Evening star., 1939-12-27
Record Defense Fund
Expected 10 Be Voted
Without Protest
Congress to Sturt
Work Promptly on
Military Measures
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
Congress will be asked to approve
another record-breaking fund for
national defense at the coming ses-
sion, and indications today are
that it will accede without much
of a fight.
Congressman with military ideas
of their own, however, may pro-
woke greater controversy than the
outlay of more than $2,000,0 900, 900
which President Roosevelt has said
he would recommend to finance
the Army and Navy for the year
starting July /.
Before the new session is week
old, two House committees will
study proposals designed to make
the Navy the mightiest the world
has ever seen. Both are likely to
provide forums for proponents OF
superb -battleships, possibly twice as
big as any now afloat.
Early Hearings Scheduled.
Chairman Vinson set January 8
tentatively for the House Naval
Committee to begin public hearings
on a proposed $1,000, 100000 expan-
sion of the Navy. This would pro-
vide for 95 new WarshipS, 81 auxll-
liary vessels and 1895 additional
airplanes.
Representative Mas, Republican,
of Minnesota, senior minority mem
ber of the committee, said he would
urge a separate fleet for the At
lantic and for construction of big
ger battleships-up to 10000 tons
in contrast to the 35OOO-tonners
now the Navy's largest.
Even before the expansion pro-
gram comes up, the House Naval
Appropriations Subcommittee vii be
working behind closed doors on the
Navy's budget estimates for the next
fiscal year. The group already has
asked the Navy to furnish data on
the cost of building 65,000-ton bat
tleships.
Although Mr. Roosevelt was re-
ported authoritatively to have
slashed about $500, ,000, 900 from the
estimates of both the Army and
Navy, there were indications the
total would be at least $500, ,000, 900
and possibly $5OO,0OO,000 above the
current years peacetime record OF
about $1,8O0,0O0,000. Nevertheless,
Democrats and Republicans have
shown little disposition to quibble
over money spent for defense.
Infringement on Relief Opposed.
An indication of the congressional
attitude came from members of a
House appropriations subcommittee,
who said that with minor excep-
tions they recently had approved
Mr.. Roosevelt's request for $270,-
100000 to take care of expenses in
Cured when he ordered increases
in the Army and Navy, established
the neutrality patrol and stepped
up the Justice Departments acivi-
ties against sabotage and espionage.
Defense measures will not have
entirely plain sailing, however, for
some members in both Senate and
House have served notice they
would fight proposals to expand the
armed services if it meant reductions
In relief funds or other benefits for
the needy.
Republican leaders also have
made it plain they do not intend to
support lump-sum spending in the
guise of defense.
Air Raid Protection Asked.
Members of a joint Senate-House
committee which made 15,000-mile
airplane tour of military establish
r1ents in this country and the
Panama Canal Zone came back with
lot of ideas which threaten to con-
flict with those of War Department
experts. Among other things, they
recommended speeding up produc-
ton of the Army's new semi-auto-
matte rifle, greater attention to pro-
lection of cities from possible air at
tacks, modernization of field artil-
lery and expansion of airports and
troop training areas.
The Army contends it would take
all prospective defense funds to pro-
vide even a portion of the Nations
major cities with stationary anti
aircraft guns. Pointing out that
London requires about 900 such
weapons, this country's military
leaders are concentrating on devel-
opment of mobile anti-aircraft regi-
ments.
Further protection of the Panama
Canal will be major item in the
defense program.