Word: vinson
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Parochial Danger. At his press conference last week, President Kennedy opposed the Vinson report. He pointed out the enormous expense of the superbomber program. "It was proposed by the Air Force that they would have 140 B-705, which would cost $10 billion, which would be ready by 1970 or 1971." Kennedy argued that it was senseless for Congress to vote excessive funds for the plane before the prototype was tested. "But in the final analysis," said the President, "this is a matter on which I have relied very heavily on Secretary McNamara, in whom I have the greatest confidence...
...past Carl Vinson also has had great faith in McNamara, but there was evidence last week besides the RS-70 squabble that he might be having some second thoughts. In a speech to the Reserve Officers Association, Vinson warned against the trend of consolidation that McNamara had set in motion in the Pentagon. Said Vinson: "The three military departments, with their department secretaries and their separate services, assure us of collective wisdom. They protect us against the adoption of a one-sided defense concept, which might well be based on a then-prevailing parochial attitude...
...trouble coming up, Bob McNamara quietly set about mending his fences on Capitol Hill. He made plans to appear before Congress again to restate his position on the RS-70s. He conferred with Chairman Clarence Cannon of the House Appropriations Committee. He even met privately and peaceably with Carl Vinson to talk over their impasse...
...from certain that the House and the Senate will go along with Vinson's attempt to direct the Administration to build the RS-70s; it is even less certain that the President, under the Constitution, would be required to obey. But Carl Vinson is too powerful, and too good a friend of the military and the Administration, to offend with impunity...
...want to run the Department of Defense," Vinson said last week. "We just want to sit at the table and get across an idea once in a while." And that doesn't mean sitting in a rocking chair...