Evening star., 1951-04-29

/ abomlnable sneak attack" Gu.
relations with Nippon had been
! in a critical phase for several
months, but the diplomats con-
tinued to discuss ways and means
of avoiding a break.
In spite of this critical diplo-
matte situation, the bulk of ou1
supplies were being sent to Britain
which was fighting for its life. Ac-
cording to testimony taken after
! the disaster, many American
planes at Hickam Field were not
armed. The administration offered
a plausible explanation for the
lack of preparedness in Hawaii
and the Philippines.
Explanation on Arms
We were not mobilized for war
it said. Our relations with Japan
were strained, but had not reached
the breaking point. Secretary OF
State Hull was conducting negotia-
tions with the japanese diplomats
in Washington and those negotia-
tions could have offered at least
temporary improvement OF the sit
uation.
President Roosevelt had ap-
pealed personally to the Emperor
of Japan and suggested a meeting
somewhere in the Pacific which
might have influenced the course
of events. Britain was fighting
with her back to the wall and un-
less we provided her with arms,
she might have been defeated by
the European members of the Axis,
who were fighting full-scale war
against her and Russia. The So
viets also had to be reinforced by
hook or by crook.
Our relations with the U. S. S. r.
are far more tense now than they
were with Japan in the months
preceding the sneak attack. There
! can be no excuse for the admin
/ istration leaving any holes in our
| defense setup. Russia is Waging
shooting war against us and is
attacking our armed forces by
throwing against us masses OF
Chinese Reds, whom she is supply
ing with equipment, military ad-
visers and planes.
May Jump the Gun
The Kremlin today-lnore than
Tokyo 10 years ago-considers
America its arch-enemy which
must be destroyed. Here military
preparations in the Far East are
well known to us and are of a
mature to increase the concern of
military men on the spot that
some bright morning she may
Jump the gun and confront us with
a sneak attack in Alaska.
The danger of our slowness to
develop the defenses of Alaska is
even greater when we consider
that a successful Soviet coup or
that Territory would place Sovie'
aviation within easy range of our
industrial centers in the West and
Middle West.
Hawaii is 1000 miles from the
West Coast. The japanese did not
possess planes which could reach
the American mainland and hurt
! it to any real extent. They were
not prepared for an amphibious
operation.
Alaska Is Key Point
The situation is totally differ
ent insofar as Alaska is concerned.
Soviet paratroop divisions, pre-
ceded by a strong Soviet air force,
could establish bases in that Tel
ritory and long-range planes-of
which Russia has a large num-
ber-could seriously injure our
defense plans and bring the war
to the American heartland.
The vital American defense
outpost receives little public
notice at this time, when public
attention is focused on the Ko-
rean battles, on highly spirited
debates over West European po-
tential, on our national security
and other major questions.
The fact is that we have less
than $4,000 men in the ground
and Air Force in Alaska. There
has been a satisfactory develop
lment of radar screens. But these
cannot develop a defense unless
there is an important Air Force
in the area. All radar can do is
give warning that the enemy is
coming. If the Air Force is not
sufficient to retaliate, that warn
ing is of only relative value.
Today we do not have a suf-
ficient number of planes in Alaska
Ito seriously oppose surprise Rus
sian aggression. The Territory is
!said to be frequently visited by