Evening star., 1948-09-26

Red Army Is not prepared to ngns
la war under conditions like those
which prevailed in 1889, to be sure.
But it must be remembered that
although in 1899 there was an Anglo
French force which was believed to
be capable OF standing against the
Nazi onslaught. there is absolutely
nothing standing in the way Of the
Russians today.
Reds Know Our Strength
Such deficiencies as exist in the
Soviet army might act as a deter
rent to men who want to gamble
with the fate of the world, If they
were uncertain about the military
forces which oppose them. But the
Russians know only too well what
active military units are on the other
side of the front line.
After careful checks the combat
strength of the Soviet ground forces
in Germany and Poland alone are
estimated conservatively at about
$4,000 men. This figure includes
two MVD divisions, which are as
fanatical as the old IS forces OF
Hitler. Over and above this there
are some 250,0O0 combat troops In
Austria, Hungary and Romania.
On our side the Americans, Brit
ish and French have total Of seven
combat pattalions in Berlin. Unless
they are pulled out in time these
men will be sacrificed like the men
of Bataan. On the Rhine there are
about eight American, British and
French divisions.
American combat forces in Ger
many do not exceed one and one.
half divisions. The British have
two and half and the French the
balance. The equipment of the
French forces leaves much to be
desired.
Are the B.29s a Deterrent?
The presence OF nearly 100 BIOS
in the European theater and the
threat of the atomic bomb are con-
sidered the trumps (which we hold
against the men in the Kremlin
and which might deter them from
aggression.
Opinion is divided, however. on
this score. American airmen be-
lieve that the 100 B-29s are power
full enough to give Moscow food for
thought and to make the Krennlin
realize the risk 1t would be taking
in launching World War III. Others.
however, are less confident that
these B-29s are a real deterrent,
because Red fighters could become
an embarrassing adversary for these
big bombers, whose numbers-even
if we add those in the United States
are not unlimited.
The funds appropriated for ma
tional defense in the fiscal year are
impressive-a little over SIS 1000, ,000,-
900. But that does not mean that
we are prepared for war.
Even now, when we are in deli
cate position, we see certain unions
provoking or on the point of pro-
voking new strikes in sensitive in
dustries. The Russians know
enough about conditions In the
United States to realize that 1t will
take some really drastic-and prac-
tically totalitarian-measures to do
a thorough job of anti-Red SANTA
tion so as 10 prevent large-scale
sabotage and interruption Of our
vital industries.
How Many Divisions?
A few weeks ago President Tru-
man said that when Pope Plus XII
was brought into a discussion at
the Potsdam Conference, Mr.. Stain
asked, How many divisions does
he have?" This represents the true
mentality of the present leaders Of
the U. s. S. r.
In planning their next moves the
Russians take into consideration not
morality or the risk Of conflict with
peoples who are determined not to
let Communist tyranny ride over
them, but only the exact total Of
combat forces in being in the coun-
tries they consider their potential
opponents.
On their side of the ledger, the
Russians see an enormous mass Of
ground forces capable Of operating
from Moscow to the Pacific and the
Atlantic without interference from
any quarter.
The Russians undoubtedly concede
that the United States has a strong
military potential. but right now
we are in the throes Of an intensive
election campaign and it appears
highly unlikely that the United
States will take any military action
before the elections.
The diplomatic mistakes commits
ted by the Democratic administra-
ton in the years after World War II
began have been so numerous that
to explain our present perilous posi-
ton will take a lot of ingenuity.
II we had today the same air
strength we had in 1945 and at least
half of the ground force we had at
that time in Europe and Asia there
is no question that the danger Of
war with Russia would be as remote
today as 1t was then.
We are dealing, however, with
people who believe only in numbers
of bayonets, tanks. field pieces and
planes. When they line up figures
and compare what they have and
what we do not have, the balance
leans heavily toward demand by
Moscow for a showdown In the near
future. Either We get out of Europe
altogether of our own volition tal-
though they may permit us to con-
tir1tfe sifnr}vinr E11rorean 0oyern~