Evening star., 1947-12-12
ForrestaI Eliminates
Self for Second Place,
On Democratic Ticket
By John A. Giles

ing that he could not combine the
executive functions" Of his office
with political by-products or
thinking" has removed himself to-
day as a possible Democratic vice
presidential nominee.
He told press conference yester-
day he could repeat and apply to
himself the statement by Secretary
of State Marshall last January, who
said that he could not be consid-
cred as a prospective presidential
candidate.
II will never become involved in
political matters, and, therefore, ]
never can be considered a candidate
for political Office" Mr.. Forrestal
said, paraphrasing Gen. Marshall.
Il never could be drafted"
The defense chief said that he
could not improve on the language
and added:
ct have never taken myself seri-
ously as political glamour charac-
ter, and even with both ears to
the ground I couldn't hear the
rumble OF distant guns"
Holds Politicians Essential.
He hastened to say his dislike
of politics does not denote a poor
opinion of politicians.
Politicians are essential, unless
you want to go to a dictatorship,
he added.
Political speculation has linked
Mr.. Forrestal, New Yorker, with a
possible vice presidential nomina-
ton as President Truman's 1948
running mate.
Before he was asked about his
political ambitions. Mr.. Forrestal
announced DR.. Paul r. Hawley, re-
tiring Veterans Administration med
heal chief, will head committee to
study the medical facilities and
~~the pressing need for doctors" of
the three services. AS soon as the
war-trained reserves fulfill their
mandatory duty tours the Medical
Corps will be short Of physicians.
Serving with DR.. Hawley will be
the surgeons general Of the Army,
Navy and Air Force. Presumably
they will come up with some sort of
recommendations as to the common
use of duplicating facilities of the
Army and Navy medical depart
ments throughout the world.
Explores Joint Recruiting.
Mr.. Forrestal also announced a
directive has been issued to the
three services. asking for a report
on the advisability of joint recruit
ing. The Army's recruiting con-
sistently has been falling short of
quotas, while the Air Force has been
exceeding needs and the Navy has
been only slightly below require
ments.
The elimination Of duplicating
Army, Navy and Marine recruiting
services and facilities was men
toned as a possible goal of the
study by Mr.. Forrestal. The Army
does Air Force resruiting. The re-
port will be made to the War
Council.
The Secretary also announced ap-
pointment Of Committee on
Human Resources by the Research
and Development Board. 1t Is
headed by DR., Donald G. Marquis,
chairman of the psychology depart
ment at the University of Michigan
and president Of the American
Psychological Association.
THE committee has been organ
ICED to evaluate the human resources
of the Nation as they relate to the
fields Of research and Development, u
Mr. Forrestal said.
Bush Heads Board.
DR.. Vannevar Bush, board chair
man, added that I'VE recognize man
is just as important as the machine
itself and he is just as important as
research on the machine"
The committee is composed of four
civilian members and two members
each designated by the Army, Navy
and Air, Force. The civilian men,
bers, in addition to Dr. Marquis, are
DR.. William c. Menninger, Mennin-
ger Foundation; DR.. Carroll L.
Shartle, Ohio State University, and
DR.. Samuel A. Stouffer, Harvard
University. DR.. Lyle H. Lanier. on
leave from Vassar College, is execu-
tive director.
Mr.. Forrestal said some defini-
tions of the work" Of the Munitions
Board, which is part of his estab-
lishment, and the National Security
Resources Board, which reports only
to the President, have been outlined.
The Resources Board gradually will
take over some functions OF the
Munitions Board. The latter will
continue to play major role" in
the preparation of the industrial
mobilization plan, which is to be
promulgated annually by the Re-
sources Board, he said.
The Munitions Board has assigned
the single purchase responsibility for
items of common use to all the serv-
ices as follows:
Railroad transportation equip
ment, the Army; combat ships and
landing vessels and chronometers
clocks and spare parts. Navy; photo