ARMY APPROPRIATIONS, 1955 HEARINGS BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE EIGHTY-THIRD CONGRESS SECOND SESSION ON H. R. 8367 MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR CIVIL FUNCTIONS 42592 Printed for the use of the Committee on Appropriations UNITED STATES WASHINGTON: 1954 EX OFFICIO MEMBERS FROM PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE EDWARD MARTIN, Pennsylvania SPESSARD L. HOLLAND, Florida KENNETH J. BOUSQUET, Clerk to Subcommittee II The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:30 a. m., in room F-39, the Capitol, Hon. Milton R. Young, presiding. DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY, OFFICE OF THE QUARTERMASTER GENERAL STATEMENTS OF MAJ. GEN. K. L. HASTINGS, THE ACTING THE QUARTERMASTER GENERAL; BRIG. GEN. A. B. DENNISTON, QUARTERMASTER CORPS COMPTROLLER; COL. JOHN D. MARTZ, JR., CHIEF, MEMORIAL DIVISION; COL. WALTER P. SCOGGINS, ASSISTANT TO CHIEF, MEMORIAL DIVISION; AND CHARLES J. Senator YOUNG. The meeting will come to order. Senator Knowland, chairman of the subcommittee, regrets very much that he is unable to be here when the hearings open this morning. But he is being detained at a White House Conference and has requested me to preside, until he arrives. General Hastings, you have the honor of being the first witness in the 1955 Civil Functions Appropriation. We will be very happy to hear anything you want to say. General HASTINGS. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee: The Army is charged by statute with responsibility for the procurement and distribution of headstones for various categories of authorized personnel who are interred in private, national or post cemeteries. The Army similarly is charged with responsibility for the maintenance and operation at the present time of 82 national cemeteries in the United States; three national cemeteries in overseas possessions; 24 soldiers' lots; 7 Confederate cemeteries or plots; 4 national monuments and 1 memorial park. The appropriation now to be considered covers funds for the procurement and distribution of headstones as well as for expenses incident to the maintenance and operation of the indicated cemeterial facilities. BUDGET ESTIMATE The estimate for the fiscal year 1955 amounts to $5,635,000 as compared with $5,107,000 appropriated for fiscal year 1954, representing an increase of $528,000. However, this increase will only provide for essential services and it will still not be possible to reach the standard of care and maintenance of our national cemeteries that is desired. There is a constant expansion necessary in the activities covered by this appropriation in order to keep pace with the steadily increasing burial requirements of our veteran population. An increasing number of interments must be handled, and enlarged burial areas maintained. In addition, there is a greater requirement for headstones. MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION Senator HAYDEN. Might I inquire, General; you state it is not possible to reach the standard and care of maintenance of our national cemeteries that is desired. How much money did you submit to the budget for this purpose? Colonel MARTZ. Sir, on the item of "Maintenance and operation," we submitted a request for $718,000, which was cut by $63,000 to a total of $655,000 for the item of maintenance. The overall amounts requested originally were $6,264,340, which was reduced by $629,340 to our present request of $5,635,000. Senator HAYDEN. You did get a little increase? Colonel MARTZ. It is approximately a 10 percent decrease, sir. Colonel MARTZ. Our request is an increase over last year. Colonel MARTZ. But our request now is 10 percent less, approximately, than what we had originally asked the Bureau of the Bugdet for this year. Senator HAYDEN. At that your original request was modest to really do the job that ought to be done? Colonel MARTZ. Yes, sir; our original request was what we honestly felt was necessary to do the job. In the present era of economy, we have tried to save something from what we originally felt was required to do the job. Senator HAYDEN. Thank you. PROCUREMENT OF HEADSTONES General HASTINGS. The amount of funds required for the procurement of headstones is estimated to be $2,124,000 as compared with $2,127,000 estimated to be obligated in the fiscal year 1954. The anticipated number of applications to be received in the fiscal year 1955 is 87,340 which is 4,095 more than the number estimated for 1954. However, a decrease in the carryover of unfilled applications into 1955 permits a small reduction in funds requested for this item. Senator HAYDEN. Which costs the most, a marble headstone or the bronze plate? Colonel MARTZ. The bronze markers are the more expensive, sir. Senator HAYDEN. I cannot understand that, because they are so small. They ought to be easily made. Is it because of the engraving on the bronze or inserting the name? Colonel MARTZ. There are two basic reasons, sir. One is that in the last few years the cost of copper and tin has gone up tremendously on the open market, which has increased the cost to our contractors. The other items, of course, is that a considerable amount of handwork |