The New York herald., 1921-07-03
AGREED ON MOVE TO
join ARMY And navy
IN ONE DEPARTMENT
Congressional Committee
Sees Saving of $3.50, ,O00,-
900 a Year by Checking
Duplication.
WEEKS MAY BE HEAD
Bureau of National Defence
Is Name Proposed in Plan
for Reorganizing the
Two Services.
STRONG FIGHT EXPECTED
Advocates Predict Ultimate
Victory-Harding and Cab
inet Members Discuss De-
tails of Bill.

speesul Despatch to THE NEW YoRK HnnAre.
New York Herald Bureau.
Washington. ID. c., July 2.
Virtual agreement has been reached
among the members of the Congress.
sional Joint Committee on Reorgan.
ization for consolidation of the
War Department and the Navy De-
partment into a single Federal ser
vice to be known as the Department
Of National Defence.
Up to this time this has been one
Of the much discussed possibilities OF
the Forthcoming reorganization. but
now, according to authoritative In
formstion that came tonight to TIE
New YoaK HERALD, 1t Is to be an I'm
portant feature Of the omnibus reor-
ganisation bill that Is in course Of
preparation for introduction In Con.
gress before the end Of the present
session.
President Harding is described as
being unqualifiedly behind the prof.
ect, ready to throw all Administra.
tion strength toward its adoption by
Congress. This will be needed, It Is
apparent even at this early date. for
such a consolidation can be accom-
plished only after a vigorous fight.
Those most familiar with the situa-
tion. however, declare that the Sen.
ate and the House In the end will ap-
prove such combination
Weeks slated for Chief.
II the plans go through John W.
Weeks. Secretary of War, is slated.
according to the information, to be the
head Of tho new Department of Ma
tional Defence. Some other important
post, then, would be offered to Edwin
r. DENLY, Secretary of the Navy.
BY the consolidation of the two de
partments into one the COMMITTEES
hopes to accomplish a saving of not
less than 10000. 600 year. 70 conse
about through a Joint administrator
Of the services. the common purchas
and distribution of supplies and the
Standardization of small arms and
other material. This is quite inde-
pendent of the additional saving.
variouely estimated around $500. 900
a year, for which the committee has
been hoping. Other reductions such
as the reduction of department per-
sonnel and the prevention Of much of
the duplication of effort are now ev,-
dent in the different bureaus.
Just what Is to be done about the air
services Of the army and navy is not
clear. but Tho general understanding is
that an independent bureau of aero
nautfcs Is TO be proposed II is a mat
ter 4 doubt whether this jndepcnden.
bureau would have standing on a
par with the army and navy. at least
at this tina. when aeronautics has not
obtained status higher than branch
arms of both services.
Joint Board for Aviation.
II Is fairly we'll developed that officers
are 70 be drawn from both the army
and navy rolls for detail 10 the flying
forces assigned To the combat units.
This means, further that only in the
construction and maintenance Of mate
rial and IN the preliminary training Of
hiers will the bureau OF aeronautics be
supreme. The probability is a Joint
board OF somo character will be de-
velopsf for the control Of the bureau
Under the present scheme there would
he a Secretary OF National Defence
who would AFT IN the Cabinet with two
Under Secretaries. one for the army
and one for the navy The presen,
Cabinet quota Of ten members would
be retained. however. since Il n the
intention OF the committee, with tho
approval already obtained from Presi-
dent Harding. 10 recommend the crea-
tion Of new Department of Public
Welfare.
In all regards the character Of the
services 70 be consolidated under the
Department % National Defence are
20 remain the same. The uniforms dis
tinctive for both the army and the
navy are 70 be retained. and the off
GERS and enlisted personnel arc 20 con.
tinue their duties as at present The
only difference IL 20 he In he matter
OF administration. mainly the civilian
personnel. IN washington and in the
field. and IN the purchase and dlstri-
button Of supplies.
Standardization Of equipment Is re-
rarded as huge item that will GO for
saving the public funds. At the pres
ent time the army and navy have been
quite independent Of their selection ot
arms. ammunition even foodstuffs with
the result that thev sometimes find
themselves competing WITH each other
~ the open market The hone is n
do away With oil this competition and
e maize wholesale purchases Of like
material e. that bottom prices may
he obta alned and more economical dis
,ribution accomplished.
The approval OF seeretary Weeks and
~ seeretarv DENLY for the proposed
consolidation has not been obtained as
vet. although Il Is understood that
neither one OF the department heads