Evening star., 1961-02-03
Defense Chief |
Unveils Plans
For Speed-Ups
ny RICHARD FRYKLUND
star Staff Writer

ny k61ChAkkU EHxALOND
star Staff Writer
The cool, brisk Secretary Of
Defense unveiled himself and
his new program yesterday.
and both seemed to be moving
right along.
Robert s. Mcnamara an
nounced speed-ups, reorganiza-
tions and investigations, ideftly
evaded some trick questions,
conceded his ignorance Of many
defense matters and then
wound up the press conference
exactly on time.
The speed-ups: A four-year
acceleration Of the purchase Of
So new jets and turbo-prop
cargo and passenger planes and
q nine-nonth gain on part Of
the Polaris Submarine program.
The reorgsnizations: Two As.
sistant Secretaries Of Defense
dropped and q new "office
Of management planning and
organisation study" set UP.
Has Idea ON Less Spending
The investigations: A trip by
the Secretary Of Defense to the
Strategic Air Command head
quarters in Omaha to study
nuclear war tareeting problems,
q review within the Defense
Department Of nuclear war
strategy, o study Of manage
ment's problems in the big
missile programs and Q study
Of Army strength and deploy-
ment.
In addition, he elaborated
briefly on the Presidents press
conference announcement that
the Eisenhower ban on de-
pendents accompanying serv-
icemen overseas Is being
dropped. Each serviceman and
dependent abroad win be asked
to spend $50 less this year
than last year, thus achieving
the $50 million saving in gold
dollars contemplated this year
in the, dependant ban.
When asked how the SPEND
ing by people abroad could be
cut, he wise-crAcked with o
broad grin: 81 have sold all
my Ford stock, but one way
to do it is to buy fewer foreign
cars"
Cites Policy on Speeches
He gave his philosophy In
management" when asked II
generals and admirals could
make speeches independent Of
administration policy:
During the development Of
policies relating to the Defense
Department, I expect full and
open discussion within the de-
partment by all the leaders Of
the department, military and
civilian, without regard to
whether their views conform
to those Of others in the de-
partment, including my own.
"Once q decision has been
reached and q policy estabe
lished representing the deci-
sionS Of the President or other
appropriate authorities, then
all members Of the department,
civilian and military, win be
expected TO support that de-
cision. publicly and otherwise.
"When I say that they are
expected to support 1t pub
licly, ! do not mean that they
should not express their Opin-
ions. particularly those agree
ments. relating to policies. II
queried by appropriate agencies
Of Congress.
There are additional provi-
sions provided for In the re-
organization acts which permit
the three service Secretaries
and the Joint Chiefs to report
to. appropriate congressional
lagencies their Disbursements,
specific policies. Of the Defense
Department II In their opinions
those policies did not permit
them TO carry out their respon.
abilities"
200 at Conference
About 200 reporters attended
1Mr. McNamara's first press
conference, possibly Q record,
according to Defense officials.
He started by saying. 81 don't
know what you expected TO
find me looking like when you
arrived. but I am just Is you
are, and probably less well In
formed than many Of you on
many Of the affairs for which
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