Evening star., 1948-02-05
1F0rrestal Gipes
Defense Picture
ITO Press Women
By Frances Lide


yesterday.
Addressing a Women's National
Press Club luncheon, Mr.. 'Forrestal
made a point of answering assertions
that military thinking exercises too
great an influence in the determine
ton of national policy.
Policy making is not our bust
ness" he emphasized, "but it is ou1
business to see to it that'our military
potential conforms to the require
ments of our national policy"
The speaker listed the objectives
Iof the American Government as
political balance, the return of trade
commerce and intercourse between
peoples, tolerance, patience and
understanding between nations and
the economic and social improve
ment of common people everywhere
The military establishment, he said,
is an instrument which exists to
support those objectives. To carry
out its duty and perform its func-
ton, it must be closely informed
about our policy, he added.
Discusses Unifcafion
Mr.. Forrestal gave picture OF
the new National Military Estab-
lishment and pointed out that the
vast process known as unification'
will require considerable time be-
fore solid results become visible.
He drew an appreciative laugh
from his feminine audience when
he suggested a parallel between his
position and those who may have
had the experience of being told by
your husband of how easy it would
be to improve the management of
your households"
But you all know that husbands
are apt to be conspicuously absent
when they are confronted with any
of the vulgar details of housekeep-
ing" he commented. 80 it is with
the progress we shall make in the
National Military Establishment. 1t
is easy to construct charts which
result in the simplication of any
organization on paper, but it is an
other matter to implement those
charts in a way that minimizes
human frictions."
Hailing women as "realists," the
Secretary said that much of the
support for Universal Military
Training has come from those who
recognize that order sometimes has
to be maintained by force.
"They know that the application
Of discipline to the seat of Orville's
pants Is sometimes as necessary as
an appeal to his higher nature" he
said.
Mr.. Forrestal linked Universal
Military Training with the European
Recovery Program and the United
Nations as parts OF "the grand
strategy for the reconstruction of a
shattered and deeply injured world
society and for the rebuilding of the
foundations for peace"
In connection with the ERP, he
commended that the present world
community is so interrelated that
anarchy and disaster in any part of
the globe inevitably produce their
reactions here. He also pointed out
that, in the purely material sense,
our economy has many necessities
which come from abroad.
Oil Reserves IMPORTANT
"I need only mention in passing
that the oil reserves of the Middle
East may, in the future, be as i'm
portant to our economy as they Ger
tainly are now to the continent of
Europe" he said. To-day they con-
stitute more than Al per cent of the
worlds proved reserves, and are
substantially greater than those of
the North American continent"
He also warned against cynicism
in connection with the United Ma
tions. It would be a miracle of po-
litical action" he declared, if 81
nations, with differing customs,
languages and national aspirations,
could work out procedures which
would guarantee stability and peace,
W1tnln Cne snort space OF tnree
years.
Various branches of the military
establishment were represented
among the guests attending the
luncheon, which was held at the
Statler Hotel. Those introduced by
Ruth Cowan. the club president, in
cluded the Secretary of the Army
and Mrs. Kenneth c. Royal, the
Secretary of the Navy and Mrs
John L. Sullivan, the Undersecre-
tary of the Air Force and Mrs. Ar
thur Barrows, the incoming Army
Chief of Staff and Mrs. Omar Brad
ley and the Commandant of the
Marine Corps and Mrs. Clifton B.
Gates. Also present were Col. Mary
Hallaren of the WAC and Capt.
Joy Hancock of the WAVES.