Evening star., 1953-04-14
Wilson Order Curbs
Public Information:
Staff Cuts in Prospect
By John A. Giles

secretary OF Defense Wilson
has prepared an order calling
for strict control by his Office
Of all Armed Forces public in
formation activities.
The action was viewed by
observers as being in line with
Mr.. Wilson's general philosophy
that less information should be
given out about the multi-bil-
lion-dollar military establish
ment.
This policy has been pointed
up clearly since the former
General Motors president took
Office. He has held only one
conference and once, upon re-
turning from a visit to the Air
Material Command at Dayton,
Ohio. he brushed aside reporters
at National Airport with the
coment, "That's the way we
do it at GM."
The new order, dated four days
ago, largely reaftirms rules set
down originally by the late Sec
retary of Defense James For
restal on March II, 1949. In
recent years, however, the Army,
Navy. Air Force and Marine
Corps have been drifting away
from this centralized control.
Mr.. Wilson's Office said after
his order was issued that it
was being withheld temporarily
pending "clarf1cation."
If carried out, the directive
would mean a decrease in the
number of persons employed in
public information activities by
the separate armed forces.
Restatement Held Necessary.
Mr.. Wilson stated that "four
years Of experience have
confirmed the need for a re-
tatement of the organizational
arrangements and procedures
established for the central Of
flee of public information"
He then went on to state that
his Office would operate on a
consolidated basis, reporting to
his director Of public informa-
ton, Andrew Berding, the fol-
lowing activities:
Press, magazine, radio, tele-
vision, photograph and news
reel services; issuance of all
press releases and pictures; CO.
operation with motion picture
and television companies and
making pictures relating to mill
itary activities; all public con-
facts including military displays
and special events; security re-
view accreditation of cores
pondents and providing analy-
sis of what is written and said
about the department.
Separate Staffs Banned.
"The Secretary of the Army.
Navy and Air Force and the var
ious agencies of the Department
of Defense shall not maintain
stats to provide the services
listed" Mr.. Wilson directed.
The services have built up sep
arate staffs to provide such serv-
ices on the ground they were
necessary to provide instructions
for field installations outside
Washington.
Mr.. F'orrestal's original order
exempted such public informa-
ton activities from field installa-
tions outside the seat of govern
ment. Mr.. Wilson's order makes
the same exemptions but de-
clares that the services shall
maintain only the personnel
necessary for transmission of
policy instructions to the field
installations.
A department spokesman said
there was no question that the
order meant a far stricter con-
troll over armed services public
utterances.
Other Orders Recalled.
Mr.. Wilson's latest move fol-
lows issuance of orders banning
discussion by service spokesmen
of policy" decisions by the mill
tary and his cancellation of pub
lie showings of new weapons.
Mr.. Wilson also is reported to
have been against the recent
public demonstration of atomic
weapons in Nevada, but was voted
down in the National Security
Council