Evening star., 1940-05-20
ARMY Bill Sped
10 Senate Floor
By Committee
$50, 900, 900 Added
To Bring Force to
Peace Strength
BY J. A. O'LEARY.

The Senate Appropriations Com
mlttee today reported out a Sl,497,-
I'll 1863 Army supply bill for the next
IL months, including the military
part of the new defense program
President Roosevelt submitted less
than week ago.
A minority move to strike out
Sl32 100000 blank check" emer-
gency fund, to be used by the
President to expedite defense pre-
parations during the congressional
recess, was beaten in the commit.
tee.
While the Senate group was ap-
proving this presidential emergency
fund, made up of s66 ,0OO. 900 in cash
and an equal amount in contract
authorization, Gen. George c. Mar.
shall, Army chief of staff, was de-
Tending the Presidents request for
such fund. before the House Mill
tary Affairs Committee.
The President asked for total of
5000 100000 un-earmarked. Some
of it was intended for naval needs,
however, and was left for consider.
alton later in the week, when exist.
ing naval appropriations are STEP
ped UP.
Includes Added 50,000, 900.
The Senate committee not only
approved all of the Army portion Of
the Presidents recent message,
amounting to $545, ,77O.364 but in
cluded another $4,000 900 to bring
the Army up to full authorized
peacetime strength of 100000 men.
To reach that figure, $1,000 enlist
ments will be needed.
In addition to its cash total. the
enlarged Army bill carries contract
authorizations amounting to $323,-
$4,000.
Senator Thomas, Democrat, of
Oklahoma. announced he would seek
Senate action on the big Army
measure tomorrow, at which time a
floor fight may be renewed over the
Presidents emergency fund, which
Gen. Marshall today, told the House
group lis a trivial amount" for dis
cretionary use in the present-day
situation.
The President indicated in his
message last Thursday that large
part of the lump-sum emergency
fund would be used to build up the
air service, for additional anti-air-
craft guns and the training Of per-
sonnel for air defense.
SIashed Fund for Land,
The only point on which the Sen
ate appropriations group reversed
the subcommittee that drafted the
bill was on purchase of more land
for military posts Under this head.
Ing they cut out sl,55l .720 in cash.
of which s1,000000 would have been
used at Fort Knox, KY, and $940 900
of additional contract authority for
land.
With funds carried in this supply
bill the War Department will be able
to buy 300 combat planes, 20 miscel-
laneous types and 2,237 training
planes. Added to the present eX-
pansion program, these new funds
would bring the Army Air Corps up
to 8.066.
Testimony given the House COM
mittee earlier in the day by Army
officials was that 10000 was the max
imum number of planes they could
hope to procure between now and
the convening of the new Congress
next year. Maximum delivery OF
planes would be reached about De-
cember, the committee was told.
Stark Outlines Plans.
simultaneously. Admiral Harold
r. Stark, chief of naval operations,
outlined behind the closed doors of
a House Appropriations Subcom-
mittee details of the Navys $780,
10000 share of the Presidents 5
program. Other naval officers were
before the House Naval Committee
to explain emergency legislation de-
signed to put warship construction
machinery in high gear.
In its present form, the Army
supply bill contains S7l2,712274 more
than when it passed the House six
weeks ago. but at that time the
turn of events in Europe had not
aroused America to the need for
stronger defenses. The Army meas
ure is now $647 900 900 above last
years appropriation act.
Although the Senate Committee
gave the President discretion in
spending the $132, 900 900 emergency