Evening star., 1940-09-01
Defense Psychology Discredited
BY Year of War, Maj. Eliot Says
II Months of War Also Have Shown Bosis
Of Security Is Force, He Declares

are almost helpless today before
the highly mechanical forces of
modern war-armored troops, mo-
torized infantry and artillery, air
force welded into striking unit
co-ordinated in all its parts. In
evitably the modern army must in
taking account of these things, in
remembering the vastly increased
industrial effort demanded to main
tain it, seek quality rather than
quantity in its future growth. Above
all, we have learned that improvised
and half trained or half equipped
forces are worthless and worse than
worthless. To use them in modern
war is mass murder.
The time factor. The speed.
range and destructive power of
modern weapons has greatly re-
duced the time available for prep
aration. Even with fully trained
and equipped forces, surprise may
now be achieved and be of decisive
Importance. Lacking such full prep
aration in advance, there is no
hope. No longer may preparation
be begun when the enemy is at the
gates-despite the urging OF some
of our Senators that conscription be
deferred until the United States is
actually attacked! The time factor
has a direct relation to the high
degree of mechanization now de-
manded, for the weapons Of today
take time to manufacture, just as
they demand time for the instruc-
tion of officers and men in their
use, still more time for the training
of units in their co-ordinated en-
ployment on the battlefield. The
nation which defers its preparation
until war is at hand is nation
defeated before it has begun.
American armament. Indeed
from our present experience We are
learning that even when not i'm
mediately menaced, and even when
possessed of the worlds finest indus
trial plant and the greatest degree
of self -sufficiency of any power on
earth, it is no easy matter hastily
to provide a nation with modern
armament and modern fighting
forces. 1t is to be hoped that we
shall keep this lesson we'll in mind
and that when the present emer-
gency has passed we shall not again
allow ourselves to dream of reducing
our fighting forces below the limits
of safety. No matter what our
wealth and resources, it takes time
to translate them into fighting
power. Germany, far inferior either
to France or to Great Britain in
wealth and resources, has over
thrown the one and is besetting the
other at this very moment.
But we may go little farther
along this line of reasoning, If we
will. We have learned also thai
force, armed force, fighting force Il
the only worthwhile and truly re-
liable foundation of national policy
and national security Who woulo
live in this world, who would have
possessions, who would call himself
free, who would strive to progress Il
higher things, must arm to defenc
his life, his possessions, his freedom
and his aspirations from those who
would otherwise wrest them from
him. That armament must not bt
only material; it must also be Of tht
spirit. Behind the martial trap.
pings must exist the martial virtues
In a free people, these are basec
on clear thinking and loyal devo'
ton: your slave can be herded into
battle, your free man must 60 will.
ingly to fight for that which hs
deems worth preserving even at the
cost of his life.
This year of war has given III
here In America truer vision o.
the world in which we live. We are
awakening-slowly, it is true, per-
haps too slowly-but the giant limbs
of America begin to stir, her giant
heart beats a little faster. We are
beginning to realize what oul
destiny must be, what our response
bility must be as the last secure
stronghold of freedom in this world
Never before in time of peace has
it been possible even to think oi
passing a conscription bill; never
before in time of peace have the
American people laid out such sums
for armament: never before in time
of peace has it been a political pos
sibility for any American President
to begin to conduct negotiations
with a foreign power for what
amounts to military alliance. These