The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1949-07-08
Special to Central Press

tary might in their global plan
ming.
The rearmament program
may help some, but it is doubt
ed that the sturdy islanders
will ever again be able to play
their role of holding the con-
tinent until American aid
comes.
The British Army itself is
less powerful than before World
War II because of budgetary
difficulties.
II is no longer so widely de-
ployed. Although India now is
a member of the Common
wealth, its 10 to IL divisions
which have formed a cogent
figure in estimating British
might can no longer be depend
ed on as a certainty in event of
hostilities.
The Royal Air Force has not
been kept abreast of the e
quirements set up for 1t. Its
planning has been long-range,
but short-term planning will
enter the picture when the arms
program gets under way.
The Royal Navy no longer
controls the seas, for the ships
of the United States took SUI
premacy over it and all enemy
fleets during the war.
However, the islands are a
bastion not to be written off in
ease war comes-and the tough
British people are rated per-
haps the staunchest allies of the
United States.
A flat charge of dictator
ship" has been hurled at De-
Tense Secretary Louis Johnson
by the national directors of the
Navy League of the United
States. The organization is
pressing an about attempt to
clip Johnson's wings.
The Navy League - which
calls itself the Civilian arm of
the Navy"-is marshalling its
strength to throttle in the House
the bill already passed by the
Senate which would greatly in
crease Johnson's power over all
the armed services.
In an urgent letter to men,
bers. Frank A. Hecht, League
> president, warned that the bill
would do great injury to the
national military establishment
and to the security and institu-
tions of our country"
Convinced that johnson re-
CARDS the Navy and the Marine
Corps as second-rate fighting
forces under present conditions,
and equally convinced that the
Defense secretary is wrong, the
League is preparing for a fin
ish fight.
The radar fence which is be-
ing built around the United
States and Canada is calculated
to cost the United States about
1871 million dollars.
That is the sum that Congress
is ready to spend. Actually,
however. the cost will be well
below that-probably only IS
millions. This is due to the
amount of radar equipment left
over from World War II which
is still serviceable.
The armed forces estimate
that they have on hand about
rs million dollars worth of good,
useable radar detectors for the
new warning network. A fact
little known to most Americans
is that this new network to de-
tect enemies approaching the
northern sector of the western
hemisphere is really the second
one this nation will have had.
The first warning screen ac-
tually was set up in World War
II and was very much in use.
There was nothing theoretical
about it. and il saved many
lives, particularly in the Alas
kan theater.
The East-West cold war"
which has chilled the chances
for a lasting peace since the end
of World War II, now appears
destined to be with us for a
long time to come.
When Russia signified her
willingness to end the blockade
of Berlin, the hopes of the West
ern Powers rose that the So
viets might be ready to nego-
tiate an overall settlement of
the issues that have split the
world into two armed camps.
At that time. there was spec
ulation that Russia wanted the
blockade lifted only because it
was harming her economy and
the economy of the eastern Eu-
ropean satellite countries. The
State department attitude was
cautious optimism"
Now the continued Soviet re-
Calcitrance at the Paris big