"Sound Business"

Last week the No. 1 Communist of the U. S., Earl Browder, explained why the Communist Party had suddenly changed from a loud opponent of U. S. militarism into a strident exponent of Rearmament. Now that the dictators have triumphed at Munich, he declared, "A fascist world can be prevented only, in the words of the manifesto of the Communist International on Nov. 7, 'with the aid of ... governments which are ready to use armed force.

Thus did Communist Browder join a growing chorus of U. S. radicals and liberals who in recent months have forsworn pacifism to espouse preparedness.* Result is that Franklin Roosevelt's Rearmament program now faces little opposition outside Congress save from a few groups of diehard pacifists.

Last week the President again declared that only an Einstein could yet figure anything definite from his Rearmament plans but at a White House press conference he gave out a mimeographed announcement by the new Civil Aeronautics Authority: "President Roosevelt today approved a program presented [by CAA] for the annual training of approximately 20,000 pilots in the colleges and universities of the U. S., and authorized the allocation of $100,000 in National Youth Administration funds for the initial phase. . . ."

The initial phase will provide primary training by commercial instructors in rented planes for 300 physically fit college students. If the experiment works well, and Congress appropriates some $9,800,000 a year to enlarge and continue the program, 20,000 new fledgling pilots (less casualties) may be turned out each year. Secondary objective, stressed more by the President than by CAA, is that the plan will create a reserve of fledglings who after 50 hours in the air will not be so green as the youngsters who enroll annually for Army training at Randolph Field.

Another job ahead for Youth Administrator Aubrey Williams is the training of aviation mechanics in abandoned arsenals, aircraft shops, and school rooms. This is in line with a series of moves to build up personnel reserves and stimulate the aircraft industry, which would be needed in case of war. Said CAA's chairman, Businessman Edward J. Noble, of the student-pilot program: "... A sound measure of national defense . . . sound business for the air industry."

* For a similar trend in France, see p. 21.

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