The Administration: CIA's New Boss

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Truman's Air Policy Commission, which urged a SAC-dominated Air Force. McCone served 16 months in 1950-51 as Under Secretary of the Air Force, won considerable credit for helping to increase his service's share of the budget. President Dwight Eisenhower called on McCone to advise Defense Secretary Neil McElroy on Pentagon reorganization, and three years ago appointed him to succeed Lewis Strauss as chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission.

In his varied Washington jobs, McCone has displayed both a prescience and a skepticism that should serve him well at CIA. As Air Force Under Secretary, McCone a decade ago urged that the U.S. spend at least $2 billion yearly on its missile program, place both civilian and military research under one head. Within the councils of Ike's Administration, McCone argued hard for resumption of nuclear tests in 1959, loyally refrained from public complaint even after his judgment was overruled. But McCone quietly fought on, ordered that AEC's Nevada test sites be prepared for future nuclear experiments; those sites were ready when President Kennedy announced that the U.S. would conduct underground tests.

More Power. In taking over Dulles' two jobs—the CIA director is also chairman of the U.S. Intelligence Board—McCone will wield more power than his predecessor ever had. Kennedy told McCone that he expects him to assume prime responsibility for all the intelligence operations carried on by the Government. McCone will coordinate the reports made by the CIA with those of other security agencies, attempt to provide one consolidated intelligence estimate for the President's guidance. Within months McCone will also present to the White House recommendations for improving the administration of one of the Government's largest (about 15,000 employees, an estimated annual budget of more than $500 million) and most important agencies.