Evening star., 1950-04-27
Congress Moves Fast
10 Boost Arms Funds;
Scare Talk Denied
By John A. Giles

BY John A. Giles
Congress moved swiftly to pro-
vide more military funds and pos
sibly extend the draft law today
while high administration off,
cials denied that Defense Secre-
tary johnson had given the law
makers a war scare" talk in his
cold war re-evaluation yesterday.
Virtually abandoning its econ
omy drive, the House was resigned
to vote an extra $3.50 million for
defense, most of it for airplanes.
And House leaders thought it
likely that the members would
have to vote on the question of
extending the Selective Service
Act beyond June "a. when it Is
scheduled to die.
Called Result of Re-evaluation.
One high official pointed out
that the fact that Mr.. johnson
asked $500 million in contract
authorizations for airplanes-not
in cash-Showed that the admin
istration did not regard the posi-
bility of an attack as Of immedi-
ate urgency. The balance re-
quested by the Secretary would
be in cash.
THE Secretary's statement is
a direct result of a re-evaluation,
and one that will be continuing,
by him and Secretary of State
Acheson," he declared. The
whole story was in Mr.. Johnson's S
prepared statement and his oral
remarks did not go any further
than that"
Mr.. Johnson's reappraisal of re-
cent events abroad. including the
Russian atomic explosion and
generally deteriorating relations
with the. Soviet. was given to
House and Senate committees in
closed sessions.
But his prepared statement-in
which ne said none of this pre-
sents happy prospect, but the
cold war is not happy circum-
,stance"-was released by the
Senate Appropriations Subcom-
mittee.
The statement reviewed the
tense international situation and
did not appear alarming in itself.
In an expansion on the state
ment, Mr.. johnson and Gen.
Bradley. chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff, were said to have
told the lawmakers that the
Soviet appeared to be moving
toward the point where there
could be no area of compromise.
Heretofore. Russia always has
left an escape hatch but now she
appears to have abandoned this
tack" said one high official. "Mr.
Johnson and Gen. Bradley made
this plain in their talks on Capitol
Hill-but that is not new. Why,
you can read that in the press
any day."
However, Senator Robertson,
Democrat, of Virginia found that
the defense chiefs statement
"disturbs me greatly"
And Chairman Vinson of the
House Armed Services Committee
said that because Of present
world conditions" he had changed
his mind on the draft and would
ask the committee next week to
approve a two-year extension of
the draft law. No one has been
drafted since January, 1949, but
military leaders want it kept on
the books for quick use If neces-
sary.
Amendment Approved.
Chairman Cannon of the House
Appropriations Committee an
nounced committee approval of
an amendment that would hike
the defense budget for next year
from the 1891 100000 recon-
mended last month by the same
group to $14,261 900 900. The ex-
ira funds were approved by the
committee almost Immediately
after Mr.. johnson testified.
OF the additional amount 5000
million would go to the Air Force
to buy more planes and $100
million to the Navy for the same
purpose. The remaining would
be spent by the Navy for con-
version and operations of anti
submarine warships.
Mr.. johnson also recommended
restoration of 5000 million which
the committee Topped off the de-
fense budget last month and in
dications were that this would be
put back, too.
Mr.. Johnson's appearance fol-
lowed Gen: Eisenhower's dramatic
appeal several weeks ago for more
defense spending. The Secretary
went over testimony of the war
time Supreme Allied Commander
in Europe and said that the
generals 0thpr recoyoyne tioy,c
either had been taken care of by
savings in other areas or that
they shortly would be.