U-S- IS EXPANDING AIR FORCE. MERCANTILE MARINE

Wanganui Chronicle, 10 April 1948, Page 5

U-S- IS EXPANDING AIR FORCE. MERCANTILE MARINE

(N.Z.P.A.—Copyright » Recd. 6.40 p.m. Washington, April S. President Truman today requested the House Appropriations Committee to appropriate 725,000,000 dollars for Immediate expansion of the Air Force. This sum is part of the additional 3,000,000,000 which the administration wishes to spend on the military budget for the year beginning on July 1. The committee hopes to introduce the necessary Bill next week. The Navy Secretary (Mr. John Sullivan) told the House Merchant Marine committee today that President Truman would ask Congress to increase the merchant ship construction funds from 39.500,000 dollars to 100,000,000 for the year beg nnmg on July 1.

Mr. Sullivan said the decision was made in the light of the world situation, and was supported by the Armed Services. The White House today directed the War Assets Administration to defer final disposition of all unsold industrial plants, machine tools and production equipment in these plants. Mr. John Steelman, presidential assistant, sent the request after ccnaultlng the Secretary of Defence (Mr. James Forrestal) and officials of the National Security Resources Board, the Munitions Board, and War Assets Administration. The Munitions Board has imposed national security restrictions on more than 150 plants considered most important to national defence.