Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-04-03
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Of Defense's approval, to APP
point its director.
4. Eliminate from three to
six assistant secretaries in the
military departments-one or
two each from the Army, Navy
and Air Force.
Seven Assistant Secretaries
of Defense. compared to the
nine now authorized. were
recommended along with crea-
ton of a special assistant for
research and engineering to
rank above an assistant secre-
tary.
Truly Unified Force
The President told Congress
that Ito the extent we are un-
able" to organize our operation
commands into truly unified"
forces, I'VE cannot fully mar
shall our armed strength"
The President said that
under the present unified COM
mand setup the commanders
authority is short of that re-
quired for maximum efficiency.
Il consider the Joint Chiefs
of Staff concept essentially
sound. and l therefore believe
that the Joint Chiefs of staff
should continue to be consti-
tuted as currently provided in
law. However. in keeping with
the shift l have directed in
operational channels, the jos
will in the future serve as
staff assisting the Secretary of
Defense in his exercise Of
direction over unified COM
mands." he added.
He made it clear that the
Joint Chiefs were not to per-
form any of their duties indie
pendently Of the Secretary's
direction.
Would Strengthen STAFF
In connection with the joint
staff. which supports the jos.
Mr.. Eisenhower said it must be
further unified and strength
ened in order to provide the
operational and planning as
sistance heretofore largely fur
r1ished by stats Of the military
departments"
The President said that ac-
cordingly he had directed the
Defense Secretary to discon-
tinue the joint staff committee
system and to add an inte-
grated operations division.
This proposal, and the
recommendation that the
chairman of the jos have an
independent role in. directing
the joint staff. long have been
feared by influential members
Of Congress and the Navy as
steps toward a single chief Of
staff and a general staff
organization.
Bills Now In Both Houses
Legislation introduced in
the House by Chairman Vinson
of the Armed Services Com
mittee and Representative
Arends of Illinois. House G. o. p.
whip, and in the Senate by
Senator Bridges. Republican of
New Hampshire, and Senator
Mansfield, Democrat of Mon
tal1a, calls for the preserva-
ton and strengthening of the
present Joint Chiefs Of Stafi
system.
Right TO Delegate Jobs
Mr.. Eisenhower proposed also
that present law be changed to
make 1t clear that chief Of a
military service had the right
to delegate major portions Of
his service responsibilities to his
vice chief" This, he said. would
enable the service chiefs to
make the jos duties their
principal ones.
Saying that he wanted TO
correct misunderstanding Of
the procedures Of the Joint
Chiefs, Mr.. Eisenhower recon-
n1ended that none Of It's mem
bers have a vote. because they
do not act by voting"
The President said the Sec
rotary Of Defense must have
the authority to centralize and
reorganize all research and de-
velopment functions in the
military establishment in order
to prevent unwise competition
in this critical" area.
Calls For Research Chief
ITO give the Secretary Of
Defense the caliber Of assistance
he requires In the research area,
] recommend that the new
position OF director OF defense
research and engineering be
established in place OF the as
sistant secretary Of defense for
research and engineering" he
said. AS the principal as