Evening star., 1949-12-18
Defense Department
Eases Control Of News
From Armed Services
By John A. Giles

The Defense Department, which
began consolidating all military
public information activities in
Washington last March IT in a
move to combat inter-service
pickering. apparently now plans
to relax some Of the centralized
control OF the three services
news material.
An order issued to the depart
ment's Office of public informa-
ton gives the Army. Navy and
Air Force active direction of their
respective press sections which
have been under control Of de-
fense official. 1t becomes effective
tomorrow.
An announcement stated that
the public information directors
of the three services had de-
signated deputies to direct the
sections and report back to their
superiors rather than to a De-
fense Department official.
This Is in contrast with the
original consolidation directive
signed by the late. Secretary of
Defense Forrestal. with the ap-
proval of his successor, Louis
johnson. That directive said the
consolidated Office would be the
sole agency for the National
Military Establishment at the seat
of Government for dissemination" "
of news. To carry this out, all
press releases and answers to re-
porters' inquiries by any of the
armed services first had to receive
approval of the Defense Depart
ment's public information organ
ization. An approving clearance"
no longer will be necessary.
Forrestal Order Cited.
The Forrestal order added that
individuals assigned by the Army.
Navy. Air Force and Marine Corps
to the central Office would come
under the full administrative and
operational control of the Secre-
tary of Defense during the time
of their assignment. The new
order changes this arrangement
by making the personnel assigned
to the largest and most active
section of the consolidated office
responsible through channels to
the Secretaries of the Army, Navy
and Air Force rather than to Mr..
johnson.
The latest order appeared over
the signature of William Frye.
Defense Department director OF
public information and an assist
ant to Mr.. johnson. 1t was learned
that it's issuance followed confer
ences In the Office of Deputy De-
tense Secretary Stephen T. Early.
:. New Deputies Named.
The new deputies designated
we're:
Army-Col. Frank Dorm. former
assistant commandant OF the
Army Information School at
Carlisle Barracks. Pa. and a war
time brigadier general in the
India theater.
Navy-Capt. Charles Duffy, for
mer managing editor of The
Washington Times-Herald.
Air Force-Brig. Gen. Sorry
Smith. formerly an assistant to
Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg, Air Grief
of staff, and more recently deputy
director of Air Force public rela-
tions.
The press branch of the Defense
Department, under the new decen-
tralization order, will have direc-
ton of news on offices not under
control of the three services. These
include the Office of the secretary.
Munitions Board, Joint Chiefs OF
Staff and Research and Develop
mentBoard. Lee Hargus. who has
headed the centralized control
press branch. will remain in
charge of the new, more restricted
branch.
There are total Of 225 per-
sonnel in the Defense Department
public information Office here and
the new order affects only those in
the press branch. The radio, pic
ture and magazine sections were
not affected.