Evening star., 1945-11-29
HenseI Brands Claim
OF Economy in Merger
As Shot in the Dark

Statements by Secretary OF
War Patterson and Gen. Eisen-
hover that large sums could
have been saved through paer-
ger of the Army and Navy are
shots in the dark" which "can
never be supporteds by proof" /"
Assistant Secretary of the Navy
H. Struve Hensel said today.
He estimated before the Senate
Military Affairs Committee that the
statement of Gen. Eisenhower of a
saving of Is per cent would have
totaled $66,000, 100000
SIT is my earnest conviction that
such fash guesses were very wide of
the mark" Mr.. Hansel said. II am
confident that, such shots in the
dark can never be supported by
proof. I also believe that, with re-
spect to the situation in the past
war, the impossibility OF guesses be-
ing true can actually be demon
strated."
Asserting that this estimate of
savings entered "the realm of pure
fantasy" Mr.. Hansel said the figures
were used at times as proved facts.
Used Decentralized Buying.
The Army used q decentralized
purchasing method because of the
huge SIZE" while the Navy, which
purchased only about half as much
as the War Department, found it
could centralize all the bulk of its
purchasing in Washington, he said.
A merger of the forces with a single
procurement agency would not effect
savings, he added.
Mr.. Hansel testified soon after
Secretary of the Navy Forrestal re-
versed his previous stand to advo-
cate Independent status for the
Army's Strategic Air Forces on a CO.
equal status with the Army and
Navy. He told a press conference
late yesterday that it was up to
Congress to decide how the Air
Forces would achieve it's independ-
ence, but he favored a national
security council to integrate the
services with the State Department
and wartime production agencies.
Mr.. Hansel introduced into the
record memorandum issued by the
War Department to its staff officers
on November 5 which requested
them to avoid discussion of the de-
tails OF its merger proposal in public
speeches.
Sees Little Statesmanship.
This, Mr.. Hansel said, indicates
there is not much craftsmanship
in the War Departments calm an
nouncement of party line and a
direction to avoid details"
I submit that in this country we
should not permit citizens to be
muzzled," he said. There is so
much at stake in this proposal that
whether or not the generals like it.
details must be discussed.
IF the military forces are, as I
contend, the crown or roof of our
national security edifice, we had
better turn first to the foundations
and get some comprehensive speci-
hcations before trying to build the
roof in midair and then trying to
flt the rest of the building to it,"
Mr.. Forrestal, in his statement
yesterday, gave other recommended
tions for integration of the services,
which included:
l. Provision for a permanent Joint
Chiefs of Staff consisting of the
Chief of Staff to the President, the
Army Chief of Staff, the Army Air
Forces commanding general, and
two naval officers, one to be a naval
aviator.
Suggests Research Agency.
2. The National Security Council
to be assisted by central research
agency and a central intelligence
agency, both to serve all depart
ments OF the Government.
3. The Navy to be continued as an
1ntegrated service with its own air
forces, Marine Corps and related
amphibious components.
Mr.. Forrestal said the pending
merger bill would mean ABSORPTION
OF the Navy by the War Depart-
ment." While the Navy fayors true
unif1cation, the pending legislation
providing for single Secretary of
Armed Forces would not produce
that ree,y1f h. >IL~J