Evening star., 1940-08-25
FuII-Dress Attack
by Hitler Doubted
By OUen L. Scott.

then undertake an invasion of the United
States. 1t is in terms of invasion or of
non-invasion that Congress debates ma
tional defense planning and the Nation
looks to the future.
Is attempted invasion real prospect?
Could Hitler, even with all of Europe at
his back, conquer the United States?
If not, why all of the excitement? Why
talk of selective military service? Why
build an Army of 100000 men when
formerly 100000 we're regarded as
enough? Why start out at huge expense
to build two-ocean Navy? What ~
could there be for $4,000 airplanes?
The answers. SO far as they can be
given by those whose business it is to
know, are these:
First of all. there is little fear that
victorious Hitler will turn from his con-
quests in Europe to full-dress attempt
ed invasion of the United States. That
task would call for the following: Cd
Control OF the seas, which cannot be had
so long as the powerful United States
Fleet exists. % Shipping facilities
greater than Germany can command
even If she does capture the merchant
marines of Europe. 80 An ability to
land and to supply an army on shores
from which hostile aircraft can operate
to devastate shipping. "a An ability to
overcome the natural obstacles of ter
rain and to try to knock out a Nation
that has no one vital nerve center and
whose industries are scattered across
5000 miles of countryside. Hitler him
self once referred to the "unheart-of"
internal strength OF the United States.
He is unlikely to take on the job of in
vading Nation whose production, once
modified. is far greater than that of all
of Europe combined.
At this point, however, the situation
begins to get complicated.
There is Canada to the north of the
United States. Canada is an immense
country with barely 100000 inhabi-
tantS. It's industry is not highly devel-
oped. Canada is at war with Germany
today Alone the Canadian nation would
have difficulty standing off the sort of
force that Hitler might be able to send
in search of rich prize. The highest
military authorities of this country are
concerned with the thought that Ger
many might succeed in establishing air
and naval forces on this side of the
Atlantic that might be difficult to dis
cover and to dislodge. Consequently, the
United States-in -defenSe-is as
suming responsibility for joint protec-
tion of Canada. This requires assurance
of an adequate force to undertake any
sort of mission that might be required by
circumstances
There are other complications.
In Latin America are nations upon the
products of which Hitlers Europe will be
dependent. Those nations are weak in
ternally, their industries Scant, their pop
ulations often illiterate and unframed,
except for minoritieS in control who are
of German, Italian and Spanish descent
Germany even now is preparing trouble
in those countries. Yet the United
States-again in self f-defense-cannot sit
bv and see Hitler and Mussolini and
Franco take control in Colombia, Vene-
zuela or Brazil. among other Latin
American nations.
To keep Hitler out will require more
than words. Even this country's isola-
zionist Senators have expressed them
selves as in favor of keeping Hitler away
from Latin America. This task involves
sea power, air power and land power 1t
will require trained men and machines
and organization. 1t calls for bases for
airplanes and naval vessels that PreSi-
dent Roosevelt is negotiating with great
Britain to acquire. 1t can involve action
by armed American forces at any mo-
ment, with the first sign that Germany
is penetrating into Caribbean areas
Ore more complication is developing
In the Pacific.
Interest Of the United States in the
rubber and tin of the Dutch East Indies
and British Malay States is we'll known.
But this country also is interested in its
own Territory of Alaska. Russia and
Japan are beginning to show an interest
in the riches of that undeveloped Terri
tory. This means that the United States
now must prepare to defend large and
exposed Territory that has been unde-
Tended. Again. defense takes ships and
airplanes and man power
Thus, it is seen that the defense prob
lem of this Nation is not merely one of
keeping Hitler away from the shores of
Atlantic Seaboard States or from the
Mexican and Canadian borders of the
United States The task, rather, is much
broader than that, a task that Congress-
men of all political stripes have agreed is
essential.
Two immensely difficult problems will
confront the United States if Great Brit
ain is defeated.
One problem is military and naval.
| That problem for solution requires con-
troll of the seas around this hemisphere.
If the United States is able to maintain
sea control, Hitler's ambitions can be
curbed However, it probably is asking
too much to expect that Hitler will leave
sea control in this hemisphere to the
| United States without so much as a test
| of strength. This suggests the certainty
of trouble in the future-probably in the
South Atlantic
The second problem is economic. If
| Latin American nations are to be kept
from dominance by the European dicta-
tors way must be found to promote
| their internal DEVELOPMENT and to find