6, 1949; Pittsburgh
_Courier_, Octobers, 1949; Norfolk _Journal and
Guide_, October 15, 1949; New York _Amsterdam
News_, October 15, 1949.]

[Footnote 14-93: Ltr, Niles to President, 5 Oct 49,
Nash Collection, Truman Library.]

[Footnote 14-94: News Conference, 6 Oct 49, as quoted
in _Public Papers of the President: Harry S.
Truman, 1949_, p. 501.]

The President's statement signaled a victory for the committee; its
extent became apparent only when the Army tried to issue a new
circular, revising its Gillem Board policy along the lines of the
outline plan approved by Johnson on 30 September. During the weeks of
protracted negotiations that followed, the committee clearly remained
in control, its power derived basically from its willingness to have
the differences between the committee and the Army publicized and the
reluctance of the White House to have it so. The attitudes toward
publicity were already noticeable when, on 11 October, Fahy suggested
to Truman some possible solutions to the impasse between the committee
and the Army. The Secretary of Defense could issue a supplementary
statement on the Army's assignment policy, the committee could release
its recommendations to the press, or the Army and the committee could
resume discussions.[14-95]

[Footnote 14-95: Memo, Fahy for President, 11 Oct 49,
FC file.]

President Truman ordered his military aide to read the committee's 11
October suggestion and "then take [it] up with Johnson."[14-96] As a
result the Secretary of Defense retired from the controversy.
Reminding Gray through intermediaries that he had approved the Army's
plan in outline form, Johnson declared that it was "inappropriate" for
him to approve the plan's publication as an Army circular as the Army
had requested.[14-97] About the same time, Niles informed the Army
that any revision of Circular 124 would have to be submitted to the
White House before publication, and he candidly admitted that
presidential approval would depend on the views of the Fahy
Committee.[14-98] Meanwhile, his assistant, Philleo Nash, predicting
that the committee would win both the assignment and quota arguments,
persuaded Fahy to postpone any public statement until after the Army's
revised circular had been reviewed by the committee