Evening star., 1945-11-08
Macarthur Advocates
Military Leaders as
Cabinet Advisers
~ the Associated pres.

~SnlBSb@En En0 bt0SIS
BY the Associated Press. -.
Gen. Douglas Macarthur has
expressed belief that "the pro-
fessional heads sof the armed
services should sit in as ex-
eff1cio members of the cabinet.
The generals suggestion is in
cluded in a TRANSCRIPTS taken by the
Joint Chiefs Of star Special CON-
mittee, which interviewed Army and
Navy leaders on proposed single
department Of national defense.
The transcript, made public by
the Senate Military Affairs Commit
tee which Is considering Army-N Navy
merger plans, quoted Gen. Mac
Arthur as saying at Leyte, in the
Philippines, December 3, 1914:
u believe that the professional
heads Of the services should be ex-
oficia members of the cabinet. They
should be present at all cabinet
meetings without power Of voting,
but permitted to express their opin-
Ion and. above all else, to hear the
cabinet as they discuss not only ex-
ternal affairs of the. United States
but internal problems"
Held Impossible Now.
Brig. Gen. F. Trubee Dawson,
member Of the Army Navy Staff
Committee. was quoted as telling
Gen. Macarthur his suggestion was
not possible "in the cabinet today
the way the Government is set up. {"
Gen. Macarthur added:
1T was our forefathers who wrote
the Constitution looking at Europe,
fearful of military dictation and
military influence, and they made
the great mistake of trying to keep
the military Isolated
Meanwhile, Vice Admiral Charles
M. Cooke, jr., told the Senate Mill
tary Affairs Committee that success
of joint operations In World War II
is proof there is no need for
Straight -jacketing the Navy into
the status of an Army auxiliary"
The veteran strategist and new
deputy chief of naval operations,
assured the Senate group that "joint
amphibious operations conducted
under existing arrangements In
World War II have surpassed in
extent and success those of all pre-
vious wars In history added to-
gether."
It was the admiral's conviction
that what is needed now is no major
reorganization, but the further
strengthening of q system flexible
and practical enough to shift major
responsibility from land to sea COM
mand or joint operation as demon
strated in the most complicated war
in history.
Secretary of War Patterson issued
q press memorandum last niehtl
disputing the statement of Assist
ant Secretary of the Navy Hensel
that the Joint Chiefs OF Staff had
recommended deferment Of a deci-
sion 5ef merging the armed forces.
Patterson Denies Recommendation.
Mr. Patterson said he believed
Mr.. Hensel was mistaken in telling
a news conference Tuesday that
the joint chiefs had recommended
that the merger decision be put of
until q suggested commission to
study various aspects OF national
security had made report.
No such Recommendation was
ever intended to be made by the
joint chiefs of staff" MrsPatter-
sons memorandum said.
Early In September the Joint
chiefs of stan considered q recon-
nlendation that the President should
be asked to appoint q board toi
study the effect of the atomic bomb
and other new weapons on warfare.
"On September ~ comments on
the proposal prepared by Mr.. Hensel
were transmitted to the joint chiefs
of staff. Mr.. Hensel suggested that
the scope of the boards investiga-
tion be enlarged to cover q number |
of other fields, including, among six
Or seven items, organization of the
military departments The Joint
chiefs of staff considered Mr.. Hen
sells suggestion and rejected it,
They concluded that the boards
jurisdiction should be confined to
the original proposal"
Later last night. Mr.. Hensel is
sued a statement questioning Mr..
Patterson's view Of what the chiefs
of staff had in mind.
II can agree with all the facts
that are set forth by Secretary Pat
terson, but cannot agree with his
Interpretation because of one fact
which he touches on very lightly.
This fact is that in replying to
my memorandum of September "a,
the joint chiefs of staff unanimously
including Gems. Marshall and Ar
nold-said specifically on October
"a that the matters which I sug-
gested including organization of the
military departments, should be de-
cided after the report by the presi-
Dental board. I do not know what
was in the minds of Gems. Marshall
and Arnold, but the language seems
clear to me-"
Randolph Says Atom |