U.S.A. FORCES

Grey River Argus, 30 November 1937, Page 5

U.S.A. FORCES

A LARGE INCREASE Recommended to President [Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] (Received November 29, 5.5 p.m.) WASHINGTON, November 28. General Woodring in his annual report to President Roosevelt, which is regarded as the bluntest report for years, urged the further strengthening of the armed forces as the best means of securing peace in "an uneasy world, made restless by actual and potential warfare.”

He has recommended that the Air Force be maintained virtually on -a war-time basis, with an increase in the enlisted officers to 14,500, and the enlisted personnel to 165 thousand. He recommends an increase of the National Guard to 210 thousand men. he also urges the Government to strengthen the coast artillery, and to enroll a reserve consisting of 150 thousand enlisted specialists. He also recommends that the Government revise the pay schedule to a scale comparable with that in civil life.

"I certainly do not recommend that we join in the feverish arms race,” he said. "our national policy is wholly defensive. However, I believe that, as an insurance against attack, we should strengthen our forces.” He stated that the Army of the United States at present possessed one thousand new planes, with an additional thousand ordered, towards the goal of 2310 planes by June, 1940. He says: "In the event of a major war, the Air Force would probably be engaged immediately after the opening df hostilities. Therefore, it is desirable to keep the Air Force almost on a war footing in peace-time. The quality of the new planes is at least equal, and probably superior, to any other military planes in the world. Our Army is now the most efficient in our peace-time history, but it is relatively weaker than it was last year, because other nations have increased their military strength at an enormous rate.”