Evening star., 1954-01-07
Defense

Since our hope is peace, we
owe ourselves and the world a
candid explanation of the mil
itary measures we are taking
to make that peace secure.
AS we enter this new year.
our military power continues
to grow. This power is for our
own defense and to deter ag-
gression. We shall not be
aggressors, but we and our
allies have maintained and
will maintain massive capa-
bility to strike back.
Here are some of the con-
Siderations in our defense
planning:
First, while determined to
use atomic power to serve the
uSageS of peace. We take into
full account our great and
growing number of nuclear
weapons and the most effec-
tive means of using them
against an aggressor If they
are needed to preserve our
freedom. Our defense will be
stronger if. under appropriate
security safeguards, we share
with our allies certain knowl-
edge of the tactical use Of our
nuclear weapons. I urge the
Congress to provide the needed
authority.
Second. the usefulness OF
these new weapons creates
new relationships between men
and materials. These new re-
lationships permit economies
in the use of men as we build
forces suited to our situation
in the world today. AS will be
seen from the budget message
on January 81. the air power
of our Navy and Air Force is
receiving heavy emphasis.
Third, our armed forces
must regain maximum mobil-
ity of action. Our strategic
reserves must be centrally
placed and readily deployable
to meet sudden aggression
against ourselves and our
allies.
Fourth. our defense must
rest on trained manpower and
it's most economical and mobile
use. A professional, corps is
the heart If any security Or
ganization. 1t is necessarily
the teacher and leader Of those
who serve temporarily in the
discharge of the obligation to
help defend the Republic.
Pay alone will not retain in the
career service of our armed
forces the necessary numbers
of long-term personnel. /
strongly urge, therefore, a
more generous use of other
benefits important to service
morale. Among these are more
adequate living quarters and
family housing units, and med
ical care for dependents.
Studies of military man.
power have just been COM
pleted by the National Security
Training Commission and a
committee appointed by the
Director of the Office Of De-
fense Mobilization. Evident
weaknesses exist in the state
of readiness and organization
of our reserve forces. Meas
ures to correct these weak
nesses will be later submitted
to the Congress.
Fifth, the ability to convert
swiftly from partial to all-out
mobilization is imperative to
our security. For the first
time, mobilization officials
know what the requirements
are for 1000 major items
needed for military uses. These
data, now being related to
civilian requirements and our
supply potential. will show us
the gaps in our mobilization
base. Thus we shall have more
realistic plant-expansion and
stockpiling goals. We shall
speed their attainment. This
Nation is at last to have an
up-to-date mobilization base
the foundation of a sound de-
fense program.
Another part of this founda-
ton is, of course, our continen-
tai transport system. Some of
our vital heavy materials come
increasingly from Canada. In
deed our relations with Cam
ada, happily always close. in
volve more and more the un-