Evening star., 1948-04-08
President Asks
725MiIIionMore
For Air Forces
Appropriations Group
Calls Special Session
Today on Proposal

President Truman today asked
Congress to appropriate $725,-
100000 for expansion of the
Air Forces in addition to funds
included for the air arms in the
$1,000, 100000 military budget
for the next fiscal year.
The House Appropriations Com
rnittee, to which the Presidents re-
quest was directed, called a spe-
cial meeting for this afternoon to
consider the request. 1t plans to
report to the House next week a
bill carrying the new funds.
The President last week notified
Congress that such request would
be forthcoming. 1t is part of an
additional 81, 900 000, 900 to be sought
for overall defense purposes for the
next fiscal year.
OF the s725 100000 requested
$195, ,000, 900 would be in cash and
s530,000,000 in contract authorize
tions for which cash must be fur
nished later.
All unuS IUT SOnSLTuCIIOn.
The Air Force would receive s135,-
100000 of the new cash and the
Naval Bureau of Aeronautics, 500
100000.
The Air Force would receive S315.-'
100000 and the Naval Bureau of
Aeronautics $215 100000 of the new
contract authority.
All of the funds were earmarked
for airplane construction and pro-
curement.
The extra $4,000, 100000 asked by
Mr.. Truman for defense purposes
for the new fiscal year would in
crease the total defense outlay for
the year to $14,000,000,000.
ForrestaI to Open Hearing.
Secretary of Defense Forrestal Is
scheduled to open the committees
closed hearing this afternoon.
The bigger-and-better Air Force
drive temporarily has shunted aside
plans for universal military train
ing. =.
A temporary draft plan, however,
continued to move forward. Chair
man Andrews of the House Armed
Services Committee said he expected
to introduce a selective service meas
ure in the House today or tomorrow.
He indicated it would differ from
the administrations version, prin-
cipally by lowering the top registra-
tion age from IS to 80 or 35.
pnfh Gnnofn oy1H Hn1lSa ARMED
Services Committees showed in
creased interest in requests by Sec
retary Of the Air Force Symington
and others for stepping up the Air
Force strength from S. to 10 groups.
Two-Year Project.
Such program, even II adopted
Immediately, would require almost
two years before the additional
forces could be fully trained and
equipped. some Air Force officials
said today.
The time would be needed, they
explained, to train members of air
and ground crews, perfect units in
plane and unit operations, and
provide the additional airplanes.
A House Armed Services Subcom-
mittee, headed by Representative
Clason, Republican. of Massachu-
sets, announced it would begin
hearings soon on several bills al
ready introduced to expand the Air
Force to 10 groups.
The Senate committee, which yes
terday heard Air Force officials es-
innate probable manpower increases
and costs necessary for such an ex-
panded program, conferred with
Army chiefs later yesterday and will
call in Navy officials tomorrow.
Chairman Gurney said the COM
mittee wants "well-rounded pic
ture" from the three services. Be-
fore deciding on proposed expan-
sion of the Air Force, he said, the
committee intends to determine
what additional expenditures would
have to be provided for support
ing" elements in the Army and
Navy to assure an "integrated de-
fense setup."
Forresta1 Attends Sessions.
Secretary of Defense Forrestal at
tended the committees closed ses-
sions with Secretary Symington,
Secretary of the Army Royal, Gen.
Bradley, Army Chief of Staff, and
Gen. Spaatz, Air Force Chief of
Staff.
Mr.. Forrestal commented later
that, so far as he was concerned,
his statements on the 70-group ex-
pansion did not necessarily take
the form of an Endorsement, but
was just a comment"
Committee members disclosed later
that Secretary Symington specif-
ically requested a 70-group au-
thorization.
In testimony at Senate commit
tee hearings two weeks ago, Secre-
tary Forrestal estimated that an in
crease from SIS to 10 groups in the
Air Force eventually would cost from
$4,000, 100000 to S18,000.000 900 on
top of the $li 000. 900 600 recon-