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Show Wallaca F. Bennett Queries Defense Department Senator Wallace F. Bennett (R-Utah (R-Utah ) has asked the Defense Department De-partment for a detailed report on a rumored purchase of 100,000 trucks from Japan. In a letter to Roswell Gilpj-trie. Gilpj-trie. Deputy Secretary of Defense, Sen. Bennett said he has been informed that the Department of Defense is now considering purchase pur-chase of the vehicles in connection connec-tion with the military assistance program in Asia. The Utah senator said the pur chase would be part of a continuing continu-ing program of purchasing vehicles ve-hicles from Japan in connection with military aid. He said, "I understand un-derstand that the rationale behind be-hind this program originally was that Japan could more easily produce the less complicated types of trucks required for this area. Nevertheless, I am wondering wonder-ing if the domestic automotive Industry was given a full opportunity oppor-tunity to bid on this program. I also wonder if the Defense Department De-partment has taken into consideration con-sideration the changing conditions condi-tions in the American automo-tiv automo-tiv industry since the original decision was reached. It seems to me that with both steel and automobile manufacturing plant being used at less than capacity , some way could be found fori American industry to produce these trucks." Sen. Bennett has recently been criticizing the Navy for purchase of foreign steel to be used in construction con-struction of naval vessels. Following Fol-lowing a protest by the Senator, the Defense Department recently directed that steel for three missile mis-sile frigates to be built on the West Coast should be purchased domestically. 'The purchase of trucks abroad by Defense Department has a direct affect upon the American steel industry, the au-tombile au-tombile industry and related industries, in-dustries, and I think the Department Depart-ment of Defense should give very careful study to any plan involving such purchases," said the Senator. . |