VAST WAR EFFORT

Evening Star, Issue 23377, 21 September 1939, Page 8

VAST WAR EFFORT

American Preparations If Required Expansion of All Armed Forces Aircraft Production on Vast Scale Machinery Ready for Organising Whole Nation Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. WASHINGTON, September 20. Although President Eoosevelt indicated to-day that he hoped the United States would avoid war, Navy, War, and State Department officials disclosed that detailed plans for a vast war effort were being prepared for presentation to Congress if, or when, required. The programme contemplated an immediate allocation of two billion dollars for expansion of the land and sea forces, a 20 billion (approximately £4,000,000,000) war Budget, and the doubling of the navy to provide fleets in both the Atlantic and the Pacific at an ultimate cost of six biilions. The immediate initiation of aircraft construction on a vast scale was also envisaged. The Mayors of the leading United States cities at a conference to-day voted by 34 to 11 in favour of the lifting of the arms embargo. “ If America decides to go to war, she will go in a hurry. This statement was contained in a recent review of the steps that had been taken by official departments to create machinery for the organisation of the nation on a war-time basis if a world conflict should come. Cabled advice was received at the end of last week to the effect that the United States Government intended this week to implement a plan for the training of 11,000 college students to provide a reservoir of pilots. The message also stated that ■ America could have 1,000,000 men drafted to the army within 90 days. The plan, apparently, is that known as “ M Day ”—mobilisation day. In the Great War a feverish appeal to American patriotism netted only 86,000 in the first month. An army of 3,500,000 was needed. The United States apparently does not intend to have a repetition of this mistake. The M Day plan envisages the calling up immediately after the declaration of war by the United States Government of men in various classes. It is estimated that this will produce 300,000 men every 30 days, or 4,000,000 every 12 months. ''The plans for this mobilisation are claimed to be on a scale of thoroughness unsurpassed by even the great Powers of Europe.

GERMAN AIR FORCE HEAVY LOSSES IN POLAND APPEAL TO NAZI YOUTH COPENHAGEN, September 20. An' open admission that the German Air Force suffered heavily in the Polish conflict is given by an appeal to Nazi Youth between the ages of 17 and 20 years to join the flying personnel. It is estimated that the Germans lost 1,000 airmen in Poland. The newspapers admit great activity by Polish guerrillas behind the front, where 100 Germans have been sniped, including Major-general Wilhelm lloettig, Inspector-General of Germany’s gendarmes. GERMAN PILOTS REMOVAL FROM PANAMA SERVICES WASHINGTON, September 20. The State Department is negotiating with the Government of Colombia for the elimination of 20 German pilots of the. German-financed Scadta Airways, operating near the Panama Canal. The company has tour Junkers bombers, but has not used them commercially. It is estimated that 100 German pilots are flying commercial planes in South America. FINNISH STEAMERS SEIZED BOUND FOR BRITAIN German warships seized and have "* taken to Hamburg two Britain-bound Finnish steamers carrying paper, cellulose, plywood, and cheese. COURAGEOUS SINKING FINAL LIST OF SURVIVORS LONDON, September 20 The Admiralty has further revised the of Courageous survivors. It now states that 72 officers and 610 ratings were saved, and deeply regrets that th.s must be regarded as the final list. This means that 18 officers and. 560 ratings have been lost. A noble epitaph for the captain of the Courageous was supplied by_ William Furze, A. 8., one ol the survivors, who said, “ The last I 'saw of the •kipper was when he was saluting the . ensign.” ,

r STIRRING APPEAL TO CZECHS NAZISM MUST BE DESTROYED DR BENES ADDRESSES HIS COUNTRYMEN LONDON, September 20. ’ Dr Benes was introduced as thp second President of the Czecho-Slovakian Republic in a broadcast from the 8.8.0. last evening, and he made a stirring call to his countrymen to rally to the standard and help to stamp out Nazism. He said the mad barbarism abroad in Europe showed that the Nazi loaders were aware that the regime was ending. He called on Czechs to arise on the old frontiers. Czech soldiers were rallying to fight with the Allied armies, whose aircraft would fly over Czech towns, giving encouragement and assistance. "‘Do not submit, hold fast to the flag," he said. “At this moment we are here and you there in open fight with German Nazis, against whom wo abroad have declared war in the name of the Czocho-Slovak nation. The war will not cease until the Nazi regime is destroyed. Let us pledge ourselves that, from this day we shall each of us stand unshakable and uncompromising in the daily struggle against a criminal regime and against an enemy who has defiled our holy cause and who will pay dearly for it. Now let us go forward, united in our struggle for a free Czecho-Slovakia in a 1 free Europe.” ARRIVAL IN FRANCE FIRST SENEGALESE BATTALIONS PARIS, September 20. (Received September 21, at 8 a.m.) It is officially stated that the first Senegalese battalions are now arriving in France from Afrcia. PUBLIC CALM IN BRITAIN HEAVY SAVINGS BANK DEPOSITS LONDON, September 20. (Received September 21, at 8 a.m.) Symptomatic of the public calm during the' recent crisis and the country’s entry into the war is the fact that more money was deposited in the Post Office Savings Bank during the nine days ended September 6 than was taken out. The deposits amounted to £4,70").200. The total amount deposited with the Post Office Savings Bank at the end of August nas £937,500,000.