Evening star., 1950-07-11
Confusion Appearing
In War Command Due
To 'Unification' Law
MiIitoy Is Superseded
BY Layer Of Civilians;
Ineffieieney Results
By David Laurence

If the Korean outbreak had been
the beginning of a large scale war,
the United States today would be
tumbling with the worst kind of
confusion IN the command setup.
An unavoidable plan, never con-
templated by Congress when it
wrote the so-called "unification"
law in 1948. has already brought
such series of distractions as to
delay direct action by the COM
mander- -chief and to interfere
with the actual operation of a
war command by the U. S. joint
chiefs of staff.
The arrangement which was in
effect during World War II, where
by the top men of the three armed
services functioned directly in an
operational way, has been abol-
ished. Instead the military now is
superseded by layer of civilian
committees which cannot but re-
suit In inefficiency and delay.
Statute Broad Enough.
The statute is broad enough to
permit Of direct operation if the
commander-in-chief wishes it.
Failure to let all components of
the military establishment have
direct access to the executive au-
thority possessed by the President
is partly responsible for the tragic
delays that have already occurred
in Korea and which are to no
small extent accountable for the
inability of the Far Eastern
forces to deal more effectively
with the North Korean invasion.
During World War II there was
nobody between President Roose-
welt, as commander-in-chief, and
the joint chiefs of staff. The
latter organization operated the
war command and sent it's Or
ders to General Eisenhower in
Europe or Admiral Nimitz in the
Central Pacific or General Mac
Arthur in the Southwest Pacific.
Mr.. Roosevelt had a chief of staff,
Admiral Leahy, who sat with the
joint chiefs of staff. The Secretary
Of the Navy and the Secretary of
War did not have any authority
over operations or sit in on the
planning of military operations.
Today's Setup. which was in
tended primarily for peacetime
places the Secretary Of Defense, > a
civilian, between the President and
the joint chiefs. This doesn't mean
Mr.. johnson himself but the va
rious assistant secretaries ano
committees of the defense de-
partment who speak in his name
and through whom the joint chiefs
must 60 before they can func-
tion on matters which are vital te
military planning.
The idea that, because General
Omar Bradley attends presiden-
tial conferences, the military is
represented is fallacious one. The
general has no loperational or
staff responsibilities directly re-
lated to any Of the three armed
services nor is he familiar with
operations as such. He is not the
boss Of the joint chiefs of staff.
BY law, he is specifically deprived
Of a vote in its deliberations. He
Is in q sense secretary or co-or-
dinator for the joint joint chiefs
when they meet as a body, but
he cannot exercise any operational
responsibilities.
War Council Needed.
To put General Bradley between
the joint chiefs and the President
Is to deprive the Commander In
Chief of the opportunity to get
his military advice first hand in
stead Of second hand. What the
President should have is war
council. consisting of the heads of
the three armed services and also
Of the commander of the ground
forces Of the Army and comman-
dant OF the Marine Corps. The
problems Of the latter two chiefs
are so important that they should
sit in whenever strategy is con-
sidered.
1t so happens that, although
the Korean invasion occurred or
June rs, the U. S. Marine Corps
readiness with it's mobile force tx
play q vital part in the Far East
ern operations was taken up on
June % by the chief of naval
operations. The matter then was
tabled. The Marines are sailing
for the Far East now only be.
cause General Macarthur on July
sent a hurry-up request fol
them. This shows that in Wash
ington there was a sort of indif-
ference to or neglect of the Ma
rine Corps. The Marines have al
ways been ready to sail on three
days notice. The division which is
being sent to Korea, after a seri-
GUS delay of two weeks, is the best
equipped force of troops of all the
American ground forces. It goes
combat-loaded. 1t can step off the
ship and fight no matter where it
Is landed.
Representative Carl Vinson OF
Georgia, Democrat. Chairman OF
House Armed Services Committee
has introduced legislation to make
the Commandant of the Marine
Corps member of the joint chiefs
OF staff because amphibious war
fare is a speciality like strategic
bombing, which already has a
representative on the staff. But
the ground forces also should be
represented by their commander
who can speak up for tactical avi-
alton without fear of offending the
strategic bombing spokesman
when seeking the right kind OF
air support for ground troops.
But the President need not wait
for legislation. He can make ur
his own war council by a stroke Of
the pen. This is very much needed
II big war breaks out, the pres.
ence of such council will mean