Evening star., 1948-04-15
Truman Backs ForrestaI to Limit
On Balanced 55-Group Air Fleet
But House Supports Symington
Votes Extra Fund
To Sturt Building
70-Group Force
BULLETIN


sent to the Senate a bill pro-
viding $3,198, 100000 to start
expanding the Air Force from
SIS to 10 groups. The vote was
339 to 3. Most of the fund is
in contract authority for the
Air Force and the Naval Bu-
reau of AeronauticS. This
means actual cash will have to
be put up later. Included in
the contract total is 1922, ,OOO,-
900 added by the House to the
S2,373, 100000 proposed by the
Appropriations Committee.
President Truman said today
he is supporting to the limit the
defense program outlined by
Secretary of Defense Forrestal
and he does not know why Sec
retary of Air Symington is diff
fering with the administration S
recommendations on the size of
the Air Force.
Asked whether he plans to
Spank Secretary Symington for
proposing a 70-group air force, Mr.
Truman said he will have to answer
that later.
The Presidents comment came as
the House prepared to vote on the
70-group plan. The Armed Services
Committee, meanwhile, sought fur
ther facts about Russias knowledge
on the atomic bomb.
Secretary Forrestal previously had
asked for a 55-group force, along
with universal military training and
a temporary draft. Mr.. Truman
had called this a balanced program
which the Nation can afford.
SAYS Unification Will Work.
Mr.. Symington told the House
Armed Services Committee Tuesday
that an Air Force of 10 groups is
more important to the countrys Sc
curity than UNIT.
House members have shown they
favor a larger Air Force than pro-
posed by Mr.. ForreStal
Asked how he accounts for Mr..
Synington's stand, Mr.. Truman said
he does not account for it. He
said the expanded defense program
outlined by Mr.. Forrestal is bal
anced program agreed to by all the
services.
One reporter suggested that diff
ferences between Secretaries Sy-
mington and Forfestal may indicate
that the armed services unif1cation
is not working.
Mr.. Truman replied sharply that
unification will eventually work, that
the program will have to be imple-
mented by Congress and the serV-
ices will have to get accustomed
to it.
Taber Offers Amendment.
An amendment adding $822,000,-
600, instead of a previously planned
1922 900 900, to the contract author
izations for the Air Force was intro
duced this afternoon by Chairman
Taber of the House Appropriations
Committee.
Debate was limited to half hour,
indicating that a test vote on House
sentiment for a 70-group Air Force
would come shortly thereafter.
Advocates of the 70-group Air
Force strength had announced that
they would amend the pending ST.
376, ,OO0O0 authorization for the Air
Force and Navy by adding another
1922, 100000 to enable the Air Force
to begin negotiating contracts as a
start toward increasing its strength
from S. to 10 groups.
The amendment as introduced by
Mr.. Taber was reliably reported to
have lowered the amount by $780,
100000, principally to help overcome
whatever House opposition might
have developed against the larger
expenditure proposal.
Mr. Taber indicated that an addi-
tional S100,00O000 might have to be
obtained later, and, that, in any
event, the extra s822,000,000 was
only an authorization for the Air
Force to enter into aircraft build
ing contracts. He said 70group
force would take some time" to
(See DEFENSE, Page A-4)