Evening star., 1953-03-15
Ammunition Supply
Inventory in Europe
Urged by Senator
BY J. A. OLeor

prompted Senator Margaret
Chase Smith, Republican of
Maine, to propose yesterday a
quick checkup on ammunition
supplies in Europe as well as
Korea.
AS chairman of a flve-member
subcommittee just named by the
Senate Armed Services Commit
tee to inquire into the overall
ammunition situation, Mrs.
Smith also:
/. Served notice on Pentagon
officials they will find it difficult
to blame faults in the ammuni-
ton program on shortage of
funds in view of "astronomical"
unspent balances.
2. Intimated that Gen. Mark
Clark, Far East Commander,
may be called home to testify
unless arrangements can be
made to have him answer ques-
tions by mail.
3. DiSclaimed any intention Of
having her subcommittee deter
mine how to fight wars or make
strategic defense plans.
Results Are Initial Goal.
Mrs. Smith promised the in
quiry will be conducted with
an eye on results rather than
on headlines" but the public
will be kept as fully informed
as national security will permit.
It will take another week or 10
days Of preparation before the
investigation starts.
The subcommittee chairman
said three former Pentagon of
f1cials are among those who will
be invited to testify.
They are former Defense Sec
retary Robert Lovett, former
Army Secretary Frank Pace, and
former Undersecretary of the
Army Archibald S. Alexander.
Although the inquiry was
touched off by Gen. James A.
Van Fleets charges that he was
short Of ammunition in Korea
during his % months as 9th
Army commander, the subcom-
mittee was empowered to study
the overall ammunition. situa-
ton.
Takes Notice Of Air Attacks.
Taking prompt notice of what
she called Outrageous Commu-
mist attacks" on allied aircraft
in Europe last week, Mrs. Smith
said prudence calls for a "quick
look at the status of our am
munition stockages in that area. "
with the recent Tightening
in the situation in Europe" she
went on, II would think that the
subcommittee should not. go all
out on the Korean shortages
which are admittedly improving
without at least a precau-
tionary inquiry into the, situa-
tion on the other side of the
world.
"Our subcommittee has no in
tention of getting caught out in
left field when the next batter
may. swing from the other side
of the plate"
Shortage Discounted in Survey.
Meanwhile, the Associated
Press reported yesterday that a
four-day survey by one OF its
war correspondents in Korea
found front line officers agreeing
there is no general ammunition
shortage there now.
The dispatch said front line
officers feel the critical period
was last fall-from perhaps Au-
guest to November. Before and
after that period, the dispatch
said, there may have been short
ages, but the front was supplied
by one means or another.
Mrs. Smiths warning to the
Pentagon not to try to blame
ammunition problems on Con-
press was prompted by a letter
Acting Army Secretary Earl D.
johnson wrote Thursday to
Chairman Saltonstall of the
Senate Armed Services Commit
tee.
Paragraph Is Challenged.
Mr.. johnson took issue with
a paragraph in the investigating
resolution which said that "ofh-
cials of the Army Department
have unanimously testified that
defense appropriations for am
munition, as promptly made by
Congress upon request since the
beginning Of the Korean war,
have been adequate"
Mr.. johnson called this Ian
guage unfortunate" and asked
the committee to correct the res
olution. He sought to emphasize
that Army witnesses had teSti-
fed that Congress had granted
ammunition funds recommended
by the Defense Secretary and
the Budget Bureau, but had not
said these sums were adequate.
Commenting on the johnson
letter, Mrs. Smith said she feels
"the Defense Department Off
cials would find it extremely diff
cult to argue that faults
in the ammunition program were
in any sense of the word related
to a shortage Of funds. when we
all know that the department
has unexpended balances which
are almost astronomical in size. "
Contracts to Be Studied.
Mrs. Smith added that she has
heard of no sentiment in the
committee to recede from its
statement that "the breakdown
in our ammunition program was
not because of inadequate A.
nancing'' by Congress.
After last weeks hearings
Senator Byrd, Democrat, of Vir-
ginia, stated that Congress has
appropriated total of $6.7 bill
lion for Army ammunition since