Evening star., 1950-09-08
Two Lawmakers Ask
Bigger Marine Corps
And Staff Chief Role

W. S444SSAaS 49, " ~~~S$eASAS ~
both former Marines, called on
Congress today to increase greatly
Marine Corps strength and give
1t equal representation on the
Joint Chiefs of Staff despite Presi-
dent Truman'S wishes.
Representative Mansfield, Dem
ocrat, of Montana, and Senator
Douglas, Democrat, of Illinois, said
they will introduce bills to:
(a) Raise the basic strength of
the Marines to 100000 men:
(b) authorize four divisions and
four air wings; (c) create an AS
sistant Secretary of the Navy for
the Marines, and I'd place the
Marine commandant on the Joint
Chiefs of Staff.
BY mobilizing their reserves, the
Marines are now building toward
a maximum strength of about
100000 men. They are repre-
sented on the joint chiefs only by
a Navy man.
Dispute Subsidies.
Mr.. Mansfield and Senator
Douglas disclosed their plans as
the Juror subsidized over Mr.. Tru-
mans reference to the Marines as
q police force" with a "propa-
ganda machine that is almost
equal to Stalin's."
Marine veterans, satisfied with
the Presidents public apology and
his appearance before the Marine
Corps League yesterday, took out
after Secretary of State Acheson
and Secretary of Defense Johnson
instead.
With but one dissenting vote,
the annual convention of the Ma
rine veterans organization adopt
ed resolution urging Mr.. Truman
to fire Defense Secretary johnson.
Acheson Resolution Beaten.
A companion resolution calling
for the removal of Secretary of
State Acheson was defeated.
League officers had predicted both
resolutions would be adopted by
an overwhelming majority.
The league denounced the
hort-sighted, inefficient and die
tatorial policies of the present Sec
retary Of Defense" in the resolu-
ton calling for his removal. The
President was urged to appoint
competent and far-sighted states
man" as Defense Secretary.
Brig. Gen. Robert c. Kilmartin.
USMC retired, of Washington, led
the fight which resulted in defeat
Of the AcheSon resolution. He
told the convention President
Truman had asked the league not
to single out members of his
cabinet for individual attacks and
said it was the duty of Marine
veterans to support the President.
Gen. Kilmartin said the John
son resolution was adopted be-
fore he had an opportunity to
oppose it.
Truman Protests Attacks.
MIR. Truman in his brief talk |
to the league yesterday said that
unfair, unjust attacks have been
made on certain men in public
Office"
He said actually these attacks
are directed at the President of
the United States. Mr.. Truman
made it clear he considers the
attacks to be politically inspired.
Both Mr.. AcheSon and Mr.. John
son have been under fire in Con-
gress, particularly from Republi-
cans.
A representative of the Depart
ment of Defense, Comdr. Russell
B. Jones, U. S. N. r., carried
greetings to the league from Sec
retary johnson. In a brief
address, Comdr Jones told the
sober-faced audience that the de-
partment is always ready and
willing to cooperate with the
Marine Corps League" He was
heartily applauded.
At his news conference yester-
day, Mr.. Truman pronounced his
crack at the Marines a closed Incl
dent. The Marine Corps League
already has voted it that.
It did so after the President
wrote Gen. Clifton B. Gates, Ma
rine Corps commandant, a letter
starting: II sincerely regret the
unfortunate choice of language"
in his earlier letter, written to a
Republican Congressman.
Still Opposes Staff Job.
But the President made it clear
in the letter to Gen. Gates that
he still is opposed to giving the
Marines representation on the
Joint Chiefs of staff, the top mill
tary policy group in the Nation.
It is made up of the chiefs of the