Evening star., 1941-12-03

mobilize that fOrce OF ABOUT lou UOU
men.
1t. Gen Douglas Macarthur. COM
manding the Far Eastern forces. es-
timated that maintenance OF the
Philippine Army and OF the United
States armored force IN the Far
East from July 27. l94l. 10 June 30,
1912, will cost SIC 1873. 900. the COM
mittee testimony revealed This in
cludes materials. equipment and sup
piles. but not airplaneS. weapons. fire
control equipment. motor vehicles
and other items OF heavy equipment.
Requested s269, ,OOO, 900.
The maintenance estimate was
part of request for $269, 900 900 for
Philippine defense.
Much of Gen. Marshalls testi-
mony on islands defense was off the
record. He emphasized that failure
to appropriate the maintenance
fund might have far-reaching con-
sequences in the present tense Far
Eastern situation - even furnish
ing the breeze which would ignite
the present smouldering embers -
Testimony indicated that part of
the $3.50 100000 would be used to
repay the United States for Regular
Army equipment it had advanced to
the Commonwealth Army.
The committee recommended ex-
penditure of 1888 600, 900 for expan-
sion Of facilities for the manufac-
ture Of tanks. guns and other ord
nance after Undersecretary of War
Patterson testified that 1T is now
necessary that all production rates
be more than doubled and that the
added capacity be brought in as soon
as possible"
The need for heavier anti
aircraft gun-a 47-inch weapon de-
signed for use against high altitude
bombers-was cited by Mr.. Patter-
son as one item necessitating new
productive facilities. He added that
it was expected the At would be a
! standard as soon as it is perfected
presumably replacing the 90-milli-
meter gun on which the Army Is just
beginning TO receive quantity de-
liveries.
Part of the Army fund Vas ear
marked for the purchase of 100.7ls
/ multlWheel-drive motor vehicles
such as troop carriers and tank
killer" guns and testimony before
the committee indicated that large
numbers of them would be shipped
to foreign powers. Gen. Marshall
said, at one point. that about 10000
"jeeps'-bantam combat cars-were
| included.
Other large items for the Army
included $408 900, 900 to give the All
Corps a larger reserve of spare parts
for all its planes now under con-
tract, S92,000000 for miscellaneous
construction for the Air Corps, s1O,-
407 900 for urgently needed facilitie
for the ground forces. S60.354 900 t
pay the $40 monthly bonus voted b,
Congress for all Army enlisted mer
with one years service and 50 920.-
900 to pay the premiums on $4,000
life insurance policies for Air Corps
| flying cadets.
A grand total of s437 ,82O 900 was
provided for military post construc-
ton and land acquisition and the
committee said it included funds
for IL new Army air fields. four oil
them in unspecified outlying posses
sions, and for IA "skeletonized" all
fields in preparation for the pro-
Jected expansion of the air forces.
| Development of 104 additional air
ports was recommended. The cos
of this expansion of the emergenc,
program was estimated at $57,865,
300 and the committee recommended
$50 900, 900 of that amount immedi
ately.
In the program extension New
York and California would get 1
additional fields each. Oregon woult
get 10, Washington seven, Texas 81,
and Montana five Five are listet
for outside continental Unitet
States.
Except for the distribution b,
States. the airport locations wer
not disclosed in the transcript o
committee hearings.
One of the few items rejected b.
the committee was a request TO
an increase from SIS to S25 in tn
allowance for purchase of civilian
clothing for men discharged by tn
Army for bad conduct, undesirabilit
or inaptitude.