Evening star., 1940-05-16
Army Air Corps Plans
10 Speed Up It's Pilot
Training Program
1000 MiIitory Flyers
A Year, Equal Number
Of Mechanics Goal
By JOSEPH s. EDGERToN.


totalitarian war continued to grow
IN Europe, the Nations defense
Leaders today were taking stock of
American bulwarks against aggres-
sion, as President Roosevelt pre-
pared to submit to Congress his
extraordinary defense budget.
With European lessons stressing
the need for additional air power,
the Army Air Corps today was con-
sidering an expanded Army pilot
training program which would step
up the present training rate almost
100 per cent and add 1000 military
pilots to the service annually. The
present production Of trained pilots
averages only 1853 month, and dur
ing 1898 the Air Corps trained less
than 400 pilots.
The Air Corps had 2,608 pilots of
the Regular Army and Air Reserve
on extended active duty in service
at the end Of the past fiscal yeaf
ana Congress has provided for 1868
by the end of the current fiscal year
next June 30.
Although the proposed training
program Is small as compared with
that in Canada, which aims at Is, 900
pilots a year, the new air corps
program would include, in addition
10 1000 pilots year, an equal
number of aviation mechanics and
like number of air corps troops.
It was made known that Secretary
Of War Woodring is in favor of ex-
penditure of $500 1000 600 for pur-
chase of strategic war materials and
that he would support the principle
OF q bill introduced by Senator
Townsend, Republican, of Delaware,
making this amount available from
the Treasury's $4,000, 900 sterilization
fund for purchases over a 5-year
period OF materials which the United
States does not produce in sufficient
quantities for defense needs. Mr..
~Woodring did not specifically men
ton use Of the stabilization fund,
however.
In q letter to Speaker Bankhead,
Secretary Woodring also asked Con-
gress to authorize an emergency
military post construction program
involving expenditure of SIS 1000 900, |
more than half of which would be
spent In Alaska and the Panama
Canal Zone.
Spokesmen for private shipbuild-
Ing concerns now working on naval
warship contracts told the House
Naval Affairs Committee yesterday |
afternoon that there has been con-
siderable improvement since 1888 in |
methods and time required to build |
naval vessels. They told the COM
mittee that they still are hampered,
however, by restrictive labor legis-
lation.
Wage Hour Act Criticized,
The witnesses agreed that the
Wage-Hour Administrations inter-
probation Of the wage-hour law is
interfering seriously with training of
skilled workmen for the shipyards.
which now have 68 ships on the
ways.
A. B. Homer OF the Bethlehem
shipbuilding Corp. said his company
had been compelled to stop its train
ing program because it was required
TO pay time-and-one-half overtime
to.men who voluntarily pursued the
training course after hours. Other
witnesses testified that profits were
being put into overtime pay to speed
up work and that the Navy DEPART
ment itself was causing delays bv
pushing certain types of inspections
too far.
J. B. woodward, vice president
and general manager Of the Newport
News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co..
suggested that the Nays local in
Spectors be given greater authority
to make decisions to save time now
spent in referring relatively minor
matters to Washington. Mr.. Wood
ward also said his company is ex-
periencing difficulty in getting
trained workmen.
It will do little good for Congress
to put Government and private SHIN
yards on 48-hour week If hundreds
Of subcontractors supplying them
with materials are held to 40 or a.
hours a week, H. G. Smith, president
Of the National Council of American
ehipbuilders, testified.
Mr.. Smith testified that one of the
most serious bottlenecks in naval
construction was the delivery of |
ordnance, armor and other eouip-
ment furnished by the Government.
Opposition developed in the SEN
ate yeserday afternoon to legislation
supported by the administration and
already passed by the House chang
Ing the Armys promotion and re-
tirement system to provide younger
omcers In higher ranks. Senators
johnson, Democrat, of Colorado and
Clark, Democrat, Of Missouri called
1t IAN arbitrary and artificial
scheme" to gain promotion for one
group Of officers while eliminating
others from the service.
The measure provides for auto
matte promotion up through the
grade Of colonel after specified years
OF service in each grade. Such a
system already Is in effect in the
lower grades and in the Medical and
Chaplain Corps. The bill also would
lower the mandatory retirement age
from IS to 90 for most officers and
from "a to 81 years for brigadier
generals.
Lodge Action Blocked.
Demands for an investigation OF
national defense were heard in the
Senate late yesterday, although
Senator Lodge, Republican, of Mas
sachusetts, failed in an effort to OBJ
tain consent for action today on his
resolution for joint Congressional
. inquiry. Majority Leader Barkley
Of Kentucky blocked Senator
Lodges effort to obtain q vote after
Senators had engaged in an acri-
monious debate during which sharp
criticism was voiced Of past defense
expenditures Senator Barkley in
sisted that the Lodge resolution be
sent to the Military Affairs Com
mittee for study.
Senator Clark, Democrat, Of Mis-