Uncle Sam's Huge Defence Budget

Chronicle (Levin), 11 April 1949, Page 5

Uncle Sam's Huge Defence Budget

^Received Rundav, 7 p.m. ^ WASHINGTON, April 9. A reeord post-war military Budget of 15,909,11(1,800 dollars was approved today by the House Appropriations Com •nittee. The total is more than 500,000. 000 dollars greater than the amonnt reniested by President Trunian to finance America's Army, Navv and Air For.'ft for the vear starting July 1. The national "defence Budget last year was 10,454,477,413 dollars. In a statement aceompanying the Budget, Representative George Mahon (Democrat— Texas), ehairman of the sub-eommittee which drafted the measure, said: "There seems to be no road for us to follow exeept the road of anxiety and sacrifice. We have no oth&r course open to us with so many ominous signs on the horizon of our world. We would be faithless to our trust if we failed to prepare fo* trouble and thereby seek to avoid it. " "General Omar Bradlev, Armv Chief qf Staff, toi d the eommittee that he did not antieipate war within the linaneial vear ending -Tune 30, 1 0-)0. He addel without elaboratinn: "Last year I was niore worried than l am at presept.". The Budget -proviaes for the Army. Navv, Air Eorce and Marine forces tota,lling 4.753,100 officers and uien ineluding 399,500 National Guard and 2,709>300 arganised reserves. The -per manent and short term stnuding foree> will consist of: Army. 677.000; Navv. ■527,300 (ineluding 85,700 Marines); AhForce, 440,000. The Air Force appropriation provide.for 58 groups ineluding 20 bombard ment, seven reconnaissanee. 24 fighter and seven troop carrying. Congress has alreadv passed legislatitin providing eventuallv for a 70 group Air Force. The appropriation would enable the Air Force to keep 9785 planes iri operation during the nest fmancial year and order 2600 more. The Navy appropriation provides for an operational strength during the next finanieal year of 731 ships ineluu ing the battleship AHssouri, eight heavy aireraft carriers, 11 escort and light earriers, 18 eruisers, 170 destroyers and destrover escorts, and 80 submarines. Included in the appropriation is the sum of 43,000,000 dollars for next vear's pavment on construction costs of 1 super aireraft carrier estimated to cost 180,000,000 dollars. The eommittee, in recommending the Budget, released the testimony of the Army Seeretarv, Afr. Henneth Rovall, who said the "United States must maintain foreign bases. He stated that some military authorities considered that it would take at least 15 to 30 vears to win another war without holding foreign bases.