Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-06-16

AS to the agencies mentioned lr
6, and 8 above, the War Depart
ment believes that these agencie.
will not be fully effective except az
agencies within single depart.
ment. The Navy, on the other hand
believes that they will be more fully
effective under a co-ordinated or.
ganization than under a single mill.
tary department.
X X
We are unable to agree on the
following matters:
/. SINGLE MILITARY
DEPARTMENT.
War Department View.
The military ablishment should
be set up asa single entity, headed
by civilian of cabinet rank with
authority and responsibility for the
several services. The administration
and supervision of the services
should, however, so far as possible
be delegated to their respective
heads, in order that each service
may have as much freedom of de-
velopment as possible and in order
that the traditions and prestige OF
each be not impaired.
(Only if there is this unity of
structure, headed by an individual
with power of decision, can we
achieve action where there is now
inaction, concerted policy where
there is now disjointed policy, ano
economy of manpoWer, resources
and money where there is now
waste of them all. Any organization
which does not facilitate prompt de-
cision and prompt action thereon
totally ignores scientific development
and the nature of modern war. The
military security of the United
States is single objective. Accom-
plishment of this single objective
with the greatest economy and eff
cheney demands unity of direction
Navy Department View.
The Navy favors unif1cation but in
a less drastic and extreme form. 1t
believes that serious disadvantages
will result from combininb the mil
itary services into one department.
1t would involve sacrifice of sound
administrative autonomy and es-
sential service morale.
The Navy recognizes the need fol-
a greater measure of indignation
than now exists, not only between
the military departments but among
all agencies of Government respon-
sible for our national security. A
single military department falls
short of meeting these detectives.
While the Navy feels that the
measures upon which agreemen,
exists, as set forth above, woulc
fully meet the needs of present con-
ditions. it sees certain advantages ir
placing presidential deputy with
clearly defined powers of decision
over specified matters at the head OF
the Council of Common Defense
From this as starting point, II
should be possible to move forward
such further measures of unifca
ton as become advisable, based or
further experience.
The Secretary of the Navy recon-.
nlends to the President, in view
of the wide area of agreemen,
which presently exists, that leg.
isiation be enacted at once Civ.
ing statutory effect to those matter!
on which there is agreement. Thes,
steps will Of themselves constitute /.
very substantial advance over GU,
prewar, and even our present, or,
ganization for national security. L
they are put into effect it will b,
possible, In the opinion of the Sec.
rotary Of the Navy, to meet the min,
specific detectives set forth in tn,
Presidents message to the Congress
on December 10, 1945. Further con
sideration and study can then b,
given to the remaining question.
on which there is wide and genera
divergence of view between, anc
outside of, the military departments
2. THREE COORDINATE