Evening star., 1950-08-31

Air FOrce - Zl,Uo6 1US,4l1
Total - 434,904 S33,574
So much for the first of the four
paragraphs in which you outline
the reasons" for your letter to
me. In the second Of your four
paragraphs, you state that I have
made "brash statements" and you
go on to say: Notable among
them, that should an aggressor
strike at four, we would be ready
at FIVE"
Charges Misinterpretation.
I welcome this opportunity to
clarity the misinterpretation that
has been placed upon my state
ments on this subject.
On a number of occasions, both
in public speeches and in private
conversations, have stressed the
fact that the United States is
a democracy which genuinely and
conscientiously believes in peace
and being such a democracy, we
will not be the aggressor in any
global war that might occur. I
have then gone on to state that
since the attack. If it comes,
might be leveled against the
United States-our military plans
must be designed to deter ag-
gression, If that should be pos
sible, or to retaliate at the earliest
possible moment If aggression
against the United States should
occur.
In order to make my views on
this point specific, have stated
that our plans take into account
the possibility Of an attack against
us at 4 o'clock some morning
and our plans provide that we
will be ready to begin retaliation
against such an attack at 5 o'clock
the same morning. have ref
erence, of course, to our ability
to launch a strategic air strike.
U. S. Would Be Victor.
Further, in the various public
speeches and private converse
tions to which I have referred,
I have gone on to say that If
such a conflict should occur, there
was no question in my mind OF
the ultimate outcome-for, I said,
the industrial potential Of the
United States is so great that we
would be the ultimate victors If
such a global war should occur.
I have no apology to make for
my statements in this respect.
They were, and are. completely
factual. Our ability to launch a
strategic air strike, together with
our enormous industrial poten-
tial, are-in my opinion-the two
great factors which have thus far
prevented an attack upon us.
Indeed, our every ability to do
the thing which I have men
tioned-that is, to strike back on
extremely short notice-may be
the reason why we are. faced to-
day, in Korea, with local aggres-
sion-instead Of being faced with
bombing raids upon American
cities.
Counters Third Point.
The third reason" set forth in
your letter is merely a restate-
ment Of your first two reasons,
together with a conclusion drawn
by you from the first two reasons.
to the effect that through these
and through I. . short
sighted economy measures" the
Secretary of Defense has "lost
the confidence of the American
people" I trust that you are
wrong in your conclusion on this
point, for there is nothing that
I value more highly than the con-
fidence of the American people.
I have sought, with all the re-
sources at my command, to be
worthy of that confidence-as
we'll as the confidence which the
President showed in appointing
me to the post which I hold, and
the confidence expressed by the
Senate in unanimously confirm
ing me to this position. I hope,
therefore, that you are wrong in
your conclusion or this score
but I realize that many Ameri-
can people have undoubtedly been
misled. as you yourself appear to
have been, by misinformation
with respect to the Department
of Defense which has been rather
widespread over a considerable
period of time.
Says Forrestal Suffered, Too.
My predecessor, James Forrestal,
suffered from the spreading of a
great deal of misunderstanding
during his tenure as Secretary of
Defense. ] have also suffered
from the spreading of such mis-
information. But I continue to
believe that, in the long run, the
solid facts of what the Depart
ment of Defense is accomplishing
will stand out above the misinfor-