Imperialists Plan Postwar Mobilization
BELL, DANIEL
Imperialists Plan Postwar Mobilization By Daniel Bell Tk MOST of the postwar .1^/1 talk going arawnd r*M' deals with desnebilisation; this article It going to talk about peetwe»r...
...Britain's hold on India dictates her political policy as regards the Middle East, Suez, the Mediterranean, and Gibraltar...
...for plans are now being laid fee a militarised postwar America, for a "permanent war economy " The plana for postwar a*B4!iiaiioji revolve around three topics, practically gas* of which received much notice: J. A plan far stockpiling raw materials, a. Proposals far the acquisition of air and naval bases oversees...
...The lstest Congressional (Committee to study the situation, the House Committee headed by Representative Hebert, recommended that the bases we have taken over on a 99-year lease, mainly in the Caribbean, be absorbed by America, and that we make arrangements with Brazil to continue military bases there under American control...
...The same article revealed the proposals of William L. Batt, U. S. member of the Allied Combined Raw Materials Board, for amassing raw materials, minerals, and metals, as payment for foreign trade and the creation of "strategic hoards...
...shared with countries owning territories, in the basic raw material resoerces af colonial holdings...
...Oil reserves must be secured, minersl and metal stockpiles must be built, rubber supplies must be created...
...T'HIS conception of America as the world's greatest power that has arisen inevitably out of our role in the war means vast changes in our economic system, many of which are not yet fully appreciated...
...Manchuria...
...Army men of the War Department Special Planning Division talk of a permanent army of two million...
...Yet, some sort of arrangement undoubtedly will be made...
...It is stated that this problem arose in the recent Berle. Beaverbrook conferences in London over sviation policy...
...Hesriags hsve been under wsy for the past two weeks, snd out of these will come, apparently, s systemstizstion of the protects submitted by WPB snd the Services...
...And it is no accident that while cries have arisen for far-flung bases, plans have been laid closer to home for the creation of stockpiles and for the financing of "educational orders" for steel and armaments firms...
...They are the plan, of groups of hard-headed basilnoes and service omri.U who think In term, af basic power politics...
...One of the factors censing great agitation is that 'American lend-lease funds have built numerous landing fields, drydocks, coaling stations, etc., which will revert to outside control six months sfter the war...
...As matters stand at the moment, the II...
...It i« important to note that moat of the basea demanded lie in the Pacific area...
...It Is strange that en these issues there are no "interaatienalists'' or "isolationists " They both want Amorist te be a major military power after the war...
...Other aspects of the program are: "educational orders'' for war goods to keep plants prepared for military production...
...a compulsory conscription system...
...One greap, the natlsas af the old internationalist fsctiea, would week with Britain, bat place -her ia the statu, of a "Jneior partner...
...the seeend showed American troops storming the breaehheads...
...The other group, clustering aheat the old isolationist core, would build a wsll sf battleships and sirplanes sround the hemi nphsits and the Pacific and make these sreas exclusive American property...
...8. control or some international body...
...American "geo-politics" must secure the line from Dakar to Natal, as well as Caribbean bases to guard the Panama Canal approaches...
...At the same time, the May bill, up in Congress new, would provide for a permanent training system of 17 and 18 year olds which would give the country an army of five million men under training at any particular moment...
...Latin American and China both havs bees major spheres of British influence...
...Congressmen Wood rem hss been one of the chief leaders of the "Economy Bloc" in Congress, having fought WPA and similar measure., bat the program baiag elaborated by his committee woald be the most costly in U. 8. peacetime history...
...Similarly, the extension of American power southward into Latin America, eastward towards the African coast, and westward towards China, means the creation of huge air and naval forces, as well as a political policy that will keep those areas under American protection...
...Whether the British would be willing to turn over strategic islands and airfields for planes is another problem...
...Apart, however, from the question of our relation - ships vis-a-vis the British, there are certain internal problems that arise and must be analyzed...
...One recent suggestion, the swapping of American planes for British bases, has received careful thought...
...The most rambunctious note was struck recently by the Hearst press...
...The basic program would involve State intervention In commercial and industrial operations which are the core of a war economy...
...S. Leg-illative measures for permanent compulsory conscription...
...They are net nee" the policy af the Administration — the Administration has no policy as yet...
...The situation wsa first brought to public attention by the five Senators who circled the globe...
...There is talk of subsidising shipping, aviation, shipbuilding, synthetic rubber, and of merging the foreign communications system...
...today they j Ism passed over fa Amerkaa central...
...these representative* would earry a reserve commission of Colonel...
...this article It going to talk about peetwe»r meM'ifotien...
...It is not amiss to note that meat of the talk about bases revolves about tare sreas: the Caribbean and the South American teJge', and ths chain of Pacific island stepping asanas which sre necessary for airfielda aad naval statical...
...The reaction to the latter proposal was immediate...
...S. has a perfected commercial air organization, a large fleet and a trained skilled personnel...
...It is here at this paint tbst Americas iadaatrial groups divide...
...in the second sense they mean an attempt at economic and political hegemony over the areas sought...
...These are vital outposts on her route to India...
...This writer revealed in the January 29 issue af The New Leader a plan of Charles E. Wilson, vice-chairman of the War Production Board, for the building of a "permanent war economy.'* Wilson proposed a tontin urn g arms program with subsidies given to steel firms for the production of arms...
...and the Dstch East Indies would be mandated either under ll...
...The obtaining of faraway bases and strategic islands means the extension of national "lifelines" and the expansion of military forces...
...The first picture showed Tarawa as a peaceful island held by the British...
...Indo China, Hong-Kong, the Malay Statea...
...The hey featare of the proposal, is a plan far asms measare of "equity control...
...Basea in the immediate sense mesn military domination...
...The quest for bases represents only an outpost in American imperialistic ventures...
...Futurf article* by Daniel Btll will discuss tko role of Britain in the world economy and her fxght to regain her export trade—the key to her turxtival...
...Actually this represents an attempt to thrust America aquarely into the Oriental picture and exclude commercial rivals...
...The Wall Street Journal reports, aa an extension to the plan submitted to the Wood rum Committee, "imports and exports would be 'managed,' perhaps by credit Controls, in accordance with a policy of determining which foreign countries shall be industrialised with our aid...
...Side by side with the Woodrum program, another series of proposals have been advanced by s bloc of Administration official, which call, far the repayment of lend-lease by raw material, and a shsre in the exploitation of colonial empires...
...retention of some government plants, especislly munitions plants, to serve as warehouses for stockpiles...
...Brazilian papers which have been friendly to the Yanqui immediately protested...
...domestic industry would be subsidised, either through price pegging or direct payments/ to lower their own production...
...He further suggested the creation of an "Industrial coordinating commission" composed of representatives of leading steel firms who would act as liaison with the army...
...Under this plan...
...seise Tarawa and the Gilberts as American possessions...
...These, then, are the plans for a far flung American expansionism...
...the British hsve their bases sll over the world...
...SINCE thea these plana have been advanced la the work of the Hoeee Post War Military Policy Committee headed by Congreasmsa Woodrum...
...In any event, the I 8. would be sure of a goodly ahare of the raw materials from theae areas...
...The latter proposal is fsrthest advanced of all...
...Prooccapied with "American" inter..i...
...The logic of the situation also means that the sinews of war must be amassed as well...
...Ih.« fall la see thst oar changed position in the world economy must bring as into closer integration with other countries if we are to have security and peaceful trsde...
...the third showed the American dead, citing the fact that 1,020 died in 72 hours of fighting...
...The talk af bases, preparedness and stockpiles Is lass a plan far a fatare war than a means of American imperialism—and mainly at the expense af the British...
...In its May 1 issue, the Ceiia Mirror ran an editorial in "pictures," which called upon America te...
...The fourth carried ike caption: British Won, and asks: Witt Britain continue te sum and rnU iolandt bought with American blood, yital to Amtriean dtfentef » ? • npHESE same questions are asked in a calmer vein ' by Governor Bricker of Ohio, such diverse men or groups as a sub-Committee of the House Naval Affairs Committee, and by the N. Y. Timet in a series of articles by Russell Porter...
...Such plans, calling for Imperial expansion, can only lead to new clashes and another world war...
...They are not dictated by any consideration for colonial peoples or even basically by the need of collective security...
...Korea, Formosa, Thailand...
...The powerful 0 Journal pointed out: "It would be ridiculous to win the war against the Axis, only to lose to America, our most powerful ally...
...Since then there has been increasing talk of the "sucker" role of America...
Vol. 27 • May 1944 • No. 20
