The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-07-25
Congressman Smith Salutes Legion On Its Gospel or Preparedness" Sends Greeting Message Delegates Splendid Progress Past Year but Declares Greater Production Public Cooperation Needed Meet Challenge of
 of Democracy Time Element Precious

Congressman J. Joseph Smith of Waterbury was detained in Wash ington, D. C., today due to the pressure of official business and the new crisis brought about by events in the Far East, but his views on arousing America to meet ing the challenging forces of the day were ably expressed by his sec- retary, Joseph P. Donahue. The lat- ter, formerly member of the Wa terbury Democrat reportorial staff, delivered Congressman Smiths message very impressively. The con- tents of the speech stirred the dele gates to considerable enthusiasm.
 Congressman Smith praised the Legion for its stand on prepared ness, but pointed out that greater production of essentials was im- perative and that greater coopera- tion on the part of the public was vital. Time was 8 vital factor in ever changing world picture and the stubborn resistance offered by the English and the Russians was giving America an opportunity to arm for any emergency.
 Congressman Smiths message was as follows:
 am glad to have the opportunity to discuss briefly with you the pro- gress made in the rearmament program. This program has been under way on a large scale for as the Army is concerned for only one year, in spite of the warnings of the Legion and other organizations and indi- viduals for twenty-odd years of the dangers to our very existence of the state of unpreparedness into which we were allowing ourselves to fall.
 The past year has been largely a period of bringing into the service large numbers of individuals and placing orders and tooling industry for the production of modern wea- pons for the use of these men. The public does not realize what is so plain to you who have gone through something like this before. That is, that neither large number of in- dividuals in uniform nor balance sheet showing billions in orders, nor both tog ether, can be considered any defense for the nation. To be effective, men must be trained in- dividually and in the units within which they will have to operate. To be effective, they must have in their hands modern weapons with whose use they have become familiar. They must have ammunition to practice and become proficient in the use of these weapons They must have reserves of weapons and ammunition sufficient to enable them to meet on better than even terms any enemy brought against them in battle.
 Record Of Transition
 Today we are in period of tram sition and development from the al- most totally hopeless situation of our land forces after all the years of neglect, to an Army of about one and one-half million men equipped with the means of modern air and mechanical warfare. We have en- rolled the men; their training has begun. We have let the contracts, and we now begin to receive the weapons and ammunition for the use of the troops.
 AS you know, two years ago we had in the Army but 174,000 sol- diers scattered among 130 posts and 5 overseas garrisons. Only one reg ular infantry division existed in one place. The Air Corps contained a total of 17,000 men. There were no mechanized divisions; the only tank forces consisting of one brigade and Ehree separate regiments. The higher units existed only on paper corps troops, army troops, corps artillery were non-e existent. The harbor defenses were manned by caretakers. In numbers, our forces have greatly increased. There are today 1,40O, ,O00 men, and, more im- portant than numbers, there exist units in training to the extent of 4 armored divisions, containing over 10000 men; 54 groups of squadrons in the Air Corps. containing more N1hAA 4OtSVOV ulCAAp ACSu1dT CIlaIlk= ular infantry divisions, one of which is fully mechanical; 2 regular cav- airy divisions: IS National Guard Infantry divisions with corps, Army, and G. H. e. troops, training in units adapted to use in actual com- bat.
 EfRulpment Shortage
 The framework is there The ofIi- cers and men are entering Into the training program, in spite of the handicaps of the still existing shortage of modern equipment with 8 remarkably flne spirit and a high level Of intelligence and under. standing. That Army in formation must be able to meet the greatest military machine this world has ever seen, built up over many years, equipped with great quantities of the most modern implements of war trained in combat over an entire continent. Obviously, our Army needs everything we can give t. both in equipment and in tFaln- ing.
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