Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-07-19
u. S. LEADING
Reds,HeTeIIs
Symington
BY the Associated Press

Secretary of Defense Wilson
says he plans to use some of the
extra 5000 million the Demo-
cratic Congress added to air
funds requested by President
Eisenhower
Mr.. Wilson stated his inter-
tions in a letter to Senator
Symington, Democrat of Mis-
souri,. at the same time he de.
MED that there were inconsis-
tencies" between his own testi-
mony and that of top air officers
as to what is needed to keep
America ahead in the air power
race. He conceded there were
differences of view, but said that
was natural.
Senator Symington, chairman
of special Senate air power in
Ivestigating committee, had told
Mr.. Wilson in face-to-face ex-
change that what the Secretary
told the Senate group was in
conflict with what uniformed
Pentagon spokesman had to say.
Mr.. Wilson asked a chance to
reply and Mr.. Symington made
public his written answer today
after studying it overnight.
Ahead of Reds, He Says
Mr.. Wilson repeated his view
that lin our overall air strength
we are ahead of the Russians to-
day" and added that he and
other administration leaders
plan to keep that lead.
With regard to the extra
money which Congress voted
partly on the basis of needs re-
ported by air generals, Mr.. Will
son said it would be helpful to
let the American people know
that Il do not propose to i'm
pound" the funds.
There had been some talk at
the Capitol that the extra cash
might be left idle.
Il propose to carry out the in
tent of Congress, subject to the
limiting factors proposed by the
Congress itself and to the rec
concentrations Of the Secretary
of the Air Force and to my own
best Judgment as to the security
needs of the Nation Mr.. Will
son said.
Aims to Hold Lead
AS to relative U.S.-Soviet air
power, Mr.. Wilson said "any one
of a number of assumptions
could be proven by the best in
telligence estimates available"
depending on how a question
was phrased.
He added that it is his belief
based upon evaluation of the
facts, that in our overall air
strength we are ahead of the
Russians today and we intend
in the future to build and main
tain total air strength capable
OF preserving the security of the
United States, as a visible de.
terrent to wars of any kind"
Mr.. Wilson said he had re-
studied the testimony before
the five-man Senate subcom-
mittee and disagreed with Sem
ator Symington's comment about
inconsistencies.
The Secretary said the mill
tary problems being investigated
by the Senate group ARE ex-
Itremely complicated" In SEEK
ing solutions. he went on, he
has asked "the advice and opin-
ions of the most highly quail
fed experts our country can
provide"
Advisers Disagree
I'm some cases my advisers
have not been in complete agree
ment," he continued. MY de-
cisions and my recommended
tions to the President and the
Congress have been thought out
to the best of my ability and
have always been based on what
l considered to be in the best
interests of national security"
The investigating Senators ex-
pected to learn more details to-
day about what Gen. Nathan F.
Twining and other top Air Force
officers learned on their recent
trip to Russia.
Gen. Twining is one whose
views Senator Symington rated
inconsistent with Mr.. Wilson's.
Before he gave it out, Senator
Symington called Mr.. Wilson's
communication "a nice letter"
n but said he wanted IN "ct,du