Evening star., 1948-10-01
Deplores Move to Omaha
TO the Editor Of The Star:

To the Editor Of The Star:
Recently your paper published an excellent
editorial on Tossing Dollars; and not so long
ago one denouncing interference with the De-
partment of Defense by political interests.
Yet the currently proposed move of Strategic
Air Command from Andrews Field to Onutt
Field Omaha, Nebr, is going to mean the toss
ing of Of five to seven million dollars before
1t is through; and in his speech at Omaha
few days ago, Secretary of the Air Symington
remarked he had spent half the past year in
trying to get Strategic Air Command moved
to Omaha for Senator WherTy!
One wonders just what kind Of arrangement
was made between Senator Wherry and the
Secretary or where the Senator stands to gain
for his State. But this is a political move.
pure and simple. Recently, the Senator made
a speech on the air. averring that high costs
of living were largely due to reckless Govern
ment spending yet he would sponsor this move,
which entails at least half million for moving
Strategic Air Command; conservatively estl-
mated two million to make base offices and
housing suitabe-and that does not touch the
runways which are wholly inadequate Tor
B-2es much less for B-36s, the mainstays OF
SAC; another half million to move Head
quarters Tenth Air Force out OF Of1utt Field
to Fort Benjamin Harrison, where there Is no
suitable field at ALL and will necessltate anotner
million or so: movement of Military Air Trans
port Service to Andrews Field; movement OF
4th Fighter Wing to Dover Air Base, where
additional improvements" are needed.
Meantime, Boiling Field, one of the best
equipped In the country is partly occupied by
q finance office, which has no use for nylng
field; and the excellent accommodations ana
facilities of that base are only used to MAINTAIN
planes for flying proficiency of officers in Head
quarters United States Air Force, although they
could as easily be maintained at Andrews
Field.
Boiling Field Preferred.
If "unification' were more than fine
sounding word, Boiling Field, combined with
Anacostia Naval Air Station, would proVlde
runways three to four miles long, and ample
facilities for an expanding Military Air Trans
port Service, as well as being conveniently
located near the new South Capitol Bridge,
nearing completion, leaving Strategic Air COM
mand at Andrews Field, along with planes for
Headquarters United States Air Force flying
proficiency program Or else. Strategic Air
Command could easily occupy Boiling Field,
along with United States Air Force planes,
and locate MATS at Andrews
But this solution would be far too simple,
sensible and inexpensive-instead, the Air Re-
serve Training program of Air Defense Com
mand, through Tenth Air Force, now ideally
located on the small base at Offutt Field, must
be completely disrupted and Strategic Air
Command, charged with operation OF the
worlds largest bombers, put on base that
cannot be expanded, and is now inadequate.
Decentralization" is the big excuse offered.
But Nebraska is more vulnerable over the polar
cap and Canada than is washington so that
reason" is at least partially spurious. Added
expense is also entaled in frequent flights that
will be required between Nebraska and Head
quarters United States Air Force here.
Some one evidently led Senator Wher1y TO
believe Strategic Air Command would expand
to some 5000 personnel at Offutt Field. But
the base is hardly sufficient for the current
command of less than 2000!
All this is dollar tossing" and political
meddling' with the defense system. But what's
a few million of the poor taxpayers money
now that we talk in terms OF billions? An
"emergency' doubtless always can be cooked
up to get more millions for reckless and futile
spending such as this, which, by the way, Is
but one instance. A GRIPPING TAXPAYER.