Evening star., 1950-07-09

.
GUS and cruel than that Of any
Western dictator-and particular
ly en- the increase of the Soviet
armed forces, far beyond it's nor
NAL needs.
Since the end of the war we
and the rest of the Western ma
tions, relying on the untested
magic powers of the United Ma
tions, have reduced our armed
forces to little more than con-
stabulary. Under political pres
sure we pulverized our ground, all
and naval forces quickly after vi
day.
Our political leaders, and many
of our military men. refused to
realize that we had created a
FrankenStein from the shambles
of the Nazi-Fascist dictatorship
They did not believe in the proof
of Kremlin trickery and assumed
that our earnest attempts to es-
tablish some order in a devastated
world would-of necessity-be
indorsed by the II men who die
tate to hundreds of millions.
Quickly Demobilized
While we were spending our
substance helping our Allies, neu-
trails and even former enemies re-
habilitate themselves, on the
sound theory that satisfied peoples
will not seek wars, Russia was
sulking, demanding more territory
and taking it by ruse while build
ing up her obsolete military forces.
The United States, the only re-
manning Western nation with a
good war potential, was busy
beating it's swords into plowshares.
After the war we actually threw
away and destroyed enough war
material to equip all the man
power of the nations which stand
with us in these trying hours.
We put into mothballs ships
which, at this time, could give
real assistance to the nations
which either already are under
attack by the Kremlin imperial
lists puppet or are on the point
of being invaded.
The development Of the atom
bomb gave us a feeling Of false
security. Our advances in modern
aviation led many politicians to
believe that ground and naval
forces were as obsolete as medieval
archers. Even if suspicious that
Russia wanted to unleash another
war were well-founded, it was be-
lieved, our planes could break the
backbone of Russia's power in a
few weeks of intense air raids.
A bitter battle against this IL
fusion took place in Washington,
with the rest of the American
people sitting on the sidelines and
taking sides with the advocates
of air power alone. because it ap-
Ipeared far more convenient to
build planes than to maintain
Obsolete armies and navies.
But we did not even follow this
mistaken doctrine. When the air
men demanded 10 air groups as a
minimum for national security
and their request was approved by
Congress, the executive branch
decided it was too much and on
its own authority cut the appro-
priation to permit the creation of
only 48 groups.
Our top political leaders. be-
lieving firmly in peace even if
Russia rendered it somewhat pre-
|carious, were loath to spend more
billions than in their opinion were
absolutely necessary. There was
money to pay for subsidies on
eggs, potatoes and other agricul-
tural products. But since we were
operating on a deficit basis, the
money had to be saved somewhere.
Russia Powerful
Cuts in the armed services have
always been popular with the vot-
ers, who always like to believe
that wars are never in the offlng.
And we cut deeply into our mill
tary strength. This is not said in
a spirit of hostile criticism of our
present leaders. They, too, be-
lieved-and some now still believe
that Russia was bluffing and
would never have the potential to
wage war on us, no mater how
great an effort she might make.
At this critical time the situa-
ton is as follows:
Russian ground force strength
is conservatively estimated at 174
divisions (about $4,000 men to
each division. According to a
survey presented by the Joint
Chiefs of Staff to Congress last
spring Moscow would mobilize
within a relatively short time
not more than six months-an-
other 100 divisions. In addition
to this national force there are be-
tween 100000 and IL million
Chinese Reds adequately equipped
to tight in Asia. Besides these
there were some 100000 troops
indifferent in quality and of ques-
tlonable loyalty-in the countries
behind the iron curtain in
Europe; some 100000 Koreans
and hundreds of thousands of
fifth columnists, subversives and
other kinds of Red followers
throughout Europe, Asia, South
America and even the United
States.
While We were playing marbles
and coddling traitors, subversives
and fifth columnists in our midst.
the Russians were getting ready
to play for keeps.
In addition to these ground
forces-and fifth columnists can
be even more dangerous thao