ssigned without regard to race. The
secretary ordered the services to reexamine their policies and submit
detailed plans for carrying out this directive.[14-16]

[Footnote 14-14: Memo, Thomas Reid for Asst SecNav, 1
Apr 49, sub: Statement on Equality of Treatment and
Opportunity, FC file.]

[Footnote 14-15: PPB, Draft Memo, SecDef for Svc Secys
(prepared by Col J. F. Cassidy for Reid), 31 Mar
49; PPB, Proposed Policy for the National Military
Establishment, 4 Apr 49; both in FC file.]

[Footnote 14-16: Memo, SecDef for SA et al., 6 Apr 49,
sub: Equality of Treatment and Opportunity in the
Armed Services; Min, PPB Mtg, 5 Apr 49; both in FC
file.]

Although responsible for preparing the secretary's directive, Reid and
Lanham had second thoughts about it. They were concerned lest the
services treat it as an endorsement of their current policies. Reid
pointedly explained to their representatives on the Personnel Policy
Board that the service statements due by 1 May should not merely
reiterate present practices, but should represent a "sincere effort"
by the departments to move toward greater racial equality.[14-17] Service
responses, he warned, would be scrutinized to determine "their
adequacy in the light of the intent of the Secretary's policy." Reid
later admitted to Secretary Johnson that the directive was so broadly
formed that it "permits almost any practice under it."[14-18] He, Lanham,
and others agreed that since its contents were bound to reach the
press anyway, the policy should be publicized in a way that played
down generalizations and emphasized the responsibilities it imposed
for new directions. Johnson agreed, and the announcement of his
directive, emphasizing the importance of new service programs and
setting a deadline for their submission, was widely circulated.[14-19]

[Footnote 14-17: Min, PPB Mtg, 8 Apr 49, FC file.]

[Footnote 14-18: Memo, Reid for SecDef, 14 Apr 49,
sub: The President's Committee on Equality of
Treatment and Opportunity in the Armed Services, FC
file.]

[Footnote 14-19: Min, PPB Mtg, 5 May 49; NME Press
Release 3-49A, 20 Apr 49; both in FC f