Evening star., 1949-03-11
Royal Blasts Russia
In Report; Sees War
Threat in Blockade
By John A. Giles

Secretary Royal declared today
that her blockade of Berlin is
"a.day to day threat to the peace
of the world"
In plain-spoken words. Mr.
Royal discussed foreign affairs in
his annual report on the Army
Department to Defense Secretary
Forrestal.
Reviewing the Army's occupa-
ton duties, which require more
than 80 per cent of it's overall
strength. Mr.. Royal set down the
record of attempts since 1945 to
come to an agreement with the
U. S. S. R.
1t is difficult to deal with q
nation which has no compunction
against the use of threats and
force and oppression to attain its
desire" he declared. I'VE cannot
and will not surrender our rights
nor our principles. We will con-
tinue to do everything decently
possible to avoid war"
During the period of negotia-
tions the effort has been to
stand firmly for American rights
without being truculent," he con-
tinued. often the decisions have
been close ones where an error on
either side was entirely possible
Fortunately up to this time war
has been avoided and America S
position has been maintained.
Conflict Short of War
1T has been apparent that the
Soviet authorities have had no
intention either of respecting past
agreements or of composing, the
growing differences. On the con-
trary. 1t has been their manifest
purpose to cause all possible con-
fusion and conflict short Of war,
in an effort to drive us from Berlin
and dimish American influence in
Europe and in the world"
Mr.. Royal said one of the
principal methods of Soviet attack
had been by violent and
fagrantly untruthful statements. y
but he also noted that the Rus
slams had reSorted to constant
threats against the airlift and
against the people of Berlin, and
that they have fomented mobs
and have unlaWfully seized build
ings and property
Concluding that the present
difficulties stem from the
theology of one of the occupying
powers whose own homeland is
so extensive that it nearly touches
Germany on the west and Korea
on the east, the secretary
commented that:
The future of the Berlin Sit
uation-just as the future Of other
situations involving the Soviet
Union-is hard to prophesy."
The Army repeatedly has made
moves to turn the occupation
duties over to the State Depart
ment, Mr.. Royal said.
Transfer Postponed.
"Although State-Army plans
we're nearly completed to transfer
administrative responsibility for
Germany to the Department of
State at the end of the fiscal year
l948, the President. on March %,
1948, decided under conditions
then existing to postpone the
transfer indefinitely Mr.. Royal
reported. Thus the fourth year
of occupation commences with the
Army continuing to perform these
necessary administrative tasks but
willing to agree that this is not
Job for soldiers. "
Mr.. Royal said he has urged
consistently that the armed
forces unification law be changed
to strengthen the authority OF
the Defense Secretary and cut
down the authority of the Army
Navy and Air Force Departments
He quoted his secret testimony
before the Eberstadt Committee
of the Hoover Commission on
Governmental Reorganization as
follows:
Il am convinced that the statute
must be strengthened or entirely
abandoned. "*@ Military organi-
zation-in the field or elsewhere
just will not work on a voluntary
cooperation theory. What is
needed is decisive statute estab-
fishing an organization based upon
authoritative direction and COM
mand, as distinguished from one
based on self ordination and
mutual cooperation"
Mr.. Royal, who was reported
preparing to leave his post soon
after President Truman NOM
mated Louis johnson as Defense
Secretary, had written his report
before Mr.. Truman asked Con-
gress to greatly strengthen the
unification act in a special mes
sage last Saturday.
Builds Up Intelligence.
The Secretary also disclosed an
effort to build up the Army's in
telligence system, which came in
for criticism from the Eberstadt
Committee.
He reported that during the last
year the Army had carried out ar
extensive program to map foreign
territories and that it now hao
more than 1,165.000 maps in its
files.
Describing the general purpose
of the Army mission to Greece a.
providing the Greek general staff
cal planning of operations against
the guerrillas." Mr.. Royal sale
the group was authorized at 36t
men.
There are no United State!
combat troops in Greece, anc
United States military personne
do not participate in combat MOI
do they command Greek troops,
he declared.
In Turkey, where the mission
consists of 38 officers. IS enlisted
men and SIS civilians. Mr.. Royal
reported that tanks. artillery. am