Evening star., 1932-04-19
NAVY SUPPLY BILL
OF S326,34O,O(0 IS
REPORTED IN HOUSE
Measure S15,336,OOO Below
Budget Estimates Pro-
posed by Hoover.
COMMITTEE FOLLOWS
POLICY FIXED BY BYRNS
Virtually Every Activity Of De-
partment Affected by Cuts
in Appropriations.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
A closely plucked supply bill provid-
ing 1926, 900 for the naval estab-
lishment in the coming fiscal year was
reported to the House today by its Ap-
preparations Committee.
Although carrying Sal, ,230, 900 for con-
struction of new warshIps and for mod
ernizing old vessels, the bill is $685.
600 below the budget estimates recon-
mended by President Hoover and $751;
92l, 900 less than the total outlay for
the current year.
In submitting the bill for immediate
consideration by the House, Chairman
Byrns pointed out the Appropriations
Committee to date has reGuced budget
estimates on supply bills S136,o0o,ooO.
In this bill, the committee followed the
policy laid down by Byrns at the begin
ming of the session, not to increase a
single budget estimate
Every Activity Affected. =.
Virtually every activity of the Navy
was affected by the cuts. The bulk OF
the outlay allowed goes for pay, OF
which $148,000,0OO is for Navy and
Marine personnel and S82,800,000 for
civilian workers. With retired and Re-
serve forces included, pay constitutes
about 81 per cent Of the budget estl-
mates.
This provides for a naval enlisted
personnel of 79,700, and 15,343 for the
Marine Corps; 5,489 naval line officers
and GIT Marine officers; 1870 midship-
men at the Naval Academy besides
nearly 5000 staff and warrant officers
and 498 nurses.
Admiral william V. Pratt, chief of
naval operations, told the committee in
hearings made public with the bill that:
Under stress of existing conditions,
we have cut our operating forces to the
danger zone. We cannot go any fur
ther without jeopardizing our national
security. International conditions are
such today as to render 1t unwlse, in my
opinion, to make any further cuts In
the operating force of the Navy"
In his report, Representative Ayres,
Democrat, of Kansas, chairman OF the
subcommittee which handled the bill,
said economies were made in public
works. aviation, ration funds and re-
duction of flight and submarine pay,
but to effect a further saving 1t would
be necessary to reduce personnel, with
draw vessels from active commission,
provide lesser sums for repair and up
keep, reduce employees in shore estao-
lishments, and cut the pay OF personnel
civil and naval
Ayres said the operating force plan
of the feet in 1888 involved 306 YES
sells. including submarines, but that
number would be in reduced commits
sion to reduce maintenance and oper-
ating costs.
The committee allowed S14,000,00O
to continue modernization OF the bat
tleships New Mexico, Mississippi and
Idaho, or 81, 900, 900 less than the bud
get. 1t noted that while 100000 900
had been authorized for the work, $lO,--
600 900 already had been provided and
that the drop in costs probably would
reduce the total necessary to S27 900, 900.
New Ship Construction.
For new ship construction it drafted
$6,0O00O0 from the naval supply ac-
count fund along with a direct appro-
priation of S27,230,000. The commit
tee said this, with $27000.000 unex-
pended this year, would bring the total
for construction in 1888 to more than
$50 600 900, despite its reduction Of $4,-
100000 in the budget estimate.
For naval and marine aviation, the
bill provides $25, $4,000, exclusive OF
pay. This is $5,756,O00, exclusive Of
current year and s1,272, 1000 below the
budget. The savings resulted from the
completion of the five-year air expan-
sion program and through the curtail-
ment of extra flight pay.
To promote economy, the committee
recommended legislative changes as fol-
lows
To prevent retired officers from re-
ceivlng salaries as civilian employees
when retired pay and the other wage
exceed $4,000 a year.
To authorize the President to SELL
lease or close unneeded shore stations.
To prevent increases in salaries with
in grades.
To limit upkeep allowances on mo-
tor vehicles for officers.
To limit to $1,10O year extra flight
Continued on Page 2, Column A.