Evening star., 1951-08-24
Military Budget
0utnoded by
Prices
Estimates of Needs
Become inadequate
Before Congress Acts
By John 4. Giles

By John A. Glies
Even before Congress completes
action on this years huge military
spending program, rising prices
have outmoded it and made q
later request for a supplemental
appropriation a certainty.
OfficialS estimated today that
the cost of food per man per day
had risen A or 5 cents
since the $50 billion military
budget was drawn UP in early
March and that the armed forces
would be around $50 million short
in subsistence alone by the end OF
this fiscal year next June 80 II
present prices continued. The
Senate Appropriations Committee
is now holding closed hearings on
the $50 billion program.
But two other contingencies
might well push the request for
additional funds this year well
beyond the Sill billion mark.
One is the current move for
additional airpower; the other Is
the Korean war.
Airpower Increase Favored.
There is general agreement
among top Pentagon officials that
there should be an increase in
airpower, both Air Force and
Navy. But the size of that in
crease has not been agreed upon.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff are ex-
pected to recommend the size OF
the armed forces in the 1853 fis-
cal year by September with view
of getting President Truman's ap-
proval early in October.
If the Air Forces ambitious
163-group program is approved
it was turned down fatty by the
Joint Chiefs when first presented
by Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg, Air
Force chief of staff-and that
build-up is scheduled to begin this
year, it is estimated that an adj
ditional $6 billion will be needed.
While Pentagon officials have
steadfastly steered away from any
estimate as to the cost Of the
Korean war, they frankly told
the House Appropriations Com
mittee that it would be necessary
to come back for more money to
finance it.
Now, it is estimated, that should
the cease-f1re talks fail and the
hostilities return to the intensity
of last May and June. at least
$5 billion additional will be needed
this fiscal year.
Korean Artillery Fire Costly.
1t was during the May-June
period that the cost of the war
was highest. The big 105-milli-
meter artillery fired an average
of IS rounds per gun per day,
for instance, and the cost of each
round-less transportation from
the arsenal to the battlefront
is $32. At one time during the
period the firings per gun was
stepped up to better than 100
ROUNDS a day.
But in addition to the increased
food costs, there also has been
a boost in the cost of fuel and
OIL
In the personnel field, too, the
big money now on Capitol Hill
appears to be short better than
$1G0 million.
The Marine Corps, for instance.
likely will need around $40 mill
lion more for pay and allowances
simply because it has and will
retain more men in uniform than
the original budget planned for,
officials told a reporter.
The corps now has more than
100000 Marines, while the budget
called for 177,000. The Army.
which now is right around its
1.5 million man authorization.
likely will need some $35 million
more.
Price Tag to Be Put on Losses.
The supplemental request which
will be sent to Congress later this
fiscal year will attempt to put
a price tag on some of the weap-
ons and equipment which have
been lost in the Korean war.
The Navy's bill for overhaul Of
ships, for example, has been high
Ter than normal peacetime rates
because of the more extensive use
Iof the vessels How this is to be
charged against Korean war costs.
however. has the experts stumped.
Surprisingly. the aircraft attri-
ton In Korea has been no greater
than in the United States. This
4 is attributed to the fact that those
in the Korean skies are flown by
more experienced pilots.
The Army lost considerable
number of the World War II MA
tanks at the start of the hostili-
ties but the Ma was already re-
garded as training weapon and
the Army was going to replace
them anyway. The losses of the
new MAG have been extremely
light.
However, the Army has lost
considerable stores of ammuni-
tion and small arms and some
artillery, jeeps, etc, in the see
saw battle up and down the
Korean peninsula.
Sill Named, to Post
On Trade Board Group