Navy, Army Embark on Huge Expansion Washington, June 28.
President Roosevelt yesterday signed a supplementary Defence Bill giving the United States War and Navy Departments $1,480,000,000 in cash appropriations and authority to make additional contracts totalling $289,000,000.
This is in addition to the regular appropriations of $2,800,000,000 which Congress has voted for the Army and Navy for the coming fiscal year.
The supplementary Bill will enable the Navy to begin the construction of 22 new warships and speed the construction of more than 100. It will enable the Army to build thousands of new aeroplanes.—Reuter.
The supplemental defence measure includes the construction of three aircraft carriers, five cruisers and fourteen submarines. The navy was expected to allot contracts for the construction of these units immediately.
The measure also provides for the modernization and operation of 35 old destroyers and 36 submarines.
The Coast Guard will get nearly US$11,000,000 and the sea coast defence forces will receive US$3,000,000 under the programme.
The Civil Aeronautics Authority will obtain US$32,000,000 for a pilot training programme and the Treasury Department with be given US$47,500,- 000 for the purchase of strategic raw materials.
A total of US$150,000,000 has been appropriated and an additional US $50,000,000 has been authorized for ihe purpose of expediting the production of war materials on the recommendation of the Civilian Defence Commission.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation will receive US$3,500,000 to employ 500 agents to investigate Fifth Column activity.—United Press.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.