Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-01-16
Reorganization Urged
For War Department
Agency Is Too Big for Efficient
Operation, Observer Says
Bv David Laurence

ny D0UIu Laurence
Theoretically, the Secretary of War Is
the spokesman of the War Department
and talks to Congress for the Army. But
the Secretary is away on an inspection
trip. Congress is bombarded with letters
from parents who want their sons home
from overseas. Abroad there are mass
meetings and demonstrations.
All this is called "hysteria" or con-
fusion" and the Chief Of Staff OF the
Army, Gen. Eisenhower, finds 1t nee
essary to address an informal session
OF both Senators and Representatives
to tell them how difficult the problem
of rehabilitation and redeployment has
become.
This Is strange situation. One would
think from appearances that VI day
happened last week instead OF five
months ago. One would think that the
War Department long ago could have
figured out plan which at least would
have told the country what it was up
against SO that hopes would not be
raised beyond the point of feasibility.
Imagination Absent at Top.
Lack Of preparation for handling the
very human problem Of rehabilitation
is due to lack of imagination at the top
in the War Department itself. 1t is
such big, cumbersome institution that
the department really ought to have an
assistant secretary who can devote all
his time to the human problems that
arise.
The Army concept, which seems in
grained in the military folks, is that
manpoWer can be handled in any way
so long as the words military needs"
are emphasized. During wartime the
citizen doesn't dare ask for definition
because he is met with the statement
that military detectives and security
are involved. But after the war Is over,
the Army chiefs who are not accus-
toned to the operations Of democratic
citizenry can no longer offer that gen.
crafty.
AS matter of fact the Army really
has been demobilized too rapidly-that
Is, too rapidly to take care of existing
charlottesville Congress and the
War Department failed to develop a
substitute Army or military policy for
that which existed during the war. The ,
agitation has reached a climax largely
because it was not met with fortnight
ness and vigor before. The War De-
partment spent too much of its time
talking about how it wanted to absorb
the Navy Department and create one
big department Of national defense and
1t gave little consideration to the really
urgent need for bringing more efficiency
inside the War Department itself.
Eisenhower Not to Blame.
| There is no excuse for the present
situation. Gen. Eisenhower, incident
| ally, is not to blame. He came to his
| present job of Chief of Staff long after
| the rehabilitation plans were laid. It
| Is significant that he felt 1t necessary
to deny that the Army officers are try
| ing to furnish an argument for mill
| tary training. He is right, of course,
| because none of the military training
| plans calls for service outside the
United States.
In sense, the present confusion is
due to the White House, which knew
early as WI day that the demobiliza-
ton task was difficult one The Pres
ident depended on Secretary Patterson
to demobilize the Army. AS for the
Navy, it is way ahead of schedule and
has handled rehabilitation efficiently
because it is a smaller organization
than the Army and is better organized
for the job.
The whole episode furnishes proof
that what is needed in Washington Is
not bigger departments but smaller ones
with specialization emphasized rather
than criticized. 1t should be apparent
that no one man can handle all the
problems Of the Army and Navy and
that it is unwise to intrust even the
job of managing the War Department
to one civilian Secretary.
Full Reorganization Needed.
What is needed is a complete reor-
ganization of the War Department with
the Army Air Forces given an au-
tonomous position within the depart
ment and with the ground forces SINH
larly placed. Then there should be at
least five civilian undersecretaries each
with major problem under his wing
Secretary Patterson admits he signed
the document destroying the Japanese
cyclotrons without realizing what it was
about. He admits he didn't know about
the points being cut off in September
for Army service overseas. He has had
and still has one of the biggest admin
istrative jobs in the entire Government.
The Senate Military Affairs Commit
tee would be well advised to start hear
ings on how to reorganize the War De-
partment. 1t will not be time lost, for
when unification ultimately is consid-
cred it will be better to have the vari-
Gus staff and services inside the War
Department properly integrated than
to try to do this after a consolidation
is tried, If, indeed, it ever is.