The Journal

If you listen to the debate in Congress this week you can hear what sounds remarkably like an echo of speeches made some 33 years ago in those same House and Senate chambers.

The issue is the same: How important to our defense is air power?

The central figure of the debate in 1925 was the well-remembered Brig.-Gen. William "Billy" Mitchell, an early and earnest advocate of air power.

Mitchell was being courtmartialed by the Army for criticizing the military brass for failure to build up our almost non-existent air force.

Congress was divided over whether Mitchell was a crackpot or a genius.

The question, again, is how important is the airplane to our defense? Has it, or will it soon, become antiquated by guided missiles? Those are questions this session of Congress must attempt to answer.

Who will make the important decision? Two small groups of experts, the Senate and House sub-committees for Air Force appropriations, have major responsibility for supplying the answers. The conclusions they reach can determine the success or failure of our defense against aggression.

Hearings on President Eisenhower's budget request for Air Force funds, including both missiles and planes, will be begun by the committees within the next few weeks.

This and a later column will be intended to give you a behind-the-scenes look at how those committees think and function.

First, the Senate sub-committee. Both Chairman Dennis Chavez, a New Mexico Democrat, and ranking minority member Leverett Saltonstall, a Massachusetts Republican. are men of unusual vision and ability

Sen. Chavez fought for more money for our defense all last year. bucking the "economy" tide that was running strongly. That he was right is now indicated by President Eisenhower's request for a supplemental defense appropriation for the remainder of this fiscal year.

The New Mexico Senator has combined ability and 35 years of seniority to rise to the head of one of the most important and powerful committees in Congress. Replying to charges that Congress had cut military funds too drastically, he told us:

"My figures show Congress has not been reluctant to provide the money to assure this country's safety. We are going to keep right on providing every cent needed to maintain our position as a world power."

Two years ago Sen. Chavez. with what now proves to have been remarkable foresight, fought successfully to include a billion dollars more in the Air Force budget than the Administration had asked for or wanted. As much or more than any other man in Congress he has helped to build a strong U. S. air force.

Sen. Saltonstall came to the Senate in 1944 and has twice been re-elected. As a former chairman of the Armed Services Committee. he has a thorough knowledge of our military strength and requirements

"The front line of our defense is SAC (Strategic Air Command) with the B-52. and in the months ahead. we hope, with the B-58. These are the weapons of today and todays defense must be built around them," Sen Saltonstall said.