Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-08-12


are being put on at the Fort Bel
voir paint shop in nearby Virginia,
he asked:
"Who is paying for this labor?
B-36
Continued From First Page)
wanted to "categorically deny"
that his reduction of the Air Force
Aircraft and Weapons Board
from Is to 4 members was based
on any personal desire to domi-.
nate the board. He said he con-
sidered there was such an insinua-
ton in a question asked yesterday
by Representative Hardy. Demo-
crat, of Virginia.
Mr.. Hardy assured Gen. VAN
denberg today he intended no
such implication, but believed it
would be easier to control four
man board than a 15-member
panel, If any one had this in mind.
Gen. Vandenberg said "leaks to
manufacturers" on Air Force pro-
curement plans and the fact that
80 many people were talking at
once" in the board meetings
prompted him to make the reduc-
ton. In response to question by
Mr.. keenan,, Gen. Vandenberg
said he could recall no specific
leaks of data on projected orders.
but that manufacturers frequently
came to his Office and told him
they understood" they were going
to get certain contracts on which
no final decision had been made.
Calls Russia Threat to Peace.
Outlining the Air Force con-
cept of the Importance of this
Nations strategic air strength, as
represented primarily by B-36's
carrying atomic bombs, Gen. Van
denberg said there is only one
threat to the security Of the
United States and to the peace
of the world. It is pointless to
talk in riddles: this threat comes
from the Soviet Union. -
1.-The United States, with atomic
bombs in significant quantity, plus
the means Of delivering them, can
check the aggressive designs of
Soviet leaders who recognize no
restraint other than force. -
"Other governments and peoples
around the world have made it
clear that they consider their own
security dependent primarily on
the strength Of the United States
a strength that should be effective
not only in the Western Hemi-
sphere. but wherever a threat
arises"
B-36 Will Be Spearhead.
The B-36. he told the commit
! tee, will be for the next few years
"the spearhead of the ready-for-
combat force in being which this
country must constantly have at
hand"
Gen. Vandenberg said the Joint
Chiefs of Staff are agreed in their
thinking on the place Of strategic
bombing in the Nations war plan.
Mr.. Keenan, asked Gen. Van
denberg about the decision of the
Joint Chiefs Of Staff, of which he
is a member, against holding a
test Of the Nays Banshee jet
fighter against the B-36. He said
lit was based on the conviction
such a contest would be "incon-
elusive" inasmuch as all combat
factors would not be present and
that Important security data
might be disclosed in published
reports of any such test.
Would Be Evaluated Properly.
He emphasized that full evalua-
ton of the B-36 when under at
tack by high-altitude fighters
would be made by the Weapons
System Evaluation Group Of the
Joint Chiefs Of Staff, which now
is setting up its organization Of
technical experts.
He indicated he hoped the COM
mittee would not want to go into
the specific ways in which the Air
Force would use its strategic forces
in the event of an emergency.
"Such a discussion would deal
with matters, of the highest ma
tional security and of vital inter-
est to any potential enemy" Gen.
Vandenberg warned. 'The Joint
Chiefs of Staff are greatly dis
turbed by the depths to which the
committee would have to explore
our war planning and other mill
tary secrets and the implications
OF such an exploration"
Urges Study Of Report.
He urged the committee to read
the report on the United States
Strategic Bombing Survey and
said there had been many at
tempts to discredit the value Of
strategic bombing by quoting mere
excerpts from this report.
"The ultimate objective Of the
strategic air campaign Is to re-
duce an enemy's capacity to below
the level at which he can support
his war effort" Gen. Vandenberg
explained. However, there may
well be interim or emergency OBJ
jectives of overriding Importance.
For example, this would be the
case If the enemy had a long
range air feet and a stock OF
atomic bombs. and if this dispo-
sition of these weapons rendered
them vulnerable to attack by q
strategic air force
Chairman vinson Of the COM
mittee said the public hearing on.