Evening star., 1938-01-29

recommendation of YESTERDAY ap-
parently starts this country in same
direction.
BY the Associated Press.
Leaders said today they expected
the House to pass President Roosevelt's
huge Army and Navy expansion pro-
gram by February Is.
Chairman Vinson called the House
Naval Affairs Committee to begin
hearings Monday on a bill to au-
thorize the $500, 100000 naval building
program. He predicted favorable re-
port would be forthcoming after two
or three days"
The measure, carrying out Mr..
Roosevelt's request for q 20 per cent
increase in the Navy's building limita-
tions, would authorize AZ additional
fighting ships. % auxiliaries and 1000
airplanes. The President suggested
that of the total, two battleships and
two cruisers be started this year.
Chairman May of the House Military
Affairs Committee said he would con-
fer Immediately with War Department
officials to get their views on how best
to fulfill the Presidents recommended
tlons for strengthening land forces.
Walsh Predicts Approval.
Chairman Walsh of the Senate
Naval Committee and others predicted
Congress would give quick approval to
the requests made by the President in
his special message yesterday.
Members of Midwestern bloc in the
House. however, indicated they would
oppose the program. In this group
were Representatives Tiegan, Farmer
Labor, of Minnesota: johnson, Far
mer-Labor, of Minnesota, and With
crow, Progressive, of Wisconsin.
Representative Fish. Republican, of
New York, said he believed the pro-
posals involved an attempt to police
the world and Senator Vandenberg,
Republican, Of Michigan, asked:
What is the foreign policy which
might lead us into the very maelstrom
which the President condemns?"
The National Council for Preven-
ton of War, Women's International
League, World Peaceways and the Eel
lowship of Reconciliation protested the
Presidents program was leading to
war.
Even before they result in war"
their joint statement said, "tremen-
dous armament programs put what
well may be fatal additional strain
on the world economic system"
Navy officials disclosed that part Of
the $15,000,0O0 fund President Roose-
velt recommended for experimentation
with weapons for war might 60 for
development of a mosquito feet"
These would be composed Of small,
speedy vessels carrying two torpedoes,
small guns and a crew Of eight or nine.
Roosevelt Total.
Representative Vinson said that
since Mr.. Roosevelt took Office, the
Navy has laid down keels for 119 war
ships and finished 40. The new pro-
gram would bring the total during his
tenure to 1873.
I'VE want navy that will carry out
the original fve-to-three ratio with
Japan" he said.
There were strong indications that
naval expansion by both Great Britain
and Japan had helped decide the ad-
ministration to proceed with its pro-
gram at this time.
Representative Vinson said the ships
asked by the President probably could
be completed in three or four years
after ships already under way are
finished.
The legislative jam behind the anti
lynching f1libuster in the Senate made
it impracticable for Senate leaders to
estimate when they could take up the
national defense requests.
The Senate will consider q confer
ence report on the Wagner housing
bill Monday. This measure. designed
to stimulate residential building, has
passed both Houses, but changes must
be voted on.
Both Senate and House were In re.
cess today and Southern Senators held
q caucus to review their fight against
the anti-lynching bill. The Southern
ers considered their battle wen when
the Senate voted Thursday against
limiting debate on the measure.
Senator Wagner, Democrat, of New
York reiterated, however, he would
seek to keep the bill before the Senate
until 1t comes to q vote.
Meanwhile. officials estimated the
I'll, 10000 increase in expenditures
for the Army requested by the Presi-
dent would enable q substantial start
toward an objective of 675,O00 men
under arms or Immediately available,
Army officers said they regarded as
particularly important the smallest of
the four separate increases requested
BY the President-that for "the better
establishment Of an elisted reserve"
The Army's objective for the reserve
is 100000 officers and 100000 men.
The increased appropriation Of
$450,0o0, officers said, would enable
beginning to be made with about
10000 men. These would come prin.
cipally from the ranks Of men whose
snhstmsnts expa1S 4As yeas.