Evening star., 1940-06-18
4 Billions Asked
By Stark 10 Construct
Worlds Biggest Navy
Admiral Urges House
Committee to Double
Authorized Fleet
ny the Associated Press,

Admiral Harold r. Stark unex-
pectedly recommended to Congress
today $4,000, 100000 expansion of
the Navy to give this country the
greatest fleet the world has ever seen.
Testifying before the House Naval
Affairs Committee after closed ses-
sion, the chief of naval operations
said the proposed program would
add about 200 fighting ships to the
Navy and 1,250,000 tons to the
Navy's authorized combat tonnage.
That tonnage now amounts to about
1,724, 4,480 tons, he added.
Admiral Stark's public testimony
on the new proposal was confined
to barest details but, in response to
question by Chairman Vinson, he
said he considered it essential" to
the defense of the United States and
1nsular possessions as we'll as the
defense of the Monroe Doctrine.
In view of world conditions, !"
Representative Vinson said, you re-
gard this expansion as necessary"
Il do, sir, most emphatically,
AQmlral STARK replied.
No Budget Bureau Action.
The Navy's highest ranking ad-
miral was asked by reporters at the
conclusion of the brief public ses-
sion whether the program had the
approval of President Roosevelt. His
reply was that it has not cleared
the budget" (The Budget Bureau
is part of the executive staff under
direction of the President)
The proposal, described by Ad-
miral Stark as tantamount to al
most doubling" the present author
lied size of the Navy, came as a
complete surprise inasmuch as Mr..
Vinson and Chairman Walsh of the
Senate Naval Affairs Committee in
troduced yesterday legislation call
ing for $1,000 900 900 plan for "a
additional warships. Admiral Stark
would substitute his $4,000, ,000, 900
proposal for this.
Admiral Stark did not give COM
plete breakdown of the number of
new ships in each category which
the program would provide, but it
would authorize the following addi-
tional tonnage:
Battleships. 1886, 900 tons-which
would provide approximately eight
45,000-ton ships; aircraft carriers,
125,0O0 tons; cruisers Cheavy, light
and smalD, 100000 tons; destroyers,
25O,0OO tons; submarines, 10000 tons.
The program also would include
100, 900 tons of auxiliary vessels such
as tankers, tenders and oilers.
Including construction, now under
way and authorized, and overage
ships, the program would give the
Navy a total of 100000 tons, Ad-
miral Stark said.
Two New Streamlined Divisions.
The expanding Regular Army,
meanwhile. added two new stream
lined divisions to its roster today.
The new Enthusiastically armed
and completely motorized-will give
the Army a total of eight stream
lined units, each designed to strike
with greater speed and power than
the ponderous old-style divisions.
Secretary of War Woodring, an
nouncing plans for the new divisions
last night. said their troops would
be drawn from the 80, 900 enlistments
for which Congress provided funds
recently when it increased Army
strength to 100000 men.
House Votes 40O, 900 Army.
Legislation for an even larger
Standing Army already is half way
through Congress. Unanimously
and without debate the House voted
yesterday to move the strength up
to 100000 men-25 900 more than
requested by Gen. George c. Mar
shall, Chief of Staff.
With Senate approval expected
Tor an increase of at least that size,
Gen. Marshall has plans ready for
a ninth streamlined division and
the second of two highly mechanical
divisions.
Secretary Woodring revealed that
The new 7th Division will be concen-
trated at Camp Ord, Calf, about 100
miles south of San Francisco. Made
up OF motorized artillery and truck
transported infantry troops armed
with semi-automotic rifles, it will be
able to proceed quickly in an emer-
gency to San Francisco, Los Angeles
or the big naval base at San Diego.
The other new division, the 9Th,
Is to be stationed principally at
Camp Jackson, S. c., where it will be
In similar strategic position to
meet any threat against the South
east coast. One field artillery bat
talon of this division is to be at
Fort Myer. Va, near the National
Capital.
Mr.. Woodring also announced that
special weapons troop is to be pro-
vided for each cavalry regiment of
the 1st Cavalry Division, which has
It's headquarters at Fort Bliss, Tex.
These troops will be equipped with
anti-tank machine guns and CO.
millimeter mortars, a high-angle
weapon which may be used against
massed troop reserves and other
hidden targets.
A new company of engineers Is to
be sent to Puerto Rico, island out