Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-14
Kyes Didn't Stay Long,
But He Had an Impact
By John A. Giles

they have operated as q team"
But. with Mr.. Wilson's overall APP
prevail and Mr.. Kyes' constant
prodding, the military dropped more
than 10000 civilians from the
payrolls: every department head
has been made waste conscious:
new systems Of inventory have been
devised to find out what is on hand,
where it is, what is obsolete or
deteriorating; cost accounting sys-
TENS now are more OF an accurate
index of what functions cost.
And, most important, direct lines
of authority and responsibility. for
merly often vague, are being estab-
lished from the military through
their civilian secretaries to the De-
Tense Department top control. Mr..
Kyes, obviously had an impact on
the Pentagon.
But a heavy blow hit big Is feet
four inches, 225 pounds, craggy
Roger Kyes last August. 1t was
blow in the form of an article in
Life magazine. He made no bones
about discussing it at great length.
Mr.. Kyes could not (nor could
many impartial observers, for that
matter) understand the why" Of
the article. 1t called him the most
controversial man on the Eisen-
hover team" although there were
at least two cabinet members at
the moment who were all odds
far more controversial public figures.
What struck Mr.. Kyes particu-
larly hard was the fact that the
editors had seen fit to go back into
his childhood: to bring his parents.
wife and daughters into< the story.
The deputy secretary is strong
family man and deeply religious.
Those PIucked Stdrs
He also took particular exception
to story that he had been rude to
a top-ranking general who had
been trying to argue him out of
decision. According to the story.
then current gossip in the Penta-
gon, Mr.. Kyes walked over and
f1icked the generals stars and said,
Il didn't come down here to shovel
snow. I came here to pluck stars"
Mr.. Kyes received a lot of fan
mail as a result of the article
which he would show to visitors at
the drop of a hat. To a friend in
Birmingham he wrote:
You were wonderful to write me
as you did. 1t is friends like you
:. you know me as really am .
who helped me to withstand the on
SlaughtS of those who would make
me something else. have only one
interest and that is the interest Of
all the people. And it's going to
take more than a few blasts to
sway me from that determination"
Mr.. Kyes, actually kindly man
with profound interest in his fell
lows, meant every word of that last
statement.
But perhaps unconSciouSly, he's
never quite recovered from the at
tack He's bent over backward to
disprove every accusation. And in
so doing, say top level associates.
he has somewhat impaired his own
usefulness in recent months.
The rugged deputy secretary
made considerable sacrifice to
work IL hours a day at the Penta-
gon. For the 20,000-a-year Gov
eminent salary he snapped GIN
paycheck of $82,500, plus bonuses.
He SURRENDERED his accumulated
benefits under the company's ex-
ecutive pension plan. And the
Senate insisted that he. like Mr..
Wilson. surrendered all his GIN stock
this despite the fact that prede-
ceSsors in his Office had not similarly
been required to divest themselves
of all outside holdings, although
some did voluntarily. He sold 2.842
share of GIN stock at around SGT
share. The same stock now sells
for about 500 but when he sold.
Mr.. Keyes had to pay rs per cent
capital gains tax on his forced real
ization of stock profits.
Hidden Sacrifice
But, as Mr.. Wilson pointed out.
Mr.. Keyes' coming here has jeop-
ardized something else. Still in his
40s. he was a favorite as a future
president of giant GIN. If he stayed
here longer his place in industry
might go to others.
Some of the older men who are
either retired or not too far away
from it are in little different po-
sition than the men who interrupted
their busy careers and came down
here to serve their Government"
Mr.. Wilson said. Il take it as it
comes.
Roger was very helpful in get
ting us started off right down here
last year and it was quite change
and a tremendous job. Whatever
he may be doing. will always owe
him personal debt for his break
ing loose from his business connec-
o. Id -