nstant pressure on the armed services. They were
not singled out for special treatment, but they obviously attracted
the attention of both the White House and the civil rights organizations
because their commitment to equal treatment and opportunity affected
so many people and their past successes and remaining problems were
having a decided impact on American society. In the words of
presidential assistant Wofford, the Defense Department was "a world
within itself," a world which by its magnitude could make a
"significant contribution by its example" to the solution of the
nation's racial problems.[20-24]

[Footnote 20-24: Memo for Rcd, James C. Evans, 21 Jul
61, sub: Meeting, Subcabinet Group on Civil Rights,
Friday, July 21, 1961 (Judge Jackson represented
Mr. Runge), ASD (M&P) 291.2.]

The size of the department's racial program alluded to by Wofford also
invited the attention of a federal agency outside White House control.
The United States Commission on Civil Rights was continually
investigating the services, probing allegations of discrimination
against black servicemen and evaluating the role of the department in
community race relations.[20-25] Of particular interest to an
understanding of racial policy in the 1960's is the commission's
comprehensive survey, titled "The Services and Their Relations with
the Community," which concluded that the continued existence of
community discrimination against servicemen and their dependents had a
detrimental effect on the morale and efficiency of significant numbers
of them. The commission cataloged the traditional alibis of military
commanders: "it is not the mission of the services to concern
themselves with the practices of the local community"; the commander's
responsibility "stops at the gate"; harmonious relations with the
community must be maintained; and, finally, in order to achieve
harmony, servicemen must comply with local laws and customs. Yet when
it came to other areas of community relations, particularly where the
general health, welfare, and morale of the servicemen were involved,
the commission found that commanders did not hesitate to ally
themselves with servicemen, local community controversy and opposition
notwithstanding. The commission wanted the services to take a similar
stand against racial discrimination in the community. Although its
specific recommendations differed