Evening star., 1952-02-22
Joint Chiefs Ordered
Rush Air Base Jobs,
Senate Probers Told
BY the Assoeiated Press

An Air Force Official told Sena-
tors today that the Joint Chiefs
OF Staff ordered rush construc-
ton of air bases in North Africa
soon after the Communist attack
in North Korea.
Assistant Secretary of the Air
Force Edwin v. Higgins offered
this explanation for the hurried
aspects OF the construction in
testimony to the Senate Pre-
paredness Investigating subcom-
mittee. The Senators are digging
into reports Of waste and ex-
. travagance on the multi-million
dollar costs Of overseas airbases.
Mr.. Higgins indicated, but did
not say directly. that top Penta-
gon leaders were apprehensive
Of a Communist drive in Europe
or Africa after the Korean in.
vasion in June, 1850.
Asked Five Air Bases.
The Senators had developed
earlier in the hearings that the
Air Force asked speedy compile
tion Of five air bases in French
Morocco, within six months, at
an estimated cost of more than
$500 million. -...
Senator Hunt, Democrat, of
Wyoming, acting chairman, noted
that the original schedule called
for equipment to move to the air.
base sites in January of last year
and for the bases to be completed
by July.
Instead. Senator Hunt said, de-
lays in negotiations with the
French on the sites stalled the
start of the program until April.
He asked If the "Air Force was
negligent" in insisting upon COM
pletion by July /, despite the de-
.layed start.
. Notes PentagOnf Reports.
Downer Rice, committee attor-
ney, noted that Pentagon reports
on the job cited delays, false
starts, confusion and some waste"
j Construction was under super
vision of the Army Corps of Engi-
E;neers. but private. contractors
swere hired to do the work.
Mr.. Rice said engineering
standards and specifications were
fagrantly ignored" He asked Mr..
Higgins IT. the Air Force agreed
to this.
. "You can't do an emergency
program without spending more
money than one that is not
urgent" Mr.. Higgins replied.
Mr.. Higgins went on to say
there was no attempt to COM
plete the entire project between
April and July. He said only
minimum facilities for moving in
airplanes and crews were sought
as urgent.
Holiday Hearing.
Senator Hunt ordered the hoii-
day hearing after two public ses-
sions yesterday developed these
assertions: 81
/. That laborers drew pre-,
MUM pay" at a rate Of $4,000 a
year and mechanics $1,000 to
work on secret air base described
as at or near the North Pole, and
known by the code name of Blue
Jay"
2. That these workn1en were
paid $4,000 standby pay" while
at home awaiting orders to report
and more than SO million while
being shipped to the job.
8. That more than $3.50 million
have been poured into six air bases
in North Africa since the Korean
war started, and that sites for
several bases were changed or
abandoned after thousands of
dollars had been spent.
Improper Materials.
4. That improper materials
went into some of these African
bases with a result that the Air
Force my have to repair them
continually while they are in use.
S. That the rush cost-plus fixed
fee projects in Africa have pro-
duced half a. dozen unpublished
investigations OF charges of waste
and improper materials by Pen
tagon officials. with lack of agree
Ynent aS tn tuhn js tn blame