Evening star., 1939-01-27

MAJOR nations into armament
race. America made small start
during last session OF Congress-,
but President this year is asking
$552, 900, 900 program, 1Dith impH-
cation that this is only the be-
ginning.
BY tbt Associated Press.
President Roosevelt today asked
Congress for an immediate appro-
priation of $50000,000 to be spent
largely for new airplanes in the
administrations national defense
program.
He submitted the request in a
letter to Speaker Bankhead which
asked that the money be made avail
able for expenditure during the re-
mainder of the current fiscal year
and through the year starting
July l.
Mr.. Roosevelt said the money
would provide in part for the de-
Tense program he recommended to
Congress on January H. At that
time he suggested a $500, 900 900
Army airplane procurement pro-
gram and said approximately $50.-
100000 should be made available
Immediately.
Today's request for the Air Corps
was SAC, ,442 ,829 The administration
said that would obtain 565 new COM
bat airplanes.
Signal Corps Equipment.
In addition, Mr.. Roosevelt re-
quested ST ,490,071 for radio equip
ment for the Signal Corps and ST.
067 100 for armament for the 565
airplanes.
In his defense message, Mr.. Roose-
welt said that by making $4,000, 600
Immediately available for Army air
craft, "the present lag in aircraft
production, due to idle plants" could
be corrected.
At that time, he declared military
aviation is increasing today at an
unprecedented and alarming rate"
Increased range, speed and capac-
ity of planes made abroad, he added.
have changed our requirements for
defensive aviation"
Pacific, Alaskan Bases.
Shortly after Mr.. Roosevelt's re-
quest the House Naval Committee
learned the pending $65 900 900
naval air base program would pro-
vide permanent bases in the mid
Pacific and Alaska for about 400
planes.
Rear Admiral Arthur B. Cook, the
Nays chief of aviation, testified the
program would add only lis planes
to the Navy's present air strength
in the Pacific, but he emphasized
only one permanent air base exists
there now at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
The bill under discussion would
provide for establishment or expan-
sion of eight bases in Alaska and
the Pacific Ocean, in addition to
Improvements at Guam Island, and
three projects in the Caribbean Sea
and the continental United States.
Reserve Increases Asked.
The House Military Affairs Com
mittee, meanwhile, was asked to
recommend a $4,20O,00O program of
increased allowances for reserve
officers. The request came from Col.
Stephen A. Park, head of the Re-
serve officers Association, who pre-
dicted the Reserve Corps would be
required to provide about 80 per
cent of the Army's officers in an
emergency. He said there is a
shortage of at least 10000 such off,
GERS.
At the end of the World War, Col
Park said, the corps was composed
almost exclusively of men who had
had war experience, but now only
about Is per cent can be placed in
that category.
He suggested that Congress enact
bills to permit allowances of 81 for
each hour of credit earned in mac
tive status training and $50 an
nually for the first three years of
commissioned service of each officer
Col Park said the total cost of the
plan, $4,200,000, would about equal
to the Governments annual loss re-
sulting from excessive numbers of
r. o. T. c. graduates separating
from the Officers Reserve Corps"
Meanwhile, Republican attempt
to bring Secretary of State Hull be-
fore a congressional committee to
discuss foreign policy in view of pro-