are killing us with the Guard," Gesell replied that the committee
took orders from the President and would ignore the political problems
involved. Nevertheless, before the committee issued its report Gesell
sent the portions on the National Guard to the Justice Department for
comment, as one justice official noted, "apparently ... in the hope
that its recommendation will not prove embarrassing to the
administration."[21-84]

[Footnote 21-82: "Final Report," p. 12.]

[Footnote 21-83: Interv, author with Gesell, 3 Nov
74.]

[Footnote 21-84: The Kennedy quote is from the
author's interview with Gesell on 13 May 1972. The
Justice Department quote is from Memo, Gordon A.
Martin (Dept of Justice) for Burke Marshall, 26 Jul
63, sub: Proposed Gesell Cmte Rpt on the National
Guard, Marshall Papers, J. F. Kennedy Library.]

The committee admitted that its investigation of the National Guard
was incomplete because of the variation in state systems and the
absence of statistical data on recruitment, assignment, and promotion
in some state guards. It had no doubt, however, of the central premise
that discrimination existed. For example, until 1963 ten states with
large black populations had no black guardsmen at all. Membership in
the guard, the committee concluded, was a distinct advantage for some
individuals, providing the chance to perform their military obligation
without a lengthy time away from home or work. Because of the peculiar
relationship between the reserve and regular systems, National Guard
service had important advantages in retirement benefits for others.
These advantages and benefits should, in simple fairness, be open to
all, but beyond the basic constitutional rights involved there were
practical reasons for federal insistence on integration. The committee
accepted the National Guard Bureau's conclusion that, since guard
units were subject to integration when federalized, their morale and
combat efficiency would be improved if their members were accustomed
to service with Negroes in all ranks during training.[21-85]

[Footnote 21-85: "Final Report," pp. 19-20.]

The committee stressed executive initiatives. It wanted the President
to declare the integration of the National Guard in the national
interest. It wanted the D