Show PRESIDENT ASKS SPEED ON AID Am FUNDS f House Gets Note i Requesting 1 7 Billion Grant i Budget Director Allots Major Malor Sum I IFor For Construction of Aircraft Roosevelt Calls Experts to Confer WASHINGTON March 12 AP President AP-President President Roosevelt sent to congress Wednesday a request for a appropriation tion to carry out a fixed policy of this government to make for democracies every gun plane and of war that we 4 4 possibly can In a letter to Speaker Rayburn transmitting detailed estimates of the budget director for the expenditure Mr Roosevelt asserted I 1 strongly urge the immediate enactment of this appropriation The chief executive declared America has felt that it was imperative imperative imperative im im- im- im to the security of America America America Amer Amer- ica that we e encourage the heroic resistance to aggressIons aggressions by not only maintaining but buL also increasing the flow of material assistance from this country Therefore he said congress had enacted and he had signed the British aid bill In Un London Prime Minister Churchill announced to the house of commons that the British aid Continued on Page Four Column Two I President Urges Speed On Billion 7 7 Aid Continued from Page One bill had become law and termed it ita ita ita a new Magna Carta Carla r an InspIring inspiring inspiring in In- act of faith The presidents president's request for the biggest peacetime appropriation bill in the nations nation's history went I to congress less than 24 hours after he signed the bill into law and and approved the first list of supplies to to be shipped to Britain and to Greece The appropriation estimate of Budget Director Smith broke the down into various categories of ot which the largest by far was for air air- draft craft and aeronautical material material- including engines spare parts and accessories Other categories were for ordnance nance and ordnance stores supplies spare parts and materials including armor ar- ar mor mpr and ammunition and their components for agricultural industrial and other commodities and ana articles articles- for tanks armored cars ars automobiles trucks and other automotive n tive vehicles with spare parts and accessories for vessels ships boats and other water craft and equipage supplies materials parts I and arid accessories I for miscellaneous military equipment supplies and materials Land Figure Runs High for facilities es and equipment for the manufacture or production of defense articles including including including in in- the construction acquisition acquisition tion maintenance and operation of these thes facilities and ancl the a acquisition tion of land for sites sites- for te t testing ting inspecting inspect inspect- t- t ing repairing pairing or otherwise p putting In in good working order any defense defense defense de de- de- de articles for for lor the government of ol any country whose defense the president deems vital to tl the e defense of the United States The budget directors director's statement proposed that the president be al allowed allowed allowed al- al lowed to transfer up to 20 per percent percent percent cent of any of these various sums from one category to another but with no appropriation to fo b be in increased increased increased in- in creased by that process by more more than 30 per cent In addition to the larger items was recommended for payment of expenses to carry out purposes of the act not specified or included in the various general categories of proposed ti ns Another was recommended recommended recommended rec rec- for administrative ex ex- The Budget Director Director Director tor Smith said should remain available available available avail avail- able until June 30 1943 expiration expiration expiration tion date of the British aid act Asks Transfer Power He suggested also the president b be allowed to transfer from the appropriation to the funds of v various various vari vari- rious ri- ri ous government agencies amounts equal to th the value of defense articles articles arties arti- arti cles es released by those agencies to other ther governments up p t tor e total of f limit provided in inthe inthe the he statute Speaker Rayburn following an unusual procedure had the presidents president's presidents dents ent's dents letter tetter and the budget estimate estimate estimate esti esti- mate read to the house 11 In his letter proposing the enormous enormous enor enor- outlay for out all-out aid to countries countries coun- coun tries ries resisting aggressions the chief executive said that through the aid id legislation our country has determined to do its full part In creating an adequate arsenal of democracy This gr great at arsenal will be herein herein here heren in n this country he added It will willbe wille be e a bulwark of our own defense It t will be the source of the tools of f defense for all democracies who whore are re fighting to preserve themselves against aggression He said defense equipment produced produced pro- pro under the British aid law would remain under control of the United States until it was ready for or disposition Hearings Hearings Set Thursday The budget directors director's estimate apparently was in the form of legislation legislation leg leg- which could be introduced immediately The house appropriations ons committee has arranged to begin egin hearings Thursday on the appropriation and the president called a meeting for this his afternoon of the government witnesses who will testify There was no mention in either the he communication of the president or r of the budget director of priorities priorities priori- priori ties ies or of the specific materials and nd supplies which might be sent first to such countries as Britain Gre Greece ce and i But the fact that planes and equipment accounted for the largest largest larg- larg est st the appropriation appropriation pr indicated in- in that that phase of the program program pro- pro gram Tarn would be stressed The size of the fund for farm industrial and other other- commodities indicated too that the administration tion ion Intends to use the law as far faras faras faras as possible to prevent Britain from losing osing the war with the axis powers powers powers pow pow- ers through starvation Plans meanwhile were were formulated formulated formu- formu to rush the request through congress Speaker Sam B. B Rayburn D. D Texas announced at a press conference conference con- con ference that the big appropriation bill ill probably will be ready for house debate on Monday or or Tuesday Tuesday Tuesday Tues Tues- day of next week at the latest We are are going are going to put anything else aside when a thing like that comes up he said House louse Unit Wilts WaIts Job The house appropriations committee committee committee com com- arranged to begin hearings on the bi big appropriation measure Thursday Mr Roosevelt called to the White WhiteHouse WhiteHouse House louse for an afternoon conference the he men who are expected to testify testify testify fy for the administration The group includes Secretaries Hull and Stimson either Secretary Knox or Undersecretary Undersecretary Undersecretary of the Navy Forrestal General General General Gen Gen- eral George C. C Marshall army chief of staff and Rear Admiral R. R E E. Ingerson Ingersoll acting chief of naval operations Stephen Early presidential secretary secretary sec sec- commenting on this meeting meeting meet- meet ing ng said You might call it a select select se- se lect seminar The house completed congressional congressional ional action on the lend lease-lend bill about 30 p. p Tuesday mr approving senate amendments by bythe t the e vote of to 71 Within a matter of minutes minutes minutes min min- utes the measure had Chad been signed by y Vice President Wallace and Speaker R Rayburn Sped to the White House by Chairman Michael J. J Kirwan D. D Ohio of the house committee on enrolled bills It was signed by President Roosevelt without without with with- out ceremony at A A press conference brought confirmation confirmation confirmation con con- of the fact tha that a fireside fireside fireside fire fire- side chat on the aid program was under consider consideration The president said he might make such a radio broadcast in a few ew days lull hull Testimony Nears Arrangements for lor handling the presidents president's enormous appropriation request in the house leaders said called for hearings by an appropriations appropriations appropriations s subcommittee b Thursday with Secretary Hull as probable off lead-off witness conclusions o of hearings Saturday and final house action next week |