U.S. EFFICIENCY

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 June 1942, Page 7

U.S. EFFICIENCY

HOW THE ABMY IS RUN

Australian headquarters of the United States Army is run like a modern, efficient business office. Before the first flush of excitement over General MacArthur's arrival from the Philippines had passed, selected officers were working on the organisational structure that is intended to be the fountain of Allied energy in the Pacific war. Now the organisation is complete, and U.S. headquarters has settled down to the job for which it was created. Under General MacArthur there are nine other generals, varying in rank from brigadier upwards, who are charged with some specialised position for which their training and experience for years have fitted them. The American flair for choosing the man for the job. rather than the job for the man, is evident in this highstrata team at U.S. headquarters. Lieut.-General Brett, for instance has been given control of the Allied Air Forces. Of all the Americans now in Australia, he is best fitted for the post, having been attached to the Air Corps for 27 years and having held some of the highest executive positions in the American Army air service.

There are experts on staff, experts on finance; officers who know almost all there is to be known about signals, artillery, and army engineering; men with the breezy, confidence-in-spring manner that is indispensable for successful liaison work; specialists in training; top men in transport organisation; brilliant exponents of the art of cypher and code. They work informally in the light coatless uniform to which most of them became accustomed at tropical stations. Their.golden or silver officers’ badges adorn the shoulders of their khaki shirts. General MacArthur himself acts on the theory that a tunic is not indispensable to dignity. From the time U.S. troops first appeared in Australia their leaders were eager to foster the most friendly relations with the people. Reports on the conduct of the men and the manner in which they are promoting goodwill reach the High Command through a special morale section, which attends to all matters pertaining’to the soldier’s welfare and comfort. , Under encouragemerft from headquarters, the section is promoting athletics and sport generally among the U.S. soldiers.