Evening star., 1949-03-02
A Team Without q Driver

The Hoover Commission has found what
Defense Secretary Forrestal already has
learned to his sorrow: That the unified"
National Military Establishment is far
from unified, that it. resembles a three
horse team entrusted to driver without
benefit of reins and that unless the driver
is given effective control the teamwork
required for national security will never
be achieved.
1t should be obvious to any one by now
that the merger envisioned by the National
Security Act of 1947 has not been realized
In it's efforts to respect the independence
of the land, sea and air arms, Congress
allowed each member of the team to take
the bit in its mouth whenever it felt so
disposed. The privilege was well-inten-
toned, but it has resulted in digresSions
and dissensions that tend to defeat uni
fcation and unity.
The commission found this lack of unity
exists at more than one level. The present
law leaves both the National Defense
Establishment as a whole and the Joint
Chiefs of Staff without proper control
from the drivers seat. Mr.. Forrestal
repeatedly has complained of his lack
of sufficient authority over the three
branches of his department. BY law the
Secretaries Of the Army, Navy and Air
Force may appeal over his head to the
President. His administrative control over
the departments is extremely limited. And
the Joint Chiefs of Staff has no statutory
head whatever. 1t is supposed to advise
the Secretary Of Defense but 1t has been
unable to agree on some matters of major
defense policy. Hence it's views at times
have been disparate and its advice there
fore confusing, to say the least.
After long and careful study of these
problems, the commission has come to
the conclusion that only major re-
organization of the present ineffective
setup will meet the needs of securitye
It recommends that the head of the
National Military Establishment be given
real executive authority over his de-
partment. To reinforce this authority,
the heads of the respective branches
would be prohibited from by-passing
the Defense Secretary in order to get
the ear of the President or Congress.
The majority of the commission favored
a change in title for the secretaries to
"undersecretary," but minority led by
Herbert Hoover wanted the present titles
retained. All members of the commission
agreed, however, that these departmental
heads, whatever their titles, should be
subordinate to the Secretary of Defense.
And the commission agreed that the Joint
Chiefs of Staff should be given leader
ship-presumabl of the type now being
given it by General Eisenhower under a
temporary arrangement. The majority
felt that this leadership should be exer-
cised by a chairman appointed by the
Defense Secretary with approval of the
President, while minority led by Com
mission Vice Chairman Dean Acheson
preferred creation of an overall chief of
staff to preside over the Joint Chiefs. The
effect would be the same in either case.
The commissions arguments in behalf
of this major overhaul of the defense
establishment are logical and persuasive.
The urgency of such an overhaul grows
as the magnitude of the defense task
increases. The leadership which is now
lacking because of statutory limitations
should be provided without further delay.
The commissions plan would supply the
necessary leadership to get things done at
the Pentagon-and The Star hopes that
Congress will implement the plan with the
necessary legislation when the time comes
to act.