Evening star., 1942-08-23
Sees Reasons
For Being Cheerful
By OUen L. Scott.


war. there can be noted one bit OF
cheer. This cheer arises from evi-
dences of growing American strength.
The military strength of the United
States is not yet great enough to sustain
vast offensive 1t is not yet compa-
rable on land or in the air, with the
strength of Germany. Likewise, 1t prob
ably is not yet equal to the strength OF
| Japan.
However, those nations are at or near
| the maximum of their strength while
the United States is in the early stages
of mobilizing This country is barely
starting to tap its manpower and its
brain power and its machine power. 1t
is only beginning to shift It's civilian
industry to war work 1t hasn't even
begun to give up its comforts in order
to provide an extra margin of supply
for its military forces or to stretch its
work week to the 80 or 10 hours that
prevail in other countries.
So great is the inherent strength OF
the United States that without much
effort 1t is able to make a rather i'm
pressive showing. When compared
with the situation that prevailed a year
or two ago. this showing gives real
ground Tor encouragement.
Two years ago the American Army
was Of negligible size. It possessed no
modern equipment. It's officer corps
was small and rigidly tied to system
of seniority in promotions Today there
is an American Army Of more than
100000 men. Large numbers of those
men are overseas, in bases or In other
countries, and those men are equipped
with the worlds most modern weapons.
This isn't big or powerful army in
terms OF the armies Of Germany or Rus
sia. But it already is as large, or larger
than, the British Army or the Japanese
Army, and 1t is growing rapidly. One
year from now it may number 1000 900
men. The leadership of that army is to
be young, vigorous and forward look
ing. The United States very definitely is
moving toward the top OF land powers
The situation is much the same in the
air forces.
Two years ago, the Army Air Forces
were neglected. They had been denied
the right to buy even a few modern
planes. Today those air forces are
very large and they are becoming well
equipped. They are gaining experience
in actual combat on air battlefields all
the way from England to China and
Australia. Their strength soon will be
brought to bear in impressive fashion
over German.
At present, this country Is aiming for
Army Air Forces Of 1000, 900 men. That
strength may be approached in another
year. The number of men and machines
now available is impressive. In the air
as on the ground, the United States Is
immensely stronger than it was only
a short time ago.
Naval strength OF this country like
wise is great and growing.
The American Navy was caught of
guard both in the Pacific and. the At
lantic. 1t was surprised by the Japa-
nese at Pearl Harbor and by the Ger
mans of the Atlantic Coast. It's lead
| ership only few months ago was back
ward looking and uninspiring. It let
the japanese get ahead Of 1t in aircraft
carriers. among other things.
Now all OF that is being changed. The
| Navy gradually Is organizing to deal with
submarines on this side OF the Atlantic.
| 1t has dealt the japanese some very
| hard blows in the Pacific and definitely
is off the defensive in that part of the
world. AS always. it is doing a remark
able job of conveying. It's leadership is
being changed slowly and with this
change is coming more of a recognition
of the power OF the airplane in naval
warfare. The American Navy today is
without doubt the most powerful in the
world. although it is having to divide it's
strength. That power is to grow rapidly
| from now on.
| All of this means that two years after
the United States commenced in earnest
to prepare for war and eight months
! after the start OF war, this country Is
able to show an impressive, even If not
a decisive strength. Certainly, there no
longer is any danger that an enemy
could catch this Nation unprepared and
of guard at home.
However, an army and navy and air
force are only as strong as the industry
that supplies them.
Here, too, the situation OF the United
States Is beginning to be favorable. 1t
is true that this country has been slow
to mobilize its industrial strength for
war. It still is moving rather slowly to
effect the sort of mobilization that Hit
ler started in 1888 Yet the industrial
strength of the United States inherently
is so great that Its ability to produce
arms today is not far from as great as
Germanys.
American industry right now is pro-
ducing approximately as many combat
planes as Is German industry. 1t is ap-
preaching or even passing German pro-
ductlon OF tanks. 1t is beginning to
get going in artillery production. Its
output of merchant shipping is phe-
nomenal. The only thing is that Hitler
has built up vast stores OF war weapons
both by production and by conquest
Japan has done the same thing. The
result is that American industry must
make up for lost time, as well as match
current output of enemy nations
The prospect is that by 1943 the United
States really will be organized for war.
Back in 1910, officials said that If
only England could hold out until mid
l941, the United States would be turning
out weapons in such volume that Hitler
could be overcome. Then in mid -l94l
the same officials declared that If the
war ran until mid -1942 American wean