Evening star., 1952-02-23
House Group 10 Quiz.
|Lcyeit on Separation
0i Supply Services Y
By NE AssseIslsd Press

Secretary Of Defense Lovett viii
be called before Congress on iils|
return from Lisben 10 explain
what seme legislators said was o.
plan for further separating the
armed services, II
Chairman BeHner said his|
House Expenditures Subcommittee
has seen a PentaRen document iAI
Berlin directing the Air FeFeeI
70 estRbissh its ewR supply system,
its own corps nf engineers and
other special services, These have
hseen furnished IN the past by
the Army,
Representative RFowAsop, Re-
publican, OF Indiana, said the cost
OF setting up separate Air Force
services "runs into billions Of
dollars"
In Closed Session.
The chairman said the subcori-
mittee will hear Mr.. Lovett, Chair
man Small Of the Munitions
Board and the three service Sec
retaries in a closed session. Il
viii be held two or three days
after Mr.. Lovett returns from o
North Atlantic Treaty Council ses-,
sion In Lisbon, Mr.. Bonner told
newsmen.
The question arose during an
open hearing yesterday, and Mr..
Bonner suddenly shifted the sub
ject with the statement, "We'll
have to discuss these things in
executive session."
The implication was the sub
committee had picked up addi-
tional information Of q security
nature during its trip last year to
the Far East and Europe. Mr..
Bonner told newsmen he saw the
Pentagon document in Germany.
Secretary Responsible.
The subcommittee probed a wide
range Of subjects yesterday in con.
tinuing its effort to locate waste
and duplication in the military
establishment. II will continue
hearings next Wednesday. with
Karl r. Bendetsen. Assistant Sec
retary Of the Army, as the main
witness.
Mr.. Bonner opened yesterdays
hearing by saying the Unification
Act made the Secretary Of De.
Tense responsible for eliminating
duplication In the operation Of
the armed services.
The subcommittee contends
that many purchasing practices,
including the 90 billion annual
clothing program, mean expensive
duplication.
Archibald o. Alexander, Under.
secretary Of the Army. told the
subcommittee he did not believe
there was any unnecessary duplis
cation In present practices.
He also said, In response 10
questioning, that hls department
mad ample authority, without fur.
|ther congressional action. 10 cut
down waste. lie said progress ID
being made,
Timetable Bet TIP.
Mr.. Alexander said he did net
know Of the pentAaoA document
expanding Air Fefee facilities. Tic
said the Army and Air Force had
agreed 10 only limited sepafa.
tieR OF special functions,
Mr., BF0Wnson told a reporter
that the two services agreed last
July 10 separate the supply sysu
tenn, Engineers Corps, ordnance
chemical warfare and bighal
Corps activities The PeRtagen
document set ut q timetable, with
October /, 1901, as the date for
the new supply system, he said,
The additional eest, Mr., BFeWh.
sen said, weuld eeme frem added
warehouses, separate transpertar
tlen methods, additional personnel
and q laTgeF amount OF eeeds In
the pipeline"
Mr., RFownson said the suheem-
mittee found that In Japan, the
supply base for Korea, the Air
Force was trying to set w Its Town
supply empire" He said II wanted
its own system of trans-Pacific
shipment, instead OF the present
system by which all military items
are handled together until they
reach Japan,