THE PRESIDENCY: It Cuts Three Ways

Congress for once had given Harry Truman more money than he had asked. Inside the $15.5 billion defense bill which he signed last week was an extra item of $615 million to be spent in starting to build a 58-group Air Force. On this subject Harry Truman had been sharp and clear: he wanted the Air Force held to 48 groups. So with a brisk bit of juggling, he took what he wanted of the bill and left the rest.

The extra allowance which Congress had voted for the Air Force could wreck the internal balance of the defense family,...

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