The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1952-04-04
BONNER OUTLINES
SENSIBLE PLAN
TO HELP NATION
First District Congressman
Presents Masterful Brief
in Armed Services
Statement

r.
man of the Subcommittee on Inter-
governmental Relations of the Expendi-
lures Committee Of the House of Repre-
sentatfves, based on 152 hours of hear
ings and 50-odd hours of personal in
spection within the United States and
around the world where our military
| forces are established. Mr.. Bonner was
accompanied in his appearance before
the Armed Services Subcommittee on
Appropriations of the Appropriations
Committee of the House.
Mr.. Chairman:
This is not the report of our
Subcommittee, but it is my person.
al statement to your committee
based on the above hearings. Our
Subcommittee of the Expenditures
Committee is pleased to be invited
to appear here today. There is
every need today for closest CO.
operation among the committees
of Congress.
We have been studying the prob
lens of military supply manage
ment in the zone of the interior as
well as overseas. We fully believe
that savings of billions of dollars
can be made if federal manage
ment practices are brought to
handling of military supply.
We may as we'll face it; the So
called unification act has misfired.
Now we have three Independent
competing departments where be-
fore we had two.
You are interested in how much
of a cut can be made in the pres
ent military budget. You are also
interested in where these cuts can
take place. l should like to say
that based on my observations to
date can support a 10 per cent
cut across the board. l believe this
cut can be made without even
drawing blood. l say this with full
knowledge that any cut is de-
cision of policy affecting the strik-
ing force of the military estab-
lishment. l believe such a cut in
stead of rendering the military less
effective will actually result in inn
provement of our national defense
1efforts.
In every appearance of the Sec
rotary of Defense before our Sub
committee upon cross-examination
he insisted that he had sufficient
authority under the law to "elimi-
nate duplication and overlapping
as contemplated under the Nation
al Security Act of 1947. Since he
needs no further legislative assis-
lance we can only conclude that the
administration of the Department
of Defense whatever its quality is
his responsibility.
Therefore, it appears at this
time that the best method would
be to slash the budget 10 per cent
and put the responsibility squarely
on him to carry out the intent of
the law. If he reads the newspapers
and if he studies his reports, he
will have plenty of material for
knocking heads together.
The Secretary can carry out this
administration based on such a
budget if he insists on uniformity
of forms, procedures, and policies
He must assign priority of import
ance to projects and commodities
The era of coin-flipping must end
l know you gentlemen are in
terested probably in specifics
where the Secretary might show q
little energy. I shall try to give
you few. In stating them l should
like to tell the Committee that in
our recent overseas study we ex,
planned our mission to General
Eisenhower and asked his com.
ments based on his field exper.
fence. He intellectually support
ed our views in supply and gave
US freedom to quote him as saying
"unification can work if Secre,
tary of Defense has CUTS" With
regard to the specifics, we are con.
WINGED that the planning and i'm.
fermentation of a separate All
Force supply system for common
! use items is an unconsscionablt
burden on the taxpayers at thi:
time. The vast construction pro
gram they contemplate for such &
supply system, which is needless
is under way, whether the Secre
tary of Defense knows it or not
The Army is giving adequate sup
; port to the Air Force in thes'
: times. However, to cite an instance
in Alaska where adequate Arm!
storage is available the Air Force
is taking steps to build a new
warehouses small item of $500,
900. In Okinawa the Air Force i
planning a large depot expansion
program, where adequate Arm.
warehousing exists. In Okinaws
also, we saw personnel horsir'
costing $4,000 per unit beini
, erected along side buildings of
local corporation of superior de
sign costing 80 per cent less.
r Il IA