COLOSSAL SPENDING

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 52, 29 January 1938, Page 9

COLOSSAL SPENDING

DEFENCE OF UNITED STATES PRESIDENT STRESSES INADEQUACY (United Press Association. —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) Received January 29, 9.20 a.m. WASHINGTON, Jan. 28.

President Roosevelt, in his defence message, warned Congress that America’s national defence was inadequate for the security of the country. He called for an 800,000,000-dol-lar long-term naval building programme, with an immediate start on two additional battleships and two cruisers. He also asked for additions of over 20,000,000 dollars to the 1,000,-000,000-dollar defence programme for 1939.

Up to tlie present, said tlie President, the Government had failed to secure agreement among the nations for the limitation of armaments to end aggression. Until agreement was reached they would be compelled to think of their national safety. DEFENCE PROGRAMME

lower than in any other great nation. It is with the deepest regret that I report to you that armaments increase to-day at an unprecedentedly largo rate. It is an ominous fact that at least onefourth of the world’s population is involved in a merciless and devastating conflict, despite the fact that most of the people in those countries, including those where the conflict rages, wish to live at peace,” added President Roosevelt.

Tlie President recommended a seven-point defence programme. He asked that, in view of war alarms, Congress should enact legislation eliminating profiteering in any future war and equalise the war burdens as far as possible. Adequate defence involved the simultaneous defence of every part of the United States. It could not- be assumed that the danger would be limited to one ocean, and they could not be certain that the connecting link—the Panama Canal—would be safe. “We must keep a potential enemy many hundreds of miles away from our continental limits,” Mr Roosevelt declared. Ho said that the arms proposals were designed solely for defence, and to implement the nation’s efforts towards world peace.

IN A NUTSHELL. Among the points of special significance were : Firstly: “It is a well-known fact that the American standard of living makes our ships, guns, and ’planes cost more to build than any other nation.”

POINTS ENUMERATED. Solely because of the piling up of additional land and sea armaments of other countries involving a threat to world peace and security, the President recommended the following defenoe programme:— (1) The authorisation of the expenditure of 8,800,000 dollars for army anti-aircraft additions, with 6,800,000 dollars for 1939.

Second, the President stressed the necessity of immediate legislation to eliminate profiteering in a future war. . Thirdly, repeatedly the President stressed that Europe and Asia were afire wjth war. He intimated that the United States might catch fire from the conflagration. Fourthly, despite the need of the United States for rearmament, America would not cease to search for peace and the President was not unhopeful of achieving it. While Mr Roosevelt’s immediate spending request is lower than anticipated, the long-term programme will require nearly 1,000,000,000 dollars and will give the United States a navy equalling Britain’s. These requests are over and above the regular army and navy estimates, which total another 1,000,000,000 dollars.

(2) Increased appropriations for enlarging the army enlisted reserve.

(3) The authorisation of the expenditure of 6,080,000 dollars for army material.

(4) Increased army munitions and reserves.

An immediate start ,on two new battleships will bring the total under construction to six.

(5) The authorisation of a flat 20 per cent, increase in naval strength.

BILL INTRODUCED.

(6) An immediate start on two battleships and two cruisers.

After Mr Roosevelt’s message had been received in Congress, Mr Vinson introduced a Bill authorising a 20 per cent, navy increase involving 800,000,000 dollars for 47 new ships, including three dreadnoughts, 22 auxiliary vessels, 1000 additional aeroplanes, 1200 additional officers, and 20,000 more enlisted men. The increases include two aircraft carriers, eight cruisers, 25 destroyers, nine submarines, five destroyer tenders, three submarine tenders, four seaplane tenders, and . three repair ships. The navy’s air strength will be brought to 3000 modern ’planes. Fifteen million dollars will be spent on experimental vessels. The Bill carries a provision permitting the President to suspend construction in the event of an international agreement for a further limitation of naval armament.

(7) The appropriation of 15,000,000 dollars for experimental naval vessels.

President Roosevelt added: “It is thus necessary for us to realise that world conditions to-day have resulted over-often in discarding those principles and treaties which underlie international law and order in the entrance of many new factors into the actual conduct of war. It is our clear duty to further every effort towards peace, but simultaneously protect our nation. INADEQUATE DEFENCE. “It is my constitutional duty to report to Congress that our national defence is, in the light of the increased armaments of other nations, inadequate for the purposes of national security and requires an increase for that reason. The proportion of the cost of our military and naval forces to the total income of our citizens or the .total cost to the Government is far

Supporting the expansion programme, Mr Vinson declared: “The nation must not lose sight of world conditions as they exist to-day. The defence of the security and peace of this country makes it absolutely imperative that wo have a navy second to none.”