fortunate"
National Defense Conference, the gathering of black spokesmen held
under Forrestal's auspices the previous spring.[13-33] The specific
object of Royall's indignation was Lester Granger's final report on
the work of the National Defense Conference. That report emphasized
the conferees' rebuttal to Royall's defense of segregation on the
grounds of military expediency and past experience with black
soldiers. The Army has assumed a position, Granger claimed, that was
unjustified by its own experience. Overlooking evidence to the
contrary, Granger added that the Army position was at variance with
the experience of the other services. His parting shot was aimed at
the heart of the Army's argument: "It is as unwise as it is unsound to
cite the resistance of military leadership against basic changes in
policy as sufficient cause for delaying immediate and effective
action."[13-34]

[Footnote 13-33: Memo, SA for SecDef, 22 Sep 48, copy
in CD30-1-2, SecDef files.]

[Footnote 13-34: Ltr, Granger and Conferees to
Forrestal, 26 Aug 48, D54-1-3, SecDef files.]

Adding to Royall's discomfort, Forrestal released the report on 8
September, and his letter of appreciation to Granger and the conferees
assured them he would send their report to the President's committee.
The New York _Times_ promptly picked up Granger's reference to
opposition among military leaders.[13-35] Royall tried to counter this
attack. Since neither the President nor the Secretary of Defense had
disapproved the Army's racial policy nor suggested any modifications,
Royall told Forrestal he wanted him to go on record as approving the
Army position. This course would doubtless be more palatable to
Forrestal, Royall suggested, than having Royall announce that
Forrestal had given tacit approval to the Army's policy.[13-36]

[Footnote 13-35: NME Press Release, 8 Sep 48; New York
_Times_, September 9, 1948; Memo, Leva for
Forrestal, 30 Aug 48; Ltr, Forrestal to Granger, 30
Aug 48. Last two in D54-1-3, SecDef files.]

[Footnote 13-36: Memo, SA for SecDef, 22 Sep 48, copy
in CD30-1-2, SecDef files.]

Forrestal quickly scotched this maneuver. It was true, he told Royall,
that the Army's policy had not been disapproved. But neither had the
Army's policy or that of the Navy