Evening star., 1946-07-21
Survey
OF appropriate legislation for in
tegration of the armed forces.
Unified Command Favored.
Continued From First Page,

tegration of the armed forces.
Unified Command Favored.
The report added:
within department of common
defense which provides unity of
command and is itself oriented to-
ward air and new weapons, the sur
vey believes that, In addition to the
Army and the Navy, there should
be an equal and coordinate posi-
ton for a third establishment.
"To this establishment should be
given primary responsibility for
passive and active defense against
long range attack on our cities, in
dustries and other sustaining re-
sources; for strategic attack, whether
by airplane or guided missile, and
for all air units other than carrier
air and such land-based air units
as can be more effective as COM
ponent parts of the Army and Navy.
THE mission of such a new es-
tablishment would differ consid-
erably from that of an autonomous
air force and would, in certain re-
spects, require additional and
broader experience than has hereto
fore been required by the Army air
forces alone"
The surveys strong support for the
Presidents proposal to unity the
armed forces came after the admin
istration dropped its fight for action
on the merger at this session of Con-
gress. Chairman Thomas of the
Senate Military Affairs COMMITTEES
said, however. that he will introduce
a new unification measure at the
next session.
Japanese Troubles Cited.
Japans war effort, the survey re-
ported, was impeded by bureau
cratic rivalry" between her army
and navy which hindered war plan
ming, proper use Of air power and
efficient employment of economic
resources.
Even though the United States
did not achieve unity of command
In the Pacific as whole" the report
added, "co-ordination and compro-
mise among theater commanders
was largely achieved in all major
respects.
"Such lack of complete integra-
ton as existed was in a large meas
ure traceable back = y to the basic
structure of our prewar military
organization.
Legislation for unity Of command.
the report said. should strengthen
civilian control of the armed forces
and thus provide closer integration
of military policy with foreign and
domestic policy" and should favor
close coordination in planning, in
telligence, research and develop
ment.
The report urged, however, that
the program also should decentral-
lie administrative burdens and
permit specialized training and the
free development of the compo-
nent forces, even at the risk of some
duplication"
Research Needs Emphasized
Declaring that the "blitzkrieg"
technique in modern war is "of
enormous danger" the report put
great stress on the need for con-
tinued research and development of
new weapons.
"A modified and ell-trained
striking force, enjoying a certain
technical superiority" it asserted,
"can overwhelm in short order the
forces of country of far greater
basic long-term strength"
The report said Americans do not
generally realize "the degree to
which we Jagged behind Germany
in advanced aerodynsmics, jet pro-
pulsion and the development of
guided missiles
This type of work has become so
complex it added, that expendi-
lures for research and development
in the order of one billion dollars
annually may be required to assure
an acceptable degree of national
security"
Calling also for increased appro-
priations and training for intelli-
gence work, the report said Our
strategic intelligence was highly in
adequate" at the start of the Pacific
war, and warned that a similar lack
might prove disastrous" in the
future.
The great lesson to be learned
from costly destruction in the last
war, the survey declared. is that "the
best way to win war is to prevent
it from occurring" It argued that
a key factor in preventing war is
strong United States.
Neglect Declared Dangerous.
Prevention of war" it asserted.
"will not be furthered by neglect of
strength or lack of foresight and
alertness on our part. Those who
contemplate evil and aggression find
Circulation, June, 1916