Evening star., 1948-04-13
.$2,376, 100000
Air Fund Voted
ByHouse Group
Dip Into Next Years
Budget Designed to
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A S2,37o. 100000 dip into next
1ar's militarr. fuJ-s for an
missile program won quick COM
mittee approval in Congress to-
day.
Designed as go-ahead signal for
the aviation industry to tool up TO.
still greater output, the surprise
money request was approved in full
by the House Appropriations Com
mittee
The committees locked-door hear
ings had been assumed to cover only
the SIPS, 100000 increase in aviation
funds asked by President Truman
last Thursday.
But the White House followed
that with second request, which
remained secret until today. That
was because the committee already
was in session and the new message
went directly to it instead of through
normal congressional channels.
No Overall Increase.
Aside from the timing. however,
the bigger amount in today's bill
represents no increase in the sl4.-
000, 900, 900 contemplated for military
spending in the year beginning July
l to back up this country's new
stop-Russia policy.
Barring a new emergency. the air
power funds simply will be deducted
from the amount that would have
been voted later.
The money will, however, be
available for use Immediately as
soon as Congress passes the bill. It
is set for quick approval in the
House tomorrow.
The Army and the Navy previous
ly have been given about S8,750,000,-
600 for the year ending June 80.
The committee said the additional
$2,376, 100000 should be made avail
able Immediately to save time and
to get the aviation industry under
full head of steam.
Where Money Would Go.
Here's how the new money Is
earmarked:
Air Force: For new spending,
81 ,223, 100000, including $3.50, 8,100,-
600 cash and s865 900 900 in contract
authority; new cash to pay off
previous contract authorizations,
$3.50, 900, 900.
Naval Aeronautics: For the new
spending, s753,OOO 900, including
s165 ,0O0, 900 in cash and $3.50, 900 900
in contract authority; new cash to
pay off previous contract authorize
tions, s15o,0 100000.
The cash for new Air Force
spending includes $1,140, 100000 for
plane buying, S10,300,0O0 for the
purchase of controlled missiles and
S72 100000 for miscellaneous prof.
ects.
For the Navy, $738, 700 900 is set
aside for plane buying, SO, 10000 for
pilotless aircraft and $5,000,00 for
miscellaneous projects.
Nowhere in the committees for
NAL report on the bill or in the
printed records of its hurried hear
ings was there any explanation of
how many planes would be acquired
with the new funds. But the COM
mittee said the funds will give the
Air Forces the greatest possible
number of the most modern craft
at the earliest practicable date, COM
mensurate with productive capac-
ity."
Output Starts Major Task.
The major task, the committee
said, is to get orders placed and
production started quickly to gain
valuable time in the future.
Contracts now outstanding, plus
those to be let and funds already
provided for research and develop
ment, will make about $4,000000. 900
available to the aircraft industry,
the committee said
1t added that this should form "a
solid base for future expansion If
such should become necessary"
The bill authorizes the use Of
funds to expand publicly owned
plants and to install Government
owned equipment in both public and
private plants.
AS he said publicly before the
Armed Services Committee yester-
day, Secretary of Defense Forrestal
told the Appropriations group it
may be necessary eventually to ask
Congress for ALLEGATION powers to
see that the materials needed for
production are obtained.
| But Mr. Forrestal said he does
not believe the present program will
require such controls.