Evening star., 1952-02-10
Preparedness Group
Praises Army Reply
To Report on Waste


The Senate Armed Services Pre-
paredness subcommittee demon
strated last night it can throw
bouquets as well as brick-bats at
the defense program.
Chairman Lyndon B. johnson.
Democrat, Of Texas, praised Army
Secretary Pace in releasing what
the Senator described as "a model
response by a head Of an executive
agency" to report of a congress
sional investigating committee.
The subcommittee had issued a
report several weeks ago, critical
Of wasteful operations found by
investigators at eight Army install
lations.
Model Reply.
The Army reply made public
yesterday was a detailed analysis
Of each charge and what has been
done about it. After reading 1t,
Senator johnson wrote Secre-
tary Pace in part as follows:
"Your reply to our report is a
model from every point of view.
Where you disagreed with our
recommendations in whole or in
part you fully stated the reasons
supporting your views. On the
other hand, where you concurred
in our remedial suggestions, you
described in detail the course OF
action the Army is Immediately
undertaking to implement these
recommendations"
The subcommittee had Sug-
gested greater efforts to get phys
ically fit soldiers out of desk jobs
by wider use of limited service and
female military personnel.
The Army recognized the desir-
ability of that course, and said
preliminary evidence indicates
that about 54 per cent Of overhead
personnel can be other than Cen
eral Service men. The Secretary
reported, however. that inability
to recruit enough Wacs and budg-
ct ceilings on the hiring of civilians
are obstacles to the effort to re-
lease the maximum number of
combat-qualif1ed men from ad-
ministrative positions.
Manpower Utilization Stressed.
-Concurring in another subcom-
mittee recommendation, the Army
said it has issued directives to in
crease command consciousness of
the importance of proper man
power utilization.
Accepting another suggestion,
the Secretary reported that the
Army has already instituted an
efficiency rating system for Of
ficers which takes into account
their performance in practicing
economy and proper utilization Of
Inanpower.
The Secretary also supplied the
subcommittee with samples Of
posters that are being displayed
at all Army posts to keep the men
constantly reminded of the need
to avoid waste.
In a separate report made pub
Lie yesterday, the johnson sub
committee said it had learned that
one Army unit in Korea estab-
lished a policy of holding men
with minor delinquency reports
for an extra so days of combat
duty beyond their normal rotation
dates.
The subcommittee said the pol
ley was rescinded early In January
after the subcommittee had
started an investigation. The sit
uation was brought to the sub
committees attention by a private
in the 363d Ordnance Ammuni-
ton Company. The soldier In
formed the subcommittee the pol
icy was depressing troop morale
because delinquency reports are
something "the military police
doled out quite freely"
Policy Not Enforced.
The subcommittee statement
said the Army explained the pol
icy was originally set UP by a
Logistical Headquarters (Which
was unnamed) to which the 363d
Ordnance Ammunition Company
was assigned. An Army spokesman
claimed the policy "has not been
adhered to or enforced"
The spokesman explained the
sole purpose of the policy was to
give commanders authority toI
select deserving individuals when
rotation quotas were insufficient
to accommodate all of those be-
coming available for rotation.
The spokesman informed the sub
committee that all commanders
In the Far East have been in
structed that 1t is prohibited to
retain men for 60 days beyond
their rotation date as punish
ment.
81 am glad to know that the
Army has put a stop to this bar
barous form Of punishment" said
Chairman johnson. II can think
of nothing more repugnant to
the traditions of America"