Mr. Dimond said the United' States should reply to Russian criticism of Democracy by increasing Alaskan fortifications within 54 miles of Soviet territory.
"We would be a bunch of star spangled fools not to prepare for anything now," he declared. "If Russia end Japan ever move against us, they won't try to cross 4,000 miles of ocean and to crack our strong defences in Hawaii, but they will pick Alaska as a jumping off place to get a foothold in the Western Hemisphere."
The Navy Department meanwhile announced the formation of the new Destroyer Division 73 under the command of Commander James K. Davis. The division comprises recommissioned Great War craft and will engage in the Navy's neutrality patrol.
Fifty-seven of the nation's 110 Great War destroyers, formerly tied up at the San Diego and Philadelphia Navy Yards, have now been placed back into service. The tanker Platte also was ordered back into service yesterday, presumably to fuel Navy patrol ships, No additional details were forthcoming today on the projected trial fight: expected to be held by large squadrons of Navy long range bombers between Honolulu and Manila, but the flights are expected to begin soon. They are expected to be coordinated with the new "security patrol" recently established in mid-Pacific by more than fifty American warships which moved west from the west coast last month.
The squadron which will double the submarine strength of the United States Asiatic Fleet is expected to reach Manila within the next month out Navy officials declined to disclose the location of the vessels yesterday.
Timely Announcement The Navy's decision to send four wartime strength battalions of Marines to Hawaii was announced yesterday a few hours after Administration circles disclosed that the January session of Congress, which will be asked to empower President Roosevelt to declare an embargo against Japan, will also be requested to raise the standing Army and Navy to full authorized strength.
This would give the United States its largest mobilized fighting force in peacetime history, exceeding even the size of the Army and Navy in 1917. the year the United States entered the Great War.
The Administration will ask that the regular Army be increased to 280,000 men backed up by 320,000 Na-
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