Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-06-29

airpoWer to be OF vital importance
to our national security in this
nuclear age and all Of my princi-
pal, advisers feel the same. Ire
mendous sums of the taxpayers
money are now being spent in in
creasing our air capability. BY
way of comparison, the fiscal year
1850 the Air Force expended less
than one-third Of total defense
budget of $l2 billion. In the
coming fiscal year the Air Force
will spend nearly one-half of a
total defense budget of $50 bill
lion. representing an increase of
nearly five time the funds de-
voted to, the Air Force only a few
years ago. In addition, it is esti-
mated that over one-half of the
Navy budget in fiscal year 1857
is devoted to its air arm.
Also, I would like to make it
clear that all of the information
which has been furnished to the
committee, every argument which
the committee has heard, every
claim either Of deficiency OF suf-
ficiency which the committee has
heard. was carefully analysed
during the preparation of the
fiscal year 1857 Department of
Defense budget. The military
programs and their supporting
budgets represent the considered
decision of the responsible au-
thoritieS within the Department
Of Defense, including the chair
man of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,
the chiefs of the respective mill
tary services, the civilian heads of
the military departments and
myself.
10 Factors Outlined
In determining what military
program we feel the country re-
quireS and which we recommend
to the President and to the Con-
gress there are many factors
that must be considered. :.
The whole objective Of our ma
tiOnal security policy is to pre-
serve the security Of the United
States and its fundamental in
stitutiOns. Therefore among the
ffrst and most important mat
tiers that we must consider and
evaluate are the capabilities and
intentions of possible enemies.
We recognize that the principal
threat to our security today is
from the Communist bloc with
its stated purpose of world domi-
nation. We fully recognize, how
ever, that this threat, while
significant in the military field,
is also . threat in the political
and economic fields both to us
and our allies.
A second problem we face in
assessing the degree of military
strength that we should support
Is its effect upon the economic
virility Of our country. We rec
ognize that while our military
strength must be adequate, it
must not be excessive to a degree
that could seriously impair the
economic vigor of our country
or the will and ability of the
American people to support it.
Third, we must carefully weigh
the proportion of our defense ef-
fort that we place in forces and
weapons of a defensive nature
as compared to the portion of our
effort that we place in forces and
weapons Of a deterrent or re-
taliatory nature. Our objective
Is to deter war by every honor
able means. 1t is not our OBJ
jective to over-arm or to give
any country cause for alarm. It
is necessary that we have a high
degree of protection both for our
country and for our retaliatory
forces. so that no enemy could
reasonably expect to win a wal
If he were foolish enough to start
one.
Fourth, we must give careful
consideration to the question OF
forces in being and their con-
tinuing mOdernizatiOn. We must
be ever alert to modernize them
AWith the best weapons that our
scientific ability can provide, SO
that today's security does not be-
come tomorrow's insecurity.
Fifth, we face changes in our
strategy and tactics brought
about through astounding weap.
Ons developments. These are diff.
ficult to fully evaluate rapidly
This is particularly true of rad
zeal advances in aircraft per.
Torrance, in guided missiles. anc
In electronics.
Sixth. we must CONSTANT,
study the effect of nuclear de.
velOpments upon our weapons
our equipments and our strategy
and tactics. It is not reasonable
to assume that when weapons
increase in power from tons tt
millions of tons of equivalen
high explosives that we neces,
sarily require or should have tn,
same numbers of such weapons
or the same systems to deliver
those weapons.
Seventh, we must continual,
re-examine our important Re.
serve programs and see tina
they are fully responsive to ou
needs in this modern age.
Eighth, we must continue t,
place increasing importance
upon the training, retention ant
proper utilization of militar,
personnel and upon the prepa
ration Of programs to the ent
that the scientifically designet
weapons systems which we ar
developing are effectively ant
efficiently utilized.
Ninth, We must CAREFUL,
weigh our Military Assistance
Programs to determine tn
proportion Of our total eftor
that can be devoted to bolster
ing the common defense Of on
friends and allies in the Ere
World as against that proper
ton OF our efforts which mus