Evening star., 1942-06-23
43 Billion Asked
ToFinanceArmy
0f4,500,000
House Gets Record
Bill Including Funds
For 1850 Planes
Py the Associated Press.

A $42, 1920, ,O03 ,6O6 Army supply
bill-largest in hiStory-was sent
to the House by it's Appropria-
tions Committee today to finance
an Army with strength OF
$500, 900 by July /, 1943, and to
send war material to other
United Nations.
The measure amounted in itself to
more than this country's direct out
lay for the World War and would
boost to s2O5 ,3ll .233 542 the total
authorized or appropriated for de-
fense and war in the past three
years.
The committee explained the
necessity for the expenditures by
quoting 1t Gen. J. T. McNarnev, the
Army's deputy chief of staff:
The War Department regards our
present situation as the most critical
which this country has ever en-
countered."
Representative Snyder. Democrat,
of Pennsylvania, in charge of the
bill as chairman Of the Appropria-
tions Subcommittee on War EX-
penditures, told ewspapermen:
The only safe thing for the Ma
ton is to assume that this war Is
going to last five years at least
and then hope. pray and work TO
cut that period
Funds for 23.500 Planes.
The omnibus measure provided
s12 700 900 900 for financing war ma
terra! for the United Nations. bring
ing to s62 ,944 $50 900 the total of
lease lend aid thus far approved by
Congress.
1t included 316.898.9lO for
23,550 planes and spare parts. Army
chiefs and the committee Joined in
assuring Congress that the allotment
would complete the War Depart
ment's part of President Roosevelt's
production program, calling for
$4,000 planes this year and l25,OO0
in l943.
The committee reported that VOL
untary refunds by war contractors
and renegotiation of contracts had
raised the prospects OF large econ
omies, amounting 'at this stage" to
approximately s1,137 100000
This, the report said. reflects
the zeal of the War Department 10
maintain profits at fair levels, and
1t reflects the high type of men run
ming the plants upon which We are
so largely dependent for the pro-
duction of munitions"
Heavy War Outlay.
Representative Snyder said this
country is spending for war in
May at the rate of 38 per cent of its
national income, as compared to a
rate Of As per cent in Canada. SIS
per cent in the United Kingdom
and an estimate of more than so
per cent in Germany.
In transcript of carefully edited
testimony made public by the COM
mlttee. Gen. McNarney declared the
"Armv'S every effort is being di-
rected to making our power felt by
offensive action in conSonance with
the accepted basic strategy of the
United Nations"
1T is extremely difficult to plan
with precision" he told the COM
mittee. Events will no doubt alter
our plans in the future, just as they
have in the past. There is. however.
one error which we must avoid at
| all costs. and this Is the error of
! Understanding the task ahead Of
us"
He reported the enemy's most
effective weapons at the outset Of
the war were the airplane and the
submarine" and added that the
Army was concentrating on develop
| ing countermeaSureS - anti-aircraft
| and submarine wea pons. and an in
crease in the use of camouflage and
smoke screens.
Somervell Outlines Needs.
Just back from a conference with
Britain's S war chiefs. 1t Gen. Brehon
B. Somervell, in charge of the Serv-
ices of Supply, outlined in detail
the Armys needs as it grows from
an enlisted strength of 100000 at
months.
MUCH OF MS testimony was SJrlCK-
en- from the transcript for reasons
, of military secrecy, but he told the
committee that since equipment
must be planned at least year in
. advance the strengths must be based
| on our maximum capabilities of man
power, production and shipping, in
| order to avoid providing too little,
too late"
Our present pipe line is long"
he said, extending entirely around
the world You have to fill it before
the material comes out the other
end. This requires large amounts Of
supplies"
He listed the problem of work
ing out the details as the chief
bottleneck" in the programs S achieve
ment.
In its report the committee found
that the question of obtaining raw
materials generally is quite salts
factory" but added that the rubber
phase is rather disturbing"
So seriously does the committee
(See APPROPRIATIONS, Pg. A-6)