Evening star., 1953-06-06
Air Force Fund Cut
Defended by Wilson
In Western Speech
By John A. Giles

declared last night he, knew Of
mo one In the whole world morn
competent to judge" military
matters than President Eisen-
hover. The Secretary expressed:
surprise at criticism of the adj
ministration's plan to cut Air.
Force funds.
The secretary, who faces
lengthy Senatorial questioning
on the air program Monday, said
it had been carefully analyzed
not only by Defense Department;
officials but by the National
Security Council and the Presi-.
dent himself"
II know Of no one in the whole
world more competent to Judge
such matters than our Presi-i
dent" he told the Iowa State
Bar Association at Sioux City
"He has approved the budget we.
are proposing and the progress
we expect to make in increasing
the military strength Of the
Nation.
Cites Big Carryover.
''I am surprised that con-
troversy has developed over the.
fact that the Defense Depart,
ment has reduced it's (Air Force)
requests for funds for the fiscal
year "a by more than IS billion.
after a careful analysis Of
the problem we decided that this
was all the additional funds we
needed" he continued. due to
the big carryover of funds from
previous appropriations we did
not think we should ask Con-
gress for more money at this
time"
The budget reduction, he
added. "is not an indication that
we believe that air power is any
less important. I believe it
is now the strongest, most pow
erful air force in the world
today"
Second Best, General Says. 70
The declarations by the Sec
retary followed continued asser-
tions late yesterday by Gen.
Hoyt S. Vandenberg before the
Senate Military Appropriations
subcommittee that the proposed
budget would give the United
States a second best" air force.
Chairman Ferguson of Michi-
gan for three hours challenged
the retiring Air Force Chief of
Staff's criticisms point by point
and appeared to be laying the
groundwork for Mr.. Wilson's ap-
pearance, which is certain to be
stormy.
The Senator bluntly accused
the Air Force of "overestimating
its capacity to spend money" by
nearly So billion in the past 18
months.
"You are going to be just as
wrong in your estimates next
year as you were this year and
the previous year and therefore
you don't need any more money
in the budget" he declared. "And
yet you come in here and object
to a spending limit of SIS bill
lion" ~ &aa
Gen. Vandenberg said a $16
billion figure, would be more
realistic" q.
Sidesteps Challenge.
The four-star general side
stepped a direct challenge to
Gen. Eisenhower's assurance that
the revised Air Force program
will provide protection for this
country's safety.
Winding up three days of tes-
timony. he protested that SEN
ator Margaret Chase Smith, Re-
publican, of Maine was putting
him in a "very difficult" spot
when she asked:
Can you give assurance that
the revised. Air Force program is
adequate for our national de-
tense in view of the fact that
President Eisenhower has given
assurance publicly that it tsp"
Pressed for a frank "yes" or
mo" answer, Gen. Vandenberg
suggested the Senator reword
the question, omitting any ref
erence to Gen. Eisenhower. When
she complied, Gen. Vandenberg
said crisply:
II do not believe it is ade-
quate." t-
While Mr.. Wilson told reporters
at National Airport before his
departure that Gen. Vanden-
berg's testimony was "all right
with me-" he made no suggestion
that he intended to compromise
with those fighting to restore
the budget cuts.
Funds available to the Air
Force are ample to continue a
build up in its effective strength"
he told the Iowa audience.
1.-THE aircraft schedule now in
effect is the one made up by the
Air Force and approved last
October" he asserted. "The
fiscal year 1854 budget request
submitted in January (by for
mer President Truman) was
based on this schedule with but
minor changes. Month by
month this schedule in total has
not been met, the losses of pro-
ductlon for various reasons
being an average of approxi-
mately IL per cent for all air.
craft and % per cent for COM
bat aircraft.
while this schedule has not
been officially changed, revisions
have been under consideration
in recent months, and a new
schedule has just been adopted.