The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1949-04-22
is World War iii
Imminent?

There seems to be an organized
effort to keep the cold war close t,
boiling point, just short of exploding
like the Farben chemical works 0,
World War | and III. If war comes
no holds will be barred and the wal
will be more barbarous than any
heretofore to combatants and civil
ians alike.
While poison gas has been out.
lawed as a weapon of war, the atom
bomb which creates the deadliest gas
or radiation known today, was used
in the last war and it is openly
boasted that it will be used again,
if necessary. Of course, it was no
more necessary against defeated
Japan than it would be against any
future opponent. AS no nation
would relish to be the first to use
it, it would simply be a matter of
CASTOR and Alphonse, each one
blaming the other for starting it.
Strategic Bases
U. S. has Russia surrounded on
three sides with actual, and poten-
tial bases from which to launch air
all the way from Greenland
to Philippine Islands and Japan while
Russia has no such bases anywhere
near Continental U. S.
Barring the use of atom bombs,
poison gas and bacteria, of which
Russia may have a supply too, she
S in stronger geographical posi-
ion for defense than U. S. but as
ither side is practically immune
rom a land invasion by the other,
hat can be ruled out as of no vital
Importance as the decisive factors in
he war will be: air power first and |
empower second.
Russia has an airfleet and Snorkel
lb-fleet second to none and u. S.
Observation-Disclosures is much over ex-
ended for practical defense. Posi-
ons in China, Korea, Philippine
lands and Japan would likely be
acated instead of using the troops
ERE as expendables and the Iran
fields would be impossible to hold. S
fact, the oil fields there would be 1
| easy mark for the Baku air-fleet 1
take over or destroy. She would I
we mainland air bases in China, G
orea, and Vladivostok and, with the q
d of her submarines would control t
e Chamkhatka sea, the China sea g
Id the sea of Japan and her subs 2
ay havoc with our Pacific COM t
cree.
In case of a war-of-attrition, it
'uld be a costly struggle between
S. navy and Russia subs with pos a
'ly no decisive victory for either, e
t our Oriental trade would be def "
tely broken. Our most valuable
d most vulnerable foreign asset, y
anian oil would be lost, for the d
ne being, at least. e.
U. S. Navy would be practically u
full control of all the oceans, ex- 81
ot the Arctic which would be most
in Russia's hands, at least from So
tsame to Boring Strait. ii
Could Russia Be Isolated Oh
Her northern-sea-route could be -
in Boring Strait from the Alaska "a
e but she only uses that part little
re than three months in a year M
account of ice. The Baltic traf-
could be blocked in the North
!, leaving her but two exits to
ocean trade. This would no
bit, hurt her to some extent, but -,
I'D not seriously effect her in -,
lal economy as she is more self M;
ficient in raw material than any 90
er country, United States in 10,
led.
IN the other hand, the disruption *e
between U. S. and Eur
and the Far East could have pa
strous effect on our internal sii'
lomy. If we had no actual, or ~
entail enemy, it would be neces- III