Evening star., 1947-05-02
Drastic Defense
Cut0pposedby
Budget Director
Eventual Savings in
Merger Of Services
Are Seen by,Webb
By ]. A. CLeory

4uS WOflU SlbudtlOl GOOdy IL
such that drastic reduction In
national defense funds could not
be made without consideration
OF all the factors involved y
Budget Director James e. Webb
today, told the Senate Armed
Services Committee, considering
unification of the Army and
Navy.
Questioned closely by Senator
Robertson, Republican, of wyoming
as to what might be saved if the
bill passes, Mr.. Webb said he be-
lieves economy will result, but that
1t will take time. Then he added:
II do not believe the world situa-
ton Is such today that you can
make drastic reductions without
consideration of all the factors in
volved."
Chief Points at Issue.
With Senate hearings scheduled
TO close by the end of next week
the chances for passage Of unif1ca-
ton bill at this session appeared to
hinge on the ability of members OF
the Senate committee to iron out
divergent views on details, includ-
ing:
1. The amount of authority to be
vested in the new Secretary of Ma
tional Defense, who would be over
the Secretaries of Army, Navy and
Air Force.
2. The extent to which economics
can be pledged in advance.
There also are demands that
preservation of the Marine Corps
air units of the Navy be spelled out
in more specific terms.
Blueprint Demanded.
At the outset of today's hearing,
Senator Robertson protested what
he described as "lack Of attention.
paid by the Armed services to re-
quests of committee members for
specific information, especially for
q blueprint of probable savings.
The wyoming Senator said that
II letter submitted several days
ago by officers of the Army and
Navy is intended to be such a blue
print, 1t is almost an insult to
our intelligence
Chairman Gurney interrupted to
explain that before the hearings
end next week the Army and Navy
officers in charge of the bill would
be put back on the stand to answer
any questions still in the minds OF
committee members.
To illustrate his protest, Senator
Robertson said the letter estimated
the cost of the new Office of Secre-
tary of the Air Force at s107,00o,
and listed the clerical force Of that
office at 10 employees.
Statistics on Expenses.
Senator Robertson said the pres
ent budget shows the Secretary Of
Wars Office requires $7,542, 900 fol-
annual expenses and the Secretary
of Nays Office $4,785, 900. The Sen
ator compared those two figures with
the reported estimate of only $107,-
900 to set up comparable office OF
Secretary of the Air Force.
Senator Robertson asked the
budget director If he did not think
it would be unwise for Congress to
pass the unification bill until it has
seen a blueprint of cost and poten-
tial savings.
Before the witness could answer
Senator SaltonstaI. Republican, of
Massachusetts,, broke in to inquire
how consolidating the services could
cost more. He said it may cost less
but did not see how it could cost
more.
Mr.. Webb pointed out that in
discussing national defense the COM
mittee is dealing with a function
that calls for more than $11 ,000. .000.-
600 for the next fiscal year. 1t is
hard to say in advance what de-
gree of national defense will be re-
quired in the future, the budget
director said, pointing out that you
have to know what the international
situation will be-" He added. how
ever, that in field involving $1l,-
000,000,000 uniflcation Is bound to
bring economies in the long run.
Senator Grney was optimistic to-