Evening star., 1938-02-28

and Others haze urged q feet poW-
ertul enough to defend both the
Pacific and Atlantic coasts stimuli
taneously.
By the Associated Press.
Glen L. Martin. airplane manufac-
turer, told the House Naval Commit
tee today the Government should try
out Immediately new aerial mine"
which its inventor claims will revolu-
tionize aerial warfare.
Representative Church. Republican,
OF Illinois recalled that Admiral Will
liam D. Leahy, chief of naval opera
tions, had testified such a mine might
render parts of a fleet imperative.
The weapon was invented by Lester P.
Barlow of Stamford, Conn, a pioneer
in aerial bombardment.
I'D give Barlow's device serious
consideration" Mr.. Martin said. If
1t is successful, it will be pretty seri-
Gus. 1t ought to have an immediate
trial. 1t wouldn't cost much to try,
and it wouldn't take long"
Mr.. Martin said he was studying
for new 25o.o0o-pound ship that
could carry 1000 pounds of bombs
1900 miles at speed o. $50 miles
an hour. The ship could be delivered.
he said in 3la years,
Tests will have to be made to de-
termine the actual fighting power of
such craft" he added.
Defense to Be Costly.
The Nations annual defense bill,
Informed officials predicted today. will
mount inevitably in the next decade
to sl,2oo,0 100000 or more
This would be double the s6l7.3l4,-
900 allotted in 1923. when the WASH
tngton arms limitation treaty first was
effective, but would be we'll under the
Sl,744,000,000 spent in postwar 1920.
Exclusive of the increases which Mr..
Roosevelt has recommended, pros
pective outlays for the Army and Navy
this year aggregate about $l,0OO,-
Ooo,o00
The chief factor in the future calcu-
40 olOlhs lS tlIN Gl'l luD,Nbu,uuu
estimated as the cost of increasing the
fleets tonnage by 20 per cent and
augmenting the naval aviation force
by $50 planes.
1t would be prorated over the six
or eight years which the House Naval
Committee has been told would be re-
ouired to complete the program.
Other factors include increased cost
Of manning, repairing and fueling a
larger fleet, and S18,0O0,o00 for Army
anti-aircraft guns, ammunition and
other purposes.
The Navy figures it ultimately will
need 10000 or more sailors-in addi-
ton to the present 10000 enlisted
mentor the recommended AZ war
ships, % auxlliaries and 1000 planes.
Bill to Increase Gradually.
Prospects are that the defense bill
will increase gradually. The first
added outlays logically would be for
shipbuilding facilities. Navy spokes-
men have testified from s2,Oo0,0 900 to
S10,oo0,000 would have to be spent at
each of half dozen navy yards.
Since the United States is a late
entry in the world armaments race,
the projected increases are expected
to leave the strength of the Army and
Navy at its present relation to the
forces Of other nations.
AS for the Army, Secretary Wood
ring said in his annual report that
despite advances in mechanization
and efficiency. it was relatively weak
er, compared with the armies of the
other great countries, than it was
year ago"
The first $4,000 annual increase in
the enlisted Reserve force proposed by
the administra ton would boost the
Armys net total of trained men to
5oo'51a-just beyond the $4,000 of
Argentina.
Here are national defense statistics
brought up to date from official
sources:
Navy-Ships. afloat and under con-
struction, l,4os,425 tons; 100000 en-
listed men and 6,34l officers; 1889
nscal year budget, $3.50, 100000. A
20 per cent increase would add 255,412
tons, but some overage ships mean
while would be decommissioned. Es-
tlmated required personnel. $4,000
men, $3.50 officers and $500. 900, 900
annual budget.
(Great Britain has 1157,743 tons
OF warships built or under construc-
ton. and Japan has s71 ,453 tons.)
Army-Enlisted strength, 1863, ,957;
omcers. l23os, including s367 men
and a officers of Philippine scouts:
total force, including trained Reserves,
4s2,519; budget for 1889 fiscal year
s421 100000. Administration program
would add 2,400 officers and $4,000 in
enlisted Reserve in next four years. and
S18,o0o,000 in the next two years for
material; prospective average annual
budget, $3.50, 100000.
(Arnly ranks twentieth in trained
manpoWer. and eleventh in number
OF men under arms)
Aviation: Army-Air Corps has be-
tween 1900 and 1,400 modern fighting
planes, expects to have 1900 by end
OF year, and to reach a goal of 1920
by middle Of 1910. Navy-On hand or
appropriated for, 1870 modern planes;
goal is 2,050 by 1912.
(Jane's "All the Worlds Aircraft"
adjudged American Army-Navy
combined aviation to be "one of the
largest and possibly the most eff
GENTLY equipped in the world"
Foreign sources credit Russia with
5000 flrst-line planes, Germany
with $500, italy with 2,100, Japan
with 1870 and France with 1900
compared with approximately 2,4o0
f1rst-line American military air.
craft)
$4,000 RECEIVED