Leach Scores U.S.'s Present Defense Plan

"A single U.S. Armed Force--no Navy, no Air Force," was called for last night by W. Barton Leach '21, Story Professor of Law and consultant to the Secretary of the Air Force.

Speaking at the first annual AFROTC banquet, Leach commented that the single armed force plan "might, with luck, be completed within the present administration." He went on to say that President Eisenhower had endorsed the idea in 1945.

Leach labeled Secretary of Defense Charles E. Wilson's recent redefinition of the three services as "unrealistic." He scored the idea that the types of missions undertaken by the Army, Navy and Air Force had to be limited.

Developing his concept, Leach suggested that the projected single Armed Force should be divided into strictly mission or functional organizations. In explaining his mission idea, Leach visualized the single Armed Force as being divided into such groups as a long range attack group, an anti-submarine group, a ground-commando group, and a continental defense group. Leach also noted logistical and support units would also be organized.

Three Under Secretaries

In his suggested reorganization, Leach saw the post of the secretary of defense would remain essentially the same. Under him, there would be three under secretaries, one watching over ground developments, one watching over air developments and one watching over water developments. The units within the single Armed Force, however, would all wear the same uniform.

Concerning the effect that the proposed reorganization would have on the existing three major services, Leach commented, "Loyalty should be invested in the function, not the administration."

In an historical analogy, he pointed to the near German victory in World War I as being a classic example of what a unified force could accomplish against overwhelming but a divided force