Evening star., 1945-11-10
Dispute Over Merger
Intensified by Row Of
ForrestaI and DooIittIe
Navy Secretary Hits
Personalities Marking
Generals Testimony
By ROBERT >BRUSKIN.

The controversy between the
Army and Navy over merger of
the services is becoming increas-
ingly bitter.
Secretary of the Navy Forrestal
vigorously protested to Secretary of
War Patterson last night over state
ments made by 1t. Gen. James H
Doolittle in testifying in support of
the unification proposals before the
Senate Military Affairs Committee
yesterday.
In a letter to Mr.. Patterson which
he released to the press, Mr. For
restal declared that IF we allow an
honest difference over principle to
degenerate into an exchange of per-
sonalities. we shall do irreparable
harm to the end which we all seek
in the name of national security:
the comradeship of all branches OF
the armed services"
Meanwhile, an Associated Press
dispatch from Frankfurt, Germany
reported that Gen. Eisenhower took
of for Paris at midafternoon today
en- route to the United States to
testify before congressional commit
tees. Gen. Eisenhower is expected
to be called on to testify on the pro-
posed merger and concerning the
military government in Germany.
Questioned Decisive" Role
The Forrestal protest was directed
particularly against Gen. Doolittle S
use of the word hypocrisy" and his
questioning of the decisive part
played by aircraft carrier based
naval planes and sea power in win
ming the Pacific war.
Senator Hill. Democrat, of Ala
bama, asked the former 9th Air
Force commander at the hearing to
comment on statements made by
Admiral Chester w. Nimitz that sea
power caused the surrender of the
japanese by Admiral Marc Mitschei
that carriers caused the japanese
collapse.
Admiral Nimitz and Admira,
Mitscher are great commanders,
Gen. Doolittle replied, but this
war was won by teamwork. Each
OF the three agencies did its best
No single agency was alone respon-
sible.
I do feel very strongly it was
not seapower that compelled Japan
to sue for peace. And it was not
carrier strength that won the all
war. Our B-29 boys are probably
resting uneasily in their graves as
a result of those statements.
Unity of Command Cited.
Gen. Doolittle declared that al,
power is now the first line of defense
and that I'VE must not permit pride
Of organization and misplaced conf
dence in any outdated weapon to
interfere with this Nations future
welfare" He added that mo un-
necessary airplanes, carriers or bat
tleships should be built"
The Navy's contention that there
can be effective unity of command
in the field in wartime without hav.
ing unity of control in peacetime, ;
he said, was wrong, and I believe
that. even worse, it is hypocrisy"
MIR. Forrestal wrote Mr.. Patterson
For some time have been con-
cerned about the tone of the testi-
mony which Army and Navy officers
have been giving before the Senate
Military Affairs Committee on the
merger of the War and Navy De-
partments and this morning an Incl
dent occurred which finally prompts
me to write you this letter.
No Direct Reply.
During his testimony this morn
ing. 1t. Gen. Doolittle, referring to
statements made by Admirals Nimitz
and Mitscher about the role of sea
power in the Pacific, said:
"Our B-29 boys are probably rest
(See MERCER. Page A-00