The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-09-18
BY MILTON BRONNER
NEA Service staff Correspondent

NEA Service Staff Correspondent
 Washington, Sept. 18-Like giant avalanche that starts ever so slowly and gradually builds up tre- mendous velocity is the progress of the $10,496, 100000 national defense program for an army of 100000, an air force of B, 5,0O0 planes, and a powerful two-ocean navy.
 Four months after the Presi- dents call to arms last May IS, the National Advisory Defense Commission had cleared contracts worth $5,700, 100000, or more than half the money then appropriated by Congress. In addition, the War Department had let contracts for sums under $5O0,000, which do not have to go to the NADC.
 With these sums contracted for, the avalanche of armamentS should begin to roll soon. Of course, the United States is not exactly defenseleSs right now. It has perhaps the worlds finest navy; it has almost a million men with military training. Grouping officers and men together, here's the present lineup:
 Navy, 154,516; marines, 31,379; naval reserves, 40,336; marine re- serves, 15,076; army, 303,0OO; na- tional guard, 237,OO0; army re- serves, 120,00O; enlisted reserves, 17,500. This adds up to a grand total of 918,8O7.
 The first contingent of national guardsmen-60,5 800 from 26 states has been called up by Presi- dent Roosevelt for a year of ac- tive training. Another 800,OO0 men will be called up under the conscription bill for years Serv- ice this fall and next spring.
 VAST STORES
 ORDERED
 The War Department is chary about giving out figures on the ac- tual progress made in procuring ma- terial. Figures recently released by Representative James E. Van zandt of Pennsylvania, however, show not a great deal of progress between May 1 and Aug. l.
 l I asked an official of the War Department whether it would not be good guess to say that on Sept. the program had not ad- vanced very far beyond the Aug. l figures. He admitted this was so, saying you can't grind out arms, tanks and heavy tractors the way you can SauSages.
 The War Department expects delivery of 132,O00 semi-automatic rifles and TIA 37-mm. anti-tank guns by June, 1922. By next April 1, 184O Comm. mortars and 367 50 caliber machine guns are expected.
 In the first six months of 1941, the army expects to get 459 mod- ern 75-mm. guns, 96 field how itzers of 75-mm. caIber, and 295 high-Speed 155-mm. howitzers. A total of 392 light tanks are expected by June, 1941, and 126 medium tanks by August, 1941. Beginning this month and ending in September, 1941, the army expects the bulk of the anti-aircraft equipment ordered.
 One enters the land of haze when it comes to getting figures on the army airforce and on plane con- tracts let. The army apparently has something like 5000 airplanes, of which 2700 are good for train ing. It has about 2000 rated as combat planes, but not many of them are modern.
 A few days ago the War Depart ment issued speed-up letters to Is plane companies, five plane engine companies, and one propeller firm These letters authorize them to gc ahead and procure necessary gauges . dies, tools and materials for the manufacture of 14,394 planes costing about $817, 100000, 28,282 engines costing about $377, ,000, 900, and pro- pellers costing about $57,0O0,000.'
 On Sept. 13 contracts were let for 736 airplaneS and large number of engines, the total involved being $41, 900 900. According to War De. partment figures, this makes total of 3533 planes on order. 1903 of them combat types. The regular appro- priation authorized 4247 planes; the second supplementary appropria. tion authorizes about 14,0O0 more. Of planes now on order, B; are heavy-engined bombers, 2( light attack bombers, 530 pursuit planes, 20 transport planes, 60( primary trainers, 500 basic trainers and 887 advanced trainers.
 THE NAVY
 WAS READY
 On Sept. g the President signed g