Evening star., 1942-02-25
Knox Promises Navy
Reinforcementsi in
Not Distant Future
Sea Forces Outnumbered
Now, He Says in Speech
Before Relief Society
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press
NEW YORK, Feb. 25-Declaring
that the United States lis now en-
gagged in the greatest naval war in
its history" Secretary of the Navy
Knox last night promised REIN
forcements for outnumbered Amer
lean forces on mot too far distant"
day:
You men of our naval service are
now being asked, in most cases to
fight a foe who olltnumbers you in
men and equipment" Secretary
Knox said in an address broadcast
at the Naval Relief Society dinner
and short-waved to ships and sta
tions. TT is not necessary to add
that you can never be outmatched
in courage and devotion to your
country.
But can promise you here and
now-with the United States of
America to witness my pledge, and
to share the pledge Fundamentally
with mel can promise you here
and now that the day is not too far
distant when you will not be out
numbered.
America Backs Fleet.
II can promise you that the man
behind the man behind the gum
the man who now stands behind you
that man is a strong and angry
American, an American with his jaw
set and his sleeves rolled up. That
man is a personiflcation of all
America-a giant of a man who is
slow to anger, but who is terrible
in the majesty of his might when
he is aroused by such crimes as the
trampling of right, the murder of
innocence, and the brazen Haunting
of injustice. That man who is
standing behind you men of the fleet
is all America-and he will not let
YOU down"
Secretary Knox declared that
complacency today lis in the sole
possession of very small minority
whose ranks grow thinner every day
as the terrible urgency of our peril
confrontS them-a thoughtless mi
nority of thoughtless people who
alone today deserve the phrase the
vanishing American
Discussing the future, Secretary
Knox declared:
All our battle accomplishments
of the past can be viewed in the
light of mere SkirmisheS compared
TO the mighty tasks which lie ahead
of us-tasks which you fighting men
OF Our fleets will be called upon to
perform.
Pictures Immense Task.
Consider these figures, and use
them as a probable yardstick to
measure the enormousneSs of this
task: In one day at Pearl Harbor
more naval casualties were inflicted
by a bastard who crept by night
than were suffered by the Navy dur
ing the Spanish-American War and
the World War combined. All of
that happened in one day, before
our job was actually begun.
Since then, We have had many
pointers to show us the vast scope
of what the future holds in store To
mention just two, there was the loss
of two mighty combat ships of Brit
ain. our Ally, in an engagement |
which lasted a few brief hours; there |
was the loss of Singapore, often
called the worlds mightiest strong
hold, in only few short weeks. |
There were these disasters, ana there |
were many others"
Secretary Knox spoke at the Eotel
Waldorf-Astoria at banquet open
ing the first Nationwide funds cam
paign in the 40-year history of the
relief society. Money raised will
be used to care for the families of
men in the naval forces.
Officer Offers $4,000.
Secretary Knox announced that
Clendenin Ryan, now a lieutenant
at a naval air station, wrote a let
ter saying that he, personally, would
donate $4,000 to the Naval Relief
Society.
Admiral Harold R. Stark, chief of
naval operations and president of
the society, said S5,0O0,0OO was need
ed in the national campaign.
Other speakers included Admiral
Ernest j. King, commander in chief
of the United States Fleet; 1t. Gen.
Thomas Holcomb, Commandant of
the Marine Corps, and Rear Ad-
miral Russell R. WaeSche, Coast
Guard ConmaOdaOt