“Too many chiefs and not enough Indians”
“Too many chiefs and not enough Indians” means too many leaders or managers and not enough workers. The expression has been used in the military and in business.
“We have enough chiefs but not enough Indians,” said by Lt. Gen. Nathan F. Twining (Air Technical Service Command at Wright Field commanding general), was printed in the Dayton (OH) Journal on February 12, 1946. “Some officers on duty to the war department say that one trouble with the peacetime army today is ‘too many chiefs—not enough Indians’” was written by William F. McMenamin of the United Press and published in newspapers on February 16th and 17th, 1947.
Wiktionary: too many chiefs and not enough indians
Noun
too many chiefs and not enough Indians pl (plural only)
1. Too many leaders or managers and not enough people doing useful work.
12 February 1946, Dayton (OH) Journal, “Postwar Air Developments Given Dents,” pg. 8, col. 5:
“We have enough chiefs but not enough Indians,” Trining said.
(Lt. Gen. Nathan F. Twining, Air Technical Service Command at Wright Field commanding general.—ed.)
16 February 1947, Nevada State Journal (Reno, NV), pg. 1, col. 2:
‘Too Many Chiefs—Not Enough Indians’
ARMY STRESSES NEED FOR MORE MEN
WASHINGTON, Feb. 15. (U.P.) Some officers on duty to the war department say that one trouble with the peacetime army today is “too many chiefs—not enough Indians.”
17 February 1947, Rockford (IL) Register-Republic,
Army Sated With Colonels
“Too Many Chiefs and Too Few Indians”
By WILLIAM F. McMENAMIN
Washington, Feb. 17.—(UP)— Some officers on duty to the war department say that one trouble with the peacetime army today is “too many chiefs—not enough Indians.”
24 April 1947, Austin (TX) Statesman, “‘Enemy” Collapses Main Hope for Peace: Eaker,” pg. 6, col. 3:
“You can’t have all chiefs and no Indians,” said Eaker. “We have a system we think will provide the chiefs, but we’re worried about getting the Indians.”
(Lieutenant General Ira C. Eaker, deputy commander of the Army Air Forces.—ed.)
OCLC WorldCat record
Too many Chiefs and not enough Indians
Author: Clitus M Wickens; Art Suma
Publisher: ©1952.
Edition/Format: Musical score : English
OCLC WorldCat record
Too many Chiefs, not enough Indians?
Author: Robert B III Cullins; US Army Armor School.
Publisher: Fort Knox, Ky. : General Instruction Dept., The Armor School, 1964.
Edition/Format: Print book : National government publication Archival Material : English
Summary:
Why does a Division Commander need slightly more than two Chiefs (each Chief being an intermediate headquarters) to control each Indian (a company or platoon) within a division? This paper will show that number of controllers to be excessive.
OCLC WorldCat record
Space program funding - too many chiefs and not enough Indians:Can Democracies Fly in Space? The Challenge of Revitalizing the U.S. Space Program by W.D. Kay Westport, CT: Praeger, 1995. 256 pp, $59.95
Author: John M Logsdon Affiliation: Director, Space Policy Institute George Washington University Washington, DC 20052, USA
Edition/Format: Article Article : English
Publication: Space Policy, v12 n3 (1996): 227-228