Evening star., 1944-04-12
Congress Gets
Naval
Bill in History
81 Billion Program
Tops Calendar as
Lawmakers Return
By the Associated Press.

The largest naval appropria-
ton bill in American history
went to the House floor today to
help the worlds greatest fleet
win the war on the seven seas.
Offered as the first order of busi-
ness as Congress returned from it's
Easter recess. the bill carried $32,-
CAT ,124 1886 for naval activities dur
ing the IL months starting next July
IL, figure which, If approved, will
boost to approximately $3.50 900, ,000.-
600 the obligations voted for the
total war effort since July /, 1910.
The program which the new funds
will help finance contemplates the
use of 6,623 propelled vessels,
74,925 nonself-propelled vessels. 49,
OBS naval planes, exclusive of thou
sands of training planes, and 81
657,467 sailors, marines and coast
guardsmen.
Kings Comment Recalled.
Whatever the cost, we know the
Japanese well enough to realize that
we cannot regard victory in the Pa
cific as anything short of the de-
struction of the japanese Empire"
the Appropriations Committee had
been told by Admiral Ernest J. King,
commander in chief of the fleet.
ITO accomplish that destruction
we must deliver the heaviest attacks
OF which we are capable, as soon
and as often as possible, where it
will hurt the most.
This will require every ship, every
landing craft, every airplane and
every piece of material-and the
trained personnel to man them
that can be made available"
1T is no secret that Toxic is the
ultimate objective of all these oper-
ations."
"A Long Way to Co."
The job of getting there, he added,
will not be easy"
THE distances that are facing us
for the future are even greater"
than those already travelled" he
said. THE difficulties that are
facing us are tremendously greater.
We still have very long way to 60
to win the war in the Pacific. -
The casualties that are going to
have to be taken into the hospitals
are going to increase and probably
increase very markedly in the next
six months, and they win stay at a
high rate"
Despite predictions of many ex-
perts that the European war may
end this year, Vice Admiral F. J.
Horne, second in command to Ad-
miral King, told the committee he
expects Germany still will be in the
fight when 1914 ends.
While there is the possibility "of
successful conclusion of the war
in Europe this year." he declared,
L do not believe it, but that is
what our plans are based on"
ForrestaI Sees Major Event"
James v. Forrestal, Navy Under
secretary told the committee the
appropriations were the prelude to
major operations both in the Pacific
and the Atlantic.
Without elaboration, and after
urging that no cuts be made in
Navy funds until the middle of
this summer" to see what the
next 80 days bring forth" Mr..
ForreStal added that a major event
he had in mind will, I think, have
occurred by the end of that period.
Whether he meant the coming
invasion of Western Europe, he
did not state for the record.
After hearing Mr.. Forrestars "oH
the record" comments, the commit
tee made few cuts in the budget
requests, the $32,647 ,134,336 ap-
proved being $803 685, ,164 below the
requests submitted. The total in
cludes S27,572 ,202,936 in new ap-
preparations and s5,074,931. 400 in
contractual authority.
SS,200,000 900 for Aviation.
The two major items in the bill
were $4,000 $4,000 for naval avia-
ton and $1,000 100000 for increase
and replacement of naval vessels.
THESE amounts, the committee said,
are required for the procurement
and operation of 24,230 modern air.
planes, 8o7 combat vessels and 30151
ships of other categories. by far
the greater percentage of which,"
the committee was told, are landing
craft.
Brought out in the 1882 pages Of
printed hearings on the bill were
these odds-and-ends of information:
The Marine Corps now has total
strength of 367,761 men and women
and expects to have 478,0OO by June
80, including 100000 women.
Losses of United States vessels
from January l, 1941, to March 18,
1914, were 1856 units, including 70
combat ships, l49 district craft, 43
auxiliary vessels, IA mine craft, 62
patrol craft and 40 large land craft