Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-01-27
300 Million Naval Bill
Passed by Senate and
Sent 10 White House
Action Comes Hour After
Committee Votes Thot
And 900 Million Fund
By the Associated Press.

The Senate passed unanimously
and sent TO the White House today
/ legislation authorizing $500 900 900
expenditure for undermining the
| fleets air defense.
The chamber acted within an
hour after the Senate Naval Com
mittee had approved the legislation.
The Senate also passed and sent
| to the White House legislation au-
thorizing an increase OF 495 mid
| shipmen in the United States Naval
Academys enrolment.
! Under the proposal each member
of Congress will be given the right
to have five instead OF four ap-
pointeeS in the Academy.
The number Of appointees the
President is authorized to make an
| nually would be increased from IS
to IS. and appointments each year
by the Secretary of Navy would be
increased from so to 100.
More Anti Aircraft Needed.
Witnesses at the naval fund hear
ing testified that increased protec-
| ton against air attack had been
shown TO be necessary because of
lessons learned from the European
war.
Chairman Walsh of the Naval
| Committee said he would call up
later authorizations totaling S9O9.-
600 900 for expanding Navy ship
| building and ordnance works and
building 400 small naval craft.
which also had been approved by
/ the committee earlier in the day.
! In the House Chairman Vinson of
the Naval Affairs Committee intro
duced legislation to forbid outsiders
to take pictures or make sketches
Of any place or equipment used for
national defense purposes"
The maximum penalty would be
one years imprisonment and fine
of 81 900. The bill would allow the
Secretary of the Navy to permit
photographs to be taken when in his
opinion the interests of defense
would not be adversely affected.
President Roosevelt. meanwhile,
asked Congress to authorize the
Maritime Commission Immediately
to contract for $4,000 900 in addi-
tional expenditures to enable it to
complete by July l of this year its
regular program for construction of
200 vessels.
81 Vessels Launched.
The additional funds, the Presi-
dent said in letter to Speaker Ray
burn, would supplement the s495.-
100000 the commission previously
had been authorized to spend.
As OF January 20, he said. con-
tracts had been let for 1870 of the
vessels at an estimated cost of S446.-
100000 and 81 of these actually have
been launched. All the vessels COW
cred by the program, the President s
message said. ARE necessary for
service on essential trade routes"
The recommendation dealt with
the commissions regular program
and had no connection with the
pending proposal for emergency
construction of 200 cargo vessels
Most of the 400 new Navy YES
SelS are expected 10 be built this
year. They would include patrol
boats. local defense craft. escort.
salvage and towing ships, account
ing for $4OO,OOOO0O of the program.
In response to question from
Chairman Walsh at the hearing to-
day. Rear Admiral S. M. Robinson,
chief of the Nays Bureau of Ships,
said that So of them would be suit
able for conveying ships to Europe.
determination of the fleets air
defense, incorporating improvements
in armor and anti-aircraft guns
suggested by the European war, the
admiral said would be carried on
over period of several years.
When the program is completed
he added. you can be sure that
our ships will be q little better than
the other fellows If we get into
any sort Of mixup"