ARMED FORCES: Charlie's Hurricane

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They were in Wilson's office on the dot, Admiral Arthur Radford, J.C.S. chairman, and the Army's Max Taylor fresh from a White House garden party in their dazzling dress whites, the other military men in suntans. For the next hour, the group hashed over the line to follow. For one thing, Wilson was persuaded not to say that the Army papers had been leaked by "irresponsible persons," was left with the simple statement that the leaks were "staff papers . . . and not necessarily the approved policies of the services." At 5 o'clock the group moved upstairs to an auditorium for one of the most extraordinary performances in the Pentagon's extraordinary history.

A Little Latitude. Behind a long, mike-clustered table were the nation's military leaders, shoulder to "shoulder in deceptive solidarity. They were mostly glum. The civilian Secretaries folded their hands tightly in front of them. Air Chief Nate Twining sat under a no-smoking sign and puffed impatiently on his cigar. Max Taylor was tight-lipped and ramrod-stiff. And right in the middle, a wrought-gold "Ike" pin gleaming from his lapel, cigarette ashes dribbling down his shirt front, bobbing and weaving and even seeming to enjoy the questions, was the Secretary of Defense.

Charlie Wilson was in full command, answering some questions himself, assigning others to the representatives of the specific services. He attributed the Pentagon's dissension to the fact that "the eager beavers are gnawing down some of the wrong trees." As to the many arguments about which service should develop what weapon, Wilson offered the only practical solution under present circumstances. Said he: "I have been taking what I think is a sound, realistic position, and that is: develop the missiles, and then let's see how we ought to use them and who ought to be responsible for using them."

Airman Twining paid restrained tribute to the Army and its works. Soldier Taylor said flatly that "there is no mutiny or revolt in the Army." He said that some of the leaked documents did not represent official Army thinking, but added: "Let me make clear that I don't flatly disavow everything that has been published." Admiral Arleigh Burke, his Navy out of the main line of interservice fire, was judiciously restrained. At the end of the press conference, Charlie Wilson, pressed for an explanation of how much warning he had had of the brewing controversy, finally admitted: "A little hurricane blew up that I didn't know was in the making."

The press conference showed that the Joint Chiefs, at least, were not yet ready to throw their weight into open warfare, but it failed in its primary mission: that of smothering Wilson's "little hurricane." Next morning Wilson fell back on his main source of strength: Dwight D. Eisenhower (U.S. Army, resigned).

A Little Dangerous. Wilson and Arthur Radford drove to the White House, talked for an hour with the President, tried-and failed-to slip past waiting reporters. What did Ike think about the service squabble? Said Wilson: "He's a bit unhappy." What would happen next? Replied Charlie Wilson: "I'll see who sticks his neck up next. It might be a little dangerous."