Evening star., 1950-05-02
House 'EconomyFight'
Turns 10 Defense and
Engineer Projects
By the Asseeictsd Press

The backward House economy
drive" ran today into demands for
more money for National defense
and what critics call pork bar
rel" projects of the Army en-
gineers.
This is the day set aside for
debate on defense and engineers
projects in a 500 billion one-pack-
age appropriation bill financing
more than 40 Federal agencies
for the fiscal year starting July /
Already the Appropriations
Committee has yielded to de-
mands that defense funds be in
creased and has agreed to support
amendments adding $3.50 million
to the $13,911.127,3 800 it orig
inally recommended for the Mill
tary Department. That is STAT
million more than the President
requested, the committee original
ly having cut $203 million from
the budget figures.
Navy Program Favored.
Yesterday the House Armed
Services Committee voted approval
of a $3.50 million Navy moderniza-
ton program including guided
missiles ship and an atomic-pow-
cred submarine. However. most
of this would be financed out OF
funds for the fiscal year beginning
July /, 1851.
A strong drive is forming to
restore all or part OF the $202,-
247,500 the Appropriations Com
mittee Topped from the $834,867,-
500 requested for civil functions
projects of the Army engineers
These projects include river and
harbor and food control activities
which reach into scores of con-
gressional districts and are called
especially useful by their sponsors
The Appropriations Committee
refused to approve any funds for
advance planning Of projects by
the engineers during the next fls-
cal year.
Tomorrow the House will re-
turn to the task of considering
individual items that make up the
bills total. It will vote on amend
mentS to the Interior Department
section, after which it will take
up funds for the Atomic Energy
Commission and more than score
Of independent offices.
Republicans so far have failed
to carry out their plans to make
substantial cuts in the bill. In
fact, the House has added about
$67 million.
Yesterdays action on Navy
funds came after Admiral Forrest
P. Sherman told the House Armed
Services Committee that $40 mil
lion of the money will be used
to convert a heavy cruiser into a
guided-missileS craft.
He said the ship will be used
primarily against aircraft" and
he declared:
I'VE have guided missiles which
are sufficiently advanced that they
should be introduced into the fleet
as soon as possible.
I'VE are not warranted in de-
laying any longer in getting this
essential element af1oat."
Chairman Vinson asked Admiral
Sherman whether he believed the
d development of guided missiles
has gone far enough to justify
the expenditure.
Very definitely" the admiral
replied.
Atomic Sub Seen in 5 Years.
The Chief Of Naval Operations
also told the committee that the
Navy hopes to have an atomic
powered submarine in operation
within three years after funds be-
come available.
Presumably, that would be some
time in 1854. since the program
will be financed largely from funds
for the 1852 fiscal year beginning
July /. 1851.
Plans for an atom-driVen sub
marine, theoretically capable OF
cruising almost indefinitely with
out refueling, are reported already
near the blueprint stage.
The overall program includes
the construction of 112 ships,
mostly small, and modernization
Of 80 others.
Mr.. Vinson had originally called
for an authorization of $500 mil
lion, but this figure was cut when
Admiral Sherman said the Navy's
present plans contemplate the
spending of a lesser amount on
the modernization program.
Scheduled for modernization are
six carriers of the 27,000-ton EsSez
class. Three are now in shipyards.
Admiral Sherman estimated it
would take about two years before