Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-04-23
Navy Secretary
Fuvors Change
In Plants Name
BY JOHN A. GILES
Star staf Writer

Star staf Writer
Navy Secretary Gates said
today "it did not seem to be
sound common sense" to fur
nish a report on the Naval Gun
Factory to the General Ac-
counting Office.
The Secretary testified be-
fore the House Government
Operations Information SUBJ
committee on the Navy's re-
fuSal to give Representative
Landlord. Democrat of Mary
land, a report on the factory's
operations and its future.
He said it was decided after
careful discussion with the
Navy top commands not to
furnish opinions, conclusions
or recommendations of the
Gun Factory report to the
GAO. The decision also in
cluded a report of the Military
Sea Transportation Service, he
said.
Secretary Gates said it would
probably be a good idea to
change the name of the Naval
Gun Factory" to more realistic
cally reflect its present oper-
atoms.
He did not mention a new
name for the factory, which
was established las years ago
as a Navy yard, and he said
that he could not recall wheth-
er the report made any recon-
mendation in that regard.
RumOred Name
However, other sources said
the principal name under con-
sheraton is the Naval Ord
nance Weapons Development
Center"
Mr.. Landlord pointed out
that, after disclosures in The
Star of layoffS and duplica-
ton of private facilities at the
Indian Head MD Powder
Factory, the name was changed
to the Naval Propellant Plant
to reflect its operations.
Secretary Gates had this ex-
PLANTATION about the refusal to
release the report:
Il have the responsibility
for running the affairs of the
Navy and making the necessary
decisions to administer its af-
fairs properly" he said.
Part of this responsibility
includes continual and con-
IStant internal review, with the
end objective of an improve
ment in management and
| responsibility for making de-
cisions with sufficient speed
and effectiveness to carry out
the missions of the Navy.
Il did not think it compatible
with this broad responsibility
to disclose the personal opin-
ions, conclusions and recon-
mendations of subordinate
officials in the case of these
two documents"
Goldfish Bowl"
He added that he and his
associates all understood that
they properly live in the gold
fish bowl of public life"
Our actions are constantly
subject to scrutiny by both
Congress and the public" he
said. "Our affairs are a COM
plete open book.
He went on to say, however,
that he had been advised he
had the authority to withhold
disclosure of some material IL
Il determine such disclosure to
be contrary to the public in
tereSt."
! Assistant Navy Secretary
Fred A. Bantz told the group
Tuesday that one of the
reasons for withholding the
report from Representative
Landlord was its controversial
nature.
How could the making
available of the report to Mr..
Landlord. stir up contro-
, versy?" asked Chairman Moss,
Democrat of California.
We'll. think the very ma
, ture of the report and the fact
that different individuals, in
given areas. made different
recommendations" replied Mr..
Bantz.
Control Controversies
He went on to say that we
attempt to control controversy
always"
The subcommittee is con-
, ceIned over the Landlord re-
| fusal because Mr.. Bantz as
! serted that he was acting as
. Mr.. Gates alter ego and Mr..
Z Moss says that both Defense
Department and Navy Secre-
tory directives state that such
I refusals to Congress cannot be
: done on that level.
Campbell Complains
Controller General Joseph
s Campbell told the subcommit-
n tee it would take his Office at
? least six months to duplicate
I the Military Sea Transports
: ton Service report on procure
r ment and contracting prac-
tees. The Navy gave GAO
s only a small portion of the
: report but-after some six
Q months-increaSed the section
n according TO Mr.. Campbell
D Mr.. Campbell specifically
protested what he termed re-
S strictions on GAO access to in
/ ternal reports which. he said,
D we're vital if his agency is to
do his job properly.