The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1953-06-08
Wilson Is Asked To Defend
His Plans Regarding AT Cut
By EDWIN 3. PARKINSON

0oy w w cOLnc uS1cuulIlB VI his
controversial plans to cut funds for
the Air Force more than five bill
lion dollars and reduce its buildup
goal from 143 to 120 wings.
Sen. Ferguson (R-Mich), chair
man of the Senate appropriations
subcommittee considering defense
money requests for the year start
ing July /, invited Wilson "and
anyone he wants to bring with
him."
Ferguson, without elaboration.
said yesterday that Figures will
come out" today to show the Air
Force will have ample funds to
pay for whatever equipment can
be produced for if during the year.
Quizzed by a CHS teIeviSion
panel, the senator commended VIII
sons statements have generally
been misunderstood.
People don't seem to under
stand" Ferguson said, "when he
says we're going to get as many
planes with less money"
The dispute over the Air Force
cutback ragged on over the week
end. There were even overtoneS of
the heated Mayfair Force row of
1S47, when the two services slugged
it out. with rival claims of supe.
riority.
Secretary of the Navy Robert B.
Anderson, joining Sen. Lyndon
Johnson (R-Tex) yesterday in
filmed television broadcast for
Texas stations, claimed special adj
vantageS for naval air power over
land-based planes.
The Navy, Anderson said, could
launch planes near targets via air.
craft carriers without need of
bases on foreign soil.
. When Johnson asked about the
argument, reminiscent of 1947, that
carriers are "sitting ducks" for
enemy attackers, Anderson said:
THAT simply is not true" He said
carriers now make a poor and
highly dangerous target"
Ferguson's subcommittee lis
tened most of last week to Gen.
Hoyt S. Vandenberg, retiring Air
Force chief of staff, and other fly
ing generals. They vigorously OPP
posed cutbackS as dangerous at a
time when Soviet air power is ex-
panding.
Some senator's suggested private
Iy that President Eisenhower may
have to take q personal hand in
lining up votes for the program he
says is ample for national defense.
Opposition has been expressed in
Congress by some Republicans a
well q many Democrats. One of
the most militant has been Rep.
Yorty (D-Calif), who renewed his
criticism yesterday of the trim
ming Of former President Tru-
mans request for Air Force funds.
In . statement prepared for the
Congressional Record, Yorty at
tackled what he called "the cut.
and-cover-up technique Of the De-
tense Department defeatists." He
said they "seized upon an amount
at random" in cutting the Air
Force budget.
Yorty's statement drew backing
from Senator's Lehman Cd ,Lib-NY)
and Sparkman DALAI.
Lehman said on an ABC teievl.
sion program yesterday he believes
the cuts were biased on the desire
Of the budget director, and not on
the realities of the situation"
Spagkman said in an interview:
81 have a definite feeling that
the Air Force cut has not been
carefully made. l think it repre-
sents : lump sum reduction rather
than = cut made on the basis OF
defense needs"
Ferguson. in his CBS-TV appear
ance, said talk about the number of
Air Force wings is fruitlesS be-
cause "a wing means what they
want TO make il mean
what We have to talk about.
the senator said, lis the number Of
combat planes and we're not going
to cut down the number of combat
planes at all. "
Ferguson joined Sen. Duff (R.
Pa1 on an ABc television show
yesterday In defending the cut
backs. Their debate opponents
we're YOrty and Sen. Henry N.
Jackson (D-Washl.
Jackson contended Russia win be
capable Of q full-seale atomic ct
tack against the u. S. In 1854. He
said Republican economixers are
counting on Russia not to attack.
Ferguson argued the Z. S. Air
Force already Is better than Rus.
Sia's and is uutsho0ting the Reds
III 10 l in Korea. Duff said all
Eisenhower wants 10 do Is cut oat
the waste. /"