Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-08-21
Ickes Cites Roosevelt
Use Of Emergency
Funds for Defense
Denies G. o. P. Charge
President Neglected
Army and Navy

Secretary of the Interior rckes
today defended President Roosevelt
against Republican charges that he
had neglected to build w the ARMY
and Navy during the early years
of the administration when it was
known that Germany was rearming.
He pointed out that emergency
funds had built 200 Army and Navy
planes and 100 anti-aircaft guns, in
addition to providing hundreds of
millions for general national defense
purposes"
At the same time Mr.. Ickes sought
to show that Wendell Willkie was
an ardent admirer of the late Samuel
insult, public utility-magnate, despite
the denial made by the Republican
presidential nominee Mr.. ICkes
produced a set of Photographic eX-
hibits Of speech made by Mr..
Willkie January 81, 1885. when he
was president of the Commonwealth
and Southern Corp. characterizing
insult as "a forceful, dynamic and
effective figure
insult Then a Fugitive.
Mr.. IckeS said this speech. which
dealt with technical utility matters,
was issued by Mr.. Wilkes company
in the form of a pamphlet entitled
Government and Public Utilities
copies OF which were sent to the
Library of Congress and other
Libraries throughout the country.
This was after We had chased
insult half around the world to
answer various and sundry indict-
ments in Chicago" Secretary Ickes
remarked.
Nj. Ickes said the Republican
nominee had not devoted his speech
to the public utility magnate at the
time. but remarked that apparently
he had gone out of his way to
characterize this man as a dynamic
figure
The Interior Secretary, who ham
died billions of dollars in emer-
gency funds during his administra-
ton of the P. w. A, quoted defense
expenditure figures in reply to Sem
ator Bridges, Republican, of New
Hampshire. who charged Mr.. Roose-
welt had failed to build up the Ma
tons defenseS when he knew Ger
many was rearmlng.
100000, 900 for Defense.
Referring to early defense ex-
penditureS, Mr.. ICkes said in 1898
President Roosevelt had first allo-
Gated 1898 100000 to build up the
Navy. This amount came from the
So 800 100000 in the first N I. r a.
bill, which authorized the President
to allocate certain amounts IN his
own judgment for the benefit of
industrial employment.
This early expenditure. which was
intended TO build the Navy up 10
treaty limitations. Secretary Ickes
pointed out. accounted for 2 new
aircraft carriers, 4 cruisers. 4 SUBJ
marines, 20 destroyers and gun
boats. In addition. he declared, it
made possible the supplying Of 200
Army and Navy planes and 100 anti
aircraft guns. AT that time that
was a lot Of planes he remarked.
Before Congress imposed restric-
tons on presidential approval Of
relief funds. he declared. approXi-
mateIy 100000 900 had been spent
on Army and Navy works through
presidential allotments. That
amount, he said, does not include
many millions OF dollars. perhaps
several hundred millions of dollars,
spent for projects throughout the
country which would be Of use to
the Nation for general national
defense purposes"
Power Projects Nalua BILE.
The record Of P. w. A" Mr..
Ickes continued. shows that more
than S497.O00OOO Of P. w. A. money
was transferred TO the Army and
Navy for national defense purposes.
That is exclusive Of the regular mil
itary appropriation and OF money
used by the Federal relief agencies
since 1888 to provide civilian work
in Navy Yards and on Army posts.
Mr.. Ickes said also that the ad-
ministration had built huge public
power projects essential to national
defense. One Of these. he added,
was the Bonneville project on the
Columbia River, which is providing
power for the Aluminium Co. Of
America to start producing alumni
mum within the next 10 days at
Vancouver, Wash for airplanes to
be built in West Coast factories.