Evening star., 1950-03-19
REP. Unison Sees War Unlikely,
Barring Unexpected Incident
But He Predicts
Eost-West Rift
Will Go On and On
By Marie T. Brown

North American Newspaper Alliance.)
Chairman Carl Vinson of the
House Committee on Armed Serv-
ices said today that he saw no
likelihood of shooting war soon,
barring some unexpected, un-
planned international incident
that might inflame emotions on
both Sides" .
There has been so much hys-
terra. bordering on despair, that
it is high time We got our feet
on the ground. and maybe what
have to say will help" Mr.. Vim
son said. He added that the cold
war between the East and West
will continue indefinitely.
Mr.. Vinson said that we have
to reach an assumption about the
likelihood of war, and when it
will come. because the, answer to
| that affects, to major degree,
the adequacy of our defenses to-
day.
II think there is little doubt
that we are acceptably we'll pre-
pared today" he declared.
His Principal Reasons.
Mr.. Vinsen outlined some of the
principal reasons that Russia
would not start a shooting war
soon. as follows:
/. Russia was very seriously in
jured in the recent war. She
has yet to recover, to regain the
lost ground.
2. She is deficient in many of
the critical materials needed to
fight great war.
3. She has an explosive situa-
ton on her hands in the satellite
countries and in Russia as we'll,
with sullen masses of people ready
to seize any opportunity to re-
lieve themselves from bondage.
Communist doctrine holds that
time is on the side of Commu-
nism," Mr.. Vinson continued. so
that, if the Communists are pa
tient. the United States and all
capitalist societies will collapse
under their stresses and strains.
The Communists hold the view
that direct military action should
be restored to only as a last meas
ure. after political warfare has
crumbled effective resistance"
Such doctrine would resist the
idea of an all-out assault on a
mighty nation which could only
lead to q worldwide war, he
said.
Parallels Misleading.
He said that drawing of paral-
lels between the strength Of our
own armed forces and Russia's is
misleading. He said the story
usually runs like this: Russia has
some 2 million to 4 million men
under arms. We have only about
LIS million. Russia has 270 SUB
marines; we have only about 10.
Russia has from 10000 to $4,000
f1rst-line aircraft; we have only
1000 or so. Russia can attack the
United States directly by using
the B-29 type of bomber of which
she has 800. Russia outnumbers us
Z to ! in tanks.
Z From this. Mr.. Vinson said, peo-
pie think we are in such imme-
diate and serious peril that a
drastic increase in our armed
services is necessary at once.
However" he said, much of
Russia's manpower must be con-
sumed in keeping hold over the
diSsident elements within and on
the borders of Russia, and should
be marked down accordingly.
Moreover. the United States man
power figures have ignored all
British. Canadian. Australian,
French. Dutch and Belgian man
power who could surely join us
in a major war"
Mr.. Vinson said that Russian
submarines are the most serious
threat. Hence submarine construc-
tion is the No. U. S. national de-
Tense project. However, he finds
comfort in tho fact that mn h;oh