4.5. Conquees. House BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON MILITARY AFFAIRS SIXTY-NINTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION ON H. R. 10243, H. R. 10982, and H. R. 10985 COUNCIL OF NATIONAL DEFENSE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, COMMITTEE ON MILITARY AFFAIRS, Tuesday, April 6, 1926. The committee, after an executive session, proceeded at 12 o'clock noon to consider various bills providing for a council of national defense, Hon. W. Frank James presiding. Mr. JAMES. Gentlemen, we will take up this morning H. R. 10248, introduced by Mr. McSwain, and H. R. 10982 and H. R. 10985, introduced by Mr. Morin, all having to do with the council of national defense. The bills read as follows: [H. R. 10248, Sixty-ninth Congress, first session] A BILL To further provide for the national defense by coordinating the Army and the Navy Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That there shall be a council of national defense to consist of the Secretary of State, the Secretary of War, and the Secretary of the Navy, and the chairmen of the committees on Foreign Affairs, Military Affairs, and Naval Affairs of both the Senate and House of Representatives of the Congress of the United States, of which the Secretary of State shall be chairman ex officio, and in his absence the Secretary of War shall act as chairman, and in the absence of the Secretary of War, the Secretary of the Navy shall act as chairman. SEC. 2. It shall be the duty of the said council of national defense to meet at least once in every three months, or oftener if ordered by the President, or by previous resolution of the board itself, and the council shall appoint a secretary from among the officer personnel of the Army whose duty it shall be to keep full and accurate minutes of all proceedings of the board, and the secretary shall prepare, under the direction of the Secretary of State, the agenda for each meeting; but any member of the council may bring for the considera-. tion of the board any matter not already upon the agenda, and decisions shall be made only on a two-thirds vote of the full membership of the council. SEC. 3. It shall be the duty of the council of national defense to submit to the President of the United States any matters and suggestions calculated to produce greater efficiency and economy in either the Army or the Navy or in any other of the defense activities of the Government, and the said council shall have the power to originate any such suggestions, or to consider and submit to the President any such matters as may have been submitted to it by the Army and Navy executive council hereinafter created. SEC. 4. There shall be, and is hereby, created an Army and Navy executive council to consist of the Secretary of War as chairman, and in his absence the Secretary of the Navy as acting chairman, and the Secretary of the Navy, the Chief of Staff of the Army, the Chief of Naval Operations of the Navy, the Chief of the Air Service of the Army, the Chief of Bureau of Aeronautics of the Navy, the Chief of Chemical Warfare Service, and the Chief of the Militia Bureau; and the said executive council shall appoint from among the officer personnel of the Army a secretary whose duty it shall be to keep full and accurate minutes of all the proceedings of the said executive council and to prepare an agenda for each meeting thereof under the direction of either the Secretary of War or the Secretary of the Navy, or both, and said war council 1 shall meet at least once every month, and oftener if directed by the President, or upon resolution of the said executive council itself. SEC. 5. It shall be the duty of the Army and Navy executive council to consider all matters that may be submitted to it by either the President or the council of national defense, or by any member of said executive council, or by the chief of any branch or bureau of either the Army or the Navy, or by The Adjutant General of the Army, or by the Army and Navy advisory council, and to advise either the President or the council of national defense, as the case may be, upon any such matter submitted to and passed upon by the said war council. It shall further be the duty of the said executive council to require the Army and Navy advisory council, hereinafter created, to certify to the executive council all questions that have been pending and unsettled before it for a period of three months, and in the event of war or a national emergency to report any such question that may be pending before the said joint Army and Navy board upon such shorter time, or instantly, as the President shall direct. It shall be the power and duty of the said executive council to make decisions on all such questions as may be certified to it by the Army and Navy advisory council or as may be submitted to it by the council of national defense or by the President, or as may originate within the war council itself, upon the suggestion of any member thereof, and after such decisions shall have been made the said executive council shall have the power to direct and order either the War Department or the Navy Department to execute and carry out such decisions, unless the President shall otherwise direct. A record vote of two-thirds majority of the membership shall be necessary before issuing any order. SEC. 6. There is hereby created a board, to be known and designated as the "Army and Navy advisory council," which shall consist of an officer of the line of the Army and a member of the General Staff having the permanent rank of colonel, an officer of the Quartermaster Corps of the Army, and a reserve officer of the Army to be called to active duty and service upon the said advisory council for a period of not less than one year nor more than two years, and after having served such tour of duty shall be ineligible thereafter to be recalled to active duty for such purpose, and of a line officer of the Navy with the rank of captain, and officer of the Paymaster Corps with the rank of commander or above, and an officer of the Naval Reserve called to duty for not less than one year nor more than two years and thereafter to be ineligile for such duty. The chairman of said advisory council shall be the deputy Chief of Staff of the Army, but without any right to vote, and in his absence the ranking officer present shall act as chairman, and the said advisory council shall meet weekly and shall appoint an officer of the Army as secretary, who shall keep full and accurate minutes of all proceedings, and shall arrange an agenda for each meeting, but any member may suggest the consideration of any subject not on the agenda. Agreement by two-thirds of the voting membership of the advisory council shall be necessary to render a decision on any matter. SEC. 7. It shall be the duty of the Army and Navy advisory council to consider, advise, and report on all matters that may be submitted to it, either by the President or the executive council or the council of national defense or upon any matter that may originate within the advisory council, and it shall be the duty of the members of said advisory council to keep under constant observation, study, and consideration all matters relating either to the Army or the Navy with a view to originating suggestions as to ways and means of bringing about closer cooperation, better coordination, and the elimination of duplications between the Army and the Navy. [H. R. 10982, Sixty-ninth Congress, first session] A BILL To constitute a Council of National Defense Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President of the United States is authorized and requested to constitute a council of national defense consisting of the Secretary of War, the Secretary of the Navy, and the heads of such other executive departments as he may from time to time determine to consider such questions relating to the national defense as may be referred to it by the President or by any member of such council and to submit to the President their recommendations thereon. The President is requested to report to the Congress from time to time any recommendations necessary to provide for the more effective national defense.. SEC. 2. That the council of national defense shall submit annually to the President a report, together with recommendations on the status of the plans of all the executive departments for the national defense, including such matters as organization and strength of the military and naval forces and their expansion to meet an emergency, the adequacy of reserves on hand, the status of essential key industries, the situation regarding essential raw mate rials of foreign origin, and such other matters as it may deem desirable. SEC. 3. That there shall be established for the council of national defense and executive board, consisting of the Assistant Secretary of War, an Assistant Secretary of the Navy, an Assistant Secretary of Commerce, the Chief of Staff of the Army, and the Chief of Naval Operations, which board shall make such studies as may be required of it for the council of national defense. In time of peace any case of disagreement relating to plans for the national defense shall be brought before the executive board, which shall study the matter and shall submit a statement of such disagreement, together with its recommendation to the council of national defense, which shall thereupon make its recommendation to the President for his decision. SEC. 4. That in an emergency declared by Congress the President of the United States shall have power and authority to create and establish such Federal agencies as he may deem necessary and desirable to make effective approved plans for the development and efficient utilization of the man power and industries, finances, transportation, and other national resources essential to the national defense. SEC. 5. All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this act, including section 2 of an act making appropriations for the support of the Army for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1917, and for other purposes, approved August 29, 1916, are hereby repealed. [H. R. 10985, Sixty-ninth Congress, first session] A BILL To provide for a council of national defense, and for other purposes Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That a council is hereby created and established to be known as the council of national defense, hereinafter referred to as the council, which shall be composed of the Secretary of State, the Secretary of War, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of the Navy, the Secretary of Commerce, the Chief of Staff of the Army, and the Chief of Naval Operations. The council shall have an official seal, which shall be judicially noticed. SEC. 2. That a commission to advise and assist the council is hereby created and established, to be known as the advisory commission council of national defense. The commission shall consist of the following: (1) An executive director, to be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, who shall serve as chairman of the advisory commission and shall receive a salary of $12,000 per annum; (2) an operations committee comprising a general officer of the Army, an admiral of the Navy, and an Assistant Secretary of State, to be selected by the heads of their respective departments; and (3) a procurement committee comprising an Assistant Secretary of War, an Assistant Secretary of the Navy, and an Assistant Secretary of Commerce, to be selected by the heads of their respective departments: Provided, That the organization and number of such committees may be modified from time to time by the council. SEC. 3. That the council shall be, and is hereby, authorized to call from time to time upon the heads of the several executive departments of the Government for the services of such personnel as may be necessary in the solution of such problems and studies as fall within the purview of the council. Personnel of the executive departments performing the services contemplated herein shall perform their duties under the direction and control of the advisory commission, and shall serve under their several permanent appointments in the executive departments and without increased remuneration therefor under such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the council. The term "personnel," as used in this section, shall include members |