Evening star., 1942-02-17
New War Bill
Of 3 Billions
Goes 70 House
Record Measure
Receives Approval
OF Committee
BY GOULD LINCOLN.

The fifth supplemental ma
tional defense appropriation bill,
carrying $32,070,901, 300, the
greatest total of appropriations
and authorizations of any single
bill in history, was reported to
the House today by the Appro-
priations Committee.
The committee submitted tabls
showing that the total of appropria-
tions and authorizations made for
national defense" during the fiscal
years 1941. 1912, and l943 were sl42,-
005, ,354,613.
OF the total amount carried in the
new bill, s22 ,888, ,901 300 is for the
War Department, s1,5o2 100000 for
the Maritime Commission, plus a
contractural authority of 50 $50 .000.-
900, and SIS $50 900 coo for lease lend.
War Department Figures.
Main items in the appropriations
for the War Department include So
011,512,000 for expediting produc-
ton; So ,391, ,166 900 for the Quarter
master Corps; 81 ,349, ,000. 900 for the
Signal Corps; s167.44o, 900 for the
Air Corps; s1226, 100000 for the En-
gineer Corps; s13 ,252 200, 900 for the
ordnance department. $685. 900
for chemical warfare service. $171.-
$4,000 for the medical department,
and S31, 1853, 900 for seacoast defenses.
The largest item in the lease-lend
appropriations was s3,567 lis, 900 for
agricultural, industrial and other
commodities to be supplied TO the
allied nations.
Profiteering Assailed.
Sharply and sternly, the committee
struck out both at strikes in defense
production and prohteering on war
contracts.
"It is worse than unfortunate" it
said, that even small number OF
men whose services are vitality useful
in the prosecution of ship-building
are not at work"
Referring to "the welders' strike
on the Pacific Coast" which was
terminated today, it declared:
These disputes wear us out
| fighting with each other while
the production of war materials
languishes and the chief beneficiary
is the Axis enemy.
ut is not fair to the men who
are fighting the battles of the coun-
try; it is not fair to the people Of
the Nation, it is not fair to the
vast body of loyal workers who are
giving their best efforts in industry
to produce everything that is needed
! for the war effort
Even with the tremendous sums
already authorized-"appalling" was
the word used by the committee in
describing them-the report said
that additional appropriations would
be forthcoming for further airplane
expansion and for the pay Of
personnel.
Huge Totals Clarified.
The committees report undertook
to make the huge totals as clear as
possible to the public mind, saying
that appropriations and authorize
tions must not be confused with
actual expenditures. The flow of ex-
penditures is comparatively slow,
the committee pointed out. while ap-
| propriations and authorize tions
must be made by Congress far in
advance of the actual spending of
the money, so that needed equip
ment and supplies might be ordered
| for future delivery.
The bill makes no changes in the
budget estimates for the military
establishment. There has previously
been appropriated for the military
establishment for the current fiscal
year $34, SAT, 1884. This bill will
raise the total so far for the present
fiscal year to s57,436,178,3 ,344.
Millions More to Be Trained.
The new appropriations, the COM
mittee said, are based on the pur-
pose stated by the President mot
only to win the war, but also to
maintain the security of the peace
which will follow" This means the
development Of tremendous produc-
tion facilities and the training Of
millions of more men.
Despite the size of the program
to be pyramided, as it will be, upon
huge programs underway. its ac-
complishment is considered to be
readily practicable within the space
of few months.
Never in all history has nation
been faced with war costs of the
magnitude that confronted us. The
amounts are appalling. Likewise,
no nation ever has undertaken such
vast munitions program, or one
anywhere nearly comparable, to be
accomplished in so short space Of
time. Since time is of the essence.
the usual peacetime procurement
procedure, in large part, Of neces-
sity had to be laid aside.
"UnQuestionably, practices have
crept in Of a most reprehensible
character, despite the care and dill
gence of those having overall re-
(see APPROPRIATIONS, Page A-6J