Evening star., 1941-04-05
Army Day

The United States Army has un-
dergone an amazing metamorphosiS
since last the Nation observed Army
Day. And the world has undergone
changes, too. A year ago the Euro
pean war was still in its "phoney"
stages, with French and German
soldiers serenading each other across
the mo mans land" in front of
the "invulnerable" Maginot Line On
this side Of the Atlantic public in
terest in the war was tagging. The
House Appropriations Committee
was making a ten per cent slash in
the Army appropriation bill, includ-
ing diSallOWment of 430 new planes
sought by the Air Corps. The author
lied mot the actuaD strength of the
Army was 227OOO men, plus 235,OOO
National Guardsmen, the totals hav-
Ing been raised only few months
before from 10000 and 10000, re-
spectively. Guns and mechanized
equipment were sadly inadequate.
to the gravity of the developing
menace of totalitarianiSm. The
country had just begun to stir it
self from the disarmament spell of
post World War days that had led
to scrapping of much of our Navy
and reduction Of our standing Army
to an all-time low, in 1923, of ILL., ,34l
men.
Just three days after the celebra-
ton of Army Day in 1910 there began
a series of Notwithstanding events that
was to jolt the United States from
It's relative complacency. First, Den
mark and Norway were overrun by
Nazi hordeS; then, a month later,
came the 'blitzkrieg' invasion of
the Lowlands, followed by the defeat
of Allied armies in Flanders, Dun
kerque, the fall of France, and, final
ly. the assault on England. America
acted, Appropriation measures of
last year first raised the Army goal
to 100000 enlisted men, and then
to 375,000; eventually the top limit
was removed entirely. BY August
the Army was planning protective
mobilization force of 100000 men
for defense of North America and
the Panama Canal, with visions of
an Army of two, three or four mil
lion men if the future demanded.
National Guardsmen and Reserves
were being called up, conScription
was being debated, the Navy was
being tremendously expanded. On
September 16, 1910, the Selective
Service Act was passed and one
month later 100000 men between
the ages of 81 and IS registered
for military service. Billions of
dollars have been appropriated for
the training and equipping of this
record-breaking peacetime force
Army cantonments have sprung up
in all parts of the country, Army
organization has been Streamlined
on the European pattern, tactics
have been revised to meet require
n1ents of modern warfare, huge air
fleet is in the making.
There is, in short, real cause for
qualification over progress made on
this Army Day, which technically
falls on the morrow, twenty-fourth
anniversary of Americas entry into
the first World War. There is yet
much to be done, of course, much
toll and sweat to be endured, many
sacrifices to be made. But none can
gainsay that Americas military es-
tabliShment has made extraordinary
progress and that Americas defenses
have been immeasurably strength
ened during the historic twelve
month just passed. The Nation has
a right to be proud as it takes stock
today of its reactivated military
machine, a bulwark of protection
In an explosive world.