The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-04-29

to fall with 1t. ...l
 The days of fighting with bare fists and pitch forks are over. Nevertheless there Is something about this bulldog determina- ton which may win out in the end. After all, it Is the. same spirit which led to the conquest of America. ",. TERRITORIAL BASES ( The island bases of the United States are now considered our best safeguard against invasion. But Army and Navy brasshats will get a scorching rebuke in report soon to be made public by the House Appropriations sub committee that inspected terri torial bases.
 written by Representative James c. Scrugham of Nevada, chairman of the group, the re- port will vigorously recommend the immediate creation of an "in- dependent air force. This would be intended to correct two chief abuses: rt,.. .
 (1) The location of army and navy bases almost side by side iil unprotected country, thus "in- viting destruction by nemy bombs" (2) Failure to build hangars, repair shops and other facilities underground. Z" '' Regarding the first criticism the Scrugham report will state: This policy of concentrating, highly es- sential military or industrial structures in very limited areas cannot be too strongly condemned, and may constitute an error, of gravest consequences. This Is as true in our territorial as well as our continental defenses.
 The lesson of the destruction of the Polish air force by the Germans at the beginning of the war seems to have gone entirely unheeded (by the aeronautic bur- eau chiefs responsible). Tn a flat country, protected air facilities may be impractical, but where there are adjacent hills, 1t seems inexcusable to deliberately build bases invitingly located for bombing attacks, and 50 close to- gether that an enemy plane can hit one if 1t misses the other.
 Everywhere the story Is the
 same, from Hawaii to Puerto Rico, from Alaska to the Virgin Islands, Jamaica and Trinidad. ; Also, no adequate plans have
 been formulated for water rec
 serves, except to contract for drilling . few wells, with grave
 uncertainties as to quality and
 quantity" ~ 7"
 Scrugham's conclusions will be that a tragedy of the first mag nitude'' may develop unless iri- mediate steps are taken to recti- fy conditions at the territorial bases. His solution Is the cen- tralization of all military air forces under e single head with Cabinet rank. BATHING RUM
 The lack of water at the bases was brought home forcibly to the committee when visiting the Vir- gin Islands.
 First request of the group was to be ushered to the nearest shower baths. Sorry" apologized the welcoming officer, hut our showers aren't in operation. You see, there is an acute water shortage here."
 He pointed to several natives plodding by with five-gallon jugs of water balanced on their heads.
 That's drinking water," he explained. '-rhey. get it at q spring five mIles from here. We catch eur water for bathing tn
 cisterns, bat it hasn't SAined
 here for % ionS that we'rs run Out."
 aWell, what do yea do about
 bathing7s asked ScEugham.
 we hathe in ruzn." was the
 cheerful reply. we buy what
 we cali 'bathing rum for zs
 cents a gallon ct the general
 store in town" NOrE-Drinking water is . problem on many western Inc