Evening star., 1941-08-16

of the American press can read of /
unrest and excitement in various /
South American republics which are /
being attributed by the governments |
of those republics to the machina-
tions of foreign secret agents.
If, by combining an air attack
with a fifth-column revolution, an
Axis power should succeed in max
ing lodgment upon the coast of
South America, we should have a
real task indeed-for it would not
be difficult for any enemy lodged
there to get within easy bombing
distance of the Panama Canal.
From this analysis of our defense
you can see that what we have done
has not only been absolutely es-
sential to protect us from an
ever-approaching and developing
danger but that our purpose has
been purely defensive. We have
not been seeking any wild ad-
ventures in foreign wars; we have
not been planning any expeditionary
forces for the benefit of other ma
tions. We have been simply seek
ing to make secure our own country
and to protect it from danger that
is so real and rapidly growing that
a government which did not take
such steps would have been faith
less to its trust.
Part the Army Must Play.
That brings me to my third point.
namely. the part which you in the
Army on land and in the air must
be ready to play in that defense.
Critics of your Government have
repeatedly asserted that the Gre
alton of such an army as we are now
training was unnecessary; that 1t
would be impossible for any Of our
potential enemies to cross the At
Iantic or the Pacific and get at us
in the face of our naval power.
Such critics apparently have not
studied the development of modern
weapons; nor have they shown suffi-
cient vision to realize the possible
military and political changes which
are trembling in the balance in
the world around us.
What I have already said will give
you the background of the answer
to their question. Our Army and its
air force must be prepared TO meet
enemies coming from the north,
from the east, from the South and
from the west. 1t must be prepared
to fight on the icebound coasts of
the North Atlantic and of the North
Pacific as we'll as in the tropic heat
Of Panama or South America.
American soldiers are already stand
ing guard on the east from Iceland
to British Guiana and on the west
from Alaska to Panama. A success
full attack upon any one Of these
outposts would bring an enemy
within bombing distance of our
great cities and would make neces-
sary a major military effort to drive
him off.
If Britain Fell.
But a possible change in the
scales of fate might bring our homes
| into far greater danger. A success
| full invasion of the British Isles or
any other mortal blow to the gov
eminent of Britain might suddenly
deprive us of the protection which
/ is being rendered to us today by the
British fleet. That would leave us
in a situation where the fleets as
we'll as the ship5uilding capacity of
the Axis powers, both at present
] eti tr,t tho Txynifld
be very much greater than the
power of our own fleet and the ca
/ pacity of our own shipbuilding
facilities. Then indeed we would be
! face to face with a danger which
even our isolationists would recog-
nize as the danger of invasion.
Such an attack would be nc play
/ bov affair. There are veteran
troops under the Axis powers on all
sides of us. The Germans have a
/ trained army of over 100000 men
an an air force of over half a mil
lion men. Japan has today under
arms over 100000 men. They are
intelligently led. They are fully
armed and equipped. They are
most tnOrougnly tralneQ ana Iner
young men have the devoted spirit
of fanatics. The Germans are now
going into battle with their song
To-day Europe is ours; tomorrow
the whole world" Their skill and
their power can hardly be over
estimated.
Professionals and Amateurs.
You young men know the differ
ence between a professional team
and even the best of amateurs. The
Germans today have reached the
standard of professionals and vet
Grams. They have set a standard
which we must excel. We must be
ready to meet such force as this
on any of the many and varied
terrains which surround our coun-