Evening star., 1940-05-14
White House
Farley Maps
Defense Plan
Roosevelt MESSAGE
Expected to Be
Ready Thursday
BY JOHN C. HENRY.


An administration program for an
immediate start on expansion of the
Nations defenses was agreed on in
broad provision at a White House
conference today in which Presi.
dent Roosevelt and his depart
mental advisers participated.
Including three cabinet officers,
the group met with the Chief Ex-
ecutive for more than an hour.
AS they emerged one of the con-
ferees told reporters that agree
ment had been reached among all
the defense interests and depart
ments involved.
With only few details remaining
to be checked on the downtown end
OF the problem, the President plan
ned this afternoon to see four con-
gressional leaders who will be in
charge of the program at the Cap
itol. It was indicated the special
message which Mr.. Roosevelt plans
to submit to Congress on the ques-
ton will be ready by Thursday.
Earlier in the day, it was indi.
Gated authoratively at the White
House that the question of how to
finance an expanded defense pro-
gram will be left strictly to con-
gressional judgment.
Summoned for the first of today's
discussions were Secretary Of the
Treasury Morgenthau, Secretary of
War .Woodring, Secretary of the
Navy Edison, Assistant Secretary Of
War johnson, Assistant Secretary
of the Navy Compton, Gen. George
c. Marshall, chief of staff of the
Army; Admiral Harold r. Stark,
chief of naval operations, and
Chairman Hinckley Of the Civil
Aeronautics Authority.
Later, the President planned to
see Chairman Sheppard Of the Sen
ate Military Affairs Committee.
Chairman Walsh of the Senate
Naval Affairs Committee and
Chatrmen May and vinson Of the
corresponding House committees.
Although $500 900 900 most fire.
quently has been mentioned as the
sum likely to figure in the added
defense measures, the White House
has not yet given any positive in
dication Of how accurate such an
estimate may be.
Almost wholly responsible for the
complications involved in financing
any extensive new program is the
fact that the public debt already is
close to s43 900, 900 900 and is due to
reach the s45, 5,000, 600 900 statuatory
limit early in the next fiscal year.
The addition of any substantial ex-
penditure to those already budgeted
would, of course, upset this narrowly
balanced fiscal situation.
While there has been talk of de-
ferring an actual solution until the
next session Of Congress by putting
the new program on an authoriza-
ton basis only, with funds to be
provided later, Stephen T. Early,
secretary to the President, implied
in press conference today that the
President would ask that funds
actually be made available right
away. with Congress to choose at
the same time between imposing
special defense tax or raising the
debt limit.
Have Two Choices.
II think you may safely assume"
he said, that the President, without
any attempt to pass the buck, win
leave the question of financing ma
tional defense UP to Congress. They
apparently nave two choices.
First, national defense tax. Il
is getting late in the session." hk
added with possible significance at
this point, "and there is increasing
sentiment to adjourn Congress early
in June.
Second, there could be an In.
crease Of the debt limit"
Mr.. Early's statemnet of the al
ternatives facing Congress was pre-
ceded by the following remarks:
THE feeling here Is that II there
Is four-alarm fire up the street
and the wind is sweeping it In the
direction Of your home, the issue
at once becomes a protection Of
your home.
IF you have not got the money
to buy the materials necessary, you
scarcely have time to go to the bank
to negotiate for capital. What you
want to do is to keep the fire from
reaching your house."
Chairman Vinson yesterday de-
clared himself in favor of special
national defense tax or q diversion
OF funds already appropriated for
other purposes.
Talk Centers on johnson Act.
In the forefront Of Capitol Hill
discussion Of the disturbing inter.
national situation was the possibil-
ity Of relaxation Of the johnson Act
banning loans to defaulters on debts
from the previous World War. Rep
resentative May proposed repeal inf
the johnson Act last week. ~
Proposals In this direction, how
ever, provoked uncompromising ex.
presstons Of opposition from a mum.
Der OF Senators. y
Senator johnson, Republican, Of
California, author Of the credit ban,
said its mobilization or repeal would
saddle on our already overburdened
taxpayers two or three times the
war debt now owed u.s."
Senator Austin, Republican, Of
Vermont, on the other hand, said
the johnson Act should be suspend
ed temporarily In the case Of The
allies.
Secretary Norgenthaw ,told n.
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