Evening star., 1939-01-19

least 5000 planes in Army air
force. American Ambassadors to
foreign countries, Uisiting here,
and military experts hate er-
planned need for rearming in Sc
cret testimony before commit
tees considering program. a,..
Py the Associa ted Press.
Legislation to authorize a dozen
new naval bases, including one at
Guam, and a recommendation that
19 new mobile anti-aircraft regi-
ments be created in the Army were
received by Congress today.
The legislation, which compre-
hends chain of new naval bases
from Alaska to Florida by way of the
Panama Canal, and includes an air
and submarine depot on the Pacific
Island of Guam, only $500 miles
from Toxic, was introduced in both
House and Senate by the chairmen
of Naval Affairs Committees.
The recommendation for stronger
anti-aircraft defense machinery was
made by Brig. Gen. George c. Mar
shall, deputy chief of staff. before
the House Military Affairs Commit
tee. Gen. Marshall, remarking that
any future war will at least start in
the air. told the committee that
America is weak, compared with
other nations" in aircraft de-
fense.
Guam Proposal Criticized.
OF the naval base legislation,
Chairman Vinson of the House COM
mittee said the projects, recon-
mended by a special naval board,
had administration approval.
Mr.. Vinson explained the Navy
proposed only to do some harbor
dredging at Guam next year and
that it would not construct facilities
for the air and submarine base until
1912.
Proposals to fortify Guam have
been criticized severely by the jap
anese press.
In addition to Guam. the bill
would authorize the Navy to estab-
lish or expand its existing facilities
at Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii; Midway
Island Wake Island, Johnston
Island, Palmyra Island, Kodiak,
Alaska; Sitka. Alaska: San Juan,
Puerto Rico: Pearl idarbor. Hawaii,
and at Pensacola and Jackson
vile, Fla.
These are all new establish
ments," Representative Vinson said.
indicating expansions in some cases
would give the Navy virtually new .
facilities
Chairman Walsh Of the Senate
committee said in statement:
These air bases constitute a Sc
lected number from the so-called
Hepburn Board report to the Con-
gress' on the needs and location of
air. submarine, destroyer and mine
bases.
To Cost IS Million.
"The total estimated cost is $685.
600, 900. The Hepburn Board rec
commended the acquisition of or ma
jor improvements to Al naval bases
and this bill, as submitted by the
Navy. falls far short of the recon-
mendations contained in the Hep
burn report"
The first official outline of the new
national defense program has given
Congress a broad new intimation
that 10000 Army planes remain a
long-range administration objective.
Detailing Mr.. Roosevelt's recon-
mendations, Maj. Gen. Henry H.
Arnold proposed to the House Mil
itary Affairs Committee yesterday a
new 6.000-plane limit on the Army
Air Corps, but made it clear this re-
ferred only to fighting planes.
Representative May, Democrat, of
Kentucky, the committee chairman,
has introduced such bill.
On the basis Gen. Arnold out
lined, almost as many training and
other semi military aircraft will be
required in carrying forward into
the second and third years the in
itial increase of a minimum" of
5000 planes which Mr.. Roosevelt
recommended.
S170,00O,0O0 for New Planes.
Only about $17O,OOO,OOO of the
$500 900 900 Mr.. Roosevelt asked for
aircraft would be used for new
planes, Gen. Arnold said, Nearly
1900 of the 5000 would be combat
types.
Other projected expenditures in
clude: S62,0O0,O00 for construction
at existing air stations, and estab-
lishment of air bases in Alaska,
Puerto Rico. New Hampshire and
Florida; s33,OO0,0O0 to add 2,2O0
officers and $4,000 enlisted men to
the Air Corps present 10000 per-
sonnel; enlargement of technical
schools at Rantoul, ILL.,, and Denver,
and $3,000,00O for additional re-