The Pittsburgh Press (September 17, 1941)
U.S. DISCUSSES HIGH COMMAND
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Roosevelt cuts red tape to speed aid
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Washington, Sept. 17 (UP) –
Congressional sources said today that the Army and Navy are studying a plan for unified military tactical command over all land, sea and air forces.
The plan, these sources said, would take the form of a general staff for tactical direction only of the three types of forces. It would be made up of ranking Army, Navy and air officers, but Army and Navy department jurisdiction would not be affected.
It would set up an established procedure for directing the operations of Armies, Navies and air units of both services as fighting teams. To prevent the creation of a military warlord, there has been consideration of leaving the staff without a military chief. Instead, it may be headed directly by the President in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief.
Strategists cautioned
This was learned as the second day of President Roosevelt’s “shoot-on-sight” orders to the Navy began without announcement as yet about any clashes with Axis craft in American “defense” waters.
Mr. Roosevelt told his press conference yesterday that future events would dictate government policy regarding disclosure of results of his orders. He cautioned amateur strategists against speculating that convoying is the only means of carrying out his order to protect all craft carrying American aid to Britain.
At the same time, the President acted to reduce red tape involved in shipment of war supplies to Britain and Russia by authorizing Lend-Lease administrator Edward R. Stettinius Jr. to sign the presidential name and make other direct moves to clear shipments. In his new assignment, Mr. Stettinius leaves the ranks of the dollar-a-year men and becomes a special assistant to the President at $10,000-a-year salary.
Repeal requested
In Congress, the administration’s reported plans to seek some sort of Neutrality Act revision received the support of foreign policy proponents. Senator Claude Pepper (D-FL) called for outright repeal, stating it was a logical follow up to the decision to shoot on sight Axis vessels in American defense waters.
Chairman Andrew J. May (D-KY) of the House Military Affairs Committee favored arming American merchant vessels “to the teeth,” a step now barred by the Neutrality Act.
The unified military command, now being studied, would be similar to the German supreme command. The essential difference would be that it would coordinate tactics only and would not lift control of the armed forces from the jurisdiction of the civilian secretaries of War and Navy or the Congress.
At his press conference, the President refused to:
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Answer inquiries regarding whether he favored revision or repeal of the Neutrality Act, including arming of merchant ships and other similar steps now barred by the act.
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Discuss reports that a German raider might be operating in the South Pacific in the vicinity of the Panama Canal.
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Amplify his disclosure in Thursday’s speech of an American outpost in Labrador.
He parried all questions bearing on actual implementation of the shoot-on-sight orders, insisting his speech must be permitted to speak for itself.
He also said that politics should not be merged into discussions connected with the defense effort and that the role should apply to all – Capitol Hill, the government, newspapers, radio commentators and everyone else.
The reply was touched off by a question regarding the possibility that Republicans who have backed the administration’s foreign policy might be given Democratic support in next spring primaries.