Evening star., 1946-09-22


is becoming a much discussed aspect Of
United States policy.
1t stems from realization of the simple
fact, heightened by dew bpment of the
atom bomb, the robot Splane and the
rocket, that the two countries have
mutual stake in the defense of the land
mass on which they happen to be
situated.
There is very little tangible about it,
unless it be the activities of the coun-
tries Permanent Joint Board on De-
fense. The board, however, meets irreg-
ularly and in executive session and its
recommendations usually are not made
public.
The State Department specifically de-
nies that anything in the nature of
formal alliance is contemplated. A
spokesman told the writer that Ca
madam and United States policies are
SO similar that this isn't necessary. We
are in the same boat. The question is,
What do we do to be safe?'"
Seek to Avoid Subject.
The follow-up question, safe from
whom?" isn't one that can be answered
easily on the record, but the signs. of
course, indicate Russia. That is one
reason why the State Department likes
to avoid the whole subject. Moscow can
be counted on to react quickly when
certain phases of it are mentioned.
This happened notably as an aftermath
of M1IcE ho CoroSjan
polar maneuvers to which United States
military observers were assigned. The
Russians pointed out the operations
were conducted in region opposite the
Soviet northern boundaries.
However the Army is planning winter
maneuvers in Alaska, Colorado and Wis
consin with emphasis on defense against
a possible attack from across the polar
ice cap. Equipment to be tested will
include airborne artillery, clothing,
planes, electronic equipment and new
vehicle for traversing snow.
United States Navy and Coast Guard
ships. with Canadian observers on
board, are plying the Arctic Ocean to
learn more about navigation and
weather conditions. The ships recently
reached the Greenland harbor of Thule,
only $50 miles from the Pole. and will
work farther north before returning to
Boston in October.
A few weeks ago Gen. Henry H.
Arnold, retired commander of the
Army Air Forces, said that if there is
another war polar defense will be the
No. 1 problem.
Arctic Route Most Direct.
"War-making nations are all north of
80 degrees north latitude" Arnold said.
Study the globe and yoh will see that
the most direct routes sre not across
the Atlantic or Pacific, but through the
Arctic. The United StatSs is the most
vulnerable of the natidbs if modern
weapons are employed ossthis route
Alaska is only few miles across
Bering Strait from Sibd /. From the
strait the crescent form by the coast
of Soviet Russia runs along the Arctic
Circle for 160 degrees. 1t is like shall
low horseshoe fallen just short Of a
ringer" on the North Pole.
Across the Pole lies roughly another
crescent with Canada forming the CEN
trail part and Alaska and Iceland and
Greenland the tips. There are numer-
Gus large islands off the north coast of
Canada and inland, at the Arctic
Circle is Great Bear Lake. site of the
uranium mines that furnished the basic
material for the atomic bomb.
These are the geographical reasons
why Canada and the United States only
recently have come to realize the
Achilles heel of North America is in the
polar regions. 1t is recalled that i'm
penetrable" jungles failed to stop de-
termined foe in the last war. In the
nick of time we learned about tropical
and amphibious warfare; we are learn
ing now about sub-zero warfare, sub
.ject with which the Russians are far
more familiar than we.
Amphibious Landings Possible.
Military men do not dismiss the pos
sibility of amphibious landings on these
Canadian islands, where secret bases
could be set up by an invader Also, it
may be possible for Canada to set up
bases, or at least weather stations, on
some of these remote outposts. If there
is danger of attack, however it is
thought more likely that it would come
in the form of long distance bombing or
rocket assault.
Whose job it is to defend the CONT
nent. and whose money should be spent,
is question that can be argued. Canada
is the buffer state, standing between
transpolar aggressors and American in
dustry The answer probably is COM
plete integration. of manufacturing
methods as well as weapons and equip
ment. Any attack on the area would
inevitably involve both countries.
There are difficulties in the way of
complete cooperation, but they do not
appear insurmountable. In the urgency
of war. the overall plan that each
country should concentrate on that
which it was best able to do worked
exceedingly well. Now, in the competitive
peacetime period, many such informal
cooperative agreements will not stand
up.
The Canadian public, of which large
segments feel sentimental attachment
to England, would be expected to think
that strengthening ties with the United
States would weaken or tend to weaken
ties with England and the empire. Ex-
tremists argue that any close alliance
would, in effect, put Canada in the
inferior position of a satellite.