INDUCEMENTS TO GENERAL

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28480, 9 January 1958, Page 9

INDUCEMENTS TO GENERAL

Appeals Not To Resign

(Rec. 8 p.m.) WASHINGTON,'January 7.

The United States Secretary of the Army, Mr Wilber Brucker, said today that he had promised Lieutenant-General James Gavin promotion to full general and hAd offered him a choice of two top jobs if he would stay in the Army. Mr Brucker told an hour-long press conference of the unusual steps he took in an effort to prevent the Army research chief, who is 50, from retiring. But he said all of his efforts were to no avail. General Gavin, who disclosed on Saturday that he planned to retire to “write and talk” about defence needs, refused to see journalists seeking comment on Mr Brucker’s remarks. But he sent them this statement through a spokesman: “I hold secretary Brucker in great esteem and sincerely appreciate all the considerations he is giving me.

“I am seriously considering the matter (of whether to retire).”

In an interview earlier today, General Gavin said he favoured boosting the Army to 28 combat divisions and disclosed that he was now see-sawing between whether to step down or keep his Pentagon job as urged by Senate investigators. Obviously disturbed by the public furore over the former paratrooper’s intention to retire after 30 years’ service, Mr Brucker told reporters he wanted to “get the facts laid on the line in the General Gavin matter.”

Mr Brucker said the Army offered General Gavin command of the United States Army in Germany, which he described as the “finest army in the free world today.” He said General Gavin did not want the job. He said he then offered him the choice of remaining at the Pentagon (Defence Department) in charge of research and development to help usher in the day when satellites and other Gavinbacked projects would mature.

Mr Brucker said he made as “strong a commitment as possible” to get General Gavin promoted to full general and assigned as commander of all United States Army Forces in Europe. General Gavin apparently still was unimpressed. But the Secretary said he still was hopeful the promise would induce the general to stay in the army.

Helicopters Grounded. The Transport Department has ordered the grounding of all Bell. 47-J helicopters in Canada, pending findings of an investigation into the fatal crash of that type of helicopter near Ottawa on Friday. The pilot and two former Royal Canadian Air Force jet pilots were killed, inthe crash.—-Ottawa, Januaxy 7.