than it needed--Fahy explained to
Johnson that the committee only wanted to make sure that qualified
Negroes would have the same chance as qualified white men. It would be
happy, Fahy said, to work with the Army on rewording the
recommendation.[14-74] The committee also added the suggestion that so
long as racial units existed, the Army might permit enlisted men in
the four lowest grades, at their request, to remain in a unit
predominantly composed of men of their own race. This provision,
however, was not to extend to officers and noncommissioned officers in
the top three grades, who received their promotions on a worldwide
competitive basis. Finally, the committee offered a substitute for the
numerical quota it wanted abolished. So that the Army would not get
too many low-scoring recruits, either black or white, the committee
proposed a separate quota for each category in the classification test
scores. Only so many voluntary enlistments would be accepted in
categories I through III, their numbers based on the normal spread of
scores that existed in both the wartime and peacetime Army. If the
Army netted more high scorers than average in any period, it would
induct fewer men from the next category. It would also deny
reenlistment to any man scoring less than eighty (category IV).[14-75]

[Footnote 14-74: Ltr, Fahy to Johnson, 15 Jun 49, FC
file.]

[Footnote 14-75: Idem to SA, 25 Jul 49, FC file.]

After meeting first with Gray and then the Chief of Staff, Fahy called
the sessions "frank and cordial" and saw some prospect of accord,
although their positions were still far apart.[14-76] Just how far
apart had already become apparent on 5 July when Gray presented (p. 363)
Fahy with an outline for yet another program for using black soldiers.
This new program was based in part on the comments of the field
commanders, and the Director of Personnel and Administration warned
that "beyond the steps listed in this plan, there is very little major
compromise area left short of complete integration."[14-77] While the
Army plan differed from the committee's recommendations in many ways,
in essence the disagreement was limited to two fundamental points.
Determined to retain segregated units, the Army opposed the
reassignment of school-trained Negroes to vacancies in white units;
and in order to prevent an influx of Negroes in the low achievement
categories, the Army wa