U.S. EXPENDITURE ON DEFENCE

Southland Times, Issue 23716, 14 January 1939, Page 5

U.S. EXPENDITURE ON DEFENCE

PRESIDENT ASKS FOR £105,000,000

SPECIAL APPROPRIATION FOR PANAMA CANAL

(Received January 13, 7.30 p.m.) (United Press Assn.—Telegraph NEW YORK, January 12. The President (Mr Franklin D. Roosevelt), citing threats of war and aggression throughout the world, called on Congress to authorize a £105,000,000 emergency defence programme, of which £42,000,000 would be expended in 1940. He' urged appropriation as speedily as possible in order that the expansion—particularly of the army, navy and aviation forces should start at the earliest opportunity. Mr Roosevelt did not recommend the exact number of aeroplanes to be built explaining that the army intended to establish a lump sum of £60,000,000 for construction in an effort to reduce unit costs and to place manufacture. on a mass n>-oduction basis. In addition to the £105,000,000, he recommended a special appropriation of £5,400,000 to improve the defences of the Panama Canal by enlarging the garrison and increasing the armaments. “Devoid of all hysteria, this programme is only the minimum of our requirements,” said the President. He denied any intention of leading the United States into a European war, but emphasized that the experience of 1917 showed that the nation was not ready to conduct big scale land and air operations.

“Relatively, we are not much more ready today,” he said, “and also we cannot guarantee a long period free from attack in which we could prepare. “Information from other nations indicates that we must complete the revision of our aircraft estimates,” _ said Mr Roosevelt. He expressed the opinion that military aviation was increasing at an unprecedented and alarming rate. He suggested that £10,000,000 should be made available immediately for an aviation order to correct the present lag in aircraft production because of idle plants. Emphasizing 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 aeroplanes on hand or in productive capacity.” He pointed out, however, that “our young men should not be compelled to take the field with antiquated weapons.” EDUCATION OF PUBLIC Mr Roosevelt’s message was received by members of Congress as another step in his campaign to educate the American public to greater participation by the United States in world politics and was approved or deplored as the individual congressman reacts to that course, says the Washington correspondent of The 'New York Times. The temperate language used in the message and the demands reassured those inclined to pacificism as they had been led to believe something much bigger would be asked. While there will be very little opposition from them, some are bound to ask the .Administration to point to the military menace it has in mind. The fundamental aim of the President seems to be to give tbe United States sufficient armament to throw an element of doubt in file dictators’ mind.

FORTIFICATION OF GUAM ISLAND GRAVE VIEW TAKEN BY JAPAN TOKYO, January 11. The Naval Spokesman announced that Japan viewed in the gravest light the reports that the United States intends strongly fortifying Guam Island.