Statement by the President Upon Signing the Department of Defense Appropriation Act

IN THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Appropriation Act, 1959, the Congress, in addition to appropriating over $1 billion more than I consider necessary for our security, has placed mandatory minimum strengths on the reserve components of the Army. This is an action which seriously disturbs me and which represents an unprecedented departure from past policy.

Floors under the size of these forces introduce rigidity into our defense structure and could, if carried to their logical conclusion, cut deeply into the concept of flexibility so overwhelmingly and recently endorsed by the Congress in the Department of Defense Reorganization Act. Moreover, such restrictions are wasteful of money and resources at a time when essential programs are placing mounting demands on both.

In short, rigidity and waste will be the products of these limitations and there is no place for either in the programs of a modern defense establishment. For this reason I cannot stress too strongly my belief that the Congress should reconsider such limitations, with a view to their prompt repeal early in the next session of the Congress.