The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1942-02-19

defend ourselves by getting into
offensive action as speedily as pos
siblc.
Not only, it's complained. was
our psychology entirely too inof-
fensive until after the enemy actu-
ally had attacked us. but the at
tack caught us uuder-equipped 10
reciprocate effectively with attacks
from our own shores.
Nere particularly b'~Me- for
aviatorial inadequacies The Unit
ed Nations all are blamed is true.
for numerical insufficiencies in
planes and competent flyers 10
handle them, but we are espe-
cially blamed, considering that
the science OF heavenly naviga-
ton was Of American origin. that
we developed II in advance Of all
others, and yet the Battle Of the
Pacific started with the Japs OBJ
viously outclassing US in cloudland.
The reasoning is that planes pre-
ominently are offensive weapons
II defense is to be regarded as
the sole consideration perhaps
anti-aircraft batteries can attend
fairly capably to visiting enemy
bombers, but. to go strafe the foe
men initiatorially, plenty Of planes
are essential.
Intentions Good
Well, we've got some and good
ones. and we're building more as
fast as intensively-run industries
can produce EN-. Nevertheless, we
were shy on the required fights
of them when Nippon unexpected
~ took the warpath against US.
and the pro-offense advocates at
tribute our shortage in EN- TO that
Internal defense sentiment on our
public's part.
It's conceded that the term ma
tional defense was employed with
'1he best Of intentions. American
leadership didn't believe that the
people generally would indorse a
program Of offensive preparation,
so they called it defensive policy.
which nobody could object to; the
fercest isolationists o. KID it. How
ever. it took better with our aver
age citizenry than, maybe. was de-
sirable. and the idea wears off
rather gradually.
Chairman James C. Schugham
OF the representatives naval ap-
propriations subcommittee dis
cussed the planes offensive po-
tentalities exhaustively in the
lower congressional chamber re-
Gently
He ventured the prediction that
the mastery in future wars" viii
be settled by low-fying bombers
This was as strong a statement
as I've heard concerning aviation
Its Importance is widely recog-
nized. but Jim Scrughams view
is that it'll be decisive-the ulti-
mate factor as TO mastery. He's a
recognized authority concerning
army and navy flying, though, and
his forecasts aren't to be sneezed
at,
In the course Of the same con-
gressional discussion the point was
made that man power. just at
present. isn't nearly as vital az air
power Experts who say so
weren't mentioned by name be-
cause they've appeared as wit
nesses before legislation commit
tees and it wasn't deemed judi
cious to quote 'em directly. lest
their testimony be Informative to
the enemy. The substance OF 1t
was revealed. though.
Japan's case was referred 10.
illustratively
Flyers Did II
Students Of the situation calcu-
late that the Japs haven't avail
able, for service in the southwest
ern Pacific, not counting their
force in China. much in excess Of
100000 soldiers. sailors and air
men. which isn't more than the
United Nations should be able to
match easily Yet they've pro-
crossed formidably. as everybody
knows. in Malaga and the Philip
pines and have the Netherlands
-
seats. Why and how? The ex-
PLANTATION given is that their flyers
have accomplished il for them
Their groundlings and sealings
alone seemingly can be licked. even
by inferior numbers. but their air
manship makes EN- dangerous.
II generally is agreed that, for
our own wartime purposes. we
could catch I'D with jap aviation