Evening star., 1950-04-05
By John A. Giles

Larry approval OF lnOmaS Il. /
Finletter as Air Secretary ap-
peared certain today as specula-
ton arose as to whether he still
feels strongly on the necessity of
a 70-group Air Force. |
Chairman Tydings Of the
Senate Armed Services Commit
tee said that President Truman's
nomination Of Mr.. Finletter yes
terday was "one of the best ap-
pointments" he has made. He
added that it may be possible for
the committee to act on the NOM
ination Thursday, although it is
customary for such nominations
to wait for more than a week.
Senator Gurney, Republican, of
South Dakota. and former COM
mittee chairman. agreed with
Senator Tydings that Senate ap-
proval appeared certain. adding
that Mr.. Finletter lis evidently a
very capable man"
To Succeed Symington.
Mr.. Finletter will succeed w.
Stuart Symington. who has been
nominated for chairman of the
National Security Resources Board.
The Symington nomination and
that Of Frank Pace. jr., to be
Army Secretary. also will come
before the committee on Thurs
day.
In sharp contrast to the advo-
cacy of President Truman and
Defense Secretary johnson of a
48-group Air Force, Mr.. Finletter
has been identified with the TO-
group plan.
Mr.. Finletter, 56, headed the
Presidents Air Policy Commission
which made a detailed survey of
postwar aviation in 1947 and
came up with the 70-group pro-
posal to prepare for a possible
atomic attack in 1858.
That proposition met wide
spread approval in Congress. and
only last year the lawmakers ap-
propriated $700 million more than
Mr.. Truman requested as a start
toward the 10 groups. But the
President impounded the funds.
congressman bitterly denounced
this action.
Finletter Sees johnson.
Mr.. Finletter, a New York law
yer, saw Mr.. johnson yesterday,
shortly before the appointment
was announced at Key West. Fla
The new Air Secretary left for
New York Immediately afterward.
Mr.. johnson later issued a state
ment saying the Defense Depart
ment was fortunate indeed" to
obtain Mr.. Finletter's services.
But high defense officials
quickly turned to Survival in the
Air Age" which the Finletter |
Commissions report was called.
They said that the Air Force had
gone a long way toward the Fin
letter goals and that the COM
mission also had advocated a re-
appraisal of air power this year
Mr.. johnson himself, without
mentioning Mr.. Finletter. again
pointed out at news conference
yesterday that the Air Force by
Finletter standards now had the
equivalent of 52la groups. There
also is a plan to add about two
more groups with funds saved
from other sources.
Defense officials pointed out that
the Air Force now has 416,000 off,
GERS and men and that the Fin
letter recommendations called for
401 900 in the 70-group force.
Re-examination Possible.
Another indication that the Ma
tion's whole air defense system
might be in for a long-range re-
examination, coincident with the
Finletter nomination. came yes
terday when Mr.. johnson an
nounced that he had asked the
Joint Chiefs of Staff to restudy
aviation procurement in view of
current efforts by Congress to
spend more money for that pro-
gram. He said he would be guided
by the joint chiefs findings.
Mr.. Finletter's Government
career extends. with several inter-
ruptions, back to 1941, when he
was named a special assistant to |