THE NATION: Clear & Present Danger

"The world situation could explode at any time, and we must make every day count," said the President last week. Top officers in the Pentagon confided to newsmen that they lived in fear of a Russian attack this summer; they were praying for just "six more months" to prepare.

In the face of this warning and this fear, what was the state and urgency of the U.S. defense effort last week?

The Army cut the draft quota from 40,000 in May down to 20,000 in June. The aircraft industry was still jogging along on a 40-hour week, pleading for skilled technicians,...

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