Evening star., 1940-07-28

the National Guard. Approximately
S7,000000 was made available for
mechanization, new weapons and
the modernization of field artillery.
The authorized airplane strength
was raised from 1900 to APO
Between 1886 and 1899 the per-
sonnel situation had changed but
little. There had been an increase
of approximately 300 regular COM
missloned officers. The enlisted
strength had not gone beyond l65.-
600. The National Guard strength
had advanced to 100000 and there
had been an increase of about 5000
assignable Reserve officers. On the
materiel side, deliveries had been
and were being made under the
rather modest procurement pro-
grams of mechanical units and
new and improved weapons of vari-
Gus types. The number of combat
alrplanes was still discouraginglv
low. Instead of 766, as of Septem-
Der 30. 1895, there were on hand on
June 80, 1898, of combat types but
1913 planes.
Defense Message.
The Presidents national defense
message of January u, 1899, pro-
NOTED marked military expansion.
There ensued in the following
order:
1) The Military Appropriations
Act OF 1910, approved April 26. 1889,
which made Immediately available
the first increment of the 5000 0o0.-
600 recommended by the President
Tor expansion Of the Army's air
plane strength from the heretofore
objective of 1920 planes to $500
planes.
W The Second Deficiency Appro-
priatlon Act, 1889, approved Nav 2.
1889, in. which s110000,00O was made
available, including contractual au-
thorlty, for the procurement of criti-
cal items of military equipment.
such as anti-aircraft artillery, semi
automatic rifles. anti-tank guns.
tanks, light and heavy artillery, am
munition and gas masks.
80 The Supplemental Military
Appropriation Act of 1910, approved
July l, 1899, which carried the re-
manning amount for and incident
to the increase to $500 Army air.
planes, ali amount for expanding
the Panama garrison and the first
large appropriation (sl4250. .OO0) for
educational orders. Besides provid-
ing for additional airplanes, this act
provided for large expansion of air
corps ground facilities and for an
increase of 1856 in the enlisted
strength of the Army. from l65 900
to 203,6l6. OF such increase, 1926
was owing to air corps expansion
and 1850 for adding to the Canal
one garrison.
"a The Third Deficiency Appro-
prlation Act, 1899, approved August
9, 1889, which made an additional
amount available, including con-
tractual authority, for air corps
ground facilities partly provided for
In the Supplemental Military Ap-
preparation Act.
'5o The Emergency Supplemental
Appropriation Act, 194O approved
February -, 1910. This act provided
for additional expenditures occa-
stoned by the. followup Executive
order to the Presidents proclama :
ton of September 8, 1899. This
order:
'a) Increased the enlisted strength
Of the Regular Army from O3,6I6
to 220,585, both figures including
Philippine Scouts.
tb) Increased the strength of the
National Guard (offcers and mem
from 100000 to 251.000.
Besides providing for expansion
of personnel, that act also provided
for:
(c> An enlarged Army field train
ing program.
I'D Additional motor equipment
for the Regular Army and National
Guard.
t BY this time the country and the
Congress had become thoroughly
awakened to the inadequacy of our
military arm and to the need that
it must be Immediately strengthened.
The Military Appropriation Act of
194l, approved June 13, 1910, emerged
from the legislative mill carrying
81 ,499 1873 ,322, and contractual au-
thority-in addition-for 1923 .299, =
636. 1t originally was founded upon
budget estimates totaling $685.
356,754.
While this act was in the making.
the First Supplemental National
Defense Appropriation Act was
initiated, which became law on June
26, 1910. This act made available an
additional 1921 ,002, DAT of appropria-
tion and 1854. .l76,761 of contractual
authority. With these huge amounts,
the enlisted strength of the Army
will advance from 220,585 to 375, 900
The airplane strength, including
large proportion of training planes,
will go up from a total of $500 to
approximately double that number.
In critical items of equipment,
the entire initial requirements of
the protective mobilization plan
for a force of million men will be
procured and an additional quantity,
besides, either for use of larger
organization or for meeting wastage
under battle conditions.
OF the total amounts in those
two acts, a sum in excess of s70O,-
0OO,0 900, including contractual au-
thority, is intended for application
to critical items of equipment, in
Guiding the provision of ways and
means for expediting the production
OF such material and gearing up in
dustry for supplying quickly possible