Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-03
S1,M,O)O Topped
OFF NAVY CRUISING
FUND IN HOUSE BILL
S314,552,68O Measure.
However, Maintains Fleet
at Present Strength.
1900 MARINE CORPS
REDUCTION REFUSED
No Provision Made for Construc-
ton of Last Three Cruisers
Authorized in 1924.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Proposing a cut of $1.950, 900 in the
funds for cruising activities of the
United States fleet, but otherwise pro-
viding for maintenance of the Navy
about as it is now. the annual Navy
Department appropriation bill was re-
ported to the House today by its ap-
preparations committee.
1t carries a total of S314552 $50 for
all branches of the Navy for the fiscal
year beginning July /, a decrease of
$5.364,S95, compared with current
funds, and $150,970 below budget rec
concentrations.
The bin carries no funds for start.
ing construction of the last three of
the eight light cruisers authorized in
1924.
Ready to Proceed.
with respect to new vessels" the
report said, ''the committee is ready
to proceed whenever the President
shall so recommend. With the Presi-
dent definitely counseling delay in
commencing the construction of the
three cruisers, because of negotia-
tions looking to further limitations of
ornaments, the committee thinks it
is not wise to recommend a course in
conflict with that program
The committee refused to accept
the budget proposal for a reduction
of 1900 men in the enlisted strength
of the Marine Corps, and provided for
continuation of its present size of
$4,000 enlisted men. 1920 commits
sioned officers and 155 warrant
officers.
1.-The material condition of the
Navy is good.'' the committee re-
ported. THE personnel situation
continues on the upward trend. Both
viii improve, the committee believes,
under this BILL
Provision is made for continuing
naval enlisted strength at $500 and
the officer strength, including line,
staff and warrant officers. at 8.7I0.
The food ration is based on 55 cents
per day per enlisted man
The allotment for cruising is cut
ffom 13,950,000 to $4,000 900. Rear
Admiral Charles Morris told the COM
rnittee during hearings on the meas
ure that this cut probably would
amount to a reduction of about.
s per cent in the steaming radius of
the United States fleet
Fuel Oil Cost Cut.
O reduction in the cost of fuel oil
would equalize the situation to some
extent
The measure was drafted, the COM
mfttee report asserted, with a view to
providing for operation and mainte-
nance of the airplane carriers Sara
toga and Lexington and the subma-
r1ne VA, all to be launched during
the year. Tt also said the Air Service
r~iof fnVz ~
contract authorization of SIS 900 900,
was designed to carry out the f1ve-
year building program approved by
Congress last Winter.
THE 1,000-plane program was based
on a wastage of 1914 per cent an
nually," the report said. More, re-
cent studies suggest that approx
nlately % per cent would be more
nearly accurate. There is an increase
lin appropriations for next year, of
$724,712 and of 100000 in the con-
tract authorization"
The committee said it had removed
the restriction on expenditures at
Iakehurst, n. J., carried in the pres
ent law and had "done nothing to
hinder the employment of the Los An
geles in any way the department
might sec fit.'
No New Dirigibles Included.
No provision was included in the
budget for any new rigid airships,
and, while two twice the size of the
Los Angeles We're contemplated in the
five-year program, the committee
called attention to the fact that the
President, in his message transmitting
the budget, specifically referred to
this omission and gave his reasons
which coincide with those advanced
. by this committee a year ago when
it advocated the experimental metal
clad ship
In refusing to reduce the size OF the
Marine Corps the committee said the
reduction involves a question of ad
ministrative police" which it did not
consider wise toaabandon.
The bill carri&s S2,805 900 for con
tinuing improvements to Pearl Har
Dor, Hawaii; 81 900 900 for new anti
aircraft batteries for the battleships
Tennessee and California, and a small
appropriation for powder to replace
that destroyed in the Lake Denmark
n. j., explosion. A deficiency bill vii
he reported later to appropriate funds
for repairing buildings and providing
covering for material which the dis
aster left exposed.
The committee urged Congress tc
provide additional helium for lighter
than-aircraft, asserting that the Pc
trolia field was becoming exhausted
1t also suggested that if the tive
Cirigibles contemplated in the five
year program were built that they b
constructed simultaneously and tn,
i