Evening star., 1940-05-24
Senate Navy Group
Refuses 10 Censor
Defense Weakness
One Member Reports
Service Has Only 500
Up-to-Dote Aircraft
~ the Associated Press.

~ the Associated Press.
On q protest that the people
ought to face the facts" the Senate
Naval Affairs Committee declined
today to suppress testimony which
one Senator said showed the Navy
has only 500 aircraft capable of
meeting modern European war
planes in equal combat
The testimony by Rear Admiral
John H. Towers, chief of naval aero
nautics, was that of the Navy's 1857
combat planes only 1872 were less
than a year old and the others
ranged in age up to seven years.
Senator Byrd, Democrat, of Virginia
said he estimated by Admiral Tow
ers' figures that only about 500 of
the Navy craft could meet modern
European planes in equal combat.
When Chairman Walsh said this
presented "a very bad picture" of
national defense and suggested sup
preston. Senator Tydings. Demo-
crat, Of Maryland asserted that II
don't think that would be a wise
course"
"Too much of spirit of conf
dence exists now," he added, II feel
that we ought to face the facts and
that the people ought to face the
facts"
Opposes Political Use.
Senator Lucas, Democrat, of Illf-
nois said he hoped no political use
would be made of the information.
II President Roosevelt had asked
Congress six months ago for the
emergency defense program which
he requested 10 days ago, Senator
Lucas said, he would have been
accused of war mongering."
Meanwhile a Senate House con-
ference committee returned to the
House for direct vote provision
in the Army's civil functions ap-
preparation bill for s15,0OO.O0O in
cash and $99 100000 in contract au-
thority to start work on a third set
of Panama Canal locks.
The House began consideration of
an emergency bill to permit unlin1-
1ted expansion of the Army Air
Corps and Immediately vas faced
with Republican demand, voiced
by Representative Andrews of New
York, senior minority member of
the Military Committee, fer enact
ment of new taxes to help finance
defense costs.
Meanwhile. business leaders, mobil-
1zlng their vast resources on the in
dustrial front, pledged the national
defense program unreserved CO.
operation today for task in which
they said "our very lives and
liberties may be involved"
After a round of conferences on
production problems, more than so
members of Secretary of Commerce
Hopkins Business Advisory Council
went to the White House late yes
terday to give President Roosevelt
assurances of "full aid"
They spent almost an hour with
the President, discussing methods
for accelerating production of de-
tense essentials and also the necess-
ity of guarding against rise in
living costs.
Urges Housing Funds.
The delegation saw Mr.. Roosevelt
not long after the Senate approved
unanimously the 81 ,473 ,756, ,728 navy
bill, thus completing the chambers
action on the main emergency de-
Tense program. The $1,823 3,254, ,624
Army measure was passed Wednes-
day.
Meanwhile President Roosevelt
disclosed at his press conference to-
day that he had urged on a group of
House leaders approval Of pending
legislation for continuance of build
Ing funds of the United States Hous-
ing Authority. Tying the housing
program definitely into the broad
defense mobilization, Mr.. Roosevelt
explained to the conference that he
believes the Housing Authority
should have funds for home con-