Evening star., 1933-11-27
MACARTHUR ASKS
ARMY FUND BOOST
Recommends Raising of Force
From "BeIoW the Dan-
ger Line"
Nv the Associated Press.

ger Line.
BY the Associated Press
President Roosevelt, whose Budget
Bureau already has approved an in
crease in naval and marine forces, Will
be requested to ask Congress for funds
to raise Americas Army strength from
'below the danger line"
1t is at that point now. says the
Army'S highest ranking officer, Gen.
Douglas Macarthur, in an annual re-
port to the Secretary of War which
will be transmitted to the President
Many Army officers were optimistic
today about the prospect of getting
some of the things recommended by
Macarthur, chief of staff. They re-
called that the Budget Bureau already
had accepted a proposed appropriation
request adding $500 enlisted men to
the Navy and 1.C00 to the Marine
Corps, to man new ships
Army Below Danger Line"
Macarthur found that although the
United States is seventeenth in world
strength that alone is no cause for par
ticular worry since Americas needs are
different. But in recommending an
increase in Regular Army enlisted
strength from 10000 to 165,0OO; ex-
penditure of around S200000000 on
aircraft, modernization and motoriza-
ton of artillery and similar projects,
and restoration of other funds elimi-
mated in recent years, Macarthur
added:
In the obvious state Of unrest nov
prevailing throughout the world
an efficient and dependable military
establishment constitutes a rock
of stability. s. = 1t is my conviction
that at this moment the Army'S
strength in personnel and material and
its readiness for employment are below
the danger line"
Il consider it of the most urgent
Importance to the United States that
lay" he said.
Asks Funds for Training.
In addition to a bost in Regular
Army enlisted strength, with imme-
oiate exemption of the enlisted man
from IS per cent Government pay cut.
and expenditures for aircraft, moderni-
zation and motorization of the field
artillery. mechaniZation, antl-aircraft
equipment and general motorizatlon,
Macarthur recommended:
hldLllLtlItt4lAG VI N4lC ANaCAOAAoA ~ ooAA "a
at existing strength, with 48 drill
periods and two weeks active training
annually
At least 100 900 Reserve officers. with
two weeks annual training for at least
10000. AT present there are $4,000
Reserve officers. but only $1,000 are
eligible for active duty training.
Restoration of the 1882 instruction
and personnel scale for the R. o. T c.
and G. NJ. T. G.
The United States does not need
military establishment comparable to
the great armies existing in certain
of the foreign nations" Macarthur
said.
The professional-civilian military
system prescribed in the national de-
fense act is almost ideally suited to our
requirements, provided only the
strength and efficiency Of the several
clements are maintained at reasonable
elements.
The eim of the recommendations
I have made herein is simply to pro-
vide and maintain the requisite eff
cheney and strength"
Equipment Obsolete.
Macarthur said the great proportion
of Army motor equipment, including
TANKS, are ODSUlSIc dIlu lIldI dpPlOPIAo
ton slaShes have resulted in obsolete
and inefficient equipment" and "a serl-
Gus shortage in ammunition,
"All activities of strictly military
nature have been materially curtailed,'
the general added.
Macarthur said that while the 1884
supply bill provided S270,000000 for
military expenditures, as compared with
1894 764 900 in 1892, an order from
Lewis Douglas, director of the budget,
for a further slash of S80,000,000 was
a stunning blow to national defense"
This order later was modified. Mac
Arthur said, to allow total expendl-
ture this year of 1921 1854 900.
The chief of staff listed general Army
motorization needs at 9,335 trucks and
279 tractors, plus 1880 units for the
National Guard. He said the Public
Works Administration had been asked
for s3O4 OOO,0 900, distributed as follows:
One hundred and thirty-five million
dollars for housing, S23,0000 900 for
mechanization, s39 100000 for general
motorization. $50 900 600 for anti
aircraft equipment, S35 600 coo for mod
ernization and motOrization of the field
artillery and S39 900 900 for aircraft.
$50 ,OOO,O Grant Made.
(Since MacArthur's report was written
the Public Works Administration has
allotted the Army approximately $90,-
100000 for military purposes. the main
items of which include $54,704,0c0 for
housing S60O0000 for munitions,
S7,5OO,OOO for aircraft, 81 $4,000 for Air
Corps technical construction, S2,238.000
for National Guard camp construction,
S7,000000 for sea coast defenseS and
S1O.000,00O for motorization)
The chief of staff said the Army's
mobilization of the Civilian Conservation
Corps was in striking contrast with the
1917 mobilization and gave renewed
evidence of the value of systematic
preparation for emergency
But he added, the heavy drain on
the Army's $4,000 regular officers in
marshalling these 100000 men "has
brought Regular Army training in the
continental United States to a virtual
standstill and has almost destroyed the
readiness of units for immediate and
effective employment on emergency
duty"
1T is appreciated" he said, "that
their employment in this great project
of the Presidents is essential and will