Evening star., 1946-10-09
Letters to The Star
Contends That Budget Balancing
Will Injure Navy Establishment

Will lnJure Navy Establishment
To the EDITOR Of The star:
There has been considerable discuss.
sion, both scientific and lay. since
WI day concerning the future plans Of
our Navy. Because Of the irreparable
harm to the defense Of our country that
presently is being done by too rapid
rehabilitation and widespread differ
ences In governmental circles, q few
facts should be carefully stressed.
OF the 5000 900 900 appropriated to
the Navy for the current fiscal year,
approximately $4.000, 900 900 already has
been completely obligated. This money
was obligated when the Navy was being
built and these fixed charges, including
expenditures for maintenance and re-
pair. cannot be reduced unless naval
vessels are to suffer considerable
damage. The great majority of Navy
ships operated during the war under
extreme conditions. and very little op-
portunity was afforded for the purpose
Of carrying out a normal repair program.
Consequently, many Of these ships, both
active and reserve, are urgently in need
Of repairs.
OF the $4,000, 900 900 left for Navy op-
erations, the administration at the In
stigation Of the Bureau Of Budget, has
slashed $3.50. .000. .000 This cut leaves the
Navy in very serious predicament and
directly affects the research and de-
velopment programs in naval arms and
ammunition, aircraft and the designing,
planning and implementing Of the for
ward looking ship program recently an
nounced by the chief Of the Bureau Of
Ships. Also affected are the programs
in naval medicine and surgery, directly
affecting many war veterans.
Furthermore, the naval shipyards
which have been set up over the past
hundred years, most of which have been
greatly modernized during the recent
war, cannot be maintained at even mini
mum strength. The Government must
lay of large number of highly skilled
personnel who should be retained in the
naval service In the event Of national
emergency.
It must be clearly understood by all
taxpayers that when Congress sets up
an appropriation in line with fixed
national policy to meet the requirements
of feet and shore establishments, such
funds cannot be turned OF and on like
an expenditure spigot. Unless certain
minimum expenditures are made each
year, the fleet becomes out of date and
inactive; the skilled men in the naval
shipyards are lost to other forms OF
employment and very often become
unavailable for unemployment in the
event of an emergency, and when they
again are re-hired, these men have
become much less effective. And, finally,
If sunicient funds are not continuously
available. progress in design, research
and development seriously will be cur
tailed and in the final analysis this
country comes out with second-rate
Navy.
If the price of maintaining a large,
first-rate Navy Is too high for the ma
tional economy to support, then the
size may be reduced, but the highest
possible standard must be maintained.
Any reduction in the amount Of money
which is to be spent for the defense
Of this country should be accomplished
by adopting . definite. new national
policy for smaller Navy and working
to maintain that smaller Navy on a
highly efficient basis. In other words,
this country must have the best Navy
in the world, regardless of its size.
If we do not follow this principle, the
Navy will deteriorate into . slipshod
organization, manned by personnel who
are in constant fear Of having either
their jobs or their programs cut out
from under them; the incentive Is taken
away from these men and the ships and
shore stations of the Navy cannot but
suffer irreparable harm.
Balancing Of the national budget
should be the continued aim of the
Government but not by making financial
whipping boys of the War and Navy
Departments.
NATHANIEL ]. ELY,
rv