Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-01-06
Single Chief Of Staff
Opposed by Burke
Dual Stutus
Defended by
Navy Chief

Admiral Arleigh A. Burke,
cracking back hard at current
proposals for = single cilief-of-
stan. warned today that putting
"one man, o military Soloman,"
in power would lay the founda-
ton for national disaster.
Speaking at the National
Press Club. the Chief Of Naval
Operations called the pressure
toward reorganization in the
Pentagon "an illogical reaction
TO our not having an opera
tional ballistic missile or sateI-
lite"
Only this morning. the first
in a series Of Rockefeller Fund
reports urged that more author
ity be given to the chairman Of
the joint chiefs-of-staif. in
Guiding control over new uni
fed battle commands which
the report recommends. Similar
proposals have been made on
Capitol Hill.
Admiral Burke. a member Of
jos. stoutly defended the pres
ent Chiefs set up.
Dual Status q Virtue
Il believe strongly in the
basic concept of a joint chiefs
of-stad." he said. 1T is part.
cularly responsive to the re-
quirements Of modern global
war. It is in harmony with our
form Of government. The dual
status Of jos members who
are also the uniformed chiefs
of their services. is the inherent
virtue Of the system"
The Admiral said the dual
status of the Chiefs does some
thing that no supreme STAFF
system ever accomplishments
combining Of the authority to
plan with the responsibility to
carry out those plans.
1T assures reality" he said.
1T avoids the fatal ivory
tower"
One Of the frequent criticisms
of the present jos system is
that the members are begged
down by administrative work
loads growing out Of their own
services and therefore do not
have sufhcient time to devote
to strategic planning.
Strongest Reply Yet
The Burke speech was the
strongest reply yet given TO
proponents Of reorganization
Of the Pentagon. Discussing
recent suggestions, the Navy
chief said.
There are proposals. all
leading in one way or the other
toward more and more con-
centration of power, more and
more autocracy by military
policy and military decision,
more and more suppression Of
differences Of judgment. and
more and more of what is de-
Scribed as swift efficiency Of
decision as a substitute for
debate and discussion Of the
military aspects Of national
policy.
II have been opposed to this
before. and I am opposed to it
now. ! cannot and will not
believe that military policy and
military decision should control
or limit national policy or
national decision"
Admiral Burke said that II
we believe that a single wise
man can run the military es-
Establishment why not carry
this logic further abolish
the Congress, make the peoples
elected chief executive a figure
head, and place our future in
the hands Of a single military
national protector.
Wants Second A-Carrier
The Admiral also replied
sharply to critics who call hon.
est differences in judgment
pickering" and discussion and
debate of incredibly complex
military problems argument"
The Navy chief told his lis
teners that he would be back
asking for a second nuclear
powered aircraft carrier next
year despite the decision to de-
lay requests for funds for such
a vessel in the new budget
about TO be sent to Congress.
He explained that the carrier
was left out this year so that
we might get more anti-suh.
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