Evening star., 1942-04-17
Agitation 10 Create
Single General Staff
Growing in Britain
Greoter Inteerotion Seen
Necessary to Increase
Man Power Effectiveness
BY DREW MIDDLETON,


Associated Press War CORRESPONDENT.
LONDON, April 17.-Agitation for
combined general staff which
would integrate Britains three Tight
ing services as one gigantic combat
team Is growing in influential Lon
don circles considering reverSes In
the Pacific war and successes in Eu-
ropean coastal raids.
Observers said Britain was near
the end Of fresh manpower resources
and the obvious answer was to en-
ploy more efnciently those already
In the Army, Navy and Royal Air
Force.
Commando thrusts against Ger
man continental bases are cited by
informed sources as model In their
use Of the three arms.
The London visit OF Gen. George
c. Marshall, United States Army
chief OF staf1, and the appointment
Of Lord Louis Mountbatten, adven-
turous cousin Of King George vi, to
lead the invasion-trained Com
mandos focus attention on the
British American role in battles Of
1912.
Uneasiness in Commons.
British naval losses in the Bay of
Bengal following the fall Of Singa-
pore have aroused uneasiness in
Commons over an alleged lack OF
coordination In land, sea and air
operations.
This is echoed by the powerful
London Times. 1t pleaded editorially
line British strategy as simple logic
which might reassure the nation
that risks assumed in the Indian
Ocean "were not taken haphazardly,
but were organically part Of an
articulated plan for the conduct Of
the whole campaign in Asiatic
lands and oceans"
The Times declared that lack Of
air support had accounted for a
succession of military and naval
disasters" adding:
"The conviction that something is
fundamentally lacking in co-ordi-
nation OF the three fighting services
has hastily gained ground IN the
present war and was never more
widely or firmly held than now"
Grigg Offered Blueprint.
The blueprint for an overall
stah was first outlined in an article
writtn for the Times by Sir Edward
Grigg, former parliamentary under
secretary Of state for war who was
ousted by Prime Minister Churchill
March 4. 1t drew support from Lord
Swinton and Lord Hankey. former
cabinet members. and Comdr. Rob-
ert r. Bower, member Of Parlia-
ment.
Observers say the largest barrier
between it and acceptance is q
strong feeling of senior oficers that
autonomous services should be
maintained.
The three chiefs of stan confer
daily. Prime Minister Churchill has
stated that the chiefs Of stan sell
dom disagree. Grigg declared, how
ever, that "if this is 50, then the
recommendations must often be .
matter OF compromise, the lowest
common denominator between in
compatible ideas"
This is certainly not . method
which will win wars" he wrote.
Three Point Proposal.
Grigg proposed appointment Of a
professional fighting man to:
/. Present plans Of the combined
General staff to a chief of staffs
committee and thereafter to the
cabinet.
z. See that strategic plans take
full account of what production and
TRANSPORTATION authorities can do.
;. Arrange, above all, that the bal
arce Is maintained SO commanders
IN chief in the various theaters can
. use all three services wherever nee
essary as instruments Of q single
plan.
AS vet no specific officer has been
advanced for such a task.
It Is evident that many propon-
ents believe Gen. Sir Archibald P
waveIl, British commander In chief
in India and long an advocate OF
"the three-service mind" In the gen.
4. eral officer, is the only Briton with
suficient experience to I'LL the post