Evening star., 1962-01-04
KENNEDY
President Seeks to Trim
Guard, Boost Readiness
Continued From Page Al

at a Democratic Embarrassing
dinner in honor of the birthday
Of Ohio Gov. Michael Disable.
White House Press Secretary
Pierre Salinger annuonced to-
day that the President has
scheduled a conference at the
White House at 10:30 am.
Saturday with Chairman Mills
of the House Ways and Means
Committee.
To Discuss Programs
Presumably this conference
will concern the Presidents
hopes to get through Congress
this year some of his key
legislative programs that will
have to be passed on by the
tax-writing Ways and Means
Committee.
This committee will hold the
key to House action on such
major proposals as broad new
tariff-cutting authority to be
sought by the President, his
medical care for the aged pro-
gram and recommendations for
major tax revisions.
Mr.. Salinger said the Pres
ident expects to have other
appointments in his office Sat-
urday, but did not disclose
them.
One conference being planned,
it was understood, was to COM
plete briefing of the President
on some details of military
matters discussed at his STRAIT
egg conferences with Pentagon
chiefs here this week.
Will Meet Gen. Clay
Planning full days Of work
in his White House office both
Saturday and Sunday, the
President will meet Sunday
with Gen. Lucius Clay, his
personal representative in Ber-
lin who is returning for con-
Sultations Mr.. Salinger an
nounced today.
Mr.. Kennedy also has a
meeting scheduled Sunday
with Central Intelligence
Agency Director John A.
McCone.
Because Of the round of con-
ferences he wants to complete
before giving Congressional
leaders a preview of his 1862
program Monday, the Presi-
dent changed previously an
nounced plans in order to be
in Washington most of Satur-
day.
Mr.. Salinger said he now
plans to take off in his Air
Force jet from Palm Beach at
4 pm. tomorrow.
He had previously planned to
go directly from Palm Beach
Saturday afternoon to Colum-
bus. Now, Mr.. Salinger said,
the President expects to leave
the White House about 4::30I
pm. Saturday, fly to Columbus
to speak at the Democratic
dinner at the State Fair
Grounds, and take off about
$50 pm. on a direct return
flight to Washington.
The President also is reported
calling Democratic and Repub-
lican members of Congress to a
bipartisan conference at the
White House Monday, starting
at breakfast, for a preview of
the proposals he will submit in
his state-of-the- Union mes
sage.
Associates say Mr.. Kennedy
is keenly aware of the political
difficulties in the way Of re-
organizing the National Guard
and Reserves, and therefore will
move slowly toward achieving
his objectives.
From a military and budget
viewpoint, he is described as
impressed with the need to get
the most out Of the money
spent by the Federal Govern
ment in equipping National
Guard units.
Money Spread Thin
Under the existing system,
money is spread so thin that
few if any Guard units are
ready for combat upon mobili-
zation. The plans under con-
sideration would withdraw Fed
eral support from units that
could not be kept combat
ready and prepared for instant
Gallup.
But in normal times Ma
tional Guard units are under
control of State governors. And
the President realizes the polit-
ical problems that would face
many governors in any move
that would do away with their
militia.
Experience after the October
IS Gallup of the 32d National
Guard Division from Wiscon-
sin and the 49th from Texas
demonstrated inefficienceS in
the present system. There were
complaints, especially from the
Wisconsin division in training
at Fort Lewis, Wash, about
lack Of modern equipment,
among other things.
Announcement of plans for
the two new regular Army di-
visions emphasized, however,
that the two National Guard
divisions now in active train
ing will be kept on duty until
"the international situation
and the readiness status of the
two new divisions" permit their
release.
Appointments Listed
In other actions announced
here today, Mr.. Kennedy:
/. Named Maj. Gen. Robert
J. Fleming, now chief of the
United States Army Engineer
Division at Dallas, Tex, as
Governor of the Panama Canal
Zone to succeed Mai. Gen. w.
4