Evening star., 1947-05-29
Army's Military Budget Cut $50;
House Units 475-MiIIion Slash
Trims Officer Strength 20,l00
s5,240, ,eS2, ,423 Fund
includes Full PIone,
Research Requests
BY the Assoeiated Press

The Army's 1948 military
budget was cut 8.3. per cent by
the House Appropriations Com
mittee today despite testimony
from Gen. Eisenhower and Sec
retary of War Patterson that
"real danger" lies beyond the
"irreducible minimum" of men
and money they had requested.
II Congress upholds the commit
tee, the Army will receive $5,240,-
982, ,423 in new appropriations for
the fiscal year starting July l. Pres
ident Truman had asked $5,716,-
7e1 500 for the Armys military ac-
tivities, exclusive of foreign relief
and other civil functions to be
financed in a later bill. For the
current year military activities ap-
preparations totaled $7,263, ,542, 400.
The committee thus slashed S475,-
S09,077 from nexte years requests
and cut s2,o22,559,977 below current
year funds.
20,100 Cut in Officers.
More than half-$293, 1896, ,21s-of
the total recommended reduction
was leveled at War Department
civilian and officer personnel.
The committee recommended cuts
which it said would reduce present
officer personnel by 20,100, including
$500 warrant officers. It also ord
cred reduction in flying pay for
Air Forces personnel without spe-
cifying how the cut should be ap-
piled.
No reductions were recommended
In the number of enlisted men,
nurses, dietitians, physiotherapists
or research and development en-
ployes.
The committee approved the
Army,s full request for $3.50, 0,000, 900
. In contract authority to buy new
airplanes.
In addition to the budget cuts the
committee Cancelled 81 1,100, 900 900 of
money appropriated for the current
and prior years, but not spent. The
Army concurred in the cancellation.
Its finance officers explained that
(B the money was not included in
the 1948 budget and (bD was no
longer needed for the purposes for
which it originally was appropriated.
Funds Called Adequate.
The committee did not claim the
cancelled 81 ,10o. .000, 900 as a saving in
its goal to cut Sc, ,000. 900 900 from the
Presidents overall $37 500 900 900
budget for next year, but said the
money. If not rescinded, might be
spent. By the committees action,
the unobligated funds revert to the
Treasury's general fund.
The claimed budget cuts to date,
including the $475, 5,8o9,o77 in the
Army bill, approximate ss,l5o,ooo,-
900.
Despite the claims of Gen. Eisen-
hover and Secretary Patterson that
the original budget estimate was the
minimum consistent with efficiency
and safety, the committee insisted
that its cuts would leave adequate
funds for an Army of 10000 to
perform the missions assigned to it,"
The committee said it believes the
Army's request for funds to retain
146,000 officers lis excessive" In
support of that statement the law
makers cited testimony given last
year. to the House Military Affairs
Committee in which the Army listed
the planned officer strength of the
peacetiMe army at 100000. or
roughly one officer for each 10
enlisted men.
Nevertheless, the committee said,
the Armys 1948 budget estimates
contemplated 1875 per cent officer
personnel, or almost 3 per cent
above the wartime peak.
Research Not Reduced.
On other major Army activities,
the committee took this action:
Research and development: Ap-
proved the entire $222216,400 re-
quested. II heard Army experts
tell of the necessity for developing
never and more deadly wea pons for
defensive and offensive use "on the
Arctic frontier"
Industrial mobilization: Recon-
tnended s23,SG9, 500 for a program
of planning to speed UP the con.
version OF industry to wartime |
status in short order If necessary. !
This is reduction of approx
(See ARMY, Page A-4.)