Evening star., 1960-12-14
HEADLINE PERSONALITY
Quick Decisions Key
To McNomoro Post

4LAC A0ob SAA4tC 4b01Ckb Ne s4tA0-
Namara had q military lob he
taught the Army Air Forces q
great deal about statistical con-
troll systems. But now that he
is to be. the boss Of the whole
Defense Department, he will
spend most Of his time learn
ing and deciding.
AS, Secretary Of Defense in
the Kennedy administration,
his main Job will be to make
decisions and his reputation
when he ultimately leaves will
be based on his ability to make
the decisions quickly and
soundly.
The present Secretary of De-
fense. Thomas S. Gates. jr.. can
do it. and he will leave as a
much-honored man. Mr.. Gates
pre- d essor, Neil McElroy,
couldn't and ashington n
sighed with relief when he
left.
The difference between Mr..
Gates and Mr.. McElroy is
something for Mr.. Mcnamara
to ponder. All three are from
the business world. Mr.. McEl-
roy, like Mr.. Mcnamara, presi-
dent of Ford Motor Co., rose to
the top of a great industry. Mr..
Gates was a successful invest
nient banker.
All three make quick, ac-
curate decisions In private life.
But success In business and
banking proved to be no indi-
Gator of success In the Pen
tagon for,Mr. ,McElroy and Mr..
Gates.
Pentagon knowledge is Key
What did make for success,
1t turned out, was a thorough
knowledge of Pentagen admin
istratiye processes. .Pentagon,
issues and Pentagon PERSONAL
ittes. Mr.. Gates had enough
previous experience in the
building to know these things;
Mr.. McElroy didn't.
Mr.. McNamara's experience
In defense is extremely limited.
So his first years in Washing
ton must necessarily be spent
in learning. While learning he
will have to make decisions
the decisions subordinates can
not make.
Mr.. McNamara and his
predecessor are not unacquaint-
ed. and the Ford executive pre-
sumably has been filled in on
the intricacies Of the Pentagon
job. Both have been directors
Of the Scott Paper Co. and Mr..
Mcnamara conferred with Mr..
Gates here last week.
COnsuItant TO Army AT
The military first tapped Mr..
MvNamara in l941 to set up a
statistical control system as a
civilian consultant to the Army
Air Forces. Later he was COM
missioned a captain and sent
to England. India. China and
the Pacific. He won the Legion
Of Merit and was discharged in
l946 as a lieutenant colonel.
Since then he has been q
businessman. He has read
heavily on military affairs, but
he has made no more public
statements about defense than
any other average businessman.
Obviously. President-elect Ken
nedy did not pick him for his
military knowledge or defense
ideas. The skin he will bring
TO the Pentagon Is that of an
administrator.
But ne win have 70 learn
broad strategy. learn the merits
Of thousands Of weapons sys.
TENS. learn what the Army,
Navy. Air Force and Marine
Corps want, why they say they
want II and why they really
want It. He then viii have to
decide who Is right.
Doubtless, Mr.. Mcnamara is
impressed. but not worried. by
his future problems For he
has been solving didicult ones
all his life.
Born in San Francisco June
8. 1915. he went to public
schools in Piedmont, Calf. He
became q Phi Beta Kappa in
his sophomore year at the Uni
versity of California. He re-
ceived a master of arts degree
in business administration from
the Harvard Graduate School
OF Business Administration in
1899.
He went to the accounting
firm Of Price. Waterhouse for
a year and then back to
Harvard to be an assistant
professor OF business admins
tration.
Mr.. Mcnamara. an Air Force
veteran. appeared on the auto
motive scene in l946 with the
postwar reorganization of Ford.
He and nine other experts who
pioneered the complex job Of