Evening star., 1942-04-05
By Richard L. Stokes. I
VICE ADMIRAL JOSEPH X. TAUSSIG,

dent Roosevelts executive order Of
March IL.
Admiral Taussig proposed that the Of
fices Of Chief of Naval Operations and
commander in chief Of the feet be con-
solidated.
For the first time since the Office Of
Chief of Naval Operations was created
by Congress in 1915, the President COM
bined both jobs in the person of Admiral
Ernest J. King.
the Navy bureaus be placed under the
Jurisdiction of the Chief of Naval OPP
erations.
The President sought to achieve this
end by inserting two words in his ex-
ecutive order. 1t vested in Admiral King,
as Chief of Naval Operations. the CO.
ordination "and direction" Of the bu-
reaus and Offices Of the Navy Depart
ment. In venturing those momentous
four syllables, the President drew heavily
upon his war powers. For generations.
by act Of Congress, direction" of the
Navy bureaus had reposed in the hands
of the Secretary of War.
Admiral Taussig proposed that COM
mand of the United States Fleet spe-
cihcally be declared "the paramount po-
sition" in the Nays organization.
AS between the two functions of c.
N. o. and comminche-these being Navy
shorthand for Chief of Naval Operations
and commander in chief of the fleet
the President directed Admiral King to
regard the latter as his paramount
duty" and the former as "contributory."
Vice Admiral Rank Given.
Admiral Taussig recommended that
actual administration of the Office of
Chief of Naval Operations be given to
an officer with the rank of vice admiral
President Roosevelt nominated Rear
Admiral Frederick j. Horne as Vice Chief
of Naval Operations, and submitted to
the Senate, which has since confirmed it,
his promotion to vice admiral. He is ex-
pected to relieve Admiral King of nine
tenths of the work done by the latter's
immediate predecessor as C. N O., Ad-
rniral Harold r. Stark, who has been
sent to London TO command United
States naval forces operating in Euro
pean waters, of which there are virtually
none.
1t was proposed by Admiral TausSig
that the Marine Corps, since ITS an
independent division of the Navy De-
partment. under separate command, be
placed within the jurisdiction of the
Chief of Naval Operations.
President Roosevelt did not mention
the Marine Corps in his order, but is
thought by Navy Department legalists
to have intended its inclusion, since it
ranks as Navy Bureau. The same
theory applies to the Coast Guard, in
peace time unit of the Treasury De-
partment.
Admiral TausSig suggested that four of
the five supply bureaus be grouped in
one organization under chief of naval
material with the rank of vice admiral.
Secretary of the Navy Knox on Janu-
ary 81, announced the creation of an
Ofioe of Procurement and Material,
grouping all five of the supply bureaus
under one chief, Rear Admiral Samuel
M. Robinson, who took rank as vice
admiral for the duration of the job.
Difference in a Few Respects.
In a few minor respects, the present
alignment differs from the Taussig chart.
He wished the Office of Naval Materiap
to be subordinate to the Chief of Naval
Operations; instead, Admiral Robinson is
directly responsible to the Undersecretary
of the Navy, James v. Forrestal. Admiral
Taussig suggested that the Bureau of
Yards and Docks be excluded from the
consolidation of supply Offices, since it
has nothing to do with ship materials
or uniformed personnel. Secretary Knox
grouped this bureau with the Bureaus of
Ordnance, Aeronautics, Ships and Sup
plies and Accounts to compose the new
Office of Procurement and Material.
High officers of the sea arm are eager
for the public to be informed that Ad-
miral Taussig was not lone prophet
crying out in wilderness of brass hats"
to have represented the "best thought"
of the department. They agree that the
Navy until possibly today, was never
permitted to have general staff in the
sense of that which rules the Army, but
assert that tough-minded chiefs of naval
operations, like Admiral William D.
Leahy or Admiral william H. STANDBY,
were able, by force of personality, to
bend the bureau chiefs to- their wills.
It is contended that the Presidents order
giving direction of the bureaus to the
Chief of Naval Operations sought to