Evening star., 1948-04-26
ForrestaI Denies
Defense Quarrel
In Armed Forces
Calls on Senators
To Approve Plan for
66-Group Air Fleet
By Robert K. Walsh

Secretary of Defense Forrestal
today attacked a widespread
impression" that the Army, Navy
and Air Force are torn by "in-
ternal disputes" over expansion
of the armed services and that
he himself specifically opposes a
70-group Air Force.
He urged Senate Appropriations
subcommittee to approve a 66-group
plan he recommended to the Senate
Armed Services Committee last
week. He urged the subcommittee
to disapprove at this time the
House-approved bill giving the Air
Force an additional 1922 900 900 900
Immediately to start building up
from a SIS to a 10 group air force.
His main objection to the House
proposal, he explained, was that it
would freeze the Nation to a static
concept" of aircraft procurement.
Stresses Balanced Program.
II have tried to approach the
problem on what seems to me the
sound basis of dealing with first
things first" Secretary Forrestal
said in advocating what he called
a balanced defense plan for the
Arm, Navy and Air Force.
mo one will gainsay that we must
be prepared to do the best we can
with what we've got. For the period
just beyond we must be sure that
we are buying the most useful
weapons. For the longer period we
must be sure that we do not fall
into the fatal apathy of thinking
of a future war in terms of the
most recent war. In short, no ma
ton should ever permit itself to be
frozen to a static concept, whether
that concept Is the crossbow, gum
powder, the Maginot Line, sea
power or air power. or the atomic
bomb"
Attacks Widespread Impression"
Secretary Forrestal began his
testimony by calling attention to
"a widespread impression that the
military establishment Is engaged
in internal disputes over the de-
STABILITY of expanding the mill
tary forces" He declared also that
there has grown up a fiction that
1 am opposed to a 70-group Air
Force and that I share that opposi-
ton with the Army and the Navy"
Mr.. Forrestal said that is not the
case and that there is no question
Of the military deSirability of the
70-group Air Force and of corre-
spending increases to put the Army
and Navy in state of comparable
readiness.
There is a difference of view,
however, and an important one," he
continued, 1T is between what is
desirable from purely military
point Of view and the extent to
which large additional programs of
military procurement can be i'm
posed upon an already tight pro-
duction machine, without at the
same time creating certain pre-
emptive and priority power as an
alternative, accepting the risks of
explosive imitation already latent in
our economy"
Denies Election Influence.
Secretary Forrestal denied that
the approaching presidential elec-
ton had anything to do with the
administrations or his own advoca-
cy of the increased military expen-
ditures.
I'm running for nothing except
oblivion he said in reply to a
question by Senator O'Daniel, Dem
ocrat, of Texas. Il am consoled
only by what I am convinced is
necessary for the best interests of
the Nation"
Senator O'Daniel brought up the
subject by referring to almost daily
statements" which he said were
made by military leaders indicating
that the United States is closer than
ever to another war.
Il don't hold the belief that we
are approaching war;" Secretary
Forrestal commented, "and Gen.
Bradley and others have not said
that we are necessarily near war.
But we are in state of tension that
will last for many years."
Urges Orderly Planning.
In response to further questions
about probable budget expenditures
for the military establishments as
long as such state OF tension con-
tinueS, Secretary Forrestal told the
committee:
Money alone is not the criteria
in the present situation. There has
to be orderly planning of our man
power and resources"
Chairman Bridges asked him to
comment on associations by House
supporters of the 7O-group Air
Force u that the 66-group recon-
mendation amounted to "a moth
ball air force"
Using Best We Have"
ITO certain extent that NAV
be true" Secretary Forrestal re-
piled. I'VE would be taking planes
out OF storage. But it is making
the best use of what we have.
Moreover, it is not a mothball
(See DEFENSE, Page A-4D