Evening star., 1960-02-18

tually superiority, one Of the
most critical and fundamental
decisions Of our day.
The presumption has ap-
parrently been accepted that
the borderline between SCI
entiflc space exploration and
military space requirements
can be cleanly and effectively
defined. Gentlemen, I believe
this presumption to be totally
incorrect"
Gen. Medaris asserted that
the national missile and space
program is divided" between
two executive departments and
functionally "Splintered" into
four agencies.
New Dissension Seen
He cited recent mission as
agnments among the armed
services as an example.
"On the surface, perhaps,
this decision pretends to settle
old issues" he said. Actually,
it creates dissension. BY direc-
ton, the Army and the Navy
are to buy their space vehicles
from the Air Force; however
there is no immediate knowl-
edgeable authority responsible
for the overall mission.
THE problem of wedding the
payload and the vehicle must
be settled by such anemic de-
vices as committees (and) CO.
ordination Offices. There
is no technically competent
authority sitting astride both
the vehicle program and the
payload program to give a Joint
program the decisive drive that
success demands.
Since no one authority is
totally and Immediately re-
sponsible for the complete
mission, what is everybody's
business ends up being nobody's
business"
Notes Duplication
Turning to the creation and
continuing expansion of the
National Aeronautics and Space
Administration" Gen. Me-
daris asserted:
There is so little difference
between civilian and military
space programs that there is
no justification for their divi-
sion and resulting duplication.
Even from the standpoint
OF pure science, these programs
are inter-related."
Pointing out that with very
limited exceptions" both pro-
grams are derived from the
same physical and man
power resources" Gen. Medaris
summed up:
We, are trying to divide the
indivisible."
The retired general conceded
his criticism may sound like
sour grapes" because of the
impending transfer of the Won
Braun team. But he added:
THE only way that we get
the best effort out of any in
dividual, no matter what his
size or stature. is to so place
him that in furthering his own
intelligent self-interest he is
at once furthering the objec-
tives Of his organization, and
hopefully, of his country"
New Organization Needed
The transfer of the Won
Braun team from the Army
to NASA. Gen. Medaris said,
had the undesirable side effect
of creating a new overhead
organization to support the
technical team. This assertion
was in effect confirmed in ad-
vance by Richard E. Horner,
associate space administrator,
yesterday. Mr.. Horner testi-
fled that the. 4,400-man Won
Braun team will require an
1,100-man organization to do
its housekeeping for it.
"NASA must necessarily pro-
ceed to create its own system
for (logistic support system
which already exists in tripli-
cate - Army. Navy and Air
Force" the General said.
He continued:
II believe that if we are
to compete successfully with
out bankrupting the country,
there must be a fundamental
organizational uniflcation Of
the entire missile and space
program.
1T is unrealistic, and an i'm
proper division of responsibility
to take outside the Department
of Defense the responsibility
for weapons essential to the
performance of the mission OF
that department"
Gen. Medaris suggested a
Joint command Ito assume the
undivided responsibility for the
major missile and space activi-
ties of the Nation" He added:
"In order to assure adequate
attention to the scientific side
of space exploration, the scien-
tific community should be rep
resented at the command level.
Thus. we align individual and
national objectives.
In substance, gentlemen, l
am recommending that this
committee and the Congress
take a broad, new hard look at
the organization of our re-
sources to meet our needs in
missile and space activities,
and give thorough considera-
tion to the suggested course of
action, or any other, which will
achieve with assurance a solid,
undivided and effective ap-
'proach to the solution of our