Evening star., 1940-10-20

523 and S811 .165, 1872. Actual expendi-
lures driving ahead of both figures, at
tanned the sum of S9l1 ,685 TAT.
The 1861 budget demanded $685..
237 $50 for national defense. Appropria-
tons were s9l6,7l794l, but Mr.. Roose-
welt more than made up the difference
with an allotment of 79005,2 ,235 from re-
lief funds. Actual expenditures by the
Army and Navy during this year were
1896, ,l16748.
March of 1896 saw the reoccupation OF
the Rhineland by Germany. In July
came the outbreak of the Spanish civil
war. 1t was also year in which Mr..
Roosevelt was campaigning for re-elec-
tion to the presidency. During the
course Of innumerable speeches through
out the land, the candidate touched in
frequently on international relations
With victory safely in his possession,
Mr.. Roosevelt proceeded to action One
Of his earliest steps in January, 1887.
was to instruct the Navy to build two
new battleships-the first to be con-
structed by the United States in more
eiAoiA Az sSdio' 1llcH NClC llIc
pioneer 35OOo-ton dreadnaughts, which
were launched in June of this year
Billion Mark Exceeded.
The President also boosted his budget
estimate for national defense, in the fis-
cal year 1878, to new high of 1884,
467,734 Appropriations of Congress
were 1896, ,33l 959. Again Mr.. Roosevelt
bridged the gap with an allotment OF
S53,685 ,958 from relief moneys. For the
first time under the New Deal, actual
expenditures by the Army and Navy
now crossed the billion mark, being in
this respect one year ahead of the bud
get. The total for 1878 was s1027,-
843, ,l90
The outbreak of the war between
Japan and China occurred in July, 1887
The Panay incident occurred on De-
cember IL. For the first time an annual
message of President Roosevelt, on jan
uary 3, 1888, led off with foreign affairs
He inveighed against attacks in disre-
gard of treaty obligations and declared:
I'VE must keep ourselves adequately
strong for self defense" Two days later
was submitted his first billion dollar
budget for national safety. The amount
asked was s1,119, 1872 221, with a warming
that due to world conditions over which
this Nation has no CONTROL he would
possibly find it necessary to ask further
sums.
Publicly Faces Facts.
In his message of January %, the
President at last brought himself pub
licly to face the facts AS Commander
in Chief Of the Army and Navy of the
United States" he said, lit is my con-
stitutional duty to report to the Con-
gress that our national defense, in the
light of the increasing armament of
other nations, is inadequate for pur-
poses of national security
He urged that the Navy's building
program be increased 20 per cent, that
money be provided for laying down
two battleships and two cruisers, and
that S28 500 900 be appropriated at once
for anti-aircraft defense, the manufac-
ture of machine tools for Army ma
terial and for making up Army de-
ficiencies in ammunition. Congress COM
piled to the extent of appropriating
total of $1115 ,282 ,481. Actual expendi-
lures of the Army and Navy were S47,-
294 ,444 in excess of appropriations, or
s1.162,576,s25
The Executives next defense esti-
mate, in the budget of 193940, scared
to 81 ,87O 7S4,664, while Congress actually
appropriated s1766, ,840,500. The COM
bined outlay of Army and Navy for the
year was s1558 762, ,921.
Nearly Billions Asked.
In September, 1899, began the second
World War. The chief defense item OF
the year was an authorization by Con-
eress for the building of four super
dreadnaughts of $4,000 tons and a
speed of 80 knots.
Under the shock of events abroad, the
administration submitted budget esti-
mates at the beginning of this year OF
81 ,371 ,OO0,000 for the Navy and $1,478,-
100000 for the Army, total Of $685.
OOO,OOO A conviction that the war was
a "phony" one remained powerful in
Congress. AS approved by the House on
February 16 and April respectively, the
regular naval and military appropria-
tions bills carried total of $1,750,771,- =
972. This was billion dollars less than
the estimates and sl6,000000 below the
defense appropriations of 1939-40.
The progress of Germany's arms was
accompanied by stampede of defense
supplemental, emergency and urgent de-
ficiency bills. BY the middle of June
they arrived at grand total of $l2,816,-
S77,983, of which $8,9O5, 5,94l ,937 repre-
sented actual appropriations and $3,-
81O,936 01O were contract authorizations.
Now at last, cried Mr.. Roosevelt's fol-
lowers. the President had free hand
to carry out plans long held as to ma
tional defense. Now at last, his detrac-
tors exclaimed, Mr.. Roosevelt stood face
to face with the consequences Of his own
dilatogy and ine3octual policies.