Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1950-09-14
Senate May Act Today
On Special Bill for
Marshall Defense Job
By John A. Giles


Marshall to become Secretary of
Defense, succeeding Louis john
son, while other Pentagon resig-
nations appeared in the offlng.
White House Press Secretary
Charles G. Ross said certain"
designations have been submitted
but added that this was customary
when a department chief resigns.
He said he didn't know who had
offered the designations.
There was a chance that the
Senate would pass today a bill
saying that in this one case it
would be all right for a military
man to take over the post re-
served by law for a civilian. There
was some opposition on a matter
of principle, but passage was re-
garded as certain. The House
Armed Services Committee sched-
uled closed session tomorrow to
act on the legislation. The Sen
ate Armed Services Committee ap-
proved it yesterday, 10 to 2.
Secretary Johnson, who resigned
late Tuesday, was pictured by
friends as vastly relieved after be-
ing under the terrific pressure of
the job.
johnson Sought Denial of Story.
1t was learned that when The
Star first published an Associated
Press story last Saturday stating
that Mr.. johnson soon would be
dropped from the cabinet the de-
tense chief asked the White House
for a denial.
For day Mr.. johnson waited,
but none was forthcoming. He
then contacted Secretary of the
Senate Leslie Biffle to ask that
Vice President Barley deny the
story. But, again, there was no
denial.
Meanwhile, Secretary johnson
continued his long-range planning
for national security. 1t is not
known just what brought the mat
ter to a head with Mr.. Truman
late Tuesday but the resignation
OF Deputy Defense Secretary
Stephen E. Early-for personal
reasons-probably had something
to do with it.
Mr.. johnson is not expected to
have anything to say on the sub
ject for several weeks. but friends
pointed out that it was not his
nature to take such heavy criti-
cism without answering. It is,
therefore. considered probable
that he will speak on the matter
of his resignation later.
A number of Mr.. Johnson's
official Pentagon family-includ-
ing Assistant Secretary Paul H.
Griffith-are expected to follow
the defense chief into retirement
soon.
Washington protocol calls for
appointed officials of a depart
ment to offer their destinations
whenever the department chief
is replaced, but the SPRAYING
Defense Department is unique in
this regard. The Secretaries of
the Army, Navy and Air Force,
although reporting to the Defense
Secretary, are not considered
exactly in the same light as an
undersecretary or assistant sec
rotary of any other department.
for instance.
Matthews Subject Of Speculation.
The other two assistant secre-
taries-Wilfred J. Mcneil, who has
charge OF fiscal and budget mat
tiers, and Marx Leva, legislative
and legal chief-served as assist
ants for the late James v. For
restal, first Defense Secretary, and
there was speculation that Gen.
Marshall would ask them to re-
main. They had not made up
their minds about the matter to-
day.
There also was some specula-
ton that Navy Secretary Mat
thews would take this occasion to
resign. He came into Office after
quarrel between Mr.. johnson
and John L. Sullivan last year
which resulted in the latter's res
ignation as Navy Secretary.
Mr.. Matthews recently was the
center OF furry because of a
speech he made advocating pre-
ventive warfare. The State De-
partment and the White House
formally denounced the view, but
President Truman has said that
the incident was closed.
COP Offers Some Criticism,
Army Secretary Pace, the most
recent arrival in the johnson
family, repeatedly was brought in
from his former jub as budget
director at MIR. Johnson's request.
But he also has been a close
friend OF Mr.. Truman.
Air Secretary Finletter, who took
office last April, appeared to have
been primarily choice of Mr..
Truman.
The complaints against chang
ing the law to allow Gen. Mar
shall to take the defense post
came mostly from Republicans.
But there was no organized op-
position to making an exception
Tor the former Secretary of State.
THERE WAS M ctl1nctinxn nf Co.o4.