Evening star., 1938-03-23
Appropriations
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Sb,i4o ,556, NatlOnal Guard, $42, ,2O5,-
e82; Organized Reserves, $10,65O433.
The committee submitted to the
House this breakdown of the 70,799,-
532 Air Corps item: New airplanes,
Sl9,150 646; spares for new airplanes,
$5.303,273; experimental and research
work, $3,564,390: maintenance and
operation, $26,412,769: contract au-
thorizations, $l6,126,894; salaries,
$242,560.
There is evidence in the possession
Of the committee that we greatly excel
any power in the world in naval avia-
tion," the committee said, "and that,
from the standpoint of project air.
planes on hand, on order, and remain
ing to be ordered under funds hereto
fore made available, both Army and
Navy, We are only excelled by the
British Empire"
The bill, like last years, contained
no appropriations for non-military
activities Of the War Department,
such as river and harbor projects
under jurisdiction of the Army Engi-
neers. The rivers and harbors item
will be In another appropriation meas
ure.
Gen. Craig Testifies.
Gen. Malin Craig. Army chief Of
staff, had advised the committee an
expenditure of $1,000, 100000 would be
necessary Ito bring the Army into
position to respond effectively to an
emergency"
"Bolstering" the Navy while per-
mitting weakness to exist in the Army,
he said, will not be effective" in a
defense system where both forces are
vital.
Testifying at hearings on the mill
tary appropriation bill, Gen. Craig
said the 81 ,o00. .o00,o 900 would be need
Cd to provide for the shortage in
standard essential items of equip
ment, including clothing, weapons,
transportation and ammunition for a
force of 100000 men"
BY using wartime substitutes and
by eliminating many semi-necessary
items, he declared, the critical items"
obtainable only by slow manufacturing
processes could be purchased for $440,-
100000.
Gen. Craig explained that the War
Department has protective mobili-
zation plan" which involves the ac-
cumulation of essential items to meet
the requirements of two field armies of
100000 men each.
Two Objectives.
The first objective of the plan is
the immediate mobilization of 100000
men. They would include the Reg
ular Army-now 10000 men-and
National Guard, plus a limited num-
Der Of recruits.
The second objective is the addition
Of $50, 900 men assigned to individual
units and 270000 unassigned enlisted
men to be used as requirements or for
formation of additional units.
The critical items for the initial
100000 force will cost $3.50, 900 900,
Gen. Craig testified.
Gen. Craig disclosed speed will be
sacrificed to heavier armor in tanks
awaiting delivery to the Army and
that the Army expects to start buy
ing anti-tank guns for use by in
fantry regiments.
At another point in committee testi-
money, Maj. Gen. Archibald Sunder-
land. coast artillery chief, declared
fortified seacoast cities in the United
States have little to fear from at
tacks by sea.
Even If battleships carried 18-inch
guns in the future, instead Of 16-inch
guns, he said, "the tremendous ad-
vantages that seacoast fortifcations
have" will continue.
Maj. Gen. Oscar Westover, chief
Of the Air Corps, told the committee
his division was experimenting with
new bombers which could ny so high
as to be out of range of present-day
anti-aircraft guns.
Gen. Westover reported that the
Army recently received a twin
engined, low-wing monoplane which
Is probably the most formidable
aerial fighting weapon of its type yet
developed" The ship carries q crew
of Ave, including three gunners, and
is powered by engines Of the pusher
type, having propellers behind the
sunners instead Of II their line Of IRE.