of 81 500 900 900
in this country. The money is to be
spent chiefly on aviation.
Since Germany and Italy are out OF
the picture, at least temporarily, and
since Great Britain can spare little from
her own defense, Argentina and Chile
are depending on the United States for
new arms and munitions. Their progress
will be decided by the speed with which
American industry proves able to enter
high gear, and the extent to which this
country's own rearmament program in
siSts on the right of way.
rs Per Cent for Defense.
During the fiscal year l939-4O, 10 of
the 20 republics devoted an average of
| Is per cent of their government expend1-
lures to national defense. (No figures
are available for Nicaragua, and the Re-
| public of Panama has neither army
nor navy0 The highest ratio, As per
| cent. was found in Paraguay. Figures
| for some other countries are as follows:
| Bolivia, q per cent; Brazil and Chile,
| 26; Haiti, 25; Ecuador and Peru, "a
| Cuba, %; Mexico, 81; and Argentina, 1S.
The total for this purpose was $227,-
479,109. out of aggregate government
expenditures of $1,114,293,251.
Excluding Panama, which has q po-
lice force of lis officers and 1850 men,
the other 10 republics maintain a peace
strength, in army, navy and aviation, of
| about 322 900 men. Their war strength,
| Of men fully and partly trained is CAL
culated at 1,620,739. Estimates of peace
$4,000 for Mexico, 48,917 for Argentina
and $1,000 for Chile down to $500 for
Haiti and Honduras and 500 for Costa
Rica. Reported war strengths run from
396,9l7 for Argentina, 285,00 for Brazil,
10000 for Chile and 10000 for Mexico
| to 1855 for Ell Salvador. With total
population of 10000 900, Latin Amer
ica's' potential military manpower is cal
culated at 10000, 900.
Universal peacetime conscription is
legally in effect in Argentina, Bolivia
Brazil, Chile Colombia, Ecuador, Guate-
mala, Honduras, Mexico, Peru and
Venezuela. 1t becomes operative in Ell
Salvador in case of war. But conscrip-
ton, for the most part, exists solely on
paper, because of the prohibitive ex-
pense of maintaining large encamp-
ments of troops. In Mexico, for instance,
service In the National Guard Is oblig-
| atory BY law. Yet, with potential mill