U.S. LOOKS TO AIR POWER FOR PROTECTION

Chronicle (Levin), 14 January 1948, Page 5

U.S. LOOKS TO AIR POWER FOR PROTECTION

Received Wednesday, 9.20 a.m. WASHINGTON, Jan. 13. Urging great increases in United States air power, President Truman's Air Policy Commission' reported today that it was safe to assume that the United States would have a monopoly of atomic weapons until the- end- of 1952, but thereafter "other nations will have atomic 4 weapons in quantity and the equipment to deliver them in a susiained attack on the United States mainland." The commission, which comprised five private citizens, was under the chairmanship of Mr. Thomas K. Finletter, a New York lawyer, and was appointed by President Truman last July to assist him in the "formulating of an integrated national aviation policy." ■ The commission declared that the American Air Force was "inadequate even now and would be hopelessly wanting in a period of serious 1 danger of atomic attack." The commission urged a new defence concept, based on air power, saying, "Our Navy must be maintained but surface protection alone is no longer enough." It proposed That the Air Force be built up to 70- groups by the end of 1948. That would double the present strength of 3500 first lihe aircraft. The Air Force budget should be increased until it reached 5,450,000,000 dollars ih 1949.