Evening star., 1943-05-02
Good News for CiyiIion
Public
By Queen L. Scott.

this country. This is the stage in which
the immense numbers of men and vast
quantities of military equipment are put
to use or begin to back up inside the
United States.
Some critical decisions are beginning
to be forced by the present turn. One of
these decisions concerns whether to 60
ahead with plans for rather slow-mo-
ton war in Europe. Another involves
the question of adhering to or of chang
ing the determination to carry on only
limited offensive against Japan. Still
third concerns the issue Of Army size.
Another involves the use Of available
shipping-whether to devote that ship
ping to uses that will bring the quickest
possible decision in the war or whether
to use it as at present.
The United States at the moment is
vast arsenal. producing more weapons
than any other nation or probably than
any other combination of nations It
also is an armed camp with a great
concentration of high-trained soldiers
and sailors within its borders. Yet only
a tiny fraction of this vast power is
being brought to bear to get the war
over with. The reason why slow-mo-
ton war is being fought probably traces
to decisions reached by President Roose-
velt and Britains Mr.. Churchill Some
of those decisions may face changes.
A glance at facts and figures shows
best what is occurring to bring about
shift of emphasis in this country's war
situation.
For one thing, the United States now
has nearly 5000 900 men under arms.
That is twice as many as in World War I
and approaches the armed forces of Ger
many and Russia. 1t is probably twice
the size of British forces. 1t also is
within 100000 of the ultimate goal Yet
relatively few of these men are in places
where they can hurt the enemy.
Furthermore. the United States today
is spending s263 100000 day, or s7,0OO,-
100000 month, or $84 OO0. 900 900 year
on its war effort. No nation or combina-
tion-of nations is even approaching an
effort of that size. Britain is spending
about $4,000 100000 a year, Germany's
Europe probably s25 900 900 900 or s3o,-
000,000,000. Yet only small part of this
vast American effort is hurting Germany
or Japan.
Or to look at it another way Amer
lean industry is turning out nearly 1000
airplanes a month, which is at a rate of
$4,000 year. 1t is producing SO many
tanks that production is being cut back.
1t is delivering for use a total of at least
1874 merchant ships of 10000 tons each
month, or nearly five a day, or 1,6O8
ships a year. 1t is producing naval
vessels at an unprecedented rate. Its
production of some types of guns and
ammunition is so vast that it is having
to be checked Yet except for ships, the
great proportion of this outpouring of
weapons is backing up in American
camps and American warehouses.
All of this is adding up to new pres
sures for a set of decisions that will
permit eithsx IA faster war or a check
to plans for building an immense Army
to be kept inside the United States
At present, the decisions affecting the
use of ships apparently do not permit
this country to make the maximum use
of its gathering strength either for pI,r-
poses of a quick decision in Europe or
for speedier and larger scale offensive
against the Japanese. Those decisions
are stated openly to be based upon a
conclusion that the war in Europe must
be won before the war in the Pacific can
have major attention. Yet ships are
used in way to make the war in Europe
slower than it might otherwise be. High
prit fol nf
that will end in 1945 or even in 1e46
American officials had done their plan
ming on an entirely different basis than
that They are very deeply concerned
about the effect of a slow war in Europe
>on the problem of later defeating the
Japanese.
Then there is another side to this
developing situation.
An immense inventory of trained men
and of many kinds of war materials is
building inside the United States. AS
this inventory grows the pressure for
constantly increasing output will tend
to diminish This already is evident in
some slight slowing in the rate of induc-
ton of men for military service. 1t is
apparent in the slash now occurring in
orders for machinery and in plans for
new plant construction, 1t has showed
up in decisions to slow production Of
some types of ordnance.
The result is that there is a distinct
probability that, except in airplanes,
merchant ships, naval vessels and the
components that go toward their opera
ton, the American war effort will ap-
proach a maximum toward the end of
1943 Officials are predicting that ex-
penditures for war and production for
war may start downward bit in 1914.
That is because the inventory of mate
rials on hand will be so great~that the
need will largely be for replacement OF
materials used in war.
If this turns out to be the case, then
the squeeze on civilian industry is ap-
preaching its maximum and may be
eased bit in another year. Some in
formed officials are saying that this
country's productive capacity is so vast
that 1t probably is going to be possible
to fight two wars at once and to MAIN
tain a fairly high living standard for
civilians as we'll.