Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-03-05
Reorganized
Rule Of Army
Hits Red Tape
AboIishes Offices Thar
Promoted Friction
BY HUGH S. JOHNSON

department high command
may not be perfect, but it should
please this column, because il is,
in many respects, exactly what
has been recommended here
especially recently.
There is nothing very new
about il. The idea Of having
one ground commander for the
United States and aboliShing the
Offices of chiefs of infantry,
cavalry and artillery is a leaf
taken out of the German book.
The old organization made SOL
diers and officers branch con-
scious" and promoted jealousies
and friction.
Now man. in whatever
branch he serves. is simple
soldier of the United States
not primarily a soldier of horse,
foot or guns. He has nothing 10
gain in either pride or promo
ton in plugging for one branch
at the expense Of another.
II is lone for all and all for
one"-which is as II should be
in any army.
A MOTHER thing
"A This change takes from
the overburdened shoulders OF
the chief Of staff. the terrible
task of dealing with literally
dozens Of subordinate command
ers of tactical and territorial or
ganiZationS-not 10 mention an
other dozen supply department
heads and the divisions of the
general staff.
He has only 10 deal with the
c. O. of troops in the zone Of
1.-The interior tMcNair). the
c. O. Of the service of supply
tSomervelp, and the {. . Of
the army air corps tArnold).
He will still have a small gen.
eral staff 10 work out particu-
lar problems. but nothing like
the present hidebound bureauc-
racy of T-crosserS. I-dottcrS and
comma enthusiasts. Our old
general staff had completely
outlived its usefulness. This
move will cut miles Of red tape.
The move making Somervell
chief Of the service of supply
was even more important We
had something like nine Sepa-
rate purchasing bureaus. They
bid against each other and COM
peted for transportation mate
rails, labor and factory facili-
ties.
1T HAS been said the nearest
Il worldly approach to immor-
tally is government bureau.
l found that out.
We tried something like the
new domestic SOS plan in
the United States in 1918. be-
cause war department supply
had broken down. ! had the
unwelcome job of trying 10 con-
Solidate tho hydra-headed Sys-
tenn Of army purchase and
supply.
We bullicd part Of II through
for which | reapcd the lasting
i'll will Of several bureau chiefs.
In the main. the larger part of
the program couldn't be put
over.
In France il was different.
General Pershing set up his own
s OS, and. while il didn't
work at first, he was 5000
miles away from Washington
and had single authority and
responsibility. He also had a
"reclaSSification" center at Blois
where non-Co-operatorS were
sent and given hearing.
General PershinC knew OK
aCtly what he wanted. II wasn't
long before his S O s was work
ing 10 perfection.
SOMERVELL will have TO be
~ tough guy 10 do this Job. He
Will also have 10 have the I'M
wavering support NJ Secretary
Stimson. UnderSecrctary Patter-
son and the President. He is
tough enough. and bout tho
fartheSt removed from being a
yes man Of anybody in Wash
ington.
There remains the question Of
the support Of his SupcriorS.
They have looked long and deep
enough into the pit Of the pres
ent cross purpose and confusion
not 10 want TO see any more
of il.
| think Somervell will get this
support. If he does, no greater
forward step could be taken
not even in the consolidation Of
land command.
The ccnterinC Of army air
command on General Arnold will
not greatly change the existing
situation. but such change as II
brings is in the right direction.
There is still no new co-ordl-
nation Of army and navy air
forces. In fact nothing in this
new order would Of itself have
prevented Pearl Harbor.
Yet il is All good and there
are other changes in prospect
equally good. The administra-
ton seems to have lost its fear
Of deleGating authority.
Distributed nv King Features synd., Inc.