Evening star., 1953-01-09
7 Republicans Urge
Closer Unification
OF Armed Services
BY the Associated Press


day by two Republicans who hold
key positions on defense legisla-
ton.
Their views were expressed as
the House Armed Services Com
mittee continued it's study of the
worldwide military situation
with Gen. Omar Bradley, chair
man of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,
at a closed-door session starting
at 10 am.
Defense Secretary Lovett be-
gan the review yesterday at a
two-hour meeting with the COM
mittee. He offered no solution
for the Korean staiemate, but
expressed doubt lit would be
worth while to use all-out force
trying to drive the Communists
out of their caves and dugouts."
Present UnificatiOn.
The suggestions for improved
armed forces efficiency came
from Senator Saltonstall of
Massachusetts, scheduled to be-
come chairman of the Senate
Armed Services Committee, and
Representative Van Zandt, Re-
publican, of PENNSYLVANIA. a
member of the corresponding
House group.
Senator Saltonstall described
the present Unification Act as
o compromise setup."
He told a reporter the function
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff needs
study, as do the workings of
the staff of the Secretary of De-
fenSe, the separate service re-
search branches and the make
up of the Munitions Board-all
organized under the Unif1cation
Act.
Senator Saltonstall also said
operation of the Selective Serv-
ice Act should be changed.
either by amendments or by
executive order of President
elect Eisenhower after his Janu-
ary 20 Inauguration.
Representative Van Zandt
called for six to eight months
increase in draft service. He
said he would ask Congress to
consider draft terms of between !
80 and SO months. instead of "a
months as at present.
"a Months Held Too Short.
Representative Van Zandt, a
Naval Reserve captain. returned
last week from seven weeks ac-
tive duty much of it in Korea.
There, he said, he travelled in
cognito talking to officers and
men and decided:
"TWenty-f months have
proven to be too short. Out of
this. there is only about 10
months of combat duty.
Our troops reach only about .
rs pen cent efficiency before they
have to be sent home"
While men are drafted for "a
months. they are now being re-
leased after 20 months if their
service includes a tour of duty
in Korea
In connection with discussion
of the Korean stalemate, Repre- !
sentative Short, Republican, of |
Missouri. the chairman of the
House committee, suggested it
might be possible to bring more
economic pressure on China.
Tighter Spy Curbs Asked.
Mr.. Lovett. in his appearance
before the committee, called for
tighter laws against TRAITORS,
spies and blabbermouths."
He told the committee prompt
action to close loopholes is of
cardinal Importance" to remove
zone of the great hazards to ma
tional security"
The outgoing secretary gave
the committee several other
recommendations, including a
proposal to take prompt steps
for a system of Universal Mill
tary Training.
Mr.. Short who has been an
opponent of UNIT. expressed he
lief that this was a dead issue
as long as Selective Service con-
tlnued in effect.
Mr.. Lovett said system Gf
UNIT Is the "only satisfactory"
way to lower military costs by
keeping standing forces down to
a minimum backed by a basic
ally trained reserve"
Additional tiOnS.
The secretary made these
other basic recommendations:
/. That members of the Joint
Chiefs representing the three
services be permitted to delegate .
broad authority to vice chiefs .
and thus devote more Time to
planning.
2. That the Defense Secretary
be given more legal control over .
the department and be permitted
his own military staff of advis-
erS, now barred by law.
3. That the organizations of
the three services be studied for
streamlining and particularly to
eliminate duplication among sev-
en- Army supply services.
4. That efforts be made to
eliminate the number of world
wide military headquarters and
to reduce the number of men
now required to support each
frontline soldier.
5. That the Munitions Board
overSeer of military production,
be enlarged to include civilian
experts. The board now is COM
posed of three service secretaries.
Mr.. Short said Mr.. Lovett made
these other major points:
l. The world situation is as
tense as it was three years ago
and this is no time to relax"
2. eve are in a stalemate in
Korea" and Mr.. Lovett offered
no solution. although he sug-
geSted more economic pressure