Evening star., 1926-03-04
y6O,O()0,0DOA|RB|LL
FOR ARMY IS LAID
BEFORE PRESIDENT
Chairman NORM Believes
Coolidge Favors Plan,
After Conference.
2.2OO PLANES POSSIBLE
UNDER 5-YEAR PROGRAM
Revival of Council of National De-
fense to Be Sought Through
Congressional Appropriation
Ry J. RUSSELL YOUNG.

representative Norm. chairman OF
40 House military affairs committee
rold President Coolidge today that ne
il drafting a bill TO provide for the
oNpenditure Of $50 .o00,0 900 for build
:nc aircraft for the United States
Nlrny. He explained that this ex'
uenditure will cover an aircraft pullo-
ing period of five years.
The Pennsylvania Representatives
after the conference, said he believed
the President looked. favorably upon
The idea. He at least did not go away
with the impression that the Pres
ident would vigorously oppose TINS
outlay of public money, as was the
case of Representative Butter OF
Pennsylvania, chairman of the House
naval affairs committee. when he dfs-
cussed naval aircraft program with
the President several days ago.
ZOO lianes Sought.
Mr.. NORM said that the 100000, 900
20 be specified in his bill would make
II possible to build at least 1900 air
planes and that II the Air Service
Of the Army is to be developed sum-
GENTLY to afford the proper amount
of air defense this amount or money
should be spent during the period
specified He said also that MS com =
mittee intends to revive the COUNCIL
Of national defense. which was
conspicuous factor In the Government
conduct of the World War. but which
went out of existence several years
ago because Congress decllned 10
appropriate funds for its continuance.
Mr. NORM said that he and his
committee members are satisfied tnat
there is work for such body as
his and hopes that Congress VIII
revive It.
President Coolidge let 1t be known
several days ago that he thought the
SS5. .0OO, 900 aircraft program proposed
for the Navy was entirely too large,
especially during peace time, ana
during a conference with RepTesenta-
tive Butler he urged that this Amount
he considerably reduced. As d re-
suit of this conference the House
leadership has given evidence that
il is willing to carry out the Pres
dents wishes in this matter.
100000, 900 Not Too High.
Mr.. NORM, however, said that the
President did not give him the i'm
preston that the 500, 900 appro-
priation he Is proposing was too high.
He said he realized that the President
Is anxious to have appropriations kept
down as low as possible as means
of offsetting the large reduction in
revenues brought about by the new
TAX revision law, but in his opinion,
The amount he is asking is commen-
surate with the urgent needs, and
besides, it is not TO be spent in one
year, but spread over five years.
Mr.. Morin's bill will be drafted vir-
ually along the lines recommended by
Dwight Davis, Secretary of War, whose
recommendations were included as a
supplement to the Morrow aircraft
board report Secretary Davis urged
a five-year building program at an ex-
pense substantially the same as pro-
posed by Mr.. NORM.
Secretary Wilbur yesterday request
cd Congress to authorize appropria-
ton of 81, $50 900 for expenditure over
a period of three years to equip six
battleships with catapults for launch
ing planes.
The vessels are the Florida, Ar
kansas, Utah, Texas, Wyoming and
New York. In his communication to
Speaker Longworth, the Secretary
said that "at present alrplanes en-
ployed on these vessels must be low
cred in the water and then take on
from alongside.
This is inefficient as well as being
dangerous for personnel and ma
teria1," he continued. at, therefore
IS proposed to install a catapult on
each vessel
$18.36O,0O0 for Oil Burners.
Congress already has authorized
1856 900 10 convert these six bat
tleships from coal burners into oil