Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-01-21
Washington
OverpIays
Rank. Title
HilIman Should Be
Vice Admiral
BY HUGH S. JOHNSON

effort.
There is some disposition to
think that If a law is passed
stating an objective. If general
administrative directions are
given and, above all, il the adj
ministrator is surrounded with
sufficient pomp and panoply of
office, the job is done and we
can call it a day and set 'em up
in the next alley.
The appointment of Mr.. Donald
Nelson and the one-man control
authorized by executive order is
a case in point, especially when
considered with Mr.. Knudsen's
appointment as lieutenant gen.
eral.
Mr.. Nelson's assignment Is
only a beginning 10 a difficult,
if not impossible, task. 1t makes
little difference whether he is
cabinet officer or not, or rather
il is very wise that he is not.
Nothing chews up time or smoth-
ers it with boredom more effect
lively than cabinet meetings.
MIR. NELSON isn't going TO
1V1 have time to be a cabinet
officer. Donald has the author
ity and responsibility and the
Presidents backing. Without
them, he couldn't even under
take his job. They are all that
count with him.
On the other hand, nothing
could be. more absurd or even
fantastic than Mr.. knudSen's
elevated military rank.
1t is being jokingly suggested
around here, that If even-handed
Justice is 10 be served, Sidney
Hillman, the other half of the
old Knudsen-Hillman two-headed
boy organizational monstrosity,
should be made vice admiral in
the navy.
The general informed civilian
comment at the capital is!
"Oh well, Bill has had a pretty
rough ride and a powerful kick
Ing around. He has uncOmplain-
ingly taken the blame for faults
and plumbers which were due to
bad organization and failure to
use him I'm vital jobs for which
his talents and genius fitted him.
Surely, nobody can begrudgc
him this pain-killer."
DROBABLY, there are few
Il people in the country who
did not smile at first hearing the
news and say something like
this:
a cushion 10 land on after
being kicked upstairs" or "a
thin white icing on bitter
cake"
Military comment is not quite
so complacent.
In the old British army. from
which we inherited our general
form of organization. the COM
mander Of an army was a gen
eral. Second 10 him. and in
direct command Of the cavalry,
was a acknowledgement
II was the second highest
honor 10 which soldier could
aspire. II came only after a
lifetime of service spent in ac-
quiring professional military per-
lection. II was so jealousy
guarded that, up 10 our Civil
War, only Washington was ever
granted that regular rank.
EVEN Winfield Scott. the con-
~ queror of Mexico had II only
by bTeVet During the Civil
War, Grant. Sherman and Sheri-
dan got three stars Grant.
later got four Up TO World
War one. only a handful of Civil
War veterans were lieutenant
generals among them our Lieu
tenant-General Douglas Mac
Arthur'S father.
Changed international an Il
military conditions have some
what liberalized the rule. but
they don't change It's principle.
Relatively young army and
navy officers were advanced so
far in grade at Hawaii because
the Importance of that great
force in the Pacific seemed 10
warrant il. The defense Topped
and these officers we're promptly
and properly broken SPAB and
OPM also Topped 10 our great
disadvantage and Mr.. Knudsen,
a responsible head Of OPM. is
made lieutenant general. That
doesn't make sense.
We need knudSen-now. more
than ever-but KnudSen doesn't
need 10 he a lieutenant general
any more than Mr.. Hillman
needs 10 be an admiral. Bill
has standing and ability re-
garded with awe in every Ameri-
can factory. That's all he needs.
Three stars on his shoulder
q straps aren't going 10 add any
thing TO that, except, perhaps, a
little ridicule.
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