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Show uut in the oppn z,,, Let the military fight the wars By James M.Schutz Washington, D. C. has had its entertainment for the season The country has had its warning from the politicians on high, and from the country's press down below And Abe Fortas predictably resigned. And as Fortas fades, Life Magazine will turn once again to the hidden world of the Mafia, and the country will sit back' confident in her ability to crush corruption, graph, and the power of the seemingly invulnerable interest group. America has engaged the enemy, and the result was total victory. Now her citizens can rest. They have duly proved themselves in combat. The injustice has been obliterated. America is again healthy. The surgery is complete; the cancer gone. The patient is doing well. Meanwhile, the Military-Industrial Complex grows and grows in order that the post-surgical period proceeds with order. Before continuing, it is necessary to differentiate between believing the Military-Industrial Complex exists, and adherence to the Marxist corrallary of capitalistic exploitation the Devil's Theory of war. This means that a definition of the complex is necessary. The "military" part of the complex is easily understood- sometimes too easily. Some would call it the Pentagon; it consists of the three branches in the armed forces of this country. This presently massive organization is charged with the defense of the United States and with the responsibility of securing the objectives and goals of American foreign policy when directed to do so. In order that they may fulfill that responsibility, the military needs war meterial. At this point, it becomes necessary to examine the industrial sector of the complex. American Industry provides the Military with all the war material they use. This can mean helicopters, tanks, jets, rifles, knives, boots, blankets . . . whatever what-ever is necessary to wage a war. It readily becomes obvious that the quantity of goods, and therefore the number of different producers, is quite large. It can be modestly stated that the extent of American Industry involved in the production of war material is pervasive. The industrial sector receives government, or more specifically, military contracts to produce and supply the American fighting force. In some industries, especially aircraft and aerospace, contracts of this type constitute a significant and crucial share of their business. Therefore, their survival depends upon retaining old contracts and gaining new ones. As the capitalistic system dictates there shall be competition which insures price stability and product quality. However, the creativity of the businessman more than compensates for this unstable element in an otherwise smooth and secure operation. The companies ultimately cultivate a "personal" relationship between themselves and the Pentagon. And the complex was created. One way to keep a customer is to offer the best of service and quality. However, this is competition, and can not be tolerated in a world of sterile management. The next best thing is to tie directly into the customer. It's somewhat like speaking the customer's language. Time reported recently that in the top 100 defense contractors, 2,-72 retired military officers are employed, presumably in executive positions. General Dynamics, the largest single government contractor in terms of dollars, employs 113. Lockheed, second in contracts, employs 210. Through the use of men who have served in the military for as much as thirty years, corporations retain contracts, and sometimes encourages the government to contract for lucrative and useless projects. Through personal contacts solidified during long years in professional service, the corporate executive has only to make a call to an old "Army buddy", and he's in business. The danger of the complex is immense. First there is no insurance concerning the quality of the material. If the choice of contractor is determined by friendly connections, then the quality of the produce as a requirement suffers. Second, public control of spending is reduced to almost nothing. The Military-Industrial Complex, with its web of interdependence, determines what, how, and at what cost. However, the most dangerous implications seem lost to most Americans-even the Congressional critics of the Complex. The United States has always seen fit to subordinate the Military Sector to the civilian. Until today, it has worked remarkably well. However, with the solidarity of industry and military as one "complex", a frightening parallel seems to be crystalizing. The historical line is the German Nazi State-too much control and unaccountable power in too few hands. Unfortunately, the threat has reached alarmist proportions. At some point, and it is now, legal restrictions should be enacted, and a re-iteration of ethics articulated. Laws can merely restrict or limit the abuse, for the creative business mind has an infallible instinct for loop-holes. The final eradication of the condition can only come from an adherence, by the people and the corporations (the latter is not really feasible) to the traditional American attitude toward the military: fight wars, and let the civilians do the rest. |