Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-06-29


using today's fantastic weap-
onS.
I am sure that this committee,
and in fact the entire Congress
and the country. recognizes that
no field commander of any serv-
ice ever considers his forces en-
tirely adequate. This is under
standable, and the reason they
make such fine military leaders
is that each of them believes in
his job and feels the heavy
weight Of its responsibilities. 1t
is automatic that they are all
inclined to weigh all decisions
in favor of SURPRISES rather than
shortages. No matter what level
is set for the armed services,
many individual service pro-
ponents will still feel that those
force levels and the funds to
support them are either made
quate or could be better al
located.
Defense Act Cited
We could never support all of
the forces. however, that might
be required to meet all possible
eventualities simultaneously. It
was recognition of this fact that
led to the establishment of the
Department OF Defense and to
the more centralized civilian
control of the armed services. :,
1t was also clearly provided in
the National Security Act that
nothing in the act should be Sc
construed as to prevent a Secre-
tary of a military department OF
a member of the Joint Chiefs OF
Staff from presenting to the
Congress on his own initiative,
after so first informing the Sec
Rotary of Defense, any recon-
Imendation relating to the De-
Ipartment Of Defense as he may
deem proper.
In practice, this privilege has
not been restricted to the Sec
IretarieS of the Military Depart
ments or members of the Joint
Chiefs Of Staff. The interpre-
tation of this provision of the
National Security Act has been
broadened so that any witness
testifying before an appropriate
committee of Congress could
without restriction express his
own personal opinion upon mill
tary matters.
Overall Picture Needed
In doing so, however, it is i'm
possible for each of these in
dividuals to be fully aware of all
Iof the considerations that are
taken into account in the prepa-
ration of our defense programs,
and it is only natural that there
must be many bits of conflicting
testimony given to the Congress
as a result.
Each of the armed services has
its own particular military phi
losophy and believes with GER
tainty that it knows how war:
should be fought and how they
can best be won- This inevitably
results in conflicting recon-
mendationS being presented to
the Office of the Secretary of De-
tense during our annual budget
process. Every service can point
to possible trouble spots through
out the world and from their owr
viewpoint make what are to them
logical recommendations for in
creased funds and for public
support. These aggregate fears
and ambitions. together with the
aggregate military uncertainties
in a highly uncertain world, un-
less they are carefully screened
and integrated into an overall
plan. could easily result in totaI
military requirements beyond oul
needs and beyond our ability tc
support.
No matter how these problems
are approached. therefore. it
eventually becomes a question of
Judgment for those in a position
of responsibility.
Additional Points .
There are three more matters
which I would like to discuss
briefly which are related to the
hearings which your Committee
has been conducting.
First Of these Is the growing
emphasis which the Department
of Defense has placed on air.
power over the last several years
This increase is perhaps not as
well understood by the public
as it shout be. Further. since oui
airpower in all of its forms is sc
widely deployed over the world
lit is difficult to comprehend it;
growth and its size. Too otter
we think of it simply in terms Of
numbers of planes. numbers o.
, units, wings. carrier air groups
and similar terms. Its rea
measure of strength is more &C.
curately gagged in terms Of thu
force which it could exert anc
the destructive power that i
could deliver in the event Of al
|, emergency. The power carried
by a single airplane today equal
! that of an entire bomber forc'
lin World War II, and is so larg'
that it almost defies the imagin'
} alton. The advent and introduc'
ton Of a wide variety Of nucleaI
| weapons into our strategic ant
1tactical forces has made thu
growth of our airpower ever
| more significant than has tn,
! Improvement in the deliver!
systems themselves.
! While this trend will continu
to some degree. 1t should not b
overlooked that our other forces
both land and sea, will continu
; to make a substantial contribu
ton to our total defens
: strength.
r A second point that ! nigh
comment upon is the CROWN
: emphasis on research and de
velopment throughout the De