DEFENSE: Accent on Air Power

• Share

While air-atom power increases under the Eisenhower defense budget, total defense spending and manpower will be decreasing. Manpower is to go down from 3,400,000 now to 3,000,000 by July of next year. The year's defense spending is programmed at $37.6 billion, $4 billion below this fiscal year, $6.1 billion under last year.

Despite the cuts, the total defense establishment will be far stronger and more expensive than it was in 1950, just before the Korean war. Manpower will be double the 1950 level, expenditures nearly three times as much. Although both the Army and Navy will be cut from their present strength, their funds and manpower will still be approximately double the immediate pre-Korea level. Said Secretary of Defense Charles E. Wilson as he defended his budget in a press conference: The budget represents good military planning, and it should not be cut.

Service by service, the budget provides:

Air Force. Expenditures, $16.2 billion, the highest ever, up $700 million from this year; new obligational authority, $11.2 billion, down $200 million from this year because the Air Force has a large ($23.6 billion) carryover. The Air Force will take off into the fiscal year with 115 wings, 21,000 planes and 955,000 men, should glide out with 120 wings, 22,900 planes, 970,000 men.

Navy. Expenditures, $10.5 billion, down $800 million from this year; new obligational authority, $9.9 billion, an increase of $350 million from this year because the Navy has a comparatively small ($13.5 billion) carryover. The Navy will sail into the fiscal year with 1,124 ships, 13,130 planes and 740,500 men, should emerge with 1,078 ships, 12,940 planes, 688,900 men.

The Marines will lose 10,000 men, dropping to a total of 215,000, but will still be able to maintain their three divisions and three air wings.

Army. Expenditures, $10.2 billion, a cut of $4 billion below this year; new obligational authority, $8.2 billion, down $4.5 billion.

Hardest-hit of the services, the Army will march into the year with 19 divisions, 1,407,500 men, should come out with 17 divisions, 1,164,000 men.

Atomic Energy Commission. On the other end of the air-atomic program the President proposes AEC expenditures of $2.4 billion, up $200 million from this year, and the biggest budget in the commission's history.

After a sharp look at the handwriting on the budget wall, the Army surrendered to the Air Force in an old personnel battle. Ever since the Air Force was separated from the Army in 1947, the Army has stoutly held control of some 30,000 Engineer troops, whose chief duty is building and maintaining airfields. This week Army Assistant Secretary John Slezak acknowledged that the Engineers will permit this unit to be absorbed into the Air Force.