Evening star., 1948-05-09

difficult and perilous situation in
which this country finds itself today.
1t does not require vast diplomatic
and military experience to realize
that we are threatened by far
more dangerous group of dictators
than those who ruled Germany,
Italy and Japan in the days before
Pearl Harbor.
Russia Has the Resources
There is not, however, the same
economic pressure behind the war
urge then and now. While the
Axis powers lacked important basic
raw materials which they could OBJ
tain only by conquest, the U. S. S. r.
possesses almost every conceivable
resource needed to wage war. The
manpower potential of the Soviet
Empire, including its satellites, is
far greater than that of the Axis
coalition.
Diplomatic relationships between
the Soviet bloc and the West have
begged down more deeply today
than those between Nazi Germany
and the nontotalitarian countries
after Hitler's subjugation of Czecho-
slovakia. Russia is waging a cold
war against the United States and
the Western European nations.
All these facts are we'll known in
Washington. Yet, because OF poll
tical expediency inevitable in a
democratic country on the eve OF
national elections, the executive and
legislative branches of the Govern
ment are marking time; delaying
the adoption of vital rearmament
measures which would enable the
Nation to meet the imminent Soviet
threat.
The Nations security demands
strong armed forces, ready to act on
short notice. While We have no de-
sire or plan to expand, it is axio-
matte that the offense is the best
defense.
We know that the Soviet Union
has about 260 divisions ready tc
march at q moments notice, as well
as some $500 first-line planes and
a program to produce at least 10000
planes Of all types. The new planes
would come from assembly plants
established in. scattered parts OF
the vast Soviet empire. They would
be difficult for American bombers
to reach.
Learned Nothing From Britain
The fntermlnaple discussion in
Congress on the issue Of universal
military training versus conscrip-
ton, reminds those who know theii
history of the long debates In
Byzantium's Council of elder states
men. when the Turks were besieging
Constantinople, over whether the
angels had sex.
We have learned nothing from the
tragic lessons Britain learned before
World War II. Like all truly civil
lied nations. Britain was peace
minded and her leaders. as mindful
of the peace desire then as our
leaders are now, brushed aside all
warnings that Hitler and Mussolini
were on a rampage.
The British government under
Prime Ministers Baldwin and
Chamberlain refused to plunge
their country into the powerful re-
armament drive which might have
averted the 1899 catastrophe. In
stead they preferred to talk and
appease the heads of the totalitarian
governments who were clamoring
for a place in the sun for their
peoples.
The situation is far worse today
The Kremlin does not demand a
place in the sun, for it already
holds about a fifth of the world S
land area. Russia is determined,
according to Prime Minister Stalin's
own words, to destroy capitalism,
free enterprise and personal free
dom, and to impose, by force if
necessary, the Soviet form of total
1tarian government throughout the
world.
What Push Button Means
This already has been accom-
plished in those countries which
adioin Russia, by subversive &C
tivities backed by the force of the
Soviet army. However, where in
trigue, subversion and domestic
strife do not succeed, it will be up
to the Red divisions and aviation
to put into effect the gigantic plans
of the Politburo.
Because the U. S. S. r. has never
relented in its military preparation
and has improved its forces greatly
since World War II ended nomi-
nally, Moscow has the initiative.
At the present time the Soviet
Union is waging a war of nerves on
the western powers. But this cold
war can be changed into shooting
war whenever the Kremlin dictators
decide to do so.
This is the real meaning of the
push-button war, so frequently dis
cussed today. To some the express
sion means that by pushing a but
ton in Moscow destruction could
be wrought throughout the world.
But in the minds of military men
the expression means that when-
ever the Kremlin flashes the green
light. Red divisions and air groups
will start moving toward their OBJ
jectives in the west and the nom
Communist east.
Some persons in Washington,
London and Paris became aware
Of that possibility son after VI
day. They advocated a policy SINH
lar TO that Of Prime Minister Cham