Evening star., 1942-10-18
Thinks America MAY
Have to Specialize
By ODen L. Scott. :

A question OF Importance to almost
every individual in this country is being
raised by officials here. This question
concerns the speed with which the
United States builds an Army of great
size.
The United States Army today is as
large as or larger than it was during the
First World War. 1t is scheduled to
grow into force twice or even three
times the size of the present Army. The
question, however, is whether the growth
of this Army should be te,escoped into
the next year or whether that growth
can be spread cut. The Army plan is to
build the Army from its present 4,250 900
men to $500, 900 by the end of 1943, which
is more moderate than some high officials
had predicted.
An answer to the riddle affects not
only individuals in the United States.
1t also concerns the British, the Russians
and the Chinese. They are on the side
of more slowly expanding American
Army and a release of more military
equipment for earlier use by armies
already in the field or near the scene
of action.
Two problems are involved in the pres
ent situation. One of those problems
concerns the arming of great American
forces. If an Army of 100000 men is to
be created and equipped in a hurry, then
vast amount of equipment must be
earmarked for this Army and must be
withheld from early use on the present
or imminent battle fronts. That with
holding, in turn, would delay the shift
of the initiative in the war from the
Germans and the japanese to the Amer
icans the British and the Russians.
The second problem concerns trans
overseas in the Atlantic and the Pacific,
the amount of shipping required is
colossal. At the same time, this move
ment is a slow process, On the other
hand, if armies already in the field are
supplied with more equipment to give
them an edge in weapons, the shipping
problem is not so great and the time
factor not one involving so much delay.
A few published figures yield some
light on the size of the problem of trans
portation of troops in this war. 1t is
estimated that to move 100000 Ameri-
can soldiers, with equipment, to overseas
fronts in the Atlantic, requires the use
of 1000 ships of 10000 tons each. Then,
to maintain those soldiers once they are
overseas requires the constant use of 200
ships That is not figuring any losses of
ships, and it is not counting the great
number of ships that would be required
to move troops from their base to
battlefront on the European continent.
If several million soldiers are to be trans
ping required is multiplied in proportion.
1t also is estimated that to move
100000 American troops and to supply
those troops over long distances in the
Pacific, will require the constant use of
about 300 ships of 10000 tons each.
That, too, is figuring on no losses.
This shipping problem suggests that
if very large Army is built quickly
by this country it will be very long
time before that Army or any very
great part of it, is moved to battle fronts
overseas. The official report is that in
10 months of war, it has been possible
to move about 100000 men from the
United States to positions in England,
in the Pacific area and in the Middle
East. The speed of movement is grow
ing. but ships remain very real bottle
neck.
There however, is another side to the
argument. Hitler possesses an Army
estimated at nearly 100000 men.
Italy has an army of several million
men. Japan has an army of at least
100000 men. Only Russia, on our Size,
has large army that is equipped. The.
Chinese have an army large in numbers
equipped with little more than rifles.
Great Britain, with her dominions, has
an army of around 100000 plus large
navy. If Russia should be knocked out
of this war, or even be badly crippled,
then only the United States would re-
main as the sole source of mass army
to offset the mass armies of the enemy.
To open and maintain front in
Europe is going to be a difficult and
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and the British have static or declining
population, and one of no great size, with
which to cover and fill those losses.
Consequently, to be on the safe side, the
United States must build large Army,
probably the largest Army in the world,
and do it quickly. The assumption has
to be that this war will last many years
hot will fon to taI tote
to carry the real burden of the war.
Likewise, the United States cannot
afford to build up the military strength
of other nations while neglecting its
own strength.
The answer being made TO this argu-
ment by officials who believe that there
should be some showdown in the rate of
speed in building an Army is as follows:
It is not argued that the United
States should abandon plans for a
huge Army. Rather, the argument
merely is that it would be better to get
arms quickly into the hands of armies
already in the field in the hope that
they can turn the wars tide. If they
do, then the cost to this country in
lives will be less and the war will be
ended more speedily. If they do not,
then there still will be time to speed
up the rate of building the American
Amy. On the basis of the most
optimistic estimates it is not going to be
possible to move more than 100000
men overseas by the end of 1943 and
it may be possible to move far fewer
than that.
An army of 100000 men, or even