Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-10-31
AEF Held
Impossible
For a Year
Equipment, Tra in ! n g
Preclude One
By HUGH S. JOHNSON

~ hOoAh Ne oOAhANoOAN
A MAN would be a fool to try
"A to predict this war by three
months-and much more so for
a year. But there is at least one
aspect that seems practicable.
The filters about a new AEF in
Europe, caused in some quarters
by the Presidents Navy Day
speech, are without foundation,
There will be none in the
sense of 1917 now, or for a year
to come. There will be none be-
cause there could be none. We
have neither the equipment, the
training, the ammunition, the
transportation nor the possible
landing places and European
bases to send one.
We are still so inadequately
armed in tanks, cannon, air.
craft and explosives as to make
any such expedition less than in
excusable folly. Considering the
situation in both Britain and
Russia, we are cutting off our
own forces from these necessary
supplies to implement them. and
we shall have to continue TO do
so if we are TO pursue our pres
ent policy. That policy, l do not
question.
Russia cannot stand without
vast supplies of tanks, artillery
and planes. Her losses in these
categories have been tremen-
dous. Britain is in the gravest
danger both in North Africa and
in the Middle East. The only
thing that can possibly save her
is a very heavy flow of the very
things which are indispensable
to our creation of anything re-
motely resembling an effective
expeditionary force.
A S TO Russia, I can see how.
"A after months OF effort. we
might manufacture the kind of
equipment she needs, but for the
life of me / can't see how we
can deliver il on the battle lines.
The transportation routes are
longer and more precarious than
were ever even attempted for
a major action. There are only
three-through the White Sea,
through the Persian Gulf.
through Vladisvostok. The first
will soon be ice-bound and even
If it were not, the long line OF
rail transportation from ports 10
battlefront could be quite easily
severed.
Vladisvostok is at the mercy
of Japan, and even then the line
is too long and the transporta-
ton too slow 10 force through
the vast tonnages in time. Much
the same is true of the Persian
Gulf route.
The situation Is more hopeful
In aid to the British in the forth
coming Eibyan campaign, and
much more hopeful in aiding in
the defense of the British Isles
with this heavy equipment.
DUT to do or try TO do all this
- and, at the same time 10 build
up a great new AEF is clearly
out of the picture. That doesn't
mean that we may not be soon
sending abroad special detach-
ments like the one to Iceland.
1t doesn't mean that the situa-
ton may not so change that,
say in year from now. we may
be called upon for a new ex-
peditionary force.
But it still seems 10 me that,
difficult as is any military fore
cast in this most unpredictable
of all wars. the controlling facts
in this case are so clear that it
is safe to say that any new
overseas adventure such as our
herculean efforts in 1917 and
1919 is clearly out of the picture.
1 am not talking here about
the possible wishes of this war
minded administration. but
solely about its limitations.
There won't be an AEF in the
next year because, in the nature
of things. there can't be one.
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