New Chiefs?

Ever since the votes were counted last November, top congressional Republicans have been arguing that Dwight Eisenhower should appoint a new team to replace the present U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff. The G.O.P. leaders' reasoning: the present chiefs have been so closely and politically tied to the Truman Administration's diplomatic and military policies (e.g., the abandonment of Nationalist China) that they cannot do the fresh thinking needed for a new Eisenhower program. Last week President Eisenhower privately assured his congressional leaders that he will name new chiefs, and will do so in time to give the nominees an opportunity to study their jobs. Terms of all chiefs except Navy expire in midsummer.

Scuttlebutt ranked the possible candidates this way:

Chairman. To replace General Omar N. Bradley, 60, the top prospect is Admiral Arthur William Radford, 57, naval aviator and commander of the Pacific Fleet.

During the 1945-46 revolt of the admirals over unification of the services, Eisenhower (for unification) and Radford (against) were bitter foes, but Eisenhower has since come to admire and trust Radford's clear thinking and professional ability. A strong second contender for chairman: General Carl ("Tooey") Spaatz, 61, the Air Force's first chief of staff, a shrewd strategist, who would have to come out of retirement to take the job.

Army. To succeed General Joseph Lawton Collins, 57, the President would like to name his old friend, General Alfred Maximilian Gruenther, 52, NATO's scholarly chief of staff. But Ike is said to think that NATO needs Gruenther more than it needs General Matthew Ridgway, NATO commander. Ridgway, more of a fighter than a diplomat, could be counted upon to keep the U.S. Army in fighting shape. Leading candidate: Ridgway.

Air Force. Eisenhower has high respect for General Lauris Norstad, the commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe, but thinks Norstad too young (46) to move out of the field and into the top job--and then out into retirement. Probable choice:

General Nathan Farragut ("Nate") Twining, 55, now the No. 2 man in the Air Force under Chief of Staff Hoyt S. Vandenberg. A second possibility: General Ben Chidlaw. 52. head of the Air Defense Command at Colorado Springs.

Navy. Although his term doesn't expire until 1955, Admiral William Morrow Fechteler, 57. a sea dog with a somewhat tenuous hold on world politics and the art of interservice maneuvers, will probably be replaced as Chief of Naval Operations. Front runner for the job: Admiral Robert Bostwick ("Mick") Carney, 58, a Navy air enthusiast who has shaped up a first-rate land & sea fighting force as NATO commander for Southern Europe.

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