Evening star., 1943-09-21

,
such transfer is David Lawrence.
really scheduled to take place.
Meanwhile, rumors and reports
naturally arise which tend to bring
into the open the question of who
will run the War Department if
Gen. Marshall goes abroad. This
introduces the matter of a successor,
and Washington has been talking
for several weeks about it.
One school of thought says that
Harry Hopkins, who has the ear of
the President, favors the appoint
ment of his old friend, Gen. Somer-
veil, who now is in charge of the
Service of Supply and who was in
charge of WPA in New York City
when Mr.. Hopkins was at the head
of the WPA during the depression
years. Another school of thought,
representated perhaps by several of
the Regular Army officers, suggests
that the deputy chief of staff, Gen.
McNarney, would be the logical man
to succeed Gen. Marshall here be-
cause he knows the whole Army
setup and is familiar with the
Marshall plans of organization.
Critical Months Ahead.
But, it will be asked, why should
this idea of transfer for Gen.
Marshall be suggested? The an
swer is that the critical months of
the war are approaching. Unques-
tionably, President Roosevelt and
Prime Minister Churchill laid out
in their Quebec conference plans
related to a large-scale invasion of
Europe either the latter part of this
year or in the spring of 1914. When
such a move is made, doubtless an
American Army of many millions
will be in the field. America is to
furnish the bulk of the manpower-
hence, America is to have the high
command.
1t will be recalled that in the last
war a supreme war council sat at
Paris and that Gen. Bliss. for
mer Chief of STAFF, was the Ameri-
can member. In addition, Gen.
Pershing was in command of all
American operations in the field but
Marshal Foch was the generalissimo
in command Of all Allied armies.
The whole Allied military movement
In Europe logically will require an
overall commander in chief. When
the surrender of the German armies
is accomplished, the Allied forces
may be located in the south of
Europe, the west of Europe and the
northern countries Of Europe. Some
individual may have to be chosen
to synchronize operations Of all
these armies.
Spot Decisions Needed.
As matters stand today, the COM
oined chiefs Of staff, sitting in Wash
lngton, act as a unified central COM
mand. When operations grow more
complicated, it is believed to be the
British view that decisions will have
to be made on the spot in Europe
and that either the combined chiefs
Of staff will have to move to London
or else some one must be appointed
TO act for the combined chiefs of
staff. Naturally the man who has
the confidence of that joint organ
Eation is Gen. Marshall.
There are rumors that the plan is
Of British origin and that the Brit
ish feel that, with an American COM
mander in chief, the supply of
American manpower to subdue Hit
Ter and even to maintain the peace
after the armistice is signed, will
continue to flow undiminished. Like
wise, there is the possible advantage
that an American commanding all
the Allied armies might be able bet
ter to synchronize operations with
the Russians.
Clearly the British have had the
Idea Of urging Gen. Marshall for the
new post for some time because Lon
don dispatches have mentioned it
several times over period of several
months. Perhaps this is one of the
reasons why the plan has encoun-
tered a bit of suspicion here, as
always happens when a suggestion
comes from a foreign government
relative to our own choice of per-
sonnel. In this instance, however,
the British have a right to speak
because it Is an Allied army and a
generalissimo which is the post un-
der discussion and it is, of course,
complimentary to Gen. Marshall
that he is so highly commended by
the British.
No "Demotion" Involved.
It is Just possible that the rumors
that Gen. Marshall is being de
noted" arise from quarters which
fear the kind of successor who will
be appointed here in his place as
chief of staff. But there is no de
motion involved. Some one has to
command all the Allied armies in
Me ANAL push and give the chief of
staff back in Washington orders,
Just as Gen. Pershing did when he
used to tell the chief of staff back
home, Gen. Peyton March, what he
wanted and when he wanted it.
Gen. Marshall is a great organizer
and great soldier. If he is needed
more at Washington than in Europe
then Gen. Eisenhower would seem to
be the logical choice for overall
commander. But with the size and
scope OF the military operations now
being planned, it would seem logicaI
for the directing head and boss oi
the job to be an American com
mander stationed in the midst O.
the whole European theater O.
actioy