Arkansas State press. [volume] (Little Rock, Ark.) 1941-1959, 1945-11-02
Washington Digest
Veterans Administration
Has Capable Leader
General Bradley Has Fatherly Interest
in Veterans; Actions Show His Ability
to Administer This Big Job
BY BAUKHAGE
Commentator and News Analyst

Washington, ID. Z.
| have just come back from q
visit with the father Of 15 million.
That isn't such a far-fetched
figure to use in describing the tall,
rangy Missourian, who is in charge
Of 1.-THE biggest business in the
world" which is how they describe
the Veterans Administration in
Washington.
To call Omar Nelson Bradley
"father" of the service men and
women isn't stretching it. Ernie
Pyle once said: "lf | could pick
any two men in the world for my
father except my own Dad, l
would pick General Omar Bradley
or General Ike Eisenhower. If l
had a son, would like him to 60
to Bradley or Ike for advice"
Ernie was = pretty keen judge OF
human nature on the hoof. l
thought Of that when one Of Brad
ley's co-workers in the Veterans
Administration, who is almost
decade older than the general, said
"fatherly" was the way to de-
scribe the manner in which he was
treated the first time they had a
problem to straighten out with the
boss.
And then | met the General.
found weather beaten, wiry,
long-legged soldier, whose eyes
twinkled brighter than the four
stars on his collar. Fatherly, yes
and I'll have a word about that
little later. But | found out
something else. | found out why
he ought to be able to run one
of the hardest jobs in the govern
ment. And I'll admit, right off,
it sounds almost too good to be
true.
We had been talking about the
details of the reorganization of
the agency which is now going on
and with which General Bradley is
infinitely familiar. Then | asked
him what it was, if anything, in
his military training and expert
ence that he could use in his pres
ent position.
He said that he thought it was
the same with all jobs such as
this. And here is the theory on
which he works:
"First, build your organization
on functional lines. Second, get
the right man to head up each
function. Third, give him full re-
ponsibility to act on his own au-
thority."
How, | inquired, does this fit
in with your military experience,
having had some Of that branch
of adventure myself--although
running a platoon isn't running
an army.
cts a good deal like the army"
he answered. "You have your
staff. You have say 20 sections,
each with special function, work
ing under your chief of staff.
Sometimes, Of course, you group
some of the functions, but the or
ganization is along functional
lines
And how, asked, do you choose
the men to head up these various
activities? His answer came back
without the slightest hesitation.
81 choose a man, first for his
ability, second for his loyalty--and
count heavily on the loyalty.
Get loyal men Of ability and you've
gone long way toward solving
your problems in any organiza-
ton"
That sounded pretty good to
me, but what about the present
situation where, after all, there
is always q Congress on Capitol
Hill, q Congress with constituents
who have votes and some Of whom
want jobs. | asked the General,
what about politics? He didn't
seem worried. He said that he
hadn't had any trouble.
I'm not = politician" he said.
al never intend to run for office"
That was all he would say, but
here IL . story l picked up later
at the other end Of Pennsylvania
Avenue.
A certain Congressman got 4
hot letter from = constituent who
had been fired from the Veterans
Administration. No doubt with
due cause. He hot-footed II up to
the General and spoke, as legis-
lators often do to officials, with
considerable vigor.
II want the man re.hired at
once" the Congressman demanded.