Evening star., 1942-03-10
Roosevelt Calls
Navy Chiefs for
Strategy Talks
Knox, King and
Hart Summoned
To White House

Revision in Navy combat STRAIT
sgy appeared to be in the making
,oday as President Roosevelt
Secretary Knox, Ad-
niral Ernest ]. King and Admiral
Thomas C. Hart for White House
shortly after noon.
Admiral King, who was made
commander in chief of the United
States Fleet shortly after Pearl
Harbor, yesterday was made
chief of naval operations also.
placing him in supreme charge Of
fighting strategy of the Navy.
Admiral Hart. who resigned sew
eral weeks ago as commander of the
United Nations naval forces in the
Pacific, arrived in WASH
ington Yesterday and conferred at
length with Secretary Knox and Ad-
miral King this morning, before the
three met with the President. AL
though bad health was given as the
reason for Admiral Harris relln-
gushing of the Allied naval COM
mand, he still holds the title OF
Of the United States
Asiatic Fleet. and is expected to
receive a new active service assign
ment in the near future.
Admiral King has risen swiftly
from assignment as commander OF
the Atlantic Fleet 10 the chief COM
mand of the feet and its naval
operations. This last responsibility
was conferred on him yesterday
when the Navy Department an
nounced a streamlining of its high
command. Admiral Harold r. Stark,
who has been chief Of naval opera
tions. was reasSigned TO command
American naval forces in European
waters.
Further Streamlining Seen.
Admiral Hart arrived in this coun-
try during the week end and Is
making his first direct report on
opera tions in the Southwest Paclf1c
to the President, Admiral King and
TO Secretary Knox.
Yesterdays consolidation Of au-
thoritv was seen as a possible mint
of further strearlinlng the Nays
organizat ton. 1t gave Admiral King
control not only of combat actlv-
tiles. but also of the general plan
ming and feet maintenance. for
merly the province of the chief Of
naval operations.
Army Staff ReorganiIed.
The Navy changes followed closely
the Army's reorganization Of its
general staff into a smaller. younger
group, but it remained to be seen
whether the two moves would quiet
congressional agitation for a great
er unifcation in the direction Of the
Nations war effort.
The Army reorganization, which
became effective yesterday. reduced
the general staff to a fifth of its
former size and gave greater recog-
milton to Air Force men. Excepting
the chief of staff, Gen. George G.
Marshall who is 81. the stream
lined staff has an average age Of 49,
However. Congress was urged bv
Senator La Toilette. Progressive. Of
Wisconsin to order an investigation
to determine whether legislation was
needed to produce closer co-ordina-
ton Of Army, Navy and Air Corps.
Senator Austin. Republican. OF
Vermont felt that greater co-ordi-
nation was needed. and Senator Hill.
Democrat. of Alabama. while credit
ing the Army with much progress,
said he hoped for the ultimate crea-
ton of an overall staff" 10 unity
the armed services into "one great
machine"
Division Of Authority Ends.
The Navy changes were consid-
cred a necessary preliminary to any
such strategy board, for it ended the
division of authority that existed
between Admiral King and Admiral
Stark and put Admiral King in
absolute charge under President
Roosevelt and Secretary Knox.
/ Admiral Stark's new post. it was
said. will be comparable to that held
by Admiral William s. Sims, World
War commander of United States
naval forces overseas. For the pres
ent. however, Vice Admiral ROYAL
E. Ingersoll will continue as COM
mander of the Atlantic fleet, Ad-
miral Kings old command.
In London Admiral Stark will
succeed Vice Admiral Robert L,
Ghormley. who has been on duty
in England as a special naval OBJ
server since August, 1910.
A special staff was set up IN the
NAVY Department to administer the
duties which Admiral King took
over from Admiral Stark, and this
staff, like Gen. Marshalls stream
lined counterpart, will share re-
sponsibility in mapping the offensive
operations which both Army and
Navy chiefs have forecast.
Only a week ago Gen. Marshall
told Congress that the time has
now come when we must proceed
with the business of carrying the
war to the enemy and not permitting
the greater portion of our armed
forces and valuable materiel to be
immobilized within continental
United States"
Admiral King at the same tins
reported that the Navy was then
busy strengthening communications
with a view to developing ar
offensive, which slowly but surely
will gain scope and power as We
gain strength"
A stern disciplinarian, who is not
given to much talk. Admiral Klnl
(See GENERAL STAFF, Page A-4.