Evening star., 1948-01-14
Report 10 Truman Asks
Additional Billions for
Atomic Age AirPower
By W. H. Shippen, Jr.
Ayiotion Editor Of The Sfor

In an age of atomic weapons, the
Presidents Air Policy Commis-
sion has urged the United States
to spend additional billions for
air power far beyond anything
yet undertaken in peacetime.
The grave warning and plea for
the immediate building Of an air
force in being and capable of deal
ing with a possible atomic attack
on this country" by January /, 1858
was issued last night as Republicans
in Congress were planning to chop
as much as $4,000, 900 900 from the
Presidents budget for the next fiscal
year.
In a 145-page report covering all
phases of aviation. military and civil
the Presidents five-man commits
sion was unanimous in recommend
ing heavy reinforcement Of the Air
Force and naval aviation at a cost
which would mount during the next
five years.
President Truman described the
report as valuable" and urged the
Congress and the people to study its
provisions. The President pointed
out that his recently submitted
!. budget earmarks $500 ,000, 900 for
.. national defense aviation activ-
. tiles"
He added that budget requests
for civilian aviation provide for in
creased research, improved airport
facilities and continued moderniza-
ton of the Federal airways system.
Maj. Gen. Laurence S. Kuter
whose selection by President Tru-
man to be chairman of the Civil
Aeronautics Board, struck snag In
the Senate Armed Services Commit
tee yesterday, called the report
remarkable" document.
Board Disests Report.
The detailed report, which has
been under preparation since last
July, is being digested by the Con-
gressional Aviation Policy Board
made up Of five Senators and five
Representatives and headed by Sen
ator Brewster, Republican, of Maine
Observers believe the joint Con-
gressional boards opinion may
swing more weight with the Appro-
priation Committees in the Repub-
lican Congress than that of the
Presidents Commission.
Spokesman for the board empha-
sized, however, that the two groups
have worked in CLOSE harmony
and that the boards report to Con-
gress on March l will contain the
best features of the commission S
findings.
The report to the President calls
for an Air Force Of 10 groups in
stead of the SIS now planned, and for
doubling the present total of $500
first-line combat aircraft by the end
OF 1949.
Troubled World Outlook.
In view of the troubled world
outlook, the commission said, and
the possibility that air power might
reduce the status of the surface
Navy as Our first line OF defense
the commissioners called for an ad-
ditional Air Force appropriation OF
$1,000. 100000 for this calendar year,
to bring the total to s4,150, ,000, 900
An Air Force appropriation of
s., ,450 900, 900 was urged for 1949.
Additional procurement of naval
aircraft sought by the commission
would boost the Navy's proposed
appropriation from $4,037 ,0O0, 900 to
81 4,229, ,000, 900 for the current calen-
dar year and to $4.539, 100000 for
1949.
1t was urged that the proposed
military budget of $10,098, 900 900 be
increased to s11, $50, 900 900 this year,
and to a total of $4,000, ,000,0 600 dur
ing 1s4s.
The Presidents high policy COM
mission of citizens included Thomas
K. Finletter of New York, an attor-
ney who helped organize the United
Nations meeting at San Francisco,
chairman George P. Baker, pro-
fessor Of transportation at Harvard
with wide background in military
and international civil aviation !;
Palmer Hoyt, publisher of The Den
yer Post: Arthur D. Whiteside, New
York f1nancier, and John A. McCone,
West Coast manufacturer.
U. N. Power Undeveloped.
Following the Presidents directive
that the inquiry should be broad in
scope" to assist in revising old
policies and framing new ones" the
commission found that our national
security "can be assured only by
the elimination of war itself" and
that the United Nations, despite
substantial progress, can scarcely be
expected ito develop in time the
necessary authority and power to
prevent another great war"
1--WE believe that the understand
Ing necessary for permanent world
peace" the commission said, can
not be achieved except on the basis
OF freedom of travel and communi-
cation, the universal availability OF
news, and the elimination of GEN.
sorship."
Without mentioning Soviet Rus
sia, the commissioners pointed out
that "at present there are fixed and
impenetrable barriers" to these
peaceful goals. and as result "there
Is no common compulsion to elm
mate war despite the development
of weapons so deadly and efficient as
to shock the imagination.
Double e-Barreled Policy
For these reasons, the United
States must have a double
policy abroad" the commissioners
said "It must work to achieve world
peace through support and develop
ment Of the United Nations. At the
same time it must prepare to defend
itself for the possibility that wal
may come.
1t was urged that the country
must not only be ready for war, but