STEPS TO MEET CRISIS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27573, 15 December 1950, Page 7

STEPS TO MEET CRISIS

Rapid Increase In American Military Strength

New Zealand Press Association—Copyright Rec. 9 p.m. WASHINGTON, Dec. 13. President Truman today conferred with Congressional leaders of both parties on the steps the Administration proposes because of a threat of an all-out war. A statement issued from the White House after the conference said: “The President, the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of Defence made statements to the group concerning the gravity of the present international situation and the necessity for a very rapid increase in the military strength of the United States. The President indicated that a sharp step-up in the mobilisation effort to support an increase in the military forces would be needed, and indicated that one of the measures under consideration in 1 this regard is a declaration of national emergency.”

The White House statement said that the President called on each of the Congressional leaders to make comments on these questions. “There appeared to be unanimous agreement that the military strength of the nation should be built up with the utmost speed,” the statement continued. “ There also appeared to be strong sentiment in favour of declaring a national emergency although some of those present did not wish to state any views on this question without having the opportunity for further study as to its legal effects. The President feels that all those present at the conference approached the subjects under discussion in a constructive manner and that the discussion which took place would be most useful.” Mr Carl Vinson, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said the Administration plans called for increased conscription with the apparent goal of about. 4,000,000 men m arms by the middle of 1952. Mr Vinson said the Administration programme did not call for total mobilisation and was not based on plans for an immediate all-out war. President Truman will continue' his Congressional conferences tomorrow with the Senate and House Banking Committees.

conference that they had given Mr Truman their full support for a swift build-up of armed strength and agreed that a dangerous emergency existed. Senator Taft, who told reporters of the Republican attitude, added, however: “As to the proposed declaration of a national emergency we did not feel we were sufficiently advised as to the legal effect of such a declaration or the programme that must accompany it to take a final position on lhap question. If the declaration is legally necessary to advance the development of our armed strength we would be for it.” Administration spokesmen said a declaration of national emergency would not have any important legal effect so far as increasing the President’s power were concerned, but they contended that it would have a great psychological effect. President Truman will broadcast to the American people on Friday night. His address is expected to include or follow up a declaration of national emergency. The President in his “ fireside chat ” will outline some of the sacrifices to be asked of the American people and the steps the Administration plans to meet the present world crisis. These steps will include price and wage controls as soon as the necessary machinery can be set up.

Republican leaders said after the

ATOM BOMB STOCKS TO BE EXPANDED

NZPA—Copyright Rec. 10 p.m. WASHINGTON, Dec. 13. The United States is planning the swift expansion of its secret facilities for producing and storing atomic bombs, Senator Brien McMahon, chairman of the Congressional Atomic Energy Committee, told the Senate today. He said new facilities would be built with part of the 1,050,000,000 dollars in emergency funds recently requested by President Truman for the atomic programme. A large part of the fund would be spent on new plant near Paducah (Kentucky) for the production of the atom bomb explosive, uranium 235. Senator McMahon declared: “In the present state of the world we have no choice but to process fissionable materials into weapon shapes as fast as they can be produced.” The United Press says it appears that a good part of American production of plutonium and uranium 235 has been stockpiled in a “ raw ” state without the final step of converting it into

a bomb charge. The only light ever thrown on the subject as to where atom bombs are stored was an inadvertent reference by a former Atomic Energy Commission official several months ago to caves in the Southwest. President Truman was reported today to believe that the Government should not flee the capital in the event of an atomic war. He was said, however, to feel strongly that Congress should lose no time in providing funds to disperse some key Federal agencies to the relative safety of the open countryside around Washington. President Truman’s views were given to the Senate Public Works Subcommittee by Mr Roger Jones, assistant director of the Budget Bureau. The sub-committee is studying a 190,000,000 dollars’ Bill to provide for the moving of some Government offices out of Washington into new buildings in the fringe areas. Mr Jones said President Truman was vigorously opposed to any suggestion that the entire Government should “ take to the hills ” when enemy bombing attacks threatened.