Evening star., 1951-09-08
Air Superiority
Called a Must
By yvandenberg
Senators Prepare to
Debate SOIL Billion
Defense Measure
By J. A. O'Leoy

must maintain air superiority if it
is to guard against military dis
aster" was before Senators today
as they prepared to debate a $61.1
billion defense budget next week.
The Senate Appropriations
Committee needed the warning by
adding SIS billion to the more than
SIG billion the House had already
allowed for air expansion, in APP
proving the big armed forces
money bill late yesterday.
This $61.1 billion for planes.
tanks, ships and daily upkeep of
all the uniformed forces until next
June 80 does not include the $5.7
billion military public works pro-
gram, the more than ST billion
foreign aid bill, or the cost of the
fighting in Korea since July /.
The exact total of the public
works and foreign aid bills awaits
final agreement between the two
houses, after which another ap-
preparation bill will have to be
passed.
SIS Billion Outlay Seen.
If the Korean war continues
until next June, it will cost be-
tween Sd and SIS billion more,
according to testimony Just re-
leased by the Senate Appropria-
tions Committee.
Thus, the total to be appropri-
ated for defense at home and
abroad before this Congress adj
journs is likely to exceed SIS bill
lion.
Senator O'Mahoney, Democrat.
of Wyoming, in charge of the
armed forces budget, made it clear
last night, however, that all Of
this money will not be spent with
in the current fiscal year, because
of the time required to build much
of the defense equipment being
provided for.
For example, of the $61.1 bill
lion in the Defense Department
bill, only $379 billion is due to
be spent in the year ending June
30, 1852. and $231 billion in fis-
cal 1858.
Testimony Released.
A 2,000-page volume of testi-
mony made public by the Senate
Appropriations group last night is
replete with pleas for greater air
strength and emphasis on the
atom bomb, as the factors that
are most likely to avert another
World War.
Senator O'Mahoney admitted
there is "some connection" be-
tween the additional SIS billion the
Senate committee approved for
more air power and President Tru-
mans reference to secret weapons
few days ago.
The Senator said Mr.. Truman
knows as much about them as
I do, and will not amend his
words"
Although he avoided any de-
tailed discussion of new weapons,
Senator O'Mahoney said this
country has scientific and indus
trial know-how not even approxi-
mated by any other hation, and
we are rapidly developing military
power much greater and more
effective than that which enabled
us to arm the whole world in the
war to crush Hitler"
Readiness Stressed.
The Wyoming Senator added he
is convinced mo dictator lives who
would have better fate (than
Hitler) if he launched" an all-out
war;"
In his testimony, however, Gen.
Vandenberg stressed the impor-
tance of being ready for the first
blow if war should come.
THE first battles of an air war
may we'll be the decisive battles"
the general said. Years are re-
quired to replace air losses, and
during those years a superior air
force could operate against us
with increasing deStructiveness.
Continuing, Gen. Vandenberg
testified:
There is ample evidence that
the Soviet rulers have become
aware of these facts. They have
not been content to depend on
their overwhelming land power
with a powerful short-range air
force to support it.
"They have built strategic air
force and developed an atomic
bomb-the tried and proven
that makes strategic air
force so terribly effective. And
they are creating a powerful jet
fighter and bomber force designed
to give them air supremacy over
the entire zone where surface
battles might be fought.
IF we should fail to prevent
them from gaining this air su-
oremacy, we could scarcely hope
to win the battles on the surface.
Any plan for winning them must
depend upon our ability to gain
tSee DEFENSE, Page A-3.)