Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-12-07
johnson Sees
S1O1 Billion
U. 5. Budget
President Holds
Surprise Session
With Reporters
BY CECIL HOLLAND
Star Staff Writer


Star Staff Writer
President johnson announced
new measures today that will
cut next years military budget
but indicated the total United
States budget will exceed Sl02
billion.
He also disclosed plans to
cut civilian employment in the
defense establishment by $4,000
to a total figure of $4,000 by
July l, 1865.
The President spoke in an
extraordinary on the record
with reporters over
coffee in his White House oval
office.
Budget Of S1O2.3 Billion
He discussed in detail his two
weeks in office and gave a
outline Of what he is seeking
to accomplish.
The President indicated that
even with the reductions and
savings in Defense Department
expenditures of more than $500
million this year and next, the
new budget figure would likely
approach Sl02.3 billion.
He said there we're built-in
expenditures and new programs
that would increase the present
budget by $3.5 billion over the
current figure of $9.8 billion.
The President promised every
possible economy but said:
Our feeling is that we waste
as much by doing nothing as
we waste by doing too much"
Defense Secretary Mcnamara
met with reporters later and de-
tailed four actions that will &C
complish the reduction in de-
tense Department employment.
Lowest Figure Since 1850
They would bring, the Secre-
tary pointed out. the lowest
employment figure in the de-
tense establishment since early
1850.
This was the first on-the-
record, informal press confer
Ience ever held, according to
White House sources.
Shortly before noon, White
House Press Secretary Pierre
Salinger called reporters into
his office. He told them that
the President, who was spend
ing a work-aS-usual Saturday,
wanted them to have coffee
with him in his office.
The President moved a rock
ing chair in front of the fire
place in the room and launched
into a discussion of what he
has tried to accomplish in the
time he has been in office and
to disclose some of his future
plans.
U. N. Address December IL
Among these we're:
/. He will address the United
Nations on December II at IL
noon in what he describes as a
brief appearance to get better
acquainted with delegates be-
fore they go home.
2. A primary purpose during
the time he has been in office
has been to emphasize the con-
tinuity of this Government and
the unity of the country after
the assassination of John F.
Kennedy.
He said that during the first
10 days he had got the cabinet
and the White House staff to
a man to stay on, and has car
ried on conversations with many
others.
He said he has had LOG APP
pointments, almost 10 a day,
in trying to carry out his
purposes.
Defense Actions Outlined
Mr.. Mcnamara outlined four
actions toward meeting the goal
of reduced personnel. They
were:
/. An estimated $4,000 re-
duction in direct-hire civilian
employment to bring such en-
! ployment below the l million
mark.
2. A Is per cent reduction in
personnel assigned to overseas
headquarters Staffs, which he
estimated will result in a re-
duction of more than $500
military and civilian personnel.
3. A 10 per cent reduction in
the administrative Staffs of
military assistance programs
and missions abroad, to be
effective by next July l, for a
total reduction of 1000.
4. A Is per cent reduction in
the number of foreign ma
tionalS employed by the de-
partment, including 5000 di-
Irect-hire foreign national en-
ployeS.