Evening star., 1949-01-10
Military Budget Up
= Billion, Divided
Evenly by Services
By John A. Giles

fiscal year beginning July land
divided almost evenly among the
Army, Navy and Air Force.
He said his program of relative
military readiness gives pri-
ority to air power and to strength
ening" the reserve forces of the
services.
However, the proposed budget
called for a definite slowing down
in building up the Air Force in it's
planned expansion to 10 groups
over the next four years. 1t also
cut back the number of Navy oper-
ational aircraft and gave the Army
more men but fewer divisions.
To Be Within Ceiling.
Mr.. Truman estimated that actual
cash expenditures for the military
would be slightly less than sl4,-
300 100000" or s2.50O,OO0eoO more
than this year. Then he warned:
Somewhat higher expenditures
are likely in subsequent years."
The difference between the ex-
penditures and the total outlay is
accounted for by authorizations for
contracts in future deliveries Of
military equipment. Thus, budget
experts explained that the actual
military spending would be within
Mr.. Truman's previously announced
$4,000, 100000 ceiling on defense
spending.
The proposed military appropria-
tions and contract authorizations
are 1920 100000 more than for the
l94S-49 fiscal year.
Army to Get 81 500, 600, 900.
1t would be divided as follows:
Army - $450O,OO00O0, compared
with s4,224,OOo 600 this year.
Navy - $4,000, 100000. The Navy
total this year was s5,O95 100000.
Air Force -$ $4,000 100000, COM
pared with S4,713 100000 this year.
In addition, the budget provided
for $600,000,000 for universal mill
tary training, should Congress fol-
low Mr.. Truman's suggestion in his
State of the Union message and
enact such law.
The budget also allowed S4OO,-
900 900 sor yet to be proposed
pay increase for military personnel
and S43O,O0O,OOO for housing and
public works.
Stockpiling, costing s525 900 900.
completed the national defense Sec
tion of the proposed budget.
In terms of manpoWer, the overall
of the military establish
ment would be little changed. A
total of 1.616,000 officers and men
would be maintained. backed up by
949, 900 reservists, including National
in regular training
status.
Asks Big. Army Reserve Rise.
The Army would have 677000 Of
f1cers and men. 1t now has 662 900.
It's trained reservists, estimated at
$4,000 on December l, would be
boosted 10 10000.
The Navy strength would be set
at AL 900. 1t now has 100000. The
Marine Corps would have 85,6l7,
compared with a present strength
of $4,000. The Navy and Marine
trained reservists would number
281 900.
The Air Force would be given
412,273, compared with a present
al ,000 1t would have 49,500 in the
Air National Guard and $1,000 re-
serviSts.
To maintain this level, Mr. Tru-
man said that perhaps no drafting
of men would be necessary.
Draft Retention Sought.
although present recruiting in
dicates that only small inductions.
if any, will be necessary under
Selective Service, it is essential that
such authority remain available in
the event that voluntary enlist
ments drop" he said Moreover.
it must be recognized that the exist
ance of the Selective Service Act
has in itself been a contributing
factor in the current results of the
recruiting program of the services
The present law expires in June.
1850. Last Saturday, the Army an
nounced that it would induct no
men in February and March because
of the upsurge in enliStments.
Here is how Mr.. Truman's budget
would work out for the three serv.
ices:
Air Force: 48 combat groups and
10 squadrons, together with n
groups in the Air National Guard
and an active inventory of $500
planes of all types. Currently the
Air Force has SO groups and $3.50
planes. While the total of the
groups would be cut, the size of
some groups would be expanded so
that the total combat planes would
virtually unchanged.
The Air Force would spend ST.
1870, 100000 for procurement of planes
n the next fiscal year, compared
with $1,957 100000 in the present
year.
4O6 Million for Shipbuilding.
Navy: Operation of 7,450 aircraft
n the 1850 fiscal year, compared
With a present operational strength
If $3.50 planes. The Navy has sta
,utory authority to operate 14,500
aircraft.
However. naval expenditures for
airpoWer would be about so per cent
of the total, including the cost of
operation of carriers.
The Navy would be allowed to
contract for s687 900, 900 of new air
craft, compared with $757 7,OO0, 900
his year.
Expenditures for naval ship con.
struction was estimated at $4O6 ,0O0,-
700, including $100,00O,000 for the
IS, 5,000-ton super carrier now being
built at Newport News, Va. The Air
Force opposed construction of the
huge vessel, whose keel already has
oeen laid. Shipbuilding expendi-
lures would be about $1,000 900
more than this year.
The size of the active fleet OF
,ombatant ships was set at 28S,
with present feet of 290.
The fleet composition will be
changed somewhat from the present
fleet to accord with assigned func-
ions and present foreseen defense
Mr.. Truman said.