Evening star., 1946-04-18
Forresta| Declaration
Promotes HARMONY
In Merger Dispute
By the Associoted Press

Secretary of the Navy Forrest
ais agreement that some form
of uniflcation is desirable steered
the caustic merger controversy
between the Navy and the White
House into smoother waters to-
day.
Mr.. Forrestal carried the peace
gesture still further with firm ad.
vice to Navy officers to pipe down
on antimerger speeches or other
propaganda" and stick to congress
sional committee testimony.
Secretary Forrestal indicated
however, that no action is contem-
plated against Rear Admiral A. S
Merrill, whose comments to news
men last week were said by the
White House to have prompted Pres
ident Truman's original criticism OF
what he termed Navy lobbying
Mr.. Forrestal gave reporters his
ideas on emerging from a 90-min-
ute meeting yesterday with Mr.
Truman. Also present were As
sistant Secretary John L. Sullivan
and Admiral Chester w. Nimitz,
Chief of Naval Operations.
FERN Still to Be Decided.
The cabinet officer said every
body is agreed on the desirability
for a better mechanism, which
means unif1cation," but he added
that the form uniflcation should as
sumo is something still to be worked
out.
Mr. Forrestal's reference to uni
fication" contrasts with the original
Navy position that while there is a
need for an overall co-ordinating
structure, unification of the Army
and Navy into a single command is
neither necessary nor helpful.
The Navy delegation, Mr.. Forces
tai told the neWsmen, gave Mr.. Tru-
man its views on the question.
A Senate Military Affairs Subcom-
mittee has drafted a bill proposing
Department of Common Defense"
which would contain the separate
but co-ordinated arms of the Army,
Navy and an Air Force. The meas
ure contains much of what the
Army and the President had re-
quested as well as some of what the
Navy had offered in its counterpro
posal for national security plan"
This latter suggested including for
eign policy as well as military plan
ming in any general organization.
Immediate Action Unlikely.
While Secretary Forrestals post
conference talk with White House
newsnen indicated some of the ten
sion was eaSed and an agreement
between the services nearer, the pos
sibility of immediate congressional
action remained remote. Several
lawmakers have let it be known that
any merger legislation is in for pro-
tracted committee attention.
The long standing dispute took
on a rougher character last week
when Mr.. Truman raped out at
antimerger lobbying he said was
being done by admlrals and others
In Navy.
But it was Mr.. Truman who made
the first public move to clear the
air Meeting reporters again yes
terday. he said he did not think
either Mr.. Forrestal or Admiral
Nin1itz had been lobbying.
In reply to other questions he
said what really stirred him up last
week was an interview by some ad-
miral in Hawaii After several hours
Of confusion, it developed that the
officer the President had in mind
is Admiral Merrill, commander of the
8th Naval District with headquar-
ters at New Orleans.
White House Press Secretary
Charles G. Ross made the identi-
fcation, but said he couldn't explain
the miXup.
Merrill Feared Dictator"
Among other things, Admiral
Merrill told a New Orleans news
conference that the merger pro-
posal would establish "a single mill
tary dictator" and would put the
Navy in position of being out
voted by the Army and the Air
Forces in questions of policy
strategy and finances. The White
House had said the statement was
made in Dallas
Moreover, said Admiral Merrill,
If the merger became an actuality
the Nation would need the finest
Army and Air Force when the next
war comes because with
greatly weakened Navy, submerged
under Army control. the fighting
will be on our own shores
A veteran of Pacific naval cam
palgns and former director of the
Navy's public relations organization.
Admiral Merrill told the news con-
ference his opinions were his own.
He arrived in Washington late
yesterday to attend meeting today
of commandants of all naval dis
trlcts, but he was unavailable for
comment.
Asked at the White House whether
any action was contemplated against
the admiral, Mr.. Forrestal said he
didn't think so. He added he had
not seen what Admiral Merrill had
said but was going to have look
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