Evening star., 1940-03-24


y who tries to attack the Western
Hemisphere should keep in mind the
Bible story of little David and his sling
shot,
For sturdy little David stands today
athwart the sea roads from Europe to
the Americas.
Like the Biblical David, this fellow
totes a slingshot-fashioned into one of
the most powerful weapons of modern
war
This David is the island of Puerto
Rico.
Only 100 miles long and less than 40
miles wide, Puerto Rico is pygmy in the
family of nations But it is the eastern
most point Of America and as such is
being fortified against the time when it
may be called upon to bear the brunt of
an invasion
The islands significance In defense Of
the Panama Canal is apparent from one
look at the map.
Cork In Caribbean Bottle.
Outermost Of the submarine mountain
tops that form the Caribbean Sea, it lies
roughly half way between the two Amer
lean continents and could be an effective
cork to bottle up the Caribbean
No attacker could get around it unde-
tected
The $50 miles that separate it from
"the big ditch" give plenty of time for
canal defenses and the American naval
base at Cuba to 60 into operation after
an alarm.
Defense of the canal, vital as that is,
is only part of Puerto Ricos wartime
job.
The coast of Florida is less than 900
miles to the northwest and President
Roosevelt has emphasized that arming
of the island was started as much to de-
fend the Southern coastline of the United
States as to defend the canal.
But Puerto Rico's defense function
does not stop even there. Within 500
miles to the south is the northern coast
OF South America, where many military
experts think an invader would have
his best chance of getting e foothold to
attack Uncle Sam.
To get to the northeastern regions of
South America which mean most eco
nomically and strategically, an eneny
from the East-be it Europe, Africa or
islands in the Atlantic-would have to
pass inside the 1,000-mile circle con.
stantly watched by bomb-laden flying
fortresses" radiating from here.
If the attack should come from a
South American base established after
peaceful penetration of that area, Puerto
Rico would be the Gibraltar" where any
northward thrust would have to begin.
No attacker would dare pass here
without occupying the island for fear
OF being cut of from behind.
Could Paralyze Enemy.
In such situation. Puerto Rico would
be in position to anticipate attack and
strike q paralyzing blow before an in
vading force could be organized.
Against any or all of these contin-
gencies, Puerto Rico is being armed.
Since Adolf Hitler won his bloodle:s
coup at Munich, warplanes, battleships,
submarines, anti-aircraft and coast de-
tense guns have been concentrated here
with bewildering speed. Fighting men
have been brought in from the United
States by the hundreds.
Overlooking the western coast, where
Christopher Columbus first set foot In
1893 after days Of sailing from Spain
in little galleons, is giant nest for
giant warplanes capable Of flying to
Spain in one swift hop.
$ha rf1,A~ And - fhn Se1o~A L.
the shadow Of thick-walled fortresses
built in San Juan In the days of Ponce
de Leon, grows . naval base for battle
ships whose guns could pulverize those
ancient ramparts in no time.
Thatched roofs, as innocent-looking
Is the surrounding peon cottages,
camouf1age guns that can blow q tank
to smithereens and pierce a warship's
armor like piece of cheese.
Past ox-carts loaded with sugar cane,
over mountain roads trafficked by bare
foot, sun-browned natives balancing ba-
nanas on their heads. through the old
est city streets under the American
Flag, big guns roll on rubber tired wheels
at Is to 80 miles an hour-up, down
and across the island in mock maneuvers
Of modern mobile warfare.
The lessons of Austria, Czecho-Slo-
vakia and Poland are thus applied in
this Caribbean Switzerland" which,
symbolically enough. Is now beginning to
receive tourists who once vacataoned In
Vienna, Prague and wilma.