1941-01-25 — Page 7

THE CHINA.MAIL, JANUARY 25, 1941.

CHINA MAIL

"WINDSOR HOUSE

WHERE NEXT?

Uncle Sam

Alaska hums to-day with ac- fivity such as it has not seen since the gold rush. Bulldozers hock the frozen ground into huge land- ing fields. Blue smoke from burning stump piles mingles with the clouds of dust kicked up by mammoth trucks loaded with structural steel for

ammunition sheds and hangars. Barracks rise against the background of snow-

What's all the excitement?

the entire

Alaska

Arms

Corey Ford And Alastair MacBain

ed at the Army and Navy strong- holds. The CAA is also develop- ing scores of civilian pilots each year, trained to operate on wheels, floats and skis. In time of emer- gency they may form a vital Alaskan home guard.

The Navy's programme for, the defence of Alaska's 26,000 miles of coast line, much of it still un- charted, is starting virtually from Dutch Harbour in the Aleutians is the strategic cross-

As far back as November, Italy was experiencing some of those humiliating setbacks which have now obliged her to submit he fighting forces to German con- trol. When Italy began her mem- orable retreat in Albania, conjec- ture was rife as to what action Hitler would take in regard to capped peaks. his partner and it is interesting

Pearl Harbour. Hawati, he would Obviously the only way to de-scratch. still be 2,500 miles from California. fend a country like this is by n to note that to-day, after weeks

South-eastern Alaska, however, | series of Navy air and submarine of apparent indecision, the Ger-

Between Alaska and Suvietis only 700 miles from Seattle, bases strategically located along Russia are only 56 miles of open little more than the distance from the coast, and Army air bases in man Fuehrer is still in much the

London to Berlin, water Dominating

three hours' | the interior, each with its own same position as he was then. It

casy bomber flight. The whole garrison, each independent of the Berm, Strait is the is true he is reported to

carefully Pacific Coast and even parts of others: trained pilots, broken to have

guarded Russin base at East Cape, the Middle West would be within winter flying; and "planes, 'planes, moved his troops here and there,

Tange of long-distance bombers 'planes. [|| Benow it is the Gulf of Anadyr, based in Aluska. but when all Is said and done

where a fully equioped naval and these movements amount to hitle

a base is less than 100 iniles At the most they appear to be from our chores. A bit farther more of a precautionary measureuth are a dozen more air sta- in ca he decides on their ԱՏ tions. On the Komandorskie in any particular part of Europe. ¦ Islands, 289 miles from our Aleu- tion chain, is a vital Soviet sub- As Hitler's military moves dur-

marine base where German off- ing the past two months havu

curs ass st in training the crews. not proved to be of a very serious | And off the tip of Kamchatka is nature, his great diplomatic offen- sive, which he has undoubtedly a huge Japanese naval base been waging with great energy.

Paramoshiri Island, only 700 miles has also apparently not

been from U.S. territory. greatly successful. France has not yet juined the Axis though Mar- Perhaps these Russian and Jap- shal Petain has, after weeks of ane bases are aimed at each negotiating and pressure by Ger-ther. Perhaps the Japan-Nazi

many, agreed to smooth over his pact holds no threat for our Paci- disagreement with M. Laval, the

fic Northwest. Perhaps there is

most ordent German supporter.

Spain likewise, is lukewarin, Much no menace in the fact that the as she would like to possess Gi- new Great Northern Sen Route braltar and Morocco with suzer

• ainty

over Portugal, General Franco is not altogether sure that these aspirations would be grati- fied even if Germany won. starving country, dependent most entirely upon outside sup- plies, is also hardly in a position But our Army and Navy are to bite the hand which feeds her

laking no chances. A joint Rus- In other words, the country, suf- fering as it still is from the re-

so-Japanese attack on the U.S. sults of civil war, is almost en-

through Alaska, while Hitler tirely dependent on the wheat strikes from the Atlantic, would allowed in by Great Britain, be no more impossible than all which would certainly be stopped the other impossible things which should Spain enter оп the side have happened in the past year. of Germany. King Boris has un-

and Stalin Air Route, whose com- mercial 'planes fly daily within 60 miles of the United States, makes A Russia the most important mili- al-tary power at the top of the world!

+

•

til now held off from signing on

You hear stories in Alaska these

A small enemy force could hold Alaska against enormous odds Her narrow

fjords and hidden harbours, free from jeg all year, afford ideal protection; and sup-| Norway, with a similar const line, plies could be brought in readily.

was held by a handful of Nazis despite everything the British could throw against them - and in the event of trouble our Navy would be needed in a dozen other places.

the dut'ed line, though it may days. The story of a Russian air be he could be forced to do 0 base un Big Diomede Island, sepa- should German troops demand a right-of-way through Bulgaria, Itated by only a mile of open water has been suggested that Russia. from America's Little Diomede, interested in Bulgaria, bought was a result of hysteria, as you Germany off by the recent So- could see at a glance by flying viet-German economic pact. Whe-as I did over the boulder-strewn ther this is the case or not can- island. "Why should Russia build not be verified, but Germany has not made the anticipated entry

a lunding field out here," pilot asks significantly, "when into Bulgaria.

she's got a perfectly good air base an the mainland less than 50 miles away?"

un-

your

"It's a whole lot easier to keep them from getting in," the Army

Stories, rumour, hearsay, Of the German and Japanese walking parties that toured Alaska last

summer,

as

roads between the Pacific and the Bering Sea. Yet it was not until late last summer that Congress appropriated funds for a báso there. Planned

one of the Navy's three key bases in the Building an air base in Alaska | north, Dutch Harbour, when com- is a man-sized job. Problems crop pleted several years hence. will up daily that would never occur

be able to accommodate the en- in the States. Every last nail has to be shipped by boat from Seat-

tire North Pacific fleet. tle. Any change in plans, any of weeks. Mining engineers told error in shipment means a delay

the Army they could not move frozen chrt at 30 below But the Army had to do it and so they did it.

Materials are arriving at the rate of 100 tons a day for the great $13,000,000 Anchorage Army base, a stronghold [WO miles

AIR TRAINING

SCHEME

CLIVE. UP Fronì -

MAKING THE TIME BOMB THAT WILL WIN THE WAR.

More encouraging is progress at Kodiak, 560 miles east, where for three years the Navy has been constructing its biggest Alaska submarine base. Judging from the nearly completed seaplane ramps, docks and hangars, this stronghold will soon become a Pearl Harbour of the north. Work progresses rapidly, too, at Sitka, guarding the famous Inside Passage gical point of attack by water if Kodiak and Dutch Harbour are made impregnable.

own.

-

10-

The Army learned some things from the Finnish campaign, but Alaska flying has problems all its And the only way to solve them is by practical experience. The Fairbanks base will be the Air Corps' experimental flying station this winter; a complete cold-weather detachment has been sent there, a full year ahead of

schedule, Here they will develop methods of warming engines in extreme weather, and thawing movable parts

even machinė- guns and metal bombsights often need special adjustment at 50 or 60 below. Here they will devise new types of Arctic flying clothes, to be made by natives in the In- dian missions. They will have the advice of sourdough Alaskan pilots who have been outwitting Arctic weather ever since the late Ben Eielson flew his first Jenny

over Fairbanks

20 more than

years ago,

And while the Army pilots are learning to outwit Alaskan wea- ther in the air, the newly arrived infantrymen are being taught to buck it on the ground. AI the Anchorage air base, under com- mand of Brigadier General' Simon Buckner, some 8,500: soldiers are facing their first winter in the north- drawling cowhands from Texas and gangling farmers from Carolina and Alabama, many of them secing snow for the Arst tíme.

With all these problems settled, Hitler is losing valuable time. He is a cautious man and Remember that much-discussed has generally shown himself pre- good-will flight trom Tokyo to pared for every emergency be- Washington, several years ago? fore he takes action, but at this When Japan requested permis- stage of developments to hesitato sion to locate a few observation too long may spell disaster. His parties along the Aleutian cna.n latest step, and to judge by the just to thumb the plane on its time it has taken him to decide the groups of Japanese arrived. To way, Washington acquisced. Lit- it shows very great reluctance, is pass the time while waiting for to help Italy by sending an air the 'plane, they wen; fishing. They force to bolster up the failing ashed in odd places, the natives courage of the Italian armies. say, and used curious tackle con- This step is, however, strange- sisting of a long line and a sound- ly late if Hitler seriously intend-ing lead. ed to give Mussolini the help he so badly needs. Is it possible that Hitler, realising the inade-

General Buckner is planning quacy of his partner months ago

elaborate maneuvres Of the workman on-the Says significantly, "then it would square, surrounded by 40 square winter in order to teach the men on skis this and who could be in a better new naval base at Kodiak, who be later to get them out." position than he to know the real tried to organise a Bund during

miles of government reserve. Its facts-decided to cut loose from his

10,000-foot concrete runways will to bivouac in the mountains and spare hours. Of the well- How to keep them out, then? accommodate the Army's biggest live amid cold and snow. Veteran a man likely to drag him down? liked little Japanese laundryman Here is a vast country of over ships and when it is finished next Alaskan skiers and noted moun- Was his delay an act of revenge at Sitka who died recently and 600,000 square miles, fully a fifth year it will base the major portion tain climbers are volunteering as for Italy's ill-conceived adventure was buried, to the surprise of the the size of the whole United States; of Alaska's permanent air corps, instructors in this task. Old dog in Greece? Or has he decided authorities, in the official uniform and yet up to now it has been Three other Army bases have also mushers from the Yukon are be- that Italy is no longer in a posi- of a commander of the Japanese guarded by a few Coast

Guard been started,

ing brought down to teach raw re- tion to withstand any demands navy.

boats which sail south every win-

'cruits how to handle dog teams. he may like to make? Hitler,

ter, and by a single garrison of A vast network of Civil Aero- 'with Mussolini.

Perhaps they are only rumours. some 300 men

From weather-benten trappers hastening igno- Nevertheless, the threat is there. racks, Thousands of square miles are being scattered strategically is picking up odd bits of informa→ at Chilkoot Bar-nautics Authority emergency fields and prospectors General Buckner -miniously to. Berchtesgaden in- That is why $50,000,000.

stead of to Brenner

--- mora | of Alaska. are still uninhabited, over the Territory. One, for ex- tion about Alaskan winters; hints Pass the than six times the original cost Parachute troops could land any- ample, at Point Barrow will guard on how to camp out safely at 20 memory of which must be worm- of the Territory - has been hur-where undetected. In summer against possible transpolar inva- or 30 below, how to move in the wood and gall - to crave aid in riedly appropriated for Alaskun the interior is a network of lakes, sion from Europe, others on the cold, how to avoid frozen faces his extremity, has at least ex- défence. That is why, after half offering. Innumerable landing Seward Peninsula near Nome will and hands, tended his domain to the Media century of Congressional neglect places for pontoon 'planes. In offset any Siberian threat. Every terranean shores. Germany has of Alaska, the Army and Navy winter caterpillar tractors could fair-sized settlement already has always looked in that direction, are working 24 hours a day seven run at will over the frozen tundra. a commercial landing place of Shroveport or March Field, these but the sweet has been soured by days a week to make up for lost Along the whole thousand miles native villages. There are places of Aleutian Islands are only three

in Alaska where an enemy might set up a buse and occupy it for months before his présence be- at came known.

ZWOIVUJE 29 nakon VUOK

the fact that Hitler is now brought to the stage when he must face opposition on two fronts-a posi- tion, he has consistently endeay- oured' to avoid.

with dollars." military officials put time, "We are trying to buy days

it.

Even if an enemy did storm the half-billion-dollar defences

LAERLA NAVY

These Army pilots fresh from sorts to accommodate planes infantrymen trom Texas or Ala merchandise. The CAA has em- of the North. And by next spring carrying trappers, salesmen and bama are fast learning the ways barked on a full-time programme they will be ready, should the to improve and enlarge such fields, need arise, to defend the Territory This will rubstantially enlarge against any invasion in any wen- the patrolling radius of 'planes bas- ther