Evening star., 1936-02-10
ARMY SUPPLY BILL
ASKS $374,@1,521.
Provides 10000 Men, 565
AirpIanes and S8,500,0 900
for Seacoast Defense.
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

FTONlulIlS lUI oil CLlilotCu AOASS "a
not less than 100000 men, for pro-
curement of sos airplanes, expendl-
lures of more than S8500,00 for sea-
coast defense projects and for an in
crease of 5000 in the strength OF the
National Guard, the annual Army ap-
preparation bill was presented 10 the
House today by Representative Parks
of Arkansas. chairman of the Subcom-
mittee which drafted the measure.
The bill appropriates a total OF
S374,981,521 for military activity, IN
cluding S5,457,592 for expenses OF the
War Department in Washington. IL
makes an additional $2,845, ,925 avail
able by reappropriation and includes
contract authorization of $lO,669, 786
for airplane procurement, which Will
have to be met by appropriation at
later time.
Exceeds 1886 Total.
In military phases, the bill exceeds
the appropriation thus far made Tor
the fiscal year ending June 80 next by
S23,8O3. SOL. Despite increases made
by the committee beyond budget
recommendations the bill actually ap-
propriates S43,989 less than proposed
in the budget This results from n
nancing such extras out of reductions
effected by the committee in certain
budget recommendations, by employ
ing an unused balance and by sub
stituting contract authorizations Tor
ready cash.
The current budget includes pro-
vision for an enlisted force of not more
than an average of 147,OOO men, al
though Congress made provision last
wear for the enlisted force to be IN
creased to 165,OOO during this fiscal
year. The bill carries the money 10
pay $50, 783 enlisted men, the increases
being intended for completely garrl-
soninp the Panama and Hawaiian
departments.
S45,54O,177 for AirplaneS.
For airplanes. there would be avail
able s45 54O,177, including contract
authorization, which is S16,O38,65o
more than is available for the present
fiscal year. This provides for 800
planes as opposed to 416 being bought
this wear. The committee has reduced
the budget estimate for spare engines
and devoted the savings to procure
ment of So more planes than could De
- done under the budget.
For seacoast defense projects the
bill adds to the budget S3,0OO.0OO each
for the West Coast and Hawaii and
s725 900 for Panama, toward approved
projects for these areas estimated 10
cost S15,610,153. S6,765,32l and S9'-
S16.342, respectively.
The National Guard will get a fur
ther increase of 5000 officers and
men. bringing the total strength to
2o00 900. In addition the bill adds to
the estimate for the National Guard
1888 400 for undermining one-halt OF
the Guards heavy field military
pieces.
DESPITE the mechanization ana
motorization programs that nave peeE
going forward, the bill provides for the
nurchase of 3 3,785 horses and 200 mules
or 685 more animals than are being
purchased this year. This increase is
because of additional horse Cavalry
and Field Artillery units pursuant TO
increase in enlisted strength.
Provides for Defense.
Representative Parks report says
that it is the belief of the committee,
even though a slightly less amount is
made available for military purposes
than allowed in the budget that
through the readjuStment and reallo-
cation the bill provides better meas
ure of military defense preparation in
three important directions-namely
aviation, seacoast defense and the Ma
tional Guard.
For non-military activities under the
War Department the committee re-
fused appropriations to unauthorized
rivers and harbors and flood control
projects commenced with emergency
relief funds. The estimate for such
activities totaled S1e7, ,673, 795 including
an item of S129 900 900 for prosecuting
new work on rivers and harbors and
flood control projects which since the
fiscal year 1882 have been financed al
most wholly out of emergency appro-
priations The bill as presented to the
House carries total of S168, ,359, ,985
for nom military works, which repre-
sents a reduction of S29 ,313 $40 in the
budget recommendation.
Many Projects Rejected.
Projects to which the committee
turned a deaf ear include Passama =
quoddy tidal power project in Maine,
S9000,000; the Atlantic-Gulf ship
canal across Florida, s12,000,000
Sardis Reservoir in Mississippi, 81
100000; Conchas Dam in New Mexico,
$350000 and Bluestone Reservoir in
West Virginia, S2,000,000. There has
been allotted emergency funds as Of
January IT for these five projects a
total of Sl4,700,000. Including this
amount it would cost to complete
these projects $2l8,874,0O0.
Upon the premise that it is the
intention of the administration to
finance river and harbor projects in
the future out of the direct appropria-
tions, the Appropriations Committee
has taken the stand that if it is to
resume appropriative jurisdiction for
such class Of work the appropriations
must be confined to projects which
have run the usual gantlet by the
Corps of Engineers. the legislative
committee having jurisdiction and the
- Legislative bodies themselves. It is
understood that the Sardis and Blue
stone Reservoir projects have been
favorably recommended to Congress
by the War Department, but have not
been authorized None of the other
three projects have been favorably
acted upon by the Corps OF Engi-
neers.