Evening star., 1952-03-06

in our loyalty TO that policy today.
The major national security pro-
grams ] am recommending for the
fiscal year 1853. including the
Mutual Security Program, total
about $64 billion. This re-
quest raises once again the ques-
ton whether the American Nation
can afford so much money for
national security. This is a serious
question. It requires a serious
answer.
National Production Expanding.
Certainly the total security pro-
|gram-of which the Mutual
Security Program is a relatively
small parts by any standard a
large one. It has resulted in some
unavoidable economic dislocationsI
and infiationary pressures. Yet,
the burden has been carried with
remarkably little strain.
The fundamental reason for this
lis that our national production has
been expanding rapidly, and viii
continue to rise. Security ex-
Ipenditures, measured in 1851
prices, rose about $18 billion from
1850 to 1851: but the increase in
our national output was even
llarger-totaling about $26 billion.
During the next two years, we
can continue to raise output by not
less than 5 per cent annually.
increasing the gross national prod
uct (at 1851 prices) to about
$340-345 billion In 1852, and
TO about '$355-360 billion in
1858, compared with 1927 billion
in 1851 and 1901 billion in 1850.
If output rises at this rate, we
will have increased our total
annual production about one
fifth in three years. Even with the
immense diversion to security
purposes, production should be
high enough, by the beginning
Of 1858, ito permit total civilian
consumption and capital invest
lment at least so per cent higher
than during World War II.
There will certainly be cutbacks
in some things. Yet, even if au-
tomobile production should drop
to around 4 million units this
year, it must be remembered that
this is only slightly less than the
average production of 1948 and
l949. II housing should dip below
l million units, it must be re-
|membered that we have succeeded
In producing more than / mil
lion units per year in only three
years Of our history. And as we
|expend our output Of vital ma
|terials such as steel and aluminium,
we can again increase the output
|of such civilian items.
All in all, our present security
expenditures are clearly within
our economic capacity. And as our
basic productive strength con-
|tinues to increase in the years
ahead, we should be able to carry
more easily the substantial Sc
curity costs which may continue
to be necessary.
Figure Cost Of Alternative.
Let us consider for q moment
the costs Of possible alternatives
to our present policy. -
The alternative Of premeditated
and deliberate war Is one which
no democratic or God-fearing
people can for q moment enter
tain. Even If we were insane
enough to consider it, however, it
would obviously entail expendi-
lures immensely greater than our
present ones, not to speak Of the
terrible waste and destruction of
human life. property. and natural
resources. .-s,...,
Another alternative-of contract
ing our commitments and retreat
ing to the Western Hemisphere
has a momentary seductiveness,
because it would seem to relieve
us of the contributions we are now
making to collective defense. But,
in fact, If we followed the policy
of retreat, we would have to try
to replace the contributions to
our security which now come from
the cooperation Of our Allies. We
could not replace some Of those
contributions at any cost; others
only at very high cost, not just
in money, resources and military
manpower, but in the precious
political and economic freedoms
we are mobilizipg to defend.
The policy of retreat would de-
prive us of armed forces which, If
called upon to fight for the defense
Of their own countries, would at
the same time be fighting for the
defense Of ours. It would deprive
us Of essential raw materials. 1T
would impose upon us a much
higher level Of mobilization than
we have today. It would require
a stringent and comprehensive
system of ALLEGATION and rationing
in order to husband our smaller
resources. It would require us to
become a garrison state. and to
impose upon ourselves a system of
centralized regimentation unlike
anything we have ever known.
In the end, when the enemy,
encouraged by our retreat, began
to organize the rest Of the world
against us, we would face the
prospect Of bloody battle-and on
our own shores The ultimate
costs of such a policy would be in
calculable.' It's adoption would be
q mandate for national suicide.
Asks for $7.9 Billion.
I am asking the Congress for
$7.9 billion for the Mutual Sc
curity Program-an amount which
will bring returns no other policy
could hope to produce so economi-
cally.
I am deeply convinced. after
studying the matter carefully, that
If there is any question about this
amount, 1t is not whether it is too
large, but whether it is too small. |
These funds are needed, all Of
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