Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-12-12
We Can Put
8 Million in
Army in Year
What u. S. Needs Most
Are Torpedo Planes
BY PAUL MALLON

~ = III pow IOll
BY PAUL MALLON
WASHINGTON. Dec. 12.-The
W raising OF an army of
100000 men may be the next
step. II could be done within a
year, At present we have l.
100000 (as every one knowS
and have already appropriated
for equipment for 100000.
a new goal of 100000 or
more is almost a necessary con-
sequence of the governments
announced intention TO double
and eventually treble our pres
ent planned arms production
program. If the number of guns
is TO be doubled, the number
of men TO man h M must
roughly he doubled. Vast OK
panslon of the draft and enlist
ment program is fereordained
requirement
No one will he lightheaded
enough 10 arise in Congress or
elsewhere now 10 ask where
they will be used. That ques-
tion might have been in order
week ago. II was only about
seven short days ago that
newspaper shocked the country
with the revelation that the
army thought 100000 might
be needed two years hence. That
estimate now is conservative
for 1913.
THE fighting so far has shown
i that what we need most is
superiority of the air in as much
of the world as possible. We
must above all have planes,
planes, planes. Nearly every one
knows that, or suspects it, But
what is not so widely under
stood is the fact that at the
head Of the list of our most
urgent necessities is particu-
lar type of plane--the air tor
pedo boat.
The awakening jolt we got at
Pearl Harbor showed that. The
battleShip disasters of the Brit
ish off Manila proved il again
although the British should not
have needed the extra lesson
after what they did to the Bis
marck and the Italian fleet at
Taranto).
If a S60,000,000 battleship
can be destroyed by 500, 900
flying boat. it is time we had a
few more than the few we have.
The figures are rhetorical APP
proXimationSa
WITH 5000 torpedo planes,
w our shores should not only
be made secure from invasion.
and our fleet relieved of coastal
obligations. but we could fly IN
upon the Jap lltel. -.----------------
If the French should so far
debase their honor as 10 relin-
quiSh the French fleet 10 Hitler
eventually, a few thousand more
of these flying destroyerS might
we'll handle that situation IN the
Atlantic.
If - or 20 Of these planes are
sent out 10 get battleShip and
told not TO come back without
it, all they seem 10 need is good
weather and an even break.
In the war of surface craft
against the torpedo plane, the
edge is swerVing sharply aloft.
THOSE m ste rious enemy
Il bombers which tried to sneak
in upon San Francisco only 10
run without dropping their mes
sages, were probably picking
landmarks for a return visit.
British and Germans thus meas
ured air distances for some weeks
before they attempted action.
Such is the reasonable -- and
warning theory held here.
IF YOU as a citizen are won
L dering what YOU can do. you
are being told every second of
the day in press and radio
buy defense stamps and bonds.
You can have no excuses. They
are furnished in amounts from
- cents up TO $1,000.
Having read this column
previously, YOU may recollect
several critical comments on
the restraints in principal. in
tereSt and taxation imposed by
the treasury. That was before
the war, when these bonds
could be considered fairly on
their investment values. Now
they have become solemn
obligation upon each citizen.
Now every one must buy for the
preservation of his country.
And incidentally investment
values have changed since last
Sunday morning. Where else
can YOU better put your money
today?
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