Evening star., 1939-05-01
NewDepartment
In Caribbean
To Guard Canal
Gen. Daley to Have
Charge Of Offices
At Sun juan
(Ptcture on page A-5.)
By the Associated Press.

ffNLuTS OH puyc A~0I
By the Associated Press.
The War Department today Gre
ated a new first line of defense for
the Panama Canal by establishing
a Military Department in the Carib-
bean Sea.
Secretary Woodring said head
quarters of the new department
would be located at the military
reservation of San Juan, Puerto
Rico.
The War Departments action,
taken under the direction of Presi-
dent Roosevelt. will bring under
control of the new department, be-
ginning July /, the islands of Puerto
Rico, including all adjacent keys
and islands, together with the Vir-
gin Islands, belonging to the United
States.
In addition to defending the Canal,
the Puerto Rican Department will
direct defense of the Gulf of Mex
leo and the Gulf States. American
military forces in the area would be
charged with the duty of preventing
any hostile foreign powers from
establishing bases within striking
distance of the American continent
Gen. Daley in Command.
Secretary Woodring said the de-
partment would be under the COM
mand of Brig. Gen. Edmund l..
Daley, who now commands the 1st
Coast Artillery district at Boston.
The department was established
after the President had pledged the
support of the United States in de-
Tending the Western Hemisphere
from invasion and after he had
personally observed the Navy's war
games in the Caribbean.
Military affairs of the Caribbean
hitherto have been administered
from the I'd Corps area with head
quarters at Governors Island, New
York.
Uncle Sans defense bill for the
year beginning July appeared
likely today to reach the unprece-
dented peacetime total of 81 ,804 49,
$50.
Far Less Than England's.
Even that amount, which will be
increased by $277,000, 900 If addi-
tional locks are approved for the
Panama Canal, is far less than Eng
lands defense fund of nearly So
0OO,0O0,0O0.
Congress already has made $578,-
52S,111 available to the Army-the
largest sum that service has received
since the World WARRIOR acquisi-
ton of new weapons and expansion
of the Air Corps.
For the Navy, President Roosevelt
has asked $790,429 ,453, which in
cludes funds for construction of two
45,0o0-t ton battleships and beginning
of a s65, 900, 900 naval air base pro-
gram.
Leaders plan to bring the naval
bill to the House floor this week.
Military experts told Congress the
Army funds would give infantrymen
new semi-automatic rifles two and
one-half times more efficient than
World War rifles; provide airmen
with planes capable Of speed in ex-
cess Of $50 miles an hour and pro-
tect cities against air raids with
anti-aircraft guns that shoot ac-
curately into the stratosphere.
Funds also were included to bol-
ster seacoast defenses Of the con-
tinental United States, Panama and
Hawaii.
OF the money sought thus far,
81 ,4O1 ,457 ,564 would be spent in the
fiscal year 1910, and the remainder
during the next two or three years.
In addition to the two new battle
ships, Mr. Roosevelt requested funds
to continue the Navy's shipbuilding
program authorized last year in
the billion-d dollar Naval Expansion
Act. Last week he asked for an ad-
ditional S31 ,621 900 in direct appro-
priations and S34,179,00O in contrac-
tual authorizations to give the feet
a system of air bases far out in the
Pacific, Alaska and the Caribbean
Chairman Walsh of the Senate
Naval Committee said yesterday it
vas his belief that Chancellor Hit
ers reply to President Roosevelt S
peace plea should strengthen the
determination of the United States
to build up speedily it's Navy and its
Army air force.
Equipment Held Sufficient.
On the other hand, the Foreign
Policy Association asserted the
United States possesses more than
sufficient" military equipment for
national defense. 1t cautioned the
public against "endlessly increasing
demands" for still more ornaments.
David H. Pepper, who prepared
the report for the association, a pri-
vate research organization, asserted
that, Furthermore, it would be fool
hardy" for any European or Asiatic
power to attempt to carry on a
military campaign in this hem
isphere.
Listing the fighting strength OF
che fleets of Germany, Italy and
Japan, he said the United States
to-day possesses sufficient nava,
forces to combat any enemy O,
probable combination of enemies