Evening star., 1938-11-14
Munitions Reserves
Stressed in Needs
Listed by Gen. Craig
Anti-Aircroft and Tank
Guns Things Wanted
More Than Men
By the Associated Press.

more nan Men
BY the Associated Press.
A possible hint of the nature of
President Roosevelt's forthcoming
proposals to bolster national de-
fense came today from Gen. Malin
Craig, Army chief of staff.
More than men, he said in his
annual report, the Army needs anti
aircraft weapons, along with search
lights and FIRE control equipment,
new guns to cope with tanks. and
additional semi automatic rifles for
the infantry.
These, together with augmented
supplies of aerial bombs and other
ammunition will be required to put
the Regular Army of 1865 900 men
and the 205,O00 National Guards
men more nearly on a war footing.
Mr.. Roosevelt, some informed
persons believe, already has in
corporated the gist of Gen. Craig's
recommendations in the program to
be presented to Congress.
To meet deficiencies in essential
equipment would cost about $l42,-
100000, by official estimates. This
year Congress allowed sis, 900, 900 for
anti-aircrsft guns and other
weapons.
Brief Mention of Planes.
Gen. Craig's report. drafted weeks
ago, made only brief mention of
aircraft. Military circles have heard
that the President definitely in
tends. as result of Europe's recent
crisis, to ask Congress to triple the
Army's future air strength. Such
a recommendation would create a
feet of 1000 to 10000 planes, ex-
elusive of the Navy's projected
5000.
The Army's present planes are
"uneXcelled by any military planes
in the world" Gen. Craig reported
He predicted craft already building
would assure attainment Of the
Army's present goal of 2.320 first
line warplanes by mid-1940.
Munitions reserves are far shorl
of requirements. the general re-
ported to Secretary Woodring, both
for an initial protective force OF
400, 900 and the army of a million
men which under General Stan
plans would be formed in the first
four months of a war.
Boost in Regular Army.
In men, the Armys top ranking
officer proposed that the Regular
Army be increased now by 5000 to
10000, including 2l,5O0 for the Air
Corps He suggested more intensive
training for some 300 selected re-
serve officers, and an increase OF
1900 in the enrolment Of college
reserve officer units.
Specific recommendations. apply
ing to reserves as we'll as immediate
equipment for the Regular Army
included:
l. Anti-aircraft guns. searchlights
and fire control equipment in ad-
dition to those for which Congress
provided $23 100000 this year.
g. More anti-tank guns, manu-
facture of which has just been
started.
Semi Automatic Rifles.
3. More semi rifles fol
the infantry, of which the Army
has fewer than 5000, additional
medium tanks to supplement ar
existing force of light tanks, and
further steps to put the Army or
wheels through mechanization.
In numbers of men under arms the
United States now ranks eighteenth
This marked inferiority in
strength suggests that it is all the
more imperative that the armament
of this force may be equal to that il
may be called upon to face" Gen
Craig said.
Explaining the emphasis put on
the Army's need for anti-aircraft
and anti-tank guns, Gen Craig notee
that until this year the bulk oi
military appropriations went fol
new airplanes, and to a lesser de-
gree for tanks.
THE current operations in Spain
and China illustrate from day to day
the greatly increased power of these
new defensive weapons" he said
They have restored to the defense
the superiority 1t seemed to lose
with the advent of the new offensive
arms.
Infantry Core of Army.
ut is largely because of these new
defensive weapons that we find cur
rent operations confirming anew
the testimony Of history that the
infantry is the core and the essen
tial substance of an army"
Gen. Craig omitted estimates OF
the cost of meeting the marked
shortages" in reserves. He told Con-
gress earlier this year, however, that
essential" equipment for the ini-
tial protective force Of 10000 would
cost $3.50, 100000 and $3.50 ,000,0 900 ad-
ditional for the Army of a million
men. Congress supplied an initial
$23,000,O00, virtually all of which
went for anti-aircraft equipment.
Gen. Craig urged legislation to re-
lieve promotion "stagnation" re-
sulting from the Army's admission
of numerous World War officers In
1920.
One measure he recommended was
legislation authorizing the retire
ment of selected colonies and brig
adler generals, which would in.
volve no change in pay status ano