Evening star., 1947-02-13

MAINTAIN ltS power.
Army-Navy warnings that a
Sc, ,000, 100000 budget cut would
endanger the Nations security
failed today to shake leading Re-
publican economy advocates.
The recommendation of a 20-man
subcommittee that President Tru-
mans $37,5n0,00O,0O0 budget be
carved to $31, SOC, 900 600 will face its
FIRST major test tomorrow when the
entire House-Senate Budget Com
mittee meets to pass on the tenta-
tive figure.
This group is made up Of the 102
members of the Appropriations Com
mittees of both houses, along with
House Ways and Means and Senate
Finance Committees.
Dirksen Is Firm.
Instead of giving ground to the
Army and Navy protests, Represent
ative Dirksen, Republican, OF Illi-
nois called the predictions part of
pressure campaign ito keep the fat
and padding" in President Truman's
budget.
MIR. Dirksen, one Of the leaders In
the budget-cutting drive, gave re-
porters this statement:
I'VE are ever mindful Of our ma
tional security and believe the re-
ductions proposed will not jeopardize
national defense in any way whatso-
ever.
zone need only scrutinize the
items in the budget for 1913 which
provide for acquiring of supplies,
equipment, new material and items
for research and civilian personnel,
but what it becomes evident that
substantial reductions can be made. I"
Engle Sees Cut Sure.
Representative Engel. Republican,
OF Michigan. chairman Of the House
Military Appropriation SuhcomInit-
tee, said he is confident billion or
more dollars can be trimmed from
the War Departments budget with
out impairing the Army's fighting
qualities.
Republican leaders gave no details
Of how they planned to distribute
the $4,000, 900, 900 cut among the
various Government departments.
Representative Cannon, Democrat,
Of Missouri, q member of the Budget
Subcommittee, said ne was "as-
founded" at this.
Representative Mahon, Democrat,
Of Texas, another member, declared:
"They are going to have to tell us.
They can't keep such q thing a
secret. They know they are vul-
nerable and can't defend their po-
sition." -gz
Patterson Fears Slashes.
Secretary of War Patterson de-
clared last night that If the Army
is made to take a $1,5o0,00O cut
"the current and long-term mis-
sions Of the Army, including those
of Gen. Macarthur in Japan and
Gen. McNarney in Germany, will
be jeopardized."
Mr.. Patterson issued his state
ment soon after the Navy sent a
report to Congress saying that even
a $500, 100000 drop in its funds
might make the fighting fleets "im-
mobile and impotent as an instru-
ment Of national defense"
Chairman Gurney, of the Senate
Armed Services Committee, said the
proposed $4,000, ,00O, 900 budget slash,
for the year beginning July /, would
take $i,750, ,000, 900 from the armed
services directly and another $780,
100000 from the civil functions of
the Army, such as rivers and har-
bors improvements.
Mr.. Patterson said In his state
ment he is alarmed" by reports
of plans to cut $1,000, 900, 900 from
purely military appropriations and
half a billion from funds required
to prevent starvation in American
occupied areas in Germany, Japan
and Korea"
Air Forces to Be Hard Hit.
Slashing of the military budget,
he contended, would fall mainly on
the air forces and services which
support them.
OF the military budget submitted
by Mr.. Truman, he said, So per cent
is for the air forces, enough to
support 55 combat groups of planes.
The proposed reduction would re-
duce the number of groups to IS,
he declared.
Enlarging on this theme In an
address before the Baltimore En-
gineers Club, w. Stuart Symington,
Assistant Secretary of War for Air,
said that if the proposed cuts are
carried out 81 do not believe the
security Of the United States will
be adequate"
eff the instinct of the early
pioneer Is still alive within U.S." Mr..
Symington declared, I'VE will not
fail to recognize that air power has
established a new frontier and that
to ignore it il to invite destruction. !"
New York Officials Bar
Boost in Subway Fare
BY the Assoeiused Press
NEW YORK, Feb. 13.-The long