Evening star., 1942-07-22

forces. This is David Lawrence.
the first unifcation of the Army,
Navly and Air Forces under
single head that we have witnessed
since the war began. The new ap-
pointee Admiray Leahy oc-
cupies a post that was never pre-
scribed in our national defense
statutes but which logically can be
created under an executive order.
For the new chief of staff for the
President is in effect an aide to the
President-if it be desirable to think
of 1t along traditional lines-but an
aide who really will act as liaison
between the President and the
heads of any or all military agencies.
1t was inevitable that the ap-
pointment should be made because
the President himself could not very
we'll act as co-ordinator of the Army,
Navy and Air Force without having
some one at his side to sift details,
advise him as to their meaning and
follow through in the proper way on
decisions once made.
Too Much For President.
The move is an excellent one from
many angles. First of all, the Presi-
dent has concentrated so much
power in his own Office that he can
not possibly give the orders and
check up on their execution. He
has had the help of Harry Hopkins,
for instance, as his confidential ad-
wiser and aide on matters of lease
lend, but Mr.. Hopkins is not mil
itary man and many of the problems
are of technical nature with which
no civilian can possibly become
familiar during the operation of a
major war.
Admiral Leahy, on the other hand,
has the personal confidence of the
President and is not only broadly
familiar with the diplomatic aspects
of this war, having served in the
ticklish job of Ambassador to the
Vichy government, but he was
Chief of Naval Operations for sew
eral years and was in intimate con-
tact with President Roosevelt.
This correspondent and many
other observers have been urging
the appointment of a staff OF naval
and military and air officers who
could be divested of any actual
operating or administrative respon-
sibilities and give their whole time
and thinking to the broad problems
Of strategy. Admiral Leahy's ap-
pointment could mark the begin
ming of such a staff, for if the ad-
miral called to his side the best
military minds we have in America
1t would be logical step. Otherwise,
in due time he will become so loaded
up with detail himself that he will
be unable to give the planning side
of the military situation the atten-
ton it will constantly deserve.
Under the Constitution the Presi-
dent, being commander in chief of
both the Army and Navy, represents
the only unified high command we
can have, but 1t was hardly in
tended by the Constitution that the
Chief Executive should be equipped
with the necessary technical knowl
edge to act as an operating execu-
tive in time of war The most the
President can do is to pick the right
military advisers and follow the
plans they recommend plus his own
appraisal in the light of informa-
ton from all other sources.
Demanded by Modern War.
But basically the constitutional
term commander in chief was doubt
less intended to be symbolic of the
fact that all services were response
BILE to the Chief Executive and that
each service would have its own
commander in chief. 1t so happens
that modern warfare makes it neces-
sary to hight JOINTLY and tnat mere
coordination between the heads of
independent armed services is not
SUFFICIENT. There must be some one
to decide questions that arise during
the co-ordinating process.
The President has been trying to
do the deciding and accomplish the
thousand and one other civilian tasks
that fall to him. Now, however, he
has acquired expert help and, in
effect, deputy commander in chief
whom he trusts and who can take
a load of detail from his shoulders
It is fortunate that there is a man
available who is temperamentaLy
and personally fitted to work in such
q high post not only with the Presi-
dent but with the high officers OF
the Army, Navy and Air Forces.
Admiral Leahy has had broad ex-
perience. He will organize the mill
tary side of the Presidents wartime
obligations and If in the end Mr.