EMERGENCY DEFENCE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 January 1939, Page 5

EMERGENCY DEFENCE

PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT CALLS ON CONGRESS

Huge Expansion in Military Expenditure PROGRAMME ONLY THE MINIMUM OE REQUIREMENTS. By Telegraph.—Press Association- —Copyright. (Received This Day, 9.10 a.m.) WASHINGTON. January 12. President Roosevelt, citing threats of war and aggression throughout the world, called on Congress to authorise a 525,000,000 dollars emergency defence programme, of which 210 million dollars was to be expended in 1940. He urged appropriation as speedily as possible, in order that expansions, particularly in the Army, Navy and Aviation forces might start at the earliest opportunity. President Rosevelt did not recommend the exact number of planes to be built, explaining that the Army intends to establish a lump sum of 300,000,000 dollars for construction, in an effort to reduce unit costs and place manufacture on a mass production basis. In addition to the 525.000,000 dollars, the President recommended a special appropriation of 27,000.000 dollars, to improve the defences of the Panama Canal by enlarging the garrison and increasing the armament. President Roosevelt said: "Devoid of all hysteria this programme is only the minimum of our requirements." He denied any intention of leading the United States into a European war, but emphasised that the experience of 1917 showed that the nation was not ready to conduct large scale land or air operations. "Relatively,” he said; “we are not much more ready today and also we cannot guarantee a long period free from attack in which we could prepare.” President Roosevelt declared that information from other nations indicates that America must have a complete revision of aircraft estimates and expressed the opinion that military aviation was increasing at an unprecedented and alarming rate. He suggested that 50,000,000 dollars should be made available immediately for ,an aviation order, to correct the present lag in aircraft production, due to idle plants. Stressing the minimum nature of the programme he said: “No responsible officer advocates the building up of air forces equal to those of certain other nations, either in total planes on hand or of productive capacity.” He pointed out, however, that “our young men should not be compelled'to take the field with antiquated weapons.”