The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1940-08-30
Washington Digest
By G. F.

theleased by western Newspaper UnionD
Observation-Disclosures Is an
noyed by slow motion in the nation
al defense program.
The war department recently re-
ported to joint committee of the
house and senate that although ap-
proximately $500, 100000 had been
appropriated in June for army air
planes, engines and accessories, &C
tual contracts had been signed for
only 33 planes.
The appropriation bills provided
funds for 1000 planes, but seven
weeks later only 33 planes actually
were under contract-and those will
not be delivered before January or
February, l94l.
In the same hearing, the national
defense commission reported that
the army would not have full equip
ment for $50, 900 men before 1912.
Inasmuch as congress has appro-
priated and authorized $4,000, 00O,-
600 for national defense since jan
uary, 1910, members of the house
and senate are pressing for thor
ough investigation Of the prepared
ness showdown.
Some leaders favor establishment
Of joint committee of the house
and senate to conduct a continuing
audit of the defense contracts.
Such an arrangement would keep
congress fully abreast Of new orders.
Capitol Hill has been grumbling
soto voce for several weeks over
reports Of confusion and conflict in
the military departments. Whatev-
er the cause, heavy defense equip
ment is not yet being produced in
any considerable quantity. This ap-
plies particularly to long-range guns
for the coast artillery, heavy naval
guns, land tanks, and long-range
bombing planes. Congress is de-
termined to find the bottleneck
One course Of friction has been
located in the procurement division
OF the treasury department, which
long has been the general purchas-
ing agency for the government.
Secretary Morgenthau feels his de-
partment should continue to place
the contracts. On the other hand,
the army and the navy insist they
should place their own orders for
highly specialized equipment. Third,
the new defense commission feel
they should place all orders for
equipment not heretofore purchased
by the government.
In this scramble many orders are
falling between the three contend
ing authorities, or being delayed by
departmental red-tape.
Secretary Morgenthau has in
formed congress that out of the
$l4 1000 ,000,0 900 now available for de-
tense, not more than 1000, 000, 900
could be spent by July /, l94l, I'M
der the present schedule Of buying.
American industry has made ev-
cry effort TO get the preparedness
wheels turning. Thousands of man.
ufacturers have come TO Washing
ton at their own expense to offer
their plants to the government.
Some have returned home without
having conferred with the official
sought. Confusion prevails in the
purchasing agencies, due to conflicts
Of authority under the hastily writ
ten emergency legislation. The de-
tense commission is new appealing
to business managers not TO come
to Washington, but to wait until they
receive inquiries by mail.
President Roosevelt has taken di-
rect personal charge of the entire
defense program. Although heavily
burdened by acute problems in for
eign relations, and a multitude Of
pressing domestic issues, Mr.. Roose-
welt wants TO give personal approx
al of every major contract for de-
Tense equipment. His long expert
ence as assistant secretary of the
navy equipped him with special
technical knowledge of fighting sea
craft. He is not equally familiar
with modern airplanes and army
equipment. The whole system of
military aviation in the modern
sense, has developed since Mr..
Roosevelt left the navy department
in 1921 Giant tanks and motorized
army units Likewise are a recent
development. Delicate technical
problems are involved in all this
modern equipment Some military
experts have cautiously expressed
the opinion that President Roosevelt
should not undertake to deal per-
sonally with all these complex tech
nical problems. But their sense Of
loyalty and patriotism restraints all
public criticism Of the commander
in-chief
Opposition to compulsory military
service in peace times is rising in
many sections of the country. The
congressional mail indicates that