Evening star., 1948-09-13
Russio and the USAF

Considering the explosive Ao0uie VI
events in Germany, the United States AIT
Force seems to be on thoroughly SOUND
ground In proposing the immediate
expenditure of s2O0,oO0,ooO on a sharp
expansion of its equipment program. Al
though 1t is difficult to believe that the
Russians are deliberately seeking q mill
tary showdown, their ugly provocatlons
have created such a dangerously tense
atmosphere that the possibility OF near
future war must definitely be reckoneo
with In the circumstances, there can be
mn doubt that the UsAF should ready itself
AZ fast and as we'll as 1t can to meet any
emergency.
Under the Air Force proposal bit more
than half the 5000, 100000 would be spent
on the purchase of 200 Jet fighters ana
thirteen B-50C bombers, the new and big
ger version of the B-29 Superfortresses.
This ALLEGATION has already been approved
bv Defense Secretary Forrestal The oal-
ance of the proposed expenditure would
90 for ten Boeing XB-47 jet bombers ana
for an increase In guided missiles, train
ers, helicepters, etc. This phase OF the
program has yet to be endorsed by Mr..
Forrestal and President Truman, but tne
indications are that they will give the 60
ahead signal, particularly because appro-
priations made by Congress last spring are
available to cover all but minor traction
of the total outlay involved
In some quarters the acquisition OF
these types of aircraft has been opposed
on the ground that they may become
obsolescent in fairly rapid order. Yet, even
though that may be the case In view OF the
swiftly changing nature of aviation, the
Air Force, in such hazardous period as
the present, cannot safely sit back and do
nothing while waiting for the kind OF
planes that may be available five or ten
years from now. Despite the costly obso-
lescence factor, it must equip itself with
the best that can be had at the moment.
If the world were not so unsettled, II the
peace outlook were less uncertain, there
would be good reason to wait. Things being
as they are, however, prudence would seem
to dictate that the AF acquire the most
advanced craft it can get within the I'M
mediate future.
Current maneuvers of our 1st Infantry
Division in Germany underscore the i'm
portance of keeping our Air Force as up
to-date as possible. The maneuvers, to
nobody's surprise, have served to demon
strate the well-known fact that our present
ground forces in Europe could offer, at
best, only shertlived resistance to any
determined Russian effort to over-run the
West This is so for the simple reason that
vastly superior numbers of Soviet and
satellite troops are within easy striking
distance of the positions we now hold
along with the British and French Ger
tainly, If the men of the Kremlin are
deferred by anything, they are not de-
TERED by our manpower abroad If they
are really toying with the idea Of spec
tacular aggression, they hesitate only
because of two factors: Cd our tremendous
potential for a protracted struggle, anc
CD our ability to retaliate swiftly with
massive blows from the sky, including
atomic attack.
All this speaks pretty much for itself
The Russians respect strength. They have
little reason to fear our European groune
forces but they have very great reason Il
fear our land, sea and sky potential to-