Evening star., 1957-12-02
New u. S. Department


! propose q reorganiza-
tion in our Federal govern
ment structure TO establish @
new department: The De-
partment Of Science and En-
gineering. The head OF the
department would be Of cab
met rank.
The departments purpose
would be: ID 70 control sci-
entiflc research tand empha- :
size its Importance: 10 TO
control the engineering ac-
tivities Of our government
which are now being per-
formed by our armed serv-
ices; Cd TO serve as q pro-
curement agency for the
armed forces.
The Department Of De-
Tense is too large. It seems
an injustice to make the Sec
retary ~ Defense not only
responsible for control Of our
armed forces but also to in
yolye him In such diverse
activities as the political fac
tors surrounding the estab-
lishment Of q hydroelectric
plant in the Far West; inves-
tigation Of alleged graft in
the procurement Of the hats
worn by service personnel.
and the qualifications Of
metal parts inspectors in q
defense plant.
The Hoover Commission
recommended that civilians
assume control OF many Of
the functionS Of the Depart
ment Of Defense and that
military personnel be con-
fined primarily to tactical
military units. This recon-
mendation can be imple-
mented best by the establish
ment Of q new department
which would provide career
opportunities. equal TO those
provided in private industry.
to the young engineer. scien-
tist, or mathematician who
wants q career Of Federal
service.
A young engineer or scien-
tist who goes to work for
private industry can not only
look forward to making q
higher salary than with the
Federal Government but q
chance 10 work up to branch
chief, division chief. plant
manager. director Of research.
chief Of procurement. etc.
Such key jobs do not exist
for the majority Of young
engineers and scientists who
work for the Federal Gov
ernment simply because most
Of the engineer and scientist
jobs are with the Department
Of Defense. and are not Of
fered to civilians.
With the new department.
the young engineer could
look forward to working up
to top-ranking jobs. even to
the little cabinet level. In
the new department. there
would be career UNDER
secretary and career as
sistant secretary positions
open to the career man.
While the salaries Of these
positions would not compare
with those Of top-level posi-
tons in industry. the prestige
afforded would compensate
for the lower salary.
Uniformed military per-
sonnel would be assigned to
the new department for duty
where they could compete
with the civilians on q man
to-man basis. But the funda-
mental management Of the
department would be civilian.
With transfer Of certain Of
It's functions to the new de-
partment. the Department of
Defense would be much
smaller. The Secretary Of
Defense-or at least the
undersecretary-should be a
career military man. The
time has long since passed
when we need observe the
tradition that our armed
forces be under civilian con-
troll.
Thus, both the career mill
tary man and the career sci
enlist could be afforded
opportunity to work up tc
cabinet or at least subcabinet
rank. This should not only
stimulate enlistments in the
armed forces but also do Q
great deal to encourage the
engineer and scientist to seek
q Federal career.