Evening star., 1926-08-09
U.S.A|R POWERPLAN
TOPIC IN SERVICE
Administration Policy in s.
Year Financing Cause
of Speculation.

Speculation as TO what policy the
administration will adopt for the
financing Of the five-year air power
eXpa ansion program authorized by Con-
gress has given Il little zest to the
hot weather meditations in Army and
Navy circles. They may get some
light when the limiting figures for the
next appropriation bills are handed
around August Is by the Budget Bu-
reau: but they will not share it with
the public because OF the rigid Sc
crecy requirements of the Government
on budget matters.
On the face OF the authorizing acts
for the Army and Navy and prelimi-
nary estimates Of cost which figured
in committee hearings. the general as
poets of the financial problem are
plain. 1t is clear that a supplemental
air budget of $50, 900 900 and upward
IS in order for the first full year of
the program. What that upward"
might involve is not so clear.
That Congress intended this huge
sum to be appropriated at the last
session and to be superimpOsed on
the current appropriations for the
two services, amounting roughly to
1886. .000, ,000. seems quite clear. The
language Of the Army air increase
act makes it seem mandatory. In re-
II
Norm Of the military committee said
the air expansion was to be accomp-
Gshed without taking away from the
other arms" and the same thing is at
leas implied in the Navy air program.
Budget View of Strength.
Authorized strength and actual
strength, however. are two quite diff
ferent things from a budget point Of
of the Army enlisted force Is and has
been since 1922 fixed at 125 900 exclu-
sive of the Air Corps increase Its
actual strength has been held at 49,
900 under presidential budget policy.
For the Navy. Congress has author
lied construction of eight new 10000
ton post t-treaty cruisers. The budget
has asked Congress up to date TO pro
vide, the funds for constructing only
two, and for drawing plans for three
more. 1t remains to be seen what
The Presidents budget proposals will
have to say as to the airpoWer pro
gram.
The Army air bill went through
Congress despite warnings by Maj.
Cen. Fox Conner. deputy chief of
staff and departmental spokesman of
financial aspects Of the subject be-
fore the Senate military committee.
that it should fail unless Congress and
the administration were prepared to
raise Army military appropriations
from $265, 100000. the current Army
bill total. to 5000 900. annually.
That figure included both the es-
timated $50 900 900 additional cost for
the first year of the fve-year air
program and provision for replace
ment of vanishing war surplus stocks,
another budget problem still to be
dealt with.
"If We attempt to carry out the
provisions in this G4ir eXpansion) bill
at the expense of the other branches,
with no more than S265 900 900 "a year
we must lose from 20, 900 to 25,000
men from other branches" Gen. Con
ner told the Senators. "Such a solu.
ton ruins the Army beyond hope OF
recovery
As Supplemental Estimate.
The Army'S increased air budget
under the law, must go to Congress
this first year as a supplemental eSti-
mate. There is no such restriction as
toAfhe Navy air increase. 1t will be
Jumped in with other requirements
and if full year is to be provided for,
probably will bring Navy estimates
somewhere between $500. 900, 900 and
100000, 900 for the next fiscal year,
as compared with 1919 90 900. exclu-
sive of contract authorizations and re
appropriations. in the current act.
Navy figures brought out during
the hearing dealt only with the cost
of new planes and airshipS, ignoring
the question of additional personnel
and many indirect items. Rear Ad-
miral Moffett, Navy air chief. placed
the equipment cost for the five years
at $S5 900 900 or an average of around
$lT. 900, 900 additional each year.
Maj. Gen. Patrick. Army air chief
told the congressional committees that
the life of a modern plane was about
four years. That means that air in
crease estimates now under considera-
tion must provide against an annual
wash out" Of equipment, with none