Evening star., 1950-09-12
l16 Billion Defense Bill
I aiken Up by Senate
Group
By J. A. o'Leoy

Inc Senate Appropriations
Committee met today to act. on
the $167 billion supplemental
defense budget, including 81 bill
lion more to arm other nations
arrayed against Communist ag-
greSSion.
The committee had to quit work
at / o'clock without finishing the
bill, but is expected to approve
the defense money when it meets
again later today or tomorrow.
The committee was reliably re-
ported to have increased the
funds for the Voice Of America
but failed to reach the big items
for arming the United States and
its Allies.
On the eve OF the meeting,
Senator Cain, Republican, of
Washington. returned from Eu-
rope with the opinion that only
Turkey and Spain are prepared
and willing to fight if Russia
should attack the Western powers
now.
Turkey is sharing in the for
elgn aid program. but Spain is
not in the North Atlantic mutual
defense pact. Congress recently
voted a $62.5 million loan to
Spain, but President Truman has
said he does not regard the action
as a directive. He said Spain Is
not foreclosed from borrowing
from this country, but would get
a loan only when it will serve the
best interests of the United States.
Further Additions Possible.
The Senators may make further
additions to the supplemental de-
fense appropriation bill today, but
even as 1t came from the House it
boosts to about $32 billion the
total this session in making avail
able for defense at home and
labroad.
The regular omnibus budget bill
for the current year. which Mr..
Truman signed last week, carried
$14 billion for this country's own
armed forces, and $1.6 billion for
lrearming other nations. The sup
Elemental bill left the House
carrying another $11.6 billion for
American rearmament and the "a
billion additional for the cooper
ating countries.
The Senate committees action
will be timely. because Secretary
of State Acheson is meeting in
New York this week with Western
Europe's statesmen on mutual de-
fense plans.
Dispersal Bill to Be Studied.
The Appropriations Committee
also will pass Judgment today on
President Truman's request for
$1398 million, which was not in
the House bill, to begin dispensing
key Government bureaus into new
areas in Maryland and Virginia.
as a precaution against bombing
and also to relieve congestion in
the Capital.
The outlook is not bright for
approval Of the dispersal program
this year. Some Senators believe
embarking on such a program
might be construed as panic, while
others question the advantage of
moving only 20 or 80 miles from
Washington.
A substantial part of the added
defense fund is to provide the
armed services with $3.50 more
fighting planes. There are other
allotmentS for tanks and guns,
plus money to increase the man
power of the Army, Navy and
Marine Corps.
Senator Cain, a paratrooper in
the last war. stressed the impor-
tance Of Turkey and Spain in the
present world situation, in a long
Senate speech late yesterday. in
which he reported on a two-month
inspection trip abroad.
Senator Russell, Democrat, of
Georgia, a member of the Appro-
priations Committee, agreed that
Turkey and Spain should figure
in the North Atlantic defense line
up. He brushed aside objections
to SPANS form of government
under Franco. He said II the
United States was able to stand
association with Stain in the last
war. it should be able to take
Franco as long as he is willing
to fight on the anti-Communist
side.