Evening star., 1935-02-09
FUND FOR AIR BASE
BILL IS PROPOSED
Secret Conference on Sill.
100000 Army Project in
Hawaii Held.
BULLETIN.

The House Appropriations Com
mittee was advised today by Rep
resentative McSwain, Democrat, Of
South Carolina that his Military
Affairs Committee has indorsed an
s11 100000 appropriation for an
air base In Hawaii. The money is
to be tagged in a $500 ,000, 900 ap-
preparation for normal Govern
ment construction expenses not in
cluded in the works relief measure.
BY the Associated Press.
There we're indications from Con-
gress members today that the proposal
to build an Sll ,000. 900 Army air base
in Hawaii may soon find its way to
the House in bill form.
A suggestion to establish such a
military arm in the United States
furthermost point OF defense in the
Pacific was discussed in secret meet
ing yesterday by the House Military
Committee, Gen. Douglas Macarthur,
chief of staff, and o.ler high officers
of the Army.
Chairman McSwain emphasized
that any action taken by the COM
mittee on the proposal would be for
defensive purposes" and that it
would have been considered even If
Japan had not taken steps to scrap
the Washington naval treaty.
Nothing offensive" should be i'm
piled in the measure, he said, adding
that:
1T is so easy for some people to
misinterpret. Purely defensive meas
ures were under consideration.
0,0O0, 900 Air Fund Asked.
The Army command recommended
appropriation of $90,000,000 for 300
armored airplanes to bullc the Army's
air armada up to proposed 1920
strength. Also discussed was pro-
posal to spend $2,000.00G on a new
program OF coast defenses, including
artillery for Hawaii, Alaska and else
where.
Gen. Macarthur said ITS pursuit,
200 bombardment, 100 attack, l40 OBJ
servation, 100 training and 65 cargo
planes were needed Immediately to
expand the new general headquarters
air force, consisting Of fighting units
based on the Pacific, Atlantic and
Gulf Coasts.
Sixteen million dollars for pur-
poses of Army mechanization was an
other request made by the Army in
what was interpreted as the first steps
to write bill to put before Congress
a S4O5, 100000 moderniZation plan.
Besides Gen. Macarthur, the War
Department was represented by Brig.
Gen. Charles E. Kilbourne, assistant
chief of staff, Maj. Gen. Benjamin D.
Foulois, Chief OF the Air Corps, and
Lieut.. Col. Frank M. Andrews, COM
mander of the G. H. @. air force.
In addition to the $11 100000
Hawaiian airdrome project, the dis
cussions embraced a 100000 pro-
gram for new coast defenSeS including
guns in Hawaii, Alaska and elsewhere,
and 100000 for Army posts.
Request Seen Reasonable.
Representative Rogers, Democrat of
New Hampshire, chairman OF the
Military Subcommittee for aviation,
said he thought the request ''is reas-
enable"
Gen. Macarthur, in discussing air
craft procurement, said the 1886 ap-
preparations will permit purchase of
488 planes, which, with an annual
depreciation and loss of around 400
to 500 would allow little progress on
the air expansion program.
He emphasized the $4,000, 900 for
mechanization of the Army would
equip one regiment with medium
weight tanks, one with light tanks,
mechanize a brigade of cavalry, a
battery of field artillery, seven troops
with armored cars and seven infantry
companies with light tanks.
Macarthur said this force would
necessitate acquisition of 285 light
weight tanks, 162 medium tanks. %
armored cars, A combat cars, 80 scout
cars, and rs half-track cars. All
would be equipped with 80 and so
caliber machine guns.
To supply the Army with modern
weapons, he recommended an appro-
priation of $4,000, 900 for Infantry
mortars; .50-caliber machine guns,
semi-automatic rifles, .30-MM. guns,
communication equipment, and gas
masks.
The Army is still using the 1908
model Springfield rifles. Macarthur
contended regular Army and National
Guard units should be equipped as
quickly as possible with the newly
developed rapid IRE semi-automatic
rifles
Meanwhile, the Military Committee
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