Evening star., 1953-03-21
Cuts in ManpoWer
And Expenditures
Forecast by Wilson
By John A. Giles

Oy JUN ~. SUeS
Military manpower and ex-
penditures will be reduced this
year.
This fiat assertion was made
late yesterday by Secretary Of
Defense Wilson.
At his first news conference
since taking over the huge de-
fense establishment Mr.. Wilson
said he believed cuts could be
made without weakening combat
effectiveness.
He also said draft calls would
be lowered IF possible"
Right at the start Mr.. Wilson
was asked If ne feels this coun-
try is adequately prepared. He
replied that was a little too broad
a question.
Scouts Excess Fears.
He said he wished we were
better prepared but that answer
did not indicate q woeful or
pitiful condition.
Il don't think any one of
us should lay awake at night
for fear we are going to be
blasted into eternity tomorrow
morning" he said. He added
there had been no indication of
drastic changes in the interna-
tional picture yet because Of
the death of Josef Stain.
There now are some $500, 900
men under armS-1.5 million in
the Army; 100000. Navy; 1885,
600. Marine Corps. and $780, 900
Air Force.
Mr.. Wilson said he believed
there could be cuts in divisions
in this country. There are now
six Army divisions in the United
States and the Army has said
only the 82d Airborne is at full
strength. There also are a num-
ber of So-called training divis-
ions, which are largely camp
organizations to turn out re-
placements, and it apparently
was to those that Mr.. Wilson
referred.
Monthly Spending Frozen.
He indicated there had been
instances where men were
trained before the equipment
was ready for them and spoke
Of changing this to bring about
a proper balance.
The secretary said that pend
ing a review of the whole vast
operation. the monthly rate of
defense spending had been
frozen at the January level. The
rate was 81 billion in December
and was $3.6 in January and
February. exclusive of spending
for foreign aid.
Mr.. Wilson said he hoped this
rate can be reduced and not go
up to the peak former President
Truman forecast. And he said
he was sure new spending au-
thorizations could be trimmed.
The rate of tooling up new ia
cilities had been excessive in
some instances. he added.
The SECRETARY also said:
1. He could not forecast at this
time what reductions in man
power and spending would be.
2. Gen. Douglas Macarthur
was not Overlooked" when he
appointed a seven-member COM
mittee to make recolnmen-
dationS on overhauling the
defense establishment. The COM
mittee is meeting here this week
end and must report by April
30.
3. The Defense Department is
budgeting for continuation of
the Korean war. He would not
say how much the figure was nor
how long it was estimated the
war would continue. Congress
has been critical because pre-
viously the Pentagon has not
budgeted specifically for the war.
4. He does not personally have
any plan for ending the war,
but the military always has a
number of suggestions.
S. He has not found any out
standing areas Of waste and in
efficiency.
6. The Munitions Board is a
sort of fifth wheel" at the Pen
tagon and is one of the topics
under review by the seven-mem-
ber commission headed by Nell
son Rockefeller.
Z. He felt it was a little too
soon to talk about a pay raise for
uniformed personnel because
they received an increase not
long ago.