The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1951-01-05
OTHER EDITORS
BASIC ERROR" OF "OUR
PEOPLE THEMSELVES"
I'm the Roanoke Reaconl

Twice in the last thirty years
the United States has emerged
victorious from tremendous wars
and twice the nation has precipi-
lately Abandoned all semblance Of
a well-equipped, well-trained,
ready-to-fight military force.
The military men tell US, almost
without exception, that our unpre-
paredness cost the nation untold
dollars and heavy casualties. Both
would have been lower if the
nation had maintained a balanced
fighting force of reasonable size
for it's defense.
The war in Korea, as General
George C. Marshall points out, re-
quired the nation to fight the first
day and there is no reason to think
that he is wrong when he warns
that the nation can no longer
"count upon years or even months
in which to prepare after the war
is on"
The Secretary of Defense ex-
presses the fear that, after the
fighting in Korea ends, we will
repeat our behavior of the past.
After both world wars there arose
an incessant demand that the boys
be demobilized and something of
public reaction set in against
the continuance of anything like
an adequate fighting force.
| After the first World War there
was an effort to set up an enduring
defense pattern but it was emas-
culated as an economy wave hit
the nation. Tax reduction was more
important than preparedness for
war. The mistake was seen when
the second World War engulfed
us but it was too late to prevent
unnecessary losses in money and
men.
After the rapid rehabilitation
that followed the second World
War there was another exhibition
of unwillingness to support a
strong defensive force and, as Mr..
Marshall says, "an almost vio-
lent dip to a new low in the midst
of dangerous world" Of course,
in these latter years there was the
insistent cry for economy in gov
ernmental spending which as a
rule, leads to drastic cut in ap-
ropriations for the armed servi-
|ces.
In 1947, General Marshall con-
tinues, when he was Secretary Of
State, there were those who urg-
led the nation to "pour it on the
Soviets and give them hell" de-
spite the fact that any such effort
would have had the support of
only one and a half divisions of
infantry available for service. He
urges the nation to avoid future
lapses into weakness even if there
seems to be no sign of war on the
horizon.
Another interesting point made
by the general relates to the "af-
termath Of the BATTLE" which was
followed by determinations, in
vestigations, and demands for &C.
counting" on the assumption that
precious lives could have been
saved and money and resources
used to better advantage. cal
ways" he adds, "there has been
drive to find scapegoats to
shoulder the blame" for a situa-
ton inevitable once the nation had
developed an unwillingness to
sanction an enduring posture of
defense that would discourage ag-
gression."
Speaking bluntly this high Off
cial, who enjoys the respect of
the vast majority of his fellow
Americans, declares that "the
basic error has always been with
the American people themselves. !"
He expresses the hope that the
people of this country will will
ingly support an enduring system
of defense, one that twill not col
lapse at every change of the wind
and temperature" and will "keep
us preparing for any emergency
without sapping our economic