Evening star., 1949-05-23
New Military Establishment
Is ForrestoIs Chief Monument

fashion expert. They had two
sons, Michael. 81. and Peter. 10.
They lived in Georgetown at 29th
and r streets and also owned a
farm in Dutchess County.
Believed in Self Reliance.
Mr.. Forrestal made a fetish Of
self reliance. There is a story that
he once sent his sons. then aged
6 and 8, on a tour of Europe by
themselves and when they tele-
phoned him in London that they
were having passport trouble in
Paris, he casually told them TO
join him as soon as they had
Strengthened 1t out.
He was a inveterate pipe smoker
and took only occasional social
drinks. His hard work allowed
him little rest and he occasionally
found some relaxation In golf and
tennis at the Chevy Chase Club.
1t was no small task that he
undertook as Secretary Of Defense.
1t grew increasingly difficult as
the three rival services bickered
among themselves. Using persua-
sion-in sharp contrast to his sue
cessor, Louis Johnson-Mr. For
restal worked hard and long. FIRE.
quently he could be observed in
his Office until 10 pm.
But some of Mr.. Forrestal's diff
culties appeared to have been the
product of his own making. For
as Secretary of the Navy. he had
directed that services fight for a
compromise unification law with
more decentralization than sought
by the Army.
Changed Mind on Tactics.
BY last fall Mr.. Forrestal had
changed his mind about accom-
plishing unification by working
with people" His recommended
tions for stronger authority for
the Defense Secretary even now
are being debated in Congress
and there is every indication that
the lawmakers will follow most of
his recommendations.
To a greater extent than most
Government officials in recent
years Mr.. Forrestal was the target
of all manner of attacks, both per-
sonal and official. Although he
never answered most of them and
outwardly appeared to throw them
off like water off ducks back,
his intimates said that he often
became deeply hurt by them. But
he took the view that man in
public life exposed himself to vi
cious smear attacks.
Most of the material used
against him was impossible to
answer anyway. 1t was largely
true, but derogatory only by in
|neundo. He was a self-made mil
lionaire, a Wall streeter, one time
head of an international banking
firm and personally opposed to
many phases of the New Deal.
Got Threatening Letters.
One of the most vicious cam
paigns of all involved Mr.. For
restal's position in the troubled
Near East. He, was accused of be-
ing anti-Zionist, of having used
his position to promote the Arab
and British position and of favor
ing the oil interests there. Just
before he left Office last March %
he was receiving several hundred
letters weekly, some of them
threatening, on the subject .
e He aisu came in for criticism be-
cause he did not actively parti-
cipate in President Truman's cam
paign for reelection last fall. But
these charges, like so many others.
had no basis. He stayed out of the
campaign with Mr.. Truman's con-
sent for the same reason that then
Secretary of State Marshall made
no speeches-to keep foreign policy
and national defense out of
politics. Before the political con-
ventions he had been mentioned
as possibility as vice-presi-
dental candidate.
Mr.. Forrestal's critics missed no
opportunities to throw mud.
When he found that a number of
agencies had responsibility for in
ternal security, he urged that they
be co-ordinated. From this, op-
ponents concocted the charge that
he wanted to abolish the Federal
Bureau of Investigation and set
up "gestapo" under his own Of
fee. He denied that one, declar-
ing that it was so untruthful that
he was almost persuaded that it
is malicious"
A Man of Thought.
Mr.. Forrestal hated public ap-
pearances and speech-making and
was persuaded to hold news con-
ferences only at long intervals.
But he always handled himself
well with questioners-both the
press and on Capitol Hill. And
his relations with both were gen.
orally good.
One thing about Mr.. Forrestal
that was both an asset and a