Evening star., 1941-04-15


the dark hours
II months ago David Lawrence.
when the fortunes of war began 10
20 against the democracies OF Eu-
rope. While there is no abandon
n1ent of hope that Yugoslavia and
Greece may harass the NaZis to the
point of keeping their armies occu-
pied during the spring, the fact re-
mains that every bit Of news OF
reverse or defeat merely spurs the
Government in Washington on to
redoubled efforts.
It probably isn't clearly under
stood in Berlin or by the German
people as yet, but there is not the
slightest intention on the part OF
the Government in Washington to
stop its enormous armament pro-
gram, no matter what happens In
Europe. The thought of a NaA
triumph merely reminds officials
here of the renewed Importance OF
building up under the present pro-
gram the largest navy and air force
In the world.
Ready to Play Decisive Part
To put it another way, reverses in
Europe or Britain merely means a
long war-possibly running beyond
1912. If the British were to begin
to get the upper hand, however, 1t
might mean climax by 1942, be-
cause American aid will be forth
coming in stupendous proportions
next year.
As a matter of fact, the theories
90 widely held last year that Amer
lea was unprepared to play de-
cisive part in the world struggle
must now be revised. The United
States could make a much more
substantial contribution today to
Britain as an active belligerent than
it could in April, 1910. Thus year
ago the United States had no naval
bases in mid-Atlantic outside the
Caribbean Today there is string
of bases stretching from Bermuda
to Greenland. This moves our air
forces out toward Europe by many
hundreds of miles.
The Navy is better prepared than
1t was in 1910, with about 295 900
officers and men, compared with
177.000 year ago.
The Army a year ago consisted
of 227 900 men and about 235, 900
National Guardsmen Today the
Army is close to 100000 men and
is fairly well equipped.
Biv Air Force Expansion.
The air forces of the Army and
Navy have shown a big expansion
already. Together they have about
1000 planes, as compared with about
$500 a year ago. There are nearly
$4,000 trained pilots available all
ready to fly the planes which are
being turned out at production
rate of 1900 month.
Tank production is growing rapid
", and, altogether, the United States
Is by no means as unprepared as it
was when Hitler invaded Holland
and Belgium in the spring of last
year.
Should the climax of the war
come in the latter part of 194l,
and should the United States become
an active belligerent in the autumn
of this year, it would be a serious
blow for the NaZis. American par
ticipation by means of an expedi-
tionary force is not being considered
But the possibility of conflict, If the
Navy starts conveying ships, Is not
excluded, and this, OF course, would
involve airplane scouting as well as
naval patrol by American warships.
Decision Rests with Public.
The answer to the question oi
whether the United States will be-
come a full-fedged belligerent rests
with American public opinion. Il
ix not likely that American opinion
will be crystallized fully till events
in Europe are clarified. But judg-
ing by the reaction of the United
States last spring to the possibility
OF a British defeat, there are
grounds for the belief that oul
entrance into the war is still 50-5l
bet and may be accelerated
rather than retarded by reverse.
suffered by the democracies abroad
The question of whether the United
States would wait till Hitler hat
completely defeated the British be
fore facing a Nazi-controlled Eu'
rope and possibly Nazi-controllet
South America is one that mllltar.
experts are guessing will be set
tied long before the Nazis have OBJ
tanned the upper hand.
Britain is hoping for American
intervention soon, but is not in
position to ask for it. Presiden
Roosevelt's whole foreign policy is a
stake at the moment, and in &C
cordance as Americas military pro
duction increases to unprecedente
proportions the tendency will be t
throw 1t into the scales so as to pre-
vent o Hitler victory. But Ameri
can public opinion will have to b
more ardently in favor of such
development than it apparently
today. The argument OF the isola
tionists. on the other hand, tha
America is unprepared, is rapid
vanishing as the Army and Nav
and air forces grow to a size wher
their weight in the scales coul
really be decisive in staving of
Nazi victory.
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