Evening star., 1939-01-17
Hearings Open Today
On $50 Million
Arms Program
Woodring, Craig Called
By House Military
Affairs Group
BACKGROUND

BACKGROUND-
With u11declared 1Udrs progress.
ing on t1Do continents and more
serious ones threatened IN seperal
places, all great nations of Uorld
are engaged in furious rearma-
nent race. Making small start
last Winter, Congress is expected
to tollo1D leadership of adminis-
tration this year in seeking to
build up Army and Many. par
ticuldrly in their air duriliaries.
BY the Associated Press.
President Roosevelt's S552 900 600
defense program started through
the congressional machinery today.
The Senate Military Affairs Com
mittee assembled at 1890 am. for
a general discussion of the sweeping
recommendations, while the similar
House committee called Secretary
of War Woodring, Gen. Malin Craig,
chief Of staff, and other Army off,
GERS to explain in private their ideas
on armament.
What we want to find out first
is whether the War Department is
prepared to proceed with the whole
program from planes to material"
said Chairman May of the House
committee. eve want to know how
soon they can put the program into
effect.
1--WE also want to know whether
Congress should put a ceiling limit
on the number of planes to be built
every year, or whether the Air Corps
men are going to be sensible about
the thing"
Plane Minimum Studied.
Representative May referred to
reports that some Army officials
thought the air force should be
increased by minimum of 10000
planes. Mr.. Roosevelt told Con-
gress in his special message last
week it should provide for a mini
mum increase of 5000 planes" He
added that "orders placed on such
large scale will materially reduce
the unit cost and actually provide
many more planes"
Meanwhile, Chairman Vinson of
the House Naval Committee said
he hoped to begin hearings late
this week on a $65 100000 program
of new naval bases, also requested
by Mr.. Roosevelt.
Some members of Congress con-
tinued to voice criticism of the
armament plans. Representative
Youngdahl, Republican, of Mime
sofa. said in radio address last
night that the President had Gre
ated "a smoke-screen of war hys-
terra and armament spending to
cover up the failures of his admin
istration."
Representative May said his COM
mittee wanted the War Department
officials to submit complete blue
prints so that we can read between
the lines of the Presidents message
and get all details
He said the committee would con-
slider the possibility of asking Con-
gress to appropriate s50000,O 900 i'm
mediately so the War Department
could start the enlargement pro-
gram. Legislation for the full pro-
gram, he said, might require several
months before funds could be made
available.
During Senate debate Yesterday
the coming visit of the King and
Queen of England to the United
States was linked with a criticism
of the adnjpiStratiop'c fora;0r
policy and the demand for increased
national defenses.
Senator Reynolds. Democrat, of
North Carolina, asserted that the
royal couple was coming here to
curry favor" and induce the United
States to save their country. The
North Carolinian was Joined by
Senators Frazier, Republican, OF
Maryland, and Lundeen, Farm
Labor, of Minnesota, in protesting
against the United States trying to
save the world"
Senator Reynolds, his voice BOOM
ing during a tWo-hour speech, said
Great Britain had sent Its hand
some, broad-shouldered, fine-voiced' u
Anthony Eden ito carpet a path
that will be traversed by the King
and Queen"
He said the United States should
mot be called upon to shoulder the
responsibility of once again saving
democracy, the democracy of France
and Great Britain"