The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-08-26
BY THOMAS J. B. WIENER NEA Special Correspondent

ANGA 0RCCANA NOAACSpUAA0ChS
 San Juan, Puerto Rico, Aug. 26.- Puerto Rico is the most important link in United States defense of the Caribbean area and the Panama Canal.
 It will be a key spot in plans to defend the western hemisphere with a. chain of bases leased from Great Britain.
 Yet there is not one completely adequate defense base-land, naval or air-in Puerto Rico.
 Since last September the U. s. has maintained a neutrality pa- trol" of about 15 planes at San Juan, P. R. Daily flights are made, sometimes circling the greater part of the Caribbean area in single day.
 These planes are kept in the open, awaiting construction of hangars. Ground crews sleep in pup tents pending completion of barracks. Re- pair facilities are inadequate.
 When completed the new San Juan air base project will be the largest advance aviation base off the United States. Its possible ca pacity," naval officials say, will be 100 light and medium weight bomb CTS. It will have complete shops for plane repair, overhauling and spare parts supply.
 But it won't be completed for two years.
 The base site was nearly under water a year ago. Much of it still belongs to the sea. The visitor sinks in over his shoe tops.
 OFFICERS
 FACE FACTS
 Established as late as January, 19AO, was the new tenth naval dis trict, extending eastward from Windward Passage and including the Virgin Islands.
 The district is in charge of naval construction and will have jurisdic- ton over all shore activities, with the mission of advancing the work of the forces afloat." Capt R. A. Spruance has been put in charge. He's assisted by Lieut. Comm. John son of the navay civil engineering corps in charge of construction; Captain Clark, chief of staff; and Commander Walker, chief of naval intelligence.
 Underscored for emphasis under the newly created district are the aviation project at San Juan, a dry dock being built by the insular gov- ernment. and a smaller naval Sta- ton at St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands.
 Contract for the work at St. Thomas has just been let.
 Officials don't pull their punches about the time required to bring the projects to completion.
 I asked a high naval authority what would happen if Britain were quickly defeated and the Fascist powers decided to use the British fleet for an attack against Euro pean or American possessions in the antechamber of the Panama Canal.
 q am not yet convinced of air power destructibility against naval units." he said. "Dunkirk partially exploded this cla.med superiority But we shall probably have the answer before long in the English Channel"
 Suppose the answer is unfavor- able; what about our readiness ln Puerto Rico?" I asked.
 The official glanced in the direc- tion of the flats partly under water, where land is still being filled in. The gesture was self-explanatory..
 Uncle Sam is getting busy in Puerto Rico. But every naval of1- cial down here knows we are be- hind schedule, in face of the pres sure of world events. A new army base near Aguad1l- la in northwestern Puerto Rico, un- der construction less than a year, is expected to cost around $30,00O,- \ 900.
 E Between 2500 and 5000 civilians ! are employed on the project. In 4 for stress eventually are coastal ar- tillery, anti-aircraft units and army bomber squadrons.
 PLANES WATT ON
 CONSTRUCTION
 At present the army maintains ln Puerto Rico a reconnaissance squad-
 EUNlTED BERMUDA |