Evening star., 1949-09-21
Argues That Military Chiefs
Should Hold One Job at q Time
To the Editor OF The Star:

Argues That Military Chiefs
Should Hold One Job at Time
To the Editor OF The Star:
1t is unfortunate that the problems of uni
fication have as yet neither been settled
nor limited to those officials concerned. How
ever, these failures may yet establish that
the forces, prestige and budget of each serv-
ice cannot be matter for debate or decision
by the other two services.
To avoid just such situation, the Air
Force fought for complete separation from
the Army. They wanted to go directly to
Congress for funds without intervening ac-
ton by the Army staff. But when separated
they were unified but not merged with
the other two services, relationship which
sounds very much like common law mar
riage.
When separate Air Force budget was es-
tabliShed, the civilian heads of our Govern
ment required the Joint Chiefs of Staff
really the services themselves-to vote on
one another's budget and forces. So the Air
Force, in effect, found itself with nearly all
the bad features of it's original position, while
the Navy. as the service getting hurt, only
too naturally learned to resent the actions
of the other services, and. just as the Army
Air Force began to wish divorce from
Army and Air Force control
Those Most Concerned Involved.
The primary responsibility of the Secre-
tary of Defense should be to insure that
the services receive all the national policy
direction needed for efficient operations,
particularly as concerns ALLEGATIONS OF men,
money and materials from the civilian econ
omy. It is psychological crime to pass this
problem to those most concerned in It's out
come for the development of solution by
arbitration especially as Congress must make
the final decision in any event.
Primarily due to the above procedures,
the situation in the Pentagon daily grows
more distressing. Key military personnel
are so involved in arbitrating differences OF
opinion that they necessarily slight the man
agement of their respective establishments
The inefhciencies which result or continue
cause civilian officials to believe that they
alone can bring unifcation and efficiency
to the armed forces. So, knowingly or un-
knowingly, they are extending their author
ity in such manner that the prestige and
efficiency of the military departments is
being undermined even more.
The civilians are trying to manage the
armed forces because the military are not
doing this efficiently. The military are try
ing to produce the required policy guidance
which only civilians properly can develop.
Each group is concentrating on the others
primary responsibility at the sacrifice OF
its own.
The Joint Chiefs are sent off globe-trot-
ting when their primary duties are here in
Washington. Nevertheless they continue as
individuals to decide the views of their own
service and then, as the Joint Chiefs OF Staff,
to attempt final arbitration and decision.
They change hats in this shift, but do not
change their minds, in a procedure abso-
lutely contrary to that of the Supreme Court
whose justices eliminate themselves when
they have reason for bias
The resulting chaos will likely WorSen be-
fore it improves. The system is destructive
to service morale and efficiency in times OF
peace, while it is definitely unsuitable for
use during war.
Why can't our military chiefs occupy but
one job-and be left alone to do that well?
Why can't the civilian officials of our Gov
ernment give the services the guidance they
require, and then decentrafize Responsibilities
for, and management Of operations to SEM
ice personnel? Why can't the leaders OF our
Nation define the proper boundary between
the national defense responsibilities ana
duties of appointed amateurs and profess
sional servicemen? Why can't civilians act
as a board of directors for the National
Military Establishment instead of as oper-
ating managers?
Until these questions are answered by
positive action along sound lines the armed
forces of our Nation will continue to dete-
riorate in efficiency morale and fighting
power-a terrible condition to admit in the
light of the current state of the world and
the ever-growing nature of our military COM
mitments abroad. ARMY COLONEL.