Evening star., 1952-01-23

| Another personal interest was
farming his 70-acre estate across
the Hudson River from West
Point. '"The average farmer
would get along much better" he
remarked, eff he raised the neces-
saries Of life instead OF crops for
a cash market. We've gotten
away from the fundamental idea
Iof farming, which is to produce
la living for the farmer and his
family. That's what I'm trying
to do with my place"
Secretary Patterson and Miss
Margaret T. Winchester Of Balti-
more were married on January 8,
1920. There are four children,
Robert, P, jr.. who won a Dis
|tinguished Flying Cross In World
War II as q BIZ bomber-navi-
gator; Aileen W., Susan Hand
and Virginia Devereaux.
Judicial Temperament.
The judicial temperament which
Mr.. Patterson displayed in his
War Department as well as in
court duties frequently won praise
by associates. Former Associate
Justice Owen Roberts of the
Supreme Court commented that,
though the then Undersecretary
of War was doing a good job.
fgood appellate judges such as he
"are hard to find"
Mr.. Patterson nevertheless was
outspoken in his views. especially
early in the war when he warned
repeatedly against public and
official complacency. Long be-
fore this country's entry he adj
vocated aid to the Allies, urged
passage of the Lend-Lease Act
in 1941, and urged & President
Roosevelt be given discretionary
war powers in March Of that
year.
With the United States actively
engaged in the struggle, he was
described as Secretary Stimson's
strong right arm" not only in
the gigantic task of building upI
military resources but in ap-l
pearing often before congressional
committees to urge passage OF al
manpower control bill.
Wanted Armed Power Kept.
Even before the end of thel
fighting he advocated military
training as being vital to peace.
After victory he recommended
that the United States maintain
sufficient armed power to guar
antee peace.
To-day the United States has
world leadership" he declared
soon after the Axis collapse, "a
leadership which could not have
been achieved without its armed
power. That leadership, that
armed power, is necessary to guar
antee the peace. If we dissipate
our armed strength, we win be
asking for another war, a war
more fateful than any we have yet
known" !"
Six months before Germany
surrendered, Mr.. Patterson said
this Nations military establish
ment in peacetime should rest on
universal military training, indus
trial resources capable of swift
mobilization, a unified command
for the armed forces, and scien-
tific and engineering development.
The advent of the atomic bomb
caused no revision in his opinion.
He insisted this was all the more
reason for big reserve of trained
men to protect the United States.
Suggested Merger Plan.
AS early as August, 1914, in a
speech at Norwich University. he
officially suggested a merger Of
the Army and Navy.
His work in the War Depart
ment was no less involved after
the defeat Of the enemy. De-
mobilization and postwar national
defense posed problems as compli-
Gated and pressing as any he
encountered earlier.
While in the War Department,
he made several trips, one in the
summer Of 1943 to the South
Pacific and Australia with 1t.
Gen. William B. Knudson, and In
December. 1945, when he few
around the world and conferred
with military authorities on occu-
patton problems. On the latter
trip he was the target of some
CT criticism when he disclosed
that he was surprised to hear
at Guam that Army discharge
points for men overseas stopped
accommodating on WI Day. Early
lin 1916 he assumed full response
Ibility" for the destruction Of
Japanese cyclotronS which Ameri-
can scientists believed would have
been helpful in atomic research
in this country.
Only q short time before. he
showed prophetic flare in the
realm Of aviation science, being
Ione Of the first leading authorities
Ito predict the advent Of jet
propelled planes which would ex-
lceed the speed Of sound.
On quitting as Secretary of War
lin l947. MIR. Patterson was warmly
praised by President Truman. who