Call For Radar Ring Round America

Chronicle (Levin), 10 January 1949, Page 5

Call For Radar Ring Round America

WASHINGTON, Jan. 8. A plan to give the United States absolute air supremacy by 1952, was laid before Congfess today by Mr. W. >Stuart lymington, United States Seeretffry for Air, in his first aimiial report. Mr. Symington says America has not overmufih tim'e to provide herself with the means for her own protection. "She cannot alford the waste of time .and resourees inherent in vacillation and stop and start planning, " he says. One of America 's eritical needs is an

encircling radar "fence" to warn of air attack and to direct defence. He appeals for a sharp increase in American air power to bring the Air Force to j 70 groups and the capability by 1952 of waging full-scale wai' (the Air Force now has 60 groups bperating)-. ' ' In an atomic age of lightning attack, air power instantly eapable of sustaili'ed defenc'6 Eind sustaified retaliatorv attack, is the basic need for the nation, ' ' he said. Conceding that the cost will be gr'feat, he says the legislat-ive and executive authorities finis t constantly weigh the state of world conditions, military needs of the country and tlre efficienfiy and ecofiofiiy wherewith the Air Force is carrying put the prograinmei Some cifcles interpret as a refereiic'e to Russia, a poftion of Mr. Symifigton. ;s report wherein he says it is his eonsidered eonclusion that the United States could no longer coufit oh a

monopoly of atomic Weapons from thfe end of 1952. . Mr, Symington says a lack of suffieient fkcilities for supersonic flight and guided missile rfesearfeh was# a serious limiting factor to air supefiority Considered essfehtial to •Afileric'ah secfirity. Bil-ls to authorise "a 70 gfoup Aif Poi ce and a va'st rfidai' dfef enfefe system ' have ali-feaiy bfeen. intfbduefe'd ih. CSngress. /