Washington, May 15.
Authoritative circles expect President Roosevelt to recommend an increase of about $907,500,000 in army funds and $312,500,000 in navy funds in his special message to Congress today or tomorrow. The objectives of the programme would be complete equipment for 1,000,000 troops, to speed up warship construction and to strengthen coastal defences.
Congressional circles declare that the salient features of the programme would be:
1. Production of urgently needed items of equipment, such as semiautomatic rifles, tanks, artillery, and anti-aircraft weapons sufficient for field forces of 750,000 men and a reserve of 250,000.
2. An additional 15,000 men to the army's enlisted strength to permit the creation of another "streamlined" infantry division, and the training of 7,000 additional air corps pilots.
3. Acceleration of warship construction, and expansion of facilities for the training of naval fliers.
4. Strengthening of sea-coast defences, for which Army estimates of more than $100,000,000 will be needed for the Ulited States and the coasts of Panama, Hawaii and Puerto Rice.
5. Building of 200 additional four-engined bombers costing $100,000,000.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.