The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1953-10-10

the big question in official wash
ington has been what to do about
defense against Russian atomic
bombs, both conventional and by.
drogen.
The answer holds the key to
taxes, the budget. the national
economy. possibly even life itself.
Now, amid much speculation. de.
Tense officials apparently have
reached their fateful decision.
Secretary of Defense Wilson.
who next to President Eisenhower
is most directly responsible, and
presumably the best informed, told
news conference about 1t Tues
day.
He said the administration plans
Inc new about. multibillion-dollar
air defense system from the frozen
arctic TO home soil. a. some have
proposed.
Instead, he outlined q buildup
in continental air defenses costing
something like an additional 500
million dollars next year.
| Why? Are we leaving our homes
and factories inadequately guard.
ed against q frighdully real and
present danger?
No, Wilson says.
He said he doesn't think Russia
will have the bombs and planes
Ito launch sustained atomic war.
fare for about three more years.
The United States now Is three
Years ahead Of Russia, he said.
In short, he said he doesn't
think Russia viii start q war when
all the evidence shows she would
lose.
But il war should come. would
any amount of effort and expendi.
Iture really guarantee an invulner'
able defense?
No, many defense officials say.
Their theory Is that the hydro
Igen bomb potentially Is so destruc'
tive, 20 terrible. there Is no de-
Ifense-except peace.
The defense system mapped Out
Iby some scientists calls for tiers
Iof radar warning networks, guided
missiles and interceptor fighter
planes, to subject any enemy
bombers to constant attacks for
hundreds Of miles before they even
reach the United States.
Estimates Of the cost range from
l30 to more than 90 billion dollars
over a period Of years.
Some scientists believe q maxi
mum system could knock out 9!
to IS per cent Of invading planes.
Here are some of the factors
military officials have weighed
against this approach:
/. Many Of the proposed devices
and weapons are not perfected yet
Tor have not been tested. Some mil
Iitary officials voice doubts abou
Iclaims of an IS TO IS per cen
knockout of q raiding force.
2. But even IL only 5 to Is pc
cent of invaders get through, tn
devastation could be appalling.
they hit key spots, they might b
lenough to cripple any sustaine
lU. S. war effort.
3. And even if the United State
Iwere relatively impregnable, whi
labout the rest OF the free world
Certainly Western Europe, ASH
Africa and South America cannt
build such systems. The Unite
Estates does not want TO be lie.
Ialone, surrounded by an aerii
n lMaginot Line.
Il 4. The system would be designe
!, for defense against existing o
foreseeable Jet bombers. But b
> the time the system was CON
n pleted, these bombers might b
z obsolete, and q greater threat the
,. might be from huge guided mi
SHE'S, sub m arines or othe
weapons.
a S. The tremendous economic e
d fort required for such q relativel
stationary defense system woul
/" drain away funds from u. s. n
'taliatory striking power and d,
! velopment Of new offensive veal
u ons. And II would threaten val
b deficits, rapid imitation and ecoI
l. ,omic controls.
81 On the other side, supporters
an about continental defense "a