Presidential Papers, Doc#743 To Margaret Chase Smith, 27 February 1954. In The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower
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Doc #744

Document #743; February 27, 1954
To Margaret Chase Smith
Series: EM, WHCF, Official File 133
The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, Volume XV - The Presidency: The Middle Way
Part IV: "Pushing ahead along the broad center"; December 1953 to March 1954
Chapter 9: Fending off "the reactionary fringe"

 

Dear Senator Smith:

1 Although I agree with the objective expressed in your letter of January 11, I believe the time has come for us to consolidate our defense gains for a while, and call at least a temporary halt to defense reorganizations and threats of reorganizations.2

The military services and departments have been in the throes of reorganizations of one sort or another and of searching reexaminations of roles and missions ever since 1945.3 I recall that one of the most emphatic recommendations of the Hoover Commission in 1949 was that after reorganization, a considerable while should elapse before additional reorganizations should be undertaken.4

We completed only last year a thorough reconsideration of Defense problems of organization and missions, and I approved a report by distinguished civilian and military leaders which took an entirely uninhibited look at our national defense needs. A reorganization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Joint Strategic Survey Committee, and the Defense Department was approved by the Congress only a few months ago.5

These changes last year give us, in my opinion, a sound approach toward obtaining the needed continuing reevaluation of our national strategy in terms of the development of atomic and thermonuclear weapons and advances in the electronics field.

While I can realize why you might wish to have still another examination of the defense system, I must frankly reply that I believe that another such undertaking, certainly at this time, would not be helpful but, in fact, would be prejudicial to the Nation's defense efforts.

With best wishes, Sincerely

1 For background on Smith, Republican senator from Maine, see Galambos, NATO and the Campaign of 1952, no. 917. Presidential Assistant Bryce Harlow drafted this reply, which he said was "briefer and less involved" than one drafted by Secretary of Defense Wilson (Harlow to Persons, Feb. 27, 1954, and Wilson to Morgan, Feb. 18, 1954, same file as document). In transmitting Harlow's reply for Eisenhower's signature, General Persons had written to Ann Whitman, "I suggest that the President read this reply carefully."

2 Smith had questioned whether "the extremely rapid progress and unprecedented advances in scientific and technological fields" were being considered "to the maximum degree" in national strategic planning. The Senator had recommended "a complete reexamination and reevaluation" of the country's defense strategy (same file as document).

3 For background see Chandler and Galambos, Occupation, 1945, and Galambos, Chief of Staff. See also no. 353 in these volumes.

4 On the Hoover Commission see Galambos, Columbia University, nos. 57 and 236; the commission's recommendations are in U.S. Commission on Organization of the Executive Branch of Government, Committee on the National Security Organization, National Security Organization: A Report with Recommendations, Appendix G. (Washington, D.C., 1949).

5 See nos. 207 and 291.

Bibliographic reference to this document:
Eisenhower, Dwight D. To Margaret Chase Smith, 27 February 1954. In The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, ed. L. Galambos and D. van Ee, doc. 743. World Wide Web facsimile by The Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission of the print edition; Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1996, http://www.eisenhowermemorial.org/presidential-papers/first-term/documents/743.cfm

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