<--PREV Doc #818  |  Memorial Commission Home Page  |  First Term Table of Contents  |  Presidential Papers Home Page  |  Doc#  |  NEXT--> Doc #820 Document #819; April 6, 1954 To Robert Ten Broeck Stevens Series: EM, AWF, Administration Series: Army ; Category: Memorandum The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, Volume XV - The Presidency: The Middle Way Part V: Maintaining "a united defense"; April 1954 to August 1954 Chapter 10: Losing the war "they could not win"   A man named Brigadier General Edwin Howard is soon to be retired from the Army. I believe that there are one or two other Departments of government interested in getting hold of him, and I think it would be in the best interests of everybody concerned if you would order him home instantly for retirement.1 I understand that Gruenther is willing to allow his immediate separation for such purpose.2 The reason for promptness is that another Department concerned has need for his services very quickly.3 If there is no military objection to his prompt return, will you please see that it is accomplished?4 1 Earlier this year Eisenhower had corresponded with Army Secretary Stevens regarding Edwin Britain Howard's retirement, scheduled for September 30, 1954. Howard was currently Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Allied Army Forces, Central Europe; for background see no. 746. On April 3 Howard had written to explain that he had been offered and had accepted a position in the Justice Department. Now he had learned that the position was contingent upon his arrival in Washington from SHAPE in April, but he was committed to wait until late May for his successor at SHAPE. He wrote, "I believe a word from you can set this right" (AWF/A). Later this day--in a telephone conversation with Attorney General Brownell--Eisenhower explained that the position in question, that of Commissioner of Immigration and Naturalization, would probably be filled by former classmate Lieutenant General Joseph M. Swing (USMA 1915). The President said he hoped that Brownell would reconsider Howard for another position (Telephone conversation, Apr. 6, 1954, AWF/D). 2 General Alfred M. Gruenther headed the NATO forces in Europe. 3 On this same day, Eisenhower wrote to Howard explaining that although the position had been filled, another would be available soon (AWF/A: Army). He went on to say that he had asked Stevens to have him returned home immediately in order that he be "on the spot and that nothing interferes this next time." The President went one step further, recommending Howard to Swing for an appointment in the Department of Immigration and Naturalization (Apr. 6, 1954, AWF/A: Army). 4 Stevens would reply on this same day that a "communication directing [Howard's] immediate return to the United States was dispatched today" (AWF/A: Army). Howard would take a position in Swing's department as special assistant to the Commissioner of Immigration and Naturalization (see New York Times, May 11, June 10, 1955, Mar. 22, 1956; and Howard's letter of appreciation in AWF/A). Bibliographic reference to this document: Eisenhower, Dwight D. Memorandum To Robert Ten Broeck Stevens, 6 April 1954. In The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, ed. L. Galambos and D. van Ee, doc. 819. 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/819.cfm <--PREV Doc #818  |  Memorial Commission Home Page  |  First Term Table of Contents  |  Presidential Papers Home Page  |  Doc#  |  NEXT--> Doc #820

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