Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-11-16
BY FRANK r. KENT.


While the public imagination is
stirred by the great potentialities OF
British and American successes In
North Africa, the terrible toughness
of our enemy in the East should not
be lost sight of for . moment. For
it is from that quarter, as we al
ready have been told, bad news is
to come. &
This being the fact, anything cal
culated to increase the power Of our
arms In the Pacific is of vital con-
Germ to all. Chief criticism leveled
at the effectiveness of the military
and naval forces there is that they
lack unified command and hence
at times are disposed to compete
rather than coordinate.
There Is no disposition here to
suggest that there is not complete
cooperation between Gen. Mac
Arthur and Admiral Halsey. They
have given some rather thrilling
evidences that there is.
What is suggested-and what
men whose judgment should COM
mand respect agree about-is that
the coordination would be greater
If there were a single directing
head Of operations instead OF two
separate ones. Perhaps this is not
as yet feasible.
Perhaps the central authority in
Washington is working better than
1t was. Nevertheless, those with
the deepest convictions on the sub
ject are convinced that even under
existing conditions effectiveness
would be enhanced If the COMPETE
tive spirit were eliminated. Re-
sponsibility for this rivalry, which,
at times, has not operated for good,
is largely placed upon the public
relations divisions Of the two serv-
ices.
Unhealthful Competition.
The case made against these is
impressive. First, however, 1t should
be said that in both Army and
Navy the heads Of these divisions
are high-minded, competent, quail
f1ed men. Among the subordinates,
too, the level as to character and
intelligence is high.
But, undeniably, each division is
exclusively interested in the exalta-
ton OF its own branch, with no
concern about credit for the other
branch. That is the job Of the
other branch's publicity setup and
no business at all OF the rival.
The effect is to create an I'M
healthful competition for the head
lines. Naturally, the competitive
spirit is stimulated all through the
two services from the private SOL
diers and sailors up to the highest in
command.
1t is as unavoidable as it is clear
that that kind of competition does
not make for the best results. Com
petition between Army and Navy is
splendid on the football field in a
time Of peace, but this is war and
they are not fighting each other
but a common enemy.
They can do that better If there is
complete willingness of each service
wholly to subordinate itself to the
other, whenever the subordination is
deemed essential to the purposes Of
tn war. Anything like rivalry be-
tween Army and Navy in time of
war Is out Of place and possesses ele-
ments of danger.
With the best intentions in the
world, the rivalry between the two
service publicity machines does not
make for that unselfsh concentra-
ton upon the common goal so
plainly desirable.
While, perhaps, a unified COM
mand in the South Pacific may not
be possible at this time, unified
command Of the publicity divisions
IN Washington is.
Unification Possible.
The present rivalry has resulted in
the expansion Of each of these divi-
sions to quite unprecedented size