Evening star., 1952-01-10
Quick Approval Seen
For penfagon Plan 10
Expand Armed Forces
BY II. AsseeIat.d Pres.

| ~ TIE AsSoeiofed Pfess
Senators expected to learn to-
iday some new and secret details
iabout President Truman's plan for
Expanding the Armed Forces with
particular emphasis on air power" !"
Secretary Of Defense Lovett was
Icalled before q closed door session
Iof the Senate Armed Services
lCommittee for q general survey
.iof the defense program.
Chairman Russell Of the Senate
|group said Mr.. Lovett probably
would provide details on the
broad requests outlined yesterday
lin the Presidents State-of- the
Union message.
t Most lawmakers. both Repub-
llicans and Democrats, indicated
ithey would go along with the
Presidents proposal to move full
steam ahead on our defense
program"
| Some Of them said Mr.. Truman
indicated our intelligence agen-
lcies have a definite check on
ISoviet Russia's military strength
when he said:
4 'The grim fact remains that
1.-THE Soviet Union is increasing It's
Iarmed might. It is still producing
Imore war planes than the free
nations. 1t has set OF two more
atomic explosions.
Cited no Figures.
The President gave no figures
lbut Senator Hunt. Democrat. OF
Wyoming, a member of the Armed
IServices Committee, told a re-
lporter:
eve know pretty certainly what
Russia has in military power anC
what her rates Of production are.
Senator Lyndon johnson. Dem.
Iocrat, Of Texas, chairman of thu
defense Preparedness Subcorn.
Imittee. referring to Mr.. TrumanI
statement that the Soviet is pro.
lducing more planes than tn,
Western nations, said:
II hope that our officials viii
\ recognize the grim implication
of this fact and proceed in tn,
looming year to take the over
tdue steps necessary to strengthen
the defense Of our country" :"
Senator Jol1nson's Subcommit
ltee has been criticizing what
lcalled serious lags in defense pro
|duction. It urged sharper cut
backs in civilian production II
step up defense output.
Confirmed in Part.
u President Truman appeared t
i" confirm this, in part, saying:
?. "In the field of defense produc
= ton, we have run into difhcultie
= and delays in designing and pro
10 ducing the latest types of airplane
and tanks. Some machine tool
,rI and metals are still in extrem
= short supply
, Senator Hunt and other In
formed sources expect the Penta
II gon to ask an increase in tn
ot standing armed forces - Arm,
leINavy and Marines, and Air Fore
to at least 4 millions or more. 3
q Mr.. Truman said "tf1e total
Il now nearly three and ofle-f1a
Il million mem and women in 'uf1
j. form. a gain of more than a mi
L. lion during the past year. - a.
IS Il believe. that emphasis mu
Of be placed on more tanks, ali
ID planes and technical weapons
v. Senator Hunt said. Most e,
a perts expect the next war. to
i, a technical one rather than
:. clash Of infantry power"
tol "I'n be willing TO go .alor
- with most requests from the PEI
=. tagon by our military experts
=. Senator Hunt said.
:. Chairman Russell, Senate
,d Hunt and other lawmakers sa
~ plans to increase the arme
- forces should not require mue
new legislation.
Ceiling Already Raised.
of Congress raised the ceiling G
le the armed forces to millio
le persons last year, with an under
tyl standing that House and Sena1
I'd committees would be informed
to advance of any more expansion
l. within that limit. The last ar
nounced goal was about 3.5 mi
- lion.
l. Mr.. Truman said this Natio
: !: !: al per