APPROPRIATION BILL, 1941 HEARINGS BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS SEVENTY-SEVENTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION ON THE DEFENSE AID SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION BILL, 1941 MAKING APPROPRIATIONS TO CARRY OUT AN ACT APPROVED MARCH 11, 1941 Printed for the use of the Committee on Appropriations UNITED STATES WASHINGTON : 1941 300706 COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS EDWARD T. TAYLOR, Colorado, Chairman CLARENCE CANNON, Missouri JOHN TABER, New York CLIFTON A. WOODRUM, Virginia RICHARD B. WIGGLESWORTH, Massachusetts LOUIS LUDLOW, Indiana WILLIAM P. LAMBERTSON, Kansas MALCOLM C. TARVER, Georgia D. LANE POWERS, New Jersey JED JOHNSON, Oklahoma J. WILLIAM DITTER, Pennsylvania J. BUELL SNYDER, Pennsylvania ALBERT E. CARTER, California EMMET O'NEAL, Kentucky ROBERT F. RICH, Pennsylvania GEORGE W.JOHNSON, West Virginia CHARLES A. PLUMLEY, Vermont JAMES G. SCRUGHAM, EVERETT M. DIRKSEN, Illinois JAMES M. FITZPATRICK, New York ALBERT J. ENGEL, Michigan LOUIS C. RABAUT, Michigan KARL STEFAN, Nebraska DAVID D. TERRY, Arkansas FRANCIS H. CASE, South Dakota JOHN M. HOUSTON, Kansas FRANK B. KEEFE, Wisconsin JOE STARNES, Alabama NOBLE J. JOHNSON, Indiana ROBERT F. JONES, Ohio MARCELLUS C. SHEILD, Clerk SUBCOMMITTEE ON DEFICIENCIES EDWARD T. TAYLOR, Colorado, Chairman CLIFTON A. WOODRUM, Virginia JOHN TABER, New York CLARENCE CANNON, Missouri RICHARD B. WIGGLESWORTH, Massachusetts LOUIS LUDLOW, Indiana WILLIAM P. LAMBERTSON, Kansas J. WILLIAM DITTER, Pennsylvania Also participating: Messrs. SCRUGHAM and POWERS II UNITED STATES OF AMERICA U MAR 31 '41 24 A 6/ DEFENSE AID SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION BILL, 1941 HEARINGS CONDUCTED BY THE SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTA- THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 1941. HON. HENRY L. STIMSON, SECRETARY OF WAR; HON. FRANK BUDGET ESTIMATE Mr. WOODRUM. This is a hearing before the Deficiency Subcommittee on House Document 139 an estimate, in the amount of $7,000,000,000, to carry out provisions of an act to promote the defense of the United States, approved March 11, 1941, as follows: THE WHITE HOUSE, Washington, March 12, 1941. Washington, D. C. Through this legislation our country has determined to do its full part in creating an adequate arsenal of democracy. This great arsenal will be here in this country. It will be a bulwark of our own defense. It will be the source of the tools of defense for all democracies who are fighting to preserve themselves against aggression. While the defense equipment produced under H. R. 1776 remains under the control of the United States until it is ready for disposition, it is the fixed policy of this Government to make for democracies every gun, plane, and munition of war that we possibly can. To accomplish these objectives I am transmitting an estimate in the amount of $7,000,000,000, the details of which are set forth in the accompanying letter from the Director of the Bureau of the Budget, I strongly urge the immediate enactment of this appropriation. Respectfully, FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT. 1 SPECIAL DEFENSE FUND To enable the President, through such departments or agencies of the Government as he may designate, to carry out the provisions of the act entitled “An act to promote the defense of the United States,” approved March 11, 1941, and for each and every purpose incident to or necessary therefor there is hereby appropriated out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated: (a) For the procurement, by manufacture or otherwise, of defense articles for the government of any country parts, and materials, including armor and $1, 343, 000, 000 2, 054, 000, 000 Tanks, armored cars, automobiles, trucks, and other automotive vehicles, spare parts, and 362, 000, 000 Vessels, ships, boats, and other watercraft, and equipage, supplies, materials, spare parts, and 629,000,000 260, 000, 000 Facilities and equipment for the manufacture or production of defense articles, including the con- 752, 000, 000 1, 350, 000, 000 (b) For testing, inspecting, proving, repairing, outfitting, reconditioning, or otherwise placing in good working 200, 000, 000 the use of such department or agency. the purposes of said act not specified or included in 40, 000, 000 (d) For administrative expenses. 10, 000, 000 In all, $7,000,000,000, to remain available until June 30, 1943: Provided, That the President may transfer from the foregoing appropriations to appropriate current appropriations of any department or agency amounts equivalent to the value of defense articles disposed of by such department or agency to the government of any country whose defense the President deems vital to the defense of the United States, not exceeding in total $1,300,000,000. STATEMENT OF HON. CORDELL HULL, SECRETARY OF STATE Mr. Secretary Hull, the committee is very happy to have you here today, sir, and we will be very glad to have you make such statement as you feel appropriate to be made upon this occasion. GENERAL STATEMENT Secretary Hull. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee: It always gives me satisfaction and stimulation to revisit these scenes of so many years of association and of what I thought were very important activities on my part. When I appeared before the Committee on Foreign Affairs on January 15 last, I said that the proposed lend-lease bill was designed to promote the defense of the United States. I also stated in substance that that measure would set up machinery which would enable us to make the most effective use of our resources for our own needs and for the needs of those nations whom, in our own self-defense, we are determined to aid; that the measure would make it possible for us to allocate our resources in ways best calculated to provide for the security of this Nation and of this continent in the complex and many-sided conditions of danger with which we are and are likely to be confronted; that above all, it would enable us to do all these things in the speediest possible manner; and that, overwhelmingly, speed is our greatest need today. During the 2 months that have elapsed, other areas have been added to those overrun by the brutal forces of conquest and destruction. Several more are on the list for immediate seizure and subjugation. Upon the seas the menace of death and disaster has grown. This country by now should have no longer any illusions as to the nature or magnitude of the dangers which confront us. The United States has desired and has overwhelmingly approved a foreign policy based on the safety, integrity, and the free institutions of the country. It has no association with European political disputes. But it has recognized and must recognize that a force has . arisen transcending the disputes which were formerly the subject of European wars. It has seen a combination of forces come into being which, step by step, has challenged the right of every nation, including our own, to exist save at the dictation of alien masters. In every case, the nation whose turn had not come up was told that there was no danger; that it needed to do nothing but sit still and all would be well. And, with deadly certainty, the governments which have swallowed this bait have been, in their turn, destroyed. Only those which devoted every ounce of their energy toward immediate defense, and which were ready to cooperate with others, have escaped destruction. But these other nations which endeavored to avoid danger by inaction had an excuse which we do not have. They could at least indulge the hope that the conqueror might respect their lawful integrity. They perhaps were entitled to hope that the rules of international law might somehow save them. They perhaps could plead surprise. We can do none of these things. Our immediate business is to see to it that the would-be conquerors of the world shall not be in a position in which they can command the seas, attack any country in this hemisphere and, when they are able, attempt to deal with us as they have been dealing with Europe and with Asia. In the clear light of the repeatedly avowed purposes of conquest without limit and of the striking harmony of their acts and their words on the part of the rulers of the lawless nations, the fact is wellnigh inescapable that, if they succeed in securing control of the high seas along with that of the other continents, they will without material delay move to secure domination of some of the rich undeveloped foodstuffs, raw materials, and other natural resources of this Western Hemisphere, in those parts least prepared for self-defense. I must, in |
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