MUST MODIFY ARMY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 33, 9 February 1943, Page 3

MUST MODIFY ARMY

Ex-President Hoover On Danger Of Shortages NEEDS OF INDUSTRY

Rec. 1 p.m. WASHINGTON, Feb. 8. After testifying to the Senate Committee behind closed doors, Mr. Herbert Hoover, former President, told the Press tnat the size of the army must be modified. "America will face an extremely grave shortage of food, metals and oil unless 1,000,000 workers are withdrawn from the army or other industries and transferred to farms, factories and mines, he stated. "If we attempt too much on the military side we may commit the fatal error of over-straining the home front and damaging our effectiveness." Mr. Hoover expressed the opinion that, including the defeat of Japan, the Allies must envisage war for at least another three years. Prudence envisaged the possibility of five years. He said the European Axis had now passed its zenith and was steadily degenerating. Japan could not grow stronger, whereas Britain and America were steadily growing on the military front. "Time runs In our favour. Therefore, we need not try to do everything at once," he declared.