APPROPRIATION BILL FOR 1939 HEARINGS BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS SEVENTY-FIFTH CONGRESS COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS EDWARD T. TAYLOR, Colorado, Chairman CLARENCE CANNON, Missouri THOMAS S. MCMILLAN, South Carolina J. BUELL SNYDER, Pennsylvania JOHN F. DOCKWEILER, California GEORGE W. JOHNSON, West Virginia JOACHIM O. FERNANDEZ, Louisiana J. BURRWOOD DALY, Pennsylvania ROSS A. COLLINS, Mississippi JOSEPH E. CASEY, Massachusetts JOHN TABER, New York ROBERT L. BACON, New York D. LANE POWERS, New Jersey MARCELLUS C. SHEILD, Clerk SUBCOMMITTEE ON NAVY DEPARTMENT MESSRS. UMSTEAD (chairman), THOM, SCRUGHAM, FERNANDEZ, CASEY, DITTER, and PLUMLEY II LIBRARY OF CONGRESS JAN 19 1938. DIVISION OF DOCUMENTS 3724 NAVY DEPARTMENT APPROPRIATION BILL FOR 1939 HEARINGS CONDUCTED BY THE SUBCOMMITTEE, MESSRS. WILLIAM B. UMSTEAD (CHAIRMAN), WILLIAM R. THOM, JAMES G. SCRUGHAM, JOACHIM 0. FERNANDEZ, JOSEPH E. CASEY, J. WILLIAM DITTER, AND CHARLES A. PLUMLEY, OF THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, IN CHARGE OF THE NAVY DEPARTMENT APPROPRIATION BILL FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 1939, ON THE DAYS FOLLOWING, NAMELY: WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1937. Mr. UMSTEAD. Gentlemen, we have met to conduct the hearings on the appropriation bill for the Navy Department and the naval service for the fiscal year 1939. We are delighted to have with us his morning Mr. Edison, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy. Mr. Secretary, if you are ready to proceed, we shall be glad to hear rom you at this time. TATEMENT OF HON. CHARLES EDISON, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE NAVY, ACCOMPANIED BY LEWIS COMPTON, SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY Mr. EDISON. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, the budget officer's statement gives an outline of what is contained in the 1939 estimates as submitted to your committee. The Chief of Naval Operations will give you the Navy Department's estimate of the present world situation. To this estimate I heartily subscribe. I wish to invite attention particularly to the necessity of continuing the orderly replacement of over-age combatant ships and auxiliaries. Additional authorization for building auxiliary vessels will be requested at the coming session of Congress. Detailed justifications of this replacement program will be presented by the Chief of Naval Operations. CONDITION OF THE FLEET AND NAVAL SHORE ESTABLISHMENT During the course of the year, I have had occasion to inspect the fleet and the shore stations of the Navy. The fleet is in a high state of efficiency as regards morale and training. The shipbuilding program is proceeding as rapidly as practicable. The increment of 22 vessels, including two battleships, requested for commencement in 1939 is amply justified by the present unsettled world conditions. The start that has been made in the replacement of vessels of the auxiliary class should be continued, as there now exists a deficiency 67 1 |