Evening star., 1946-04-29
Compromise Likely
On Services Merqer
Truman Believed Studying
Navy's Side of Case
Bv David Laurence

Talk OF compromise on the mucH-
discussed merger of the Army and
Navy has this basis President Truman
is beginning a study to learn just what
the points of difference are between
the services.
Mr.. Truman has been apprised of at
least one important factor that he did
not know existed, and 1t has prompted
him to inquire further. 1t concerns
the proposal of the War Department
that all shore-based aircraft should
hereafter come under control of the
Army Air Forces, including Navy air.
planes that do not operate from the
decks of carriers.
This raised furor in the Navy, for
it meant the introduction of hazards
In the functioning of antisubmarine
patrols. The Navy is not at all inter-
ested in getting control of Army planes
that fly from ocean bases or anywhere
else if they are engaged in strategic
bombing or combat operations along
with troops. But the Navy insists that
any pilots who fly over water to engage
in operations requiring flight directions
or guidance from naval ships should be
trained by the Navy and subject to
Navy discipline.
Got Close Co. operation.
During the war, the Navy operated
many planes from points like Bermuda
and the Azores in the fight against Nazi
U-boats. Often the flyers relayed their
messages to or obtained intelligence
from destroyers or from warships. The
need for close cooperation between
units of the Navy, whether they fly
in the air or operate on or below the
surface, is stressed by Navy command
ers. Navy pilots are trained to avoid
firing on our own destroyers or sub
marines and how to recognize them.
This is not at all related to Army air
operations which are either concerned
with tactical protection for ground
troops or strategic bombing of the
enemys factories or bases.
The President Is reported to have
shown much interest in the Nays view
of the Importance of classifying shore
based aircraft SO that the Navy would
retain control of those of its units
which use land bases but which pri-
marily traverse water areas Mr. Tru-
man is understood to have expressed
disbelief that any such plan to weaken
the Nays air arm in fighting sub
marines and in carrying on patrols
related to strictly naval operations was
contemplated, but he was shown the
exact detail in an approved plan OF the
War Department.
Another point in which the Presi-
dent is believed to have become inter-
ested is the reported plan to deprive
the Marine Corps of its independence
by merging 1t with Army ground
forces. This is opposed because the
Marine Corps has specialized in am
phibious warfare and it's officers in l941
were so far advanced in the art that
they helped to train Army units under
Gen. Macarthur. This to no small
extent accounts for the fact that the
Southwest Pacific Army units did so
much better in their landings and
island hopping than did other Army
units.
Adapted for Task.
The Marine Corps is ideally suited
for the special tasks of amphibious
operations. These are bound to become
more, rather than less important in the
future. Most people do not know that
the Marine Corps divisions were quickly
expanded because a nucleus of trained
personnel was available The Marine
Corps divisions had their own artillery
and tactical air force. To keep this
highly specialized group as a nucleus
for emergency needs now is the real
reason why the Navy is supporting the
idea of maintaining the identity of the
Marine Corps.
1t is doubtful whether President Tru-
man realized the extent to which those
interested in getting larger share of
the defense budget for their own serv-
ices had gone in their recommended
pruning of other specialized services
with which they really were never too
familiar. The kind of troops who can
push ahead as the Marines did at
1udLl, OdIpdll, Telellu ana Two J1fna
are not developed unless there is
tradition and spirit behind them
among the regulars. Unless this nucleus
sees the Marine Corps retained in its
| present status, it will be difficult to keep
specialized group and the national
defense of the United States will be
that much weaker
| So Mr.. Truman is discovering that
I the fear of really weakening or i'm
pairing the efficiency of the Navy and
the Marine Corps is not just a dream
OF some newspaper writers or Navy
officers but has back of it better un-
derstanding than the public has of the
real meaning of the so-called merger.
1t is gratifying that the President is
looking into the matter. 1t wouldn't be
surprising if his visit last Friday with
Gen. Eisenhower-as fair minded a
man as has appeared In the armed
services-had more to do with this
defense plan as whole than with
bases in the Pacific, as was indicated
by first reports last week.
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