Evening star., 1949-10-24
No Reprisa|s Seen
For Nays Stand al
Hearing in House
Johnson Shows No Sign
Of Acting Against Men
Who Questioned Policies
By David Laurence

sk1OQSc ATuleQ SERVICES OOIuIllGCee
has advised Secretary of Defense
johnson that there must be nc
reprisals or punitive measures
taken directly or indirectly against
anyone who testified before his
congressional committee. All wit
nesses appeared by invitation OF
the committee and testified on
points in an agenda prepared by
the committee itself.
The talk of a "heads.will-roll'
sequel or a purge" is unfair to
Secretary johnson. For there is
not the slightest evidence that he
has contemplated any such steps
If, under our system of free gov
ernment, the Legislative Branch
cannot learn what the Executive
Branch is doing with public funds
because witnesses are punished or
intimidated, something will dis
appear from the American scene
which can give a worse impression
to the whole world than a few
headlines telling of a heated de-
bate among military men over
hypothetical strategy.
Even more unrealistic is the
comment that because serious diff
ferences of opinion prevail, the
present members of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff cannot function
together hereafter. Controversies
are perennial in military circles.
The hearings have uncovered
nothing that hasn't been going on
for two years and cordiality has
not been lacking.
There really isn't anything per-
sonal in all this. It is simply a
reflection of the deep-rooted diff
ferences of approach to military
problems and how the money shall
be divided. Such differences pre-
cede but do not persist after a
decision has been reached by the
peoples representatives - Con-
gress.
Principle Not Under Fire.
Unification as a principle is not
under fire. All three services
want it. Unified command has
worked we'll in the field. What
remains to be resolved is funda-
mental principle of top-level CO.
ordination as between civilian and
military. and as between the
chiefs of the armed services them
selves. Shall the representatives
of all armed services become ''yes
men" and take orders from one
man?. Shall that man be the
President of the United States
or can the authority be delegated
to some general or admiral or to
a cabinet officer who has never
been elected to Office by the peo-
pie? The present unif1cation law
is far from explicit on this point.
It never was contemplated. for
example, that the Joint Chiefs OF
Staff would be an operating COM
mand, but only, an advisory body,
with final authority vested in the
commander in chief who alone
would make final decision.
The Joint chiefs do seek to "rec-
ommend" theoretical strategy
how the next war might be fought.
From this stem the recommended
taons for the spending of money.
Each service wants as much as 1t
can get. The fear of unprepared-
ness is basic. It is no solution,
however, to let two services decide
how much the third shall spend.
Obviously civilian authority must
be paramount here.
It Is important that each Of the
three armed services shall have
ample opportunity to present its
ideas and that there be no
squelching of views or attempts at
thought control" The Navy has
felt up to now that it had no
adequate opportunity to present
its views in secret and that its
recommendations were summarily
dismissed by the other services or
by the Secretary of Defense. This
was said publicly by John L. Sui
Ivan when he resigned as Secre-
tary of the Navy.
All Views Presented.
Now, thanks to the congress
sional committee hearing, all
views have been presented. If
now, in the face Of the conflicting
testimony, the President and Con-
gress wish to take the RESPONSE
bility for ordering in gradual steps
the emasculation of the Naval Air
Forces, of course the Navy will
gladly obey. For no greater libel
was ever written than to call
Navy men rebels" against unfit
cation.
All that the Navy men wanted
was to make sure the country was
properly informed on a vital mat
ter of national safety so that
Congress and the people might
know some day where to place the
blame If unhappily a huge loss of
American lives occurs on the high
seas. This could result from
tragic errors of miscalculation as
to what the land based bombers
Of the enemy and new-type sub
marines can do to our troop ships,
tankers and supply ships when
conveyed by a Navy that did not
have enough air power to defend
itself or to strike at submarine
bases and other coastal targets.
There is no real reason why
unity should not be readily ac-
complished as soon as the re-
sponsibility for the momentous
decision Of strategy is fully as
sumed by the President.
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