Evening star., 1948-08-27
Plans for ForrestaI
Campaign Speeches
Viewed With Concern
Defense Office Should Be
Detached From Politics
In Critical Situation
By Dapid Laurence

Announcement from the Demo-
cratic Speakers Bureau here that
every member of the Presidents
cabinet except Secretary Marshall
will speak in the coming political
campaign must mean that the Sec
retary of Defense, James Forrestal,
Is about to go campaigning.
II Is hoped that the announce
nrent WAS too broad, for II would be
regrettable development to And
The man who holds the most i'm
portant position in the defense plans
of the Nation out on the stump in
the guise of plain politician.
At time when the youth are
being summoned by the draft and
critical international situa ton
faces America the Secretary of De-
fense occupies a post that should
be even more detached from party
politics than that of the Secretary
of State.
To keep the Army, Navy and Air
Forces working together Is a Job so
vital to national security that to
introduce party politics at the top
Is to begin the process Of UNDER
mining morale in the armed serv-
ices-which neither President Tru-
man nor Gov. Dewey ought to coun-
tenance for a moment.
DiSservice to Unity.
II Mr.. Forrestal does not before
long, Of his own initiative, take him.
self out OF the list OF campaign
speakers, he will be disappointing
many an admirer and will be doing
a disservice to the cause of unifica-
ton Of the armed services. For If
Mr.. Forrestal becomes politician,
It means that the next Secretary of
Defense has ample precedent for
entering politics, too.
1t is true that g. member of the
Presidents cabinet is in a sense
committed to the politics of the
Chief Executive from the standpoint
Of loyalty II nothing else. Since,
however, an exception has been
made in the case of Secretary Of
State Marshall, the same rule could
be applied to the Secretary Of De-
fense. Surely there is even more
reason for bipartisan Cooperation
on the matter of directing the
armed services than there is In
handling foreign policy, If indeed
there Is any need to make compari-
sons at all between the two depart
nents. They are very much alike.
There is further reason why Mr..
Forrestal should forbear. 1t looks
at the moment, as II there will be a
change Of administration next jan
uary. The budget estimates for next
year must be prepared this autumn
for action by Congress in jan
uary 1t would be a mistake to ap-
point new Secretary of Defense
next January. 1t would be better
for the country II Mr.. ForrestaI
were to stay on for at least another
year.
The ideal solution would be fol-
the next President to retain the
services Of Secretary Forrestal in
definitely, thus creating a precedent
for the future which would mean
more to the cause OF unification
than frequent changes Tor political
purposes.
Mr.. Forrestal is unique among the
cabinet officers He has had the
background Of the entire war period
He was selected for Secretary of De-
fense because he made a great Sec
retary of the Navy and because
Notwithstanding his indoctrinatior
with the Navy viewpoint, he coulc
see the point of view of the other
armed services.
Has Confidence Of Men.
To a remarkable degree Mr.. For.
restal has the confidence OF tn
top officers in all three armed serv,
ices. His knowledge and experienc,
cannot be duplicated 1t would b.
an error to appoint military o
naval officer from the retired lis
as Secretary OF Defense. 1t Is an
should remain a civilian job. MI