Evening star., 1950-02-12
Marines Tell Congress
Storage Lack in East
Hampers Readiness
By Chris Mothisen

The Marine Corps has warned
Congress it would be at a serious
disadvantage if called on to make
a large scale e.nbarkation from
the East Coast in an emergency.
Lack of equipment storage IA
cilities near the seaboard is the
big difficulty.
Maj. Gen. William P. T. Hill,
quartermaSter general of the Ma
rines. has told the House Armed
Services Committee a new East
Coast supply depot is urgent.
He said it would take AZ to 81
days to condition and transport
essential equipment now stored
on the West Coast.
Johnson Opposes 1t.
Defense Secretary johnson op-
poses construction of the storage
center
An effort to write the depot into
a $500 million omnibus armed
forces construction authorization
bill failed last week in the Senate.
1t has a tentative $25 million price
tag.
The House committee now is
considering the problem of Army,
Navy and Air Force construction
needs.
This week. it expects to learn
what progress Mr.. johnson can
report in a study of armed force
storage problems in general.
In recommending against con-
struction of the Marine depot, Mr..
Johnson pointed out in a letter
to Chairman Tydings of the Sen
ate Armed Forces Committee last
October that the inter-service
study had been initiated by the
Munitions Board.
Vinson Wants Report.
Chairman Vinson of the House
group asked Friday that the COM
mittee be furnished a report on
what the study has developed.
He also directed Gen. Hill to
prepare for the commuters con-
sideration an amendment to the
construction bill which would
provide for the supply depot.
In testimony before the COM
mittee. Gen. Hill declared firmly
that equipment storage facilities
is the mo. / project" of the
Marines.
He explained that millions of
dollars worth of equipment-"the
material that we go to war With
is stored in the open on the
West Coast, exposed to the raw
ages of the weather."
Representative Rivers, Demo-
crat, of South Carolina, asked
whether this circumstance inter-
fered seriously with the readiness
of the corps for combat. Gen.
Hill replied that it did, with re-
spect to any possible embarkation
from the East Coast.
No Specific Site Suggested.
Mr.. Vinson said he wanted to
find out about "the hesitancy
of the Department of Defense to
put a roof over this equipment"
Gen. Hill did not suggest a |
specific location for the depot.
To be suitable, he explained, it
would have to be situated within
200 miles of the coast. It should
be served by well-developed high
way and railroad networks and
should include an airport.
The amendment to authorize
the construction, which was
turned down by the. Senate, wast
sponsored by Senator Russell,
Democrat, of Georgia.
Mr.. Vinson, also of Georgia, |
has indicated the proposal would
have his support. In considering
the big service construction bill, |
he has stated items related to !
combat readiness should be given |
priority.
Need Recognized.
According to Mr.. johnson, the
Munitions Board recognizes the
need Of the Marines for covered
storage space in the East. He has
explained however, that the over
all supply study would examine
the possibility adequate storage
could be found at existing install
lations. perhaps at bases of other
services.
Because the last World War II
activities of the Marines were in
the Pacific, most Of its equipment
was concentrated on the West
Coast after the conflict ended.
This, the Marines insist, inter-
fereS with their readiness to fight