“MEANS OF SECURING PEACE”

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20898, 30 November 1937, Page 9

“MEANS OF SECURING PEACE”

REPORT OF WAR SECRETARY AMERICA’S DEFENCE PROGRAMME SUBSTANTIAL INCREASES ADVOCATED United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received November 29, 5.5 pan.) WASHINGTON, November 28. Mr Harry H. Woodring (United States Secretary for War), in his annual report to President Roosevelt, which is regarded as the bluntest for years, urges the further strengthening of the armed forces of the United States as the best means of securing peace in an “uneasy world made restless by actual and potential warfare.” Mr Woodring recommended that the Air Force should be maintained virtually on a wartime basis with an increase of enlisted officers to 14.500 and an enlisted personnel to 165,000, an increase in the National Guard to 210,000, the strengthening of the Coast Artillery, the enrolling of a reserve consisting of 150,000, and the enlisting of specialists and revision of the pay schedule to a scale comparable with that of civil life. “I certainly do not recommend that we should join in the feverish arms race,” Mr Woodring said. “Our national policy is wholly defensive. However, I believe, as an Insurance against attack, we should strengthen our forces.” He stated that the army at present possessed 1000 new planes with an additional 1000 ordered towards the goal of 2310 by June, 1940. “In the event of a major war the Air Force would probably be engaged immediately after the opening of hostilities. Therefore it is desirable,” Mr Woodring insisted, “to keep the Air Force almost on a war footing in peace time. The quality of the new planes would be at least equal, and probably superior to any military planes in the world. The army is the most efficient in peace time history, but relatively weaker than last year, because other nations increased their military strength at an enormous rate.”

“WAR IS GREAT FUN” AMAZING STATEMENT BY MUSSOLINI’S SON United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, November 28. According to Vittorio Mussolini, “War is great fun.” He utters this sentiment in Ills book “Flying over the Ethiopian Mountain Ranges,” in which he describes the bombing of the Galla cavalry: "One group of horsemen resembled a budding rose r. the bombs fell in their midst. It was exceptionally good fun. They were easy to hit because, as we were not too high up, they offered a perfect target. The greatest joy of the campaign was when we were ordered to drop incendiary bombs. It was fine and had a tragic but beautiful effect.”