Evening star., 1943-09-24

Pershing what David Lawrence.
he wanted and where he wanted it.
Although, technically speaking, the
orders came only from the Office of
chief of staff, the commander in
chief of our forces overseas was in
effect the supreme commander of
our military operations and Secre-
tary of War Baker in his memoirs
revealed that Gen. Pershing's re-
quests or recommendations were
fulfilled almost without exception.
Gen. March, who lives in Wash
ington, says he did not take orders"
from Gen. Pershing and writes this
correspondent as follows:
"As chief of staff of the Army in
the first World War my authority
was defined by Act of Congress, ap-
proved May IL, 1917, and General
Order 80, War Department, 1918, is
sued with the personal approval of
Secretary of War Baker. This
order follows:
The chief of the general staff
Is the immediate adviser of the
Secretary of War on all matters re-
lating to the military establishment,
and is charged by the Secretary of
War with the planning, develop
ment and execution of the Army
program. The chief of staff by law
(Act Of May IL, 191D, takes rank
and precedence over all officers of
the Army, and by virtue of that po-
sition and by authority of and in the
name of the Secretary of War. he
issues such orders as will insure
that the policies of the War De-
partment are harmoniously executed
by the several corps, bureaus and
other agencies of the military es-
tablishnent, and that the ARMY
program is carried out speedily and
efficiently
Held Precedence in Rank.
MY precedence in rank over all
of1icers OF the Army continued in
effect during the remainder of the
war and no attempt was made bv
Gen. Pershing or any one else in the
Army to give the chief of staff back
IN Washington orders"
The question, of course. is a
technical one. Gen. Pershing and
Gen. March co-operated, and the
strategy of the war was conducted
overseas in conjunction with Mar
shal Foch and the Supreme War
Council SO that the job of the chief
OF staff was for the most part
identified with problems of supply.
both OF materiel and manpower.
and transportation.
In this war, General Marshall as
chief Of staff, has thus far had a
direct hand in making the strategy.
and the United States Chiefs of
Stan have really made the war
plans and submitted them to Presi-
Gent Roosevelt for approval. When
the plans concerned our Allies, the
strategy has been submitted to the
Combined Chiefs of Staff for ap-
proval.
II General Marshall goes abroad
as an operational commanded of all
lo-American forces, he could still
junction as chief of staff but he
would have to delegate much of the
work back home to his deputy chief
OF staff. General McNarney. There
is nothing in the law or the orders
OF the War Department which state
that the chief of staff must be To-
Gated In Washington or any other
particular place. A deputy chief of
stan for the Army could sit on the
Joint Chiefs of Staff and on the
Combined Chiefs of Staff and func-
ton In accordance with the statutes
Special Situation.
II, however, some new organiza-
honal or functional position is de-
sired, the Congress would have to
pass new legislation, and it NAV be
that President Roosevelt has such
plan In mind In order to take
care OF this special situation. The
present war involves an unprece-
dented arrangement of commands.
as, for instance where an Army COM
nlander gives orders to the Navy in
certain theaters of war and where
a naval officer commands the Armv
In particular operations.
Strictly speaking and according to
technical tradition, the Army can't
order the Navy around or vice versa
but the Commander in Chief of the
Army and Navy, namely the Presi-
dent, can by directive instruct off,
GERS OF one service to order certain
things done and officers of another
service to obey such orders.
II Is doubtful, however, whether
the functions of the office of chief
of stan-since the Office is created
by statute-can be altered by execu-
tive order. So the answer may be
either to continue General Marshall
rs chief Of stan, with him delegat-
ing to his deputy the administration
Of the ONCE, or for the President to
seek special legislation covering the
situation.