Evening star., 1945-12-19

for certain types OF persons and con-
tinued in almost every phase Of per-
sonnet administration. In rates of
promotion, in ways Of selecting Of
ficers, in the utilization OF Reserve
officers, in awards and decorations,
in allowances and in point systems
for discharge, the two services have
followed different policies.
This inconsistency is highly un-
desirable 1t will be reduced to a
minimum under unified organiza-
ton.
Any bill which Is enacted to carry
out these recommendations cannot
provide Immediately the ultimate
organization plan to accomplish uni
fication. 1t can only prescribe the
general organization of the author
tiles at the top levels of the unified
department.
I recommend that the reorganiza-
ton of the armed services be along
the following broad lines:
% There should be single De-
partment of National Defense. This
department should be charged with
the full responsibility for armed ma
tional security. It should consist OF
the armed and civilian forces that
are now included within the Wal
and Navy Departments.
~ The head of this department
should be civilian, member OF
the Presidents cabinet, to be desig-
mated as the Secretary of National
Defense. Under him there should
be a civilian undersecretary and
several civilian assistant secretaries
Three CO. ordinated Branches.
49, There should be three CO.
ordinated branches of the Depart
ment of National Defense: One fol
the land forces, one for the naval
forces and one for the air forces
each under an assistant secretary
The Navy should, of course, retain
it's own carrier, ship and water
based aviation, which has proved
so necessary for efficient feet oper-
alton. And, of course, the Marine
Corps should be continued as ar
integral part Of the Navy.
- The underSecretary and the re-
manning assistant secretaries should
be available for assignment to what.
ever duties the President and tht
secretary may determine from tint
to time.
t5) The President and the Secre
tary should be provided with ampl,
authority to establish central CO.
ordinating and service organiza'
tions. both military and civilian
where these are found to be neces
sary. Some of these might be place.
under assistant secretaries, som
might be organized as central ser
vice organizations and some nigh
be organized in top military stat
to integrate the military Leadership
OF the department. 1 do not believ
that we can specify at this tim
the exact nature of these organiza
tions They must be developed owe
period of time by the Presiden
and the secretary as normal pal
of their executive responsibilitie
Sufficient strength in these depart
ment-wide elements of the depart
ment, as opposed to the separat
service elements, will insure ths
real uniflcation is ultimately OF
tanned. The President and the SEE
retary should not be limited in the
authority to establish department
wide co-ordinating and service OF
ganizations
|. t6) There should be a Chief {
Staff of the Department of Nations
Defense. There should also be
commander for each of the thre
component branches-Army, Nav
and Air.
a. The Chief of Staff and tn
command of the three co-ordi
nate branches of the department
should together constitute an advis
ory body to the Secretary of Ma
tional Defense and to the Presi
dent. There should be nothing t
prevent the President. the secretar,
and other civilian authorities fror
communicating with the command
ers of any of the components {