Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-03-19

loOuDtS That the DelenSe Qepa
ously in case Of attack or condu
| In q book published TO-DAY
Col. Joseph !. Coffey claimed
decision-making is hampered
mot only BY its own three-serv-
lice. military-civilian, budgetary
and morale problems but by the
effectiveness Of the National
Security Council itself.
One result has been a hodge
Ipodge Of irreconcilable strate-
gies, plans and programs" the
lauthors charge.
| Another. they say, is that
"the defense dollar is not well
spent"
with each service develop
ling different weapons for the
same purposes. with each MILL
Itary department seeking to be
Ilogistically and operationally
self-sustaining. duplication and
Overlap is inevitable" they con-
tend.
| Say Controversy Is Avoided
President Eisenhower is the
decision-making member of the
National Security Council, with
1.-THE Vice President. Secretary
Iof Defense, Secretary Of State
land Director Of Defense Mo-
bilization as the other members.
Their policy papers on the
Nations strategy are drafted
by q National Security Council
Planning Board, approved or
revised by the President with
NSC advice. and then passed
Ito the executive agencies to be
carried out.
But the planning board. COM
posed of subordinates Of the
NSC. seeks to obtain the
greatest possible consensus.
1.-THE sure to : be controversial
book explains. The alleged re-
suit is that the NSC "often pro-
duces policy papers that give
only general guidance expressed
in vaguely worded textual
compromises"
Implementing agencies seek
to maintain as much freedom
of action as possible, the au-
thors charge. producing a
isdictionalism" that "in-
hibits precise and effective
planning"
Claim Decisions Lacking
This committee" or COM
promise system has made
Virtually impossible the reach
ling of military decisions on
vital strategic issues" the hook
charges. I'm many instances
1.-THE military services have set
tiled for q compromise solution
to urgent problems: in other
cases they have provided i.o
solution at ALL"
The book. Forging a New
Sword" was published today
by Harper, under sponsorship
of the Carnegie Corporation
and the Center for Interna.
tional Studies, Massachusetts,
Institute of Technology.
It's principal author. Col.
Kintner, is now the special as
sistant on international affairs
at the United States Army
command in Europe. Earlier
he served with the National
Security Council Planning
Board and with Nelson A.
Rockefeller, when the latter
was Special Assistant to the
President.
Col. Coffey was assistant di-
rector Of the special studies
project of the Rockefeller Bros.
Fund, which produced Rookie
teller report on the dangers to
the national security posed by
S0viet. advances.
A third collaboration was Ray
mond j. Albright, q foreign af-
fairs officer in the Office Of the
Secretary Of Defense.
Recommendations Made
The authors have also devel-
oped a set of recommends tions
for recognizing the Defense
Department to make it more
effective. Their proposals stop
short of indignation for the
three services, besause "the
time is not yet ripe"
A summary Of the recon-
lamentations follows:
/. The Joint Chiefs of STAFF
should be deprived Of their in
dependent access to the Ma
tional Security Council, and
present their advice through
the Secretary of Defense.
2. The Secretary Of Defense
should be provided with a staff
lsecretariat to coordinate long
range planning and check on
Its implimentation.
3. The number of assistant
defense secretaries should be
sharply reduced. Civilians
should exert policy control,
but drop the present tendency
toward actual supervision of
Operations.
4. The Army, Navy and Air
Force should be relieved Of
control over interservice COM
mands overseas. The Ameri-
can commands abroad--usually
three : service organizations -
should be made Immediately
responsible to the Secretary Of
Defense.
S. The Joint Chiefs should be