Evening star., 1946-12-16
Service Committees
Merger Is Opposed
Exception Urged in Plan for
Reorganizing Congress
By David Laurence

LACSptlOH oIkCd III idH lOI
Reorganizing Congress
BY David Laurence
A demand is arising from some quar-
tiers in Congress that single exception
be made to the coming operation of the
law governing the reorganization of con-
gressional committees. This exception
would permit the Naval and Military
Affairs Committees of both Houses to
continue to function, at least until legis-
lation has been passed providing for the
merger" of the armed services.
In rebuttal, it is urged that the re-
organization law is sacred and that no
exceptions should be made lest the
whole committee problem be reopened.
The difference, however, between the
two points of view lies in the fact that
the single exception concerns defense
and our international position, whereas
all the other phases of the controversy
over diminishing congressional commit
tees are either domestic or largely polit-
ical.
Caution Is Urged.
Inasmuch as the very safety of the
United States and her opportunity for
maximum influence in the international
picture are at stake, there would appear
to be good reason for proceeding cau-
tiously with any merger" plan which
conceivably could result in making the
defense of this country weaker instead
OF stronger This could be the case II
the Navy and the Army Air Forces were
both crippled because of some paper
scheme which required consolidation OF
departments without practicable for
armed service were carefully delineated.
Unless Congress is prepared TO deline-
ate functions in legislation, it had better
leave the situation as it is, with the ex-
ceptiOn of some coordination on the
procurement side and some combination
use OF military and naval facilities.
The risk in abolishing the separate
congressional committees now lies in the
scrapping of the experience Of many
members of Congress who have given a
respective problems of the Naval and
Military Affairs Committees.
Also. 1t would be grave mistake to
merge the committees until the nature
of the merger Of. the armed services
themselves is fully determined by legis-
lation. Otherwise, it would give the
appearance of high pressure. Nothing
could be more fatal to the morale of
the armed services than to force upon
them an ill-considered plan or program
which might come out of a single COM
mittee, packed" in advance with the
against the other.
Pressure Is Cited.
Unfortunately, this already is the i'm
preston developing out of the extraor-
binary pressure to combine the Military
and Naval Affairs Committees into 4
single committee.
A Reorganization Act that is used a.
a device of legislative strategy will set
a bad precedent and do more to under
mine faith in the law itself than par
tisan politics or the selfishness of ambi-
tious committee chairmen ever could do
So long as a considerable body of
opinion In America holds the view that
the merger scheme is ruse by which
the United States Navy is to be weak
ened while the Army Air Force Is given
the dominant role In our defense sys-
tenn, just so long will friction and sus-
picion be bred that will not produce
harmony or efficiency.
The main point at issue at the mo-
ment between the proponents of the
various merger plans relates to the
control of land-based planes and, par
operations in connection with ships
fighting submarines or other warships
The Navy wants to retain control Of
only the aviation that has to do with
naval operations and it is logical and
sensible position to take. The Army
Air Forces. on the other hand, can and
should be concentrated on strategic
bombing-hying over land or sea from
it's own land bases. The tactical air
units which work respectively with the
Army or with the amphibious units of
the Marine Corps should be separate
and distinct from the Army Air Forces.
Single Air Force Opposed.
To insist that one service shall con-
troll and operate all airplanes is as il
logical to say that all periodicals must
be devoted to the same theme because
they all use paper and ink. This is an
age of specialization and each special
branch of our armed services must be
permitted to continue to furnish its
own specialized strength co-ordinated
at the top by the joint chiefs of staff
the system so effective in winning
World War II.
One would think on hearing some
aspects of the debate that the United
States lost the war or that the United
States Air Forces won the war in the
Pacific without ever needing the bases
which the Army and the Marine Corps
ground forces captured on Guam and
Two Jima at the cost of so many thou
sands of lives.
The merger" problem is too impor-
tant to be handled with political
devices. If any considerable number Of
members of Congress want separate
committees to study the matter, 1t
would be wise to allow such an excep-
tion to be made. But 1t could be stipu-
lated that once legislation is passed for
unification of the armed services,
single committee on national defense
shall thereafter be appointed in each