Evening star., 1947-05-16
11% Budget Cut
For Navy Asked
By House Group
Reduction Of 40, 900
In Planned Strength
Moy Be Necessary
By the Assoe;otsd Press

An ii per cent cut In the
Nays 1948 budget. which may
necessitate reducing the planned
strength of the Navy and Marine
Corps by 10000 officers and men.
was recommended by the House
Appropriations Committee to-
day.
The committee slashed $377,519,-
200 from the $3.513, 3,000, 800 in new
appropriations requested by Presi-
dent Truman, but 1t, said 1t believes
the lesser amount will be adequate
without sacrificing any of the efii-
cheney of the fleet" or reducing
essential naval activities"
1t called on the Navy to reduce
It's personnel, both military and
civilian, and to close some of its
shore establishments.
The committee approved In full
the $34, ,400, 900 asked for research
and the $170,0o0, 900 In contract
authority to buy new airplanes and
equipment, plus SOC, 100000 in cash
for new planes.
The total new appropriations
amounting to $3,135, ,481, 100 COM
pared with $4,332,7 ,781 ,94l this year.
Mr.. Truman's original request for
new Navy appropriations was for
approximately $500. .000, 900, which
was boosted to $3,513, ,000, 800 by an
amendment submitted later. How
ever, his budget for Navy spending
for 1948 calls for $4,423, ,000, 600, the
Navy having available some unex-
pended but obligated money to be
paid out during the new year in
addition to its new appropriations.
will Safeguard Security.
Along with the bill, which the
House will debate next week, the
committee made public an 1900
page volume of printed testimony
taken during consideration of the
measure.
The testimony contained:
/. A claim by Admiral NimitZ,
Chief of Naval Operations, that
world peace and security depend
on a balance Of power In which
American and British seapower are
arrayed on the same side"
2. A declaration by Secretary For
restal that the United States Is
seeking and planning for peace, but
intends to safeguard its security.
3. Statements by Mr.. Forrestal
and his top aides that while push
button" warfare may be far away,
the Navy expects to be ready If and
when it comes and is working on
guided missiles, pilotless interceptor
planes, target-seeking torpedoes and
the latest in what the future may
require.
4. Estimates that a full year might
be required to get the entire fleet
OF active and inactive ships into
battle in the event of war.
Cuts Not Expressly Ordered.
While. the committee did not ex-
pressly order a reduction of 10000
in Navy and Marine Corps strength,
members interpreted the action as
likely to have that result. Chair
man Taber told reporters "some re-
ductions will be necessary"
The extent to which they will be
made, he added, will depend on
economies the Navy can effect In its
own uniformed organization. For
instance, he said, "they can cut
down on the number of high-paid
officers and keep more enlisted men,
while If they keep the officers, they
will have to cut down on the en-
listed personnel"
The committee recommended q
cut Of Z per cent from budget esti-
mates of $1,344,171 900 for pay and
subsistence of Naval personnel and
a slightly higher cut in the $780,
900, 900 the Marine Corps requested
for the same purpose.
"While the reduction in the bill
will necessitate reduction in the
total number of men available to the
Navy" the committee said, 'it Is
the opinion Of the committee that
this cut can well be made without
harming the effectiveness Of the
feet"
On the basis of a planned average
enlisted strength OF 425,000 for the
Navy next year and 10000 for the
Marine Corps, the cuts If carried
tSee NAVY, Page A-6.)