Evening star., 1953-09-04
Top Officials Seen
In Disagreement on
Reason for AT Cuts

Top Defense Department and
Air Force officials appeared to
be in disagreement today as to
the reason for the air arms de-
cision to buy 965 fewer planes
this fiscal year than originally
planned.
Defense Secretary Wilson. ap-
pearing before the American
Legion convention in st. Louis,
was quoted by the Associated
Press as saying air officials
should be given thanks for their
courage in recommending the
cutback and adding:
1T takes courage to stand up
and stop a thing that already is
moving along, just to save
money"
But Acting Air Force Secretary
James H. Douglas was emphatic
in another direction.
Contrary to reports" he told
q Pentagon news conference.
"the revision :. is not based on
any financial policies. It does
not result from a search for
savings.
AttritiOn Reduced.
THE new program is largely
made possible by a reduction
of attrition rates in accordance
with experience" he continued.
''It also results from an adjust
nlent of wartime combat attri-
ton rates in some categories to
normal rates and a further
change in training procedures
involving shifts-from the Air
Training Command to the Stra-
teglc Air Command.
1T also should be emphasized
that this revision is made pos
sible to a substantial extent by
q better experience as regards
loss of aircraft and damage re-
sulting from accidents"
Mr.. Wilson said the decision
not to buy about $3.50 million
worth of planes was taken to
clear the way for the later pur-
chase Of a different type of
planes which are more essential.
Mr.. Douglas, deploring earlier
unofficial versions of the decision
as misleading" said at a news
conference that only Isl of the
total aircraft involved in the
reduction were not actually on
order All of these are BAT jet
bomberS. The remaining air.
craft in the reduced program, he
emphasized. were those for
which no orders had yet been
placed but for which the air
arm had originally planned to
sign contracts this year.
Originated With Air Force.
The revision, Mr.. Douglas said,
originated in the uniformed air
staff at the Pentagon. and was
approved by the Air Force Coun-
sci and Gen. Nathan F. Twin
Ing. Air Chief of Staff, he ex-
planned He added:
They were not directed to
conduct this study or come to
their conclusion.
Initially Pentagon spokesman
emphasized that neither Mr..
Wilson nor Deputy Secretary of
Defense Roger M. KyeS had ap-
proved the plan. Mr.. Douglas,
who held a lengthy conference
with Mr.. Kyes before his meet
ing with reporters, said such ap-
proval was necessary and had
been done informally"
Mr.. Douglas said the revised
program would not adversely
affect the delivery of modern
combat bombers and fighters re-
quired to equip 143 wings if 143
are reconf1rmed by the Joint
Chiefs of Staff The Eisenhower
administration has set an Gin
terim" target of 100 wings, pend
ing the chiefs study. A wing
consists of 80 bombers to IS
fighters.
"It has been mistakenly sug-
gested that the revised program
takes defense funds from the Air
Force" Mr.. Douglas declared.
This is not the case"
Cutback Called Dangerous.
Meanwhile, two Democratic
Senators labeled the cutback
Shocking" and dangerous, -
and Senator Potter. Republican,
of Michigan asked for disclosure
of all the facts involved.
Senators Hill. Democrat, of
Alabama, a member of the Sen
ate Appropriations Committee,
and Stennis, Democrat, of Mis-
sissippi, an Armed Services Com