Milford chronicle., 1957-11-08
STAGGERING COSTS OF DEFENSE

Recent developments in Russia and care
full observations over the years show that
no one country can constantly keep it's de-
fense establishment prepared and ready for
a major war.
The cost of maintaining completely
modern Air Force, Navy and Army is so
staggering that no major country in the
world, not even the United States can keep
thoroughly modern military machine in
operation at all times. On the other hand,
dictatorship, or a nation in the control OF
one man or a few men, can gear their re-
armament and defense programs to GER
tain year and reach point, which has been
specified several years in advance, where
they are ready to initiate aggression. In
this sense the advantage lies with the ag-
gressor since he can plan and prepare for
certain year and then go to war.
AS an example of what we are talking
about, we would like to point out that the
United States today, despite the expendi-
ture of $38,000,000,O 900 on defense in the
current fiscal year, is not prepared with
sufficient number of modern weapons to
fight World War H. The Air Force has
number of modern aircraft, but as far as
the B-58 supersonic heavy jet bomber is
concerned we are just getting into produc-
tion on this model. AS for fighters, we have
a number of capable fighters, but are just
getting into production on the really mod
ern and 1,5OG-mile an hour class fighter.
And, IN the missiles field, it is obvious
we are tagging behind the Russians in
some fields at least.
In other words, despite the huge ex-
penditures in the United States in recent
years, we have not been able to keep our
selves at all times prepared for World War
III. A democracy must maintain its vigil
ance year in and year out and cannot point
for If md ic
the situation in which the United States
finds itself today.
No doubt when we have an adequate
fleet of super-carriers and guided missiles,
cruisers, and air-to-air missiles, and when
we are thoroughly supplied with the most
modern jet bombers and fighters, there will
be an urgent need for better missiles, more
accurate missiles and better and more mod
ern rockets, and so on. Because our defense
costs are remaining so high, there is little
prospect of tax cut next year-even though
this was widely talked in the last session of
Congress and freely predicted by many
members.
HORSEPOWER, SPEED AND DEATH
A years study by a committee, working
for the National Safety Council shows that
there is no conclusive relationship" be
tween higher horsepower and the rising traf
fic toll.
This is the report of committee headed
by Donald S. Berry, of Northwestern Uni
versity, which was submitted recently to
preliminary conference of the Annual Ma
tional Safety Council.
To those who have felt that increasing
horsepower ratings in automobiles have been
one of the principal causes of increased
death and accidents the report is of great
interest. The committee found that higher
i Il Il
of motor vehicles. But it found that much of
this potential was absorbed by softer tires
and in power accessories.
Moreover, the committee found that the
acceleration increase, derived from greater
horsepower, reduced the distance required
by one car to pass another, thereby contri-
buting to accident prevention. Thus the
committee, in this case, agreed with the
claims of automobile manufacturers, that
greater acceleration was more of a safety
factor than anything else.
The committee recommended maximum
speed limit of sixty miles an hour on most
highways, though not on all of them. 1t at
tackled the "speed trap" and the police team
working withzconcealed tactics, and recon-
mended that one-man police units, which it
argues are as productive as two-man Units,
should be used to maintain speed limits.
In our opinion, until both the riding pub
lie and manufacturers provide shoulder
straps, hydraulic bumpers and crash-proof
tops on automobiles, the present carnage on
the highways will continue. The safety de-
vices mentioned would, however, reduce
deaths on the highways by surprising per-
centage.
@&@0&
NOT MEN, BUT A SYSTEM
Sputnik and the dismissal Of Marshal
Zhukov from his post as Russian defense
minister are not necessarily serious defeats
for America. But they should have dissi-
pated the American habit of entertaining
sia's potential
The America which rose from Pearl Har-
Dor can prevent the Russians from overtak-
ing us. And concerning Zhukov, the lesson
is clear To hone for one man TO rise and end