“RUSSIA NOTHING TO GAIN BY WAR”

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 89, Issue 272, 17 November 1945, Page 5

“RUSSIA NOTHING TO GAIN BY WAR”

EISENHOWER’S VIEW

ADVOCATES COMPULSORY MILITARY TRAINING

Recd. 8 p.m. Washington Nov. 16. “Russia has not the slightest thing to gain by war with the United States and wants to be friends,” said General Eisenhower, giving evidence before the Military Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives. “There will never be war between Britain and America. I believe Russia’s policy is friendship towards America. Russia has a desperate continuing concern for the lot of the common man. Some Russians are concerned over the criticism of the Soviet by the United States press, but it is difficult for the Russians to understand the free press as operates in the United States.” Answering a question as to whom the United States has as potential aggressors, General Eisenhower said

he would not specify any nation, because it was impossible to foretell international developments. He added that years ago no one thought there would be a war with Germany or Japan. Compulsory military training was strongly urged by General Eisenhower. “If war comes again we won’t have time to train troops before we are faced with the final issue of defeat or victory,” he said. “Certainly it would be an unconscionable gamble on a fortuitous recurrence of time to prepare, as bought by our Allies’ blood in 1917 and in 1942. Returned soldiers constitute a trained reserve, but we must keep it constantly reinforced by younger increments, trained in the most advanced techniques and developments in warfare and technology.”