AMERICA PREPARING "COLD WAR" MILITARY BUDGET

Chronicle (Levin), 27 March 1948, Page 5

AMERICA PREPARING "COLD WAR" MILITARY BUDGET

_ (N.Z.P.A.-

— Reuter.

CODjjriaht) '

Received Friday, 9.50 p.m. W ASH1N (JTON, March . 26. The U.S. Secretary of Defence (Mr. Forrestal) assured Congress today that Russia had not yet got the atomie bomb. II e said: "The United States pogsesses the knowledge and eapaeity to rnake. Ihe afom bornb and as yet the Soviets do not. Mere possession oi' this undoubted asset would not necessarily tuni Ihe scale oi' wai* il' wai- shonld eoqip, buf its possession has undoubt- ,,( ' ed power to dissnade from aggres>f?ion apy nation that believes Ave " hav'e Kiii'ficient military strength to put that weapon to effeetive use. '7 The Defence ►Secretary (Mr. James Forrestal) asked Congress today to approve a "cold war" military budget of 14,000.000,000 dollars. Ile also asked for an authorised ipprease of 349,500 in the personnel of the arincd 1'orces whose authorised fotal ^trength js 1,732,000. rriie Administration also asked Fopgress for powpr to draft non-veterans in the 19-25 years' .age group Hhd for - univgrsal military Iraining as a longrange measure to bulwark the nation 's defence. ^ Mr. Forrestal 's budget ealls for 3,000,000.000 dollars more than President Truman rec|iiested vvhen submitting the defence eslimales in January, and provides for the purchase of 3000 extWi aireral't.