Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-05-28
Poll Of Army
On War Issue
Called Silly
johnson Hopes Idea viii
Be Shouted Down
By HUGH s. JOHNSON
SnOCTOR GALLUP .. ma
~ NTH thu onnroyal of Gac


"DOCTOR GALLUP :. may
with the approval Of Sec
rotary Stimson, poll our armed
forces Ton the question of war
or peace. or course that veneer
able warrior. Mr.. Stimson. eX-
poets "A satisfactory result"
So said Senator Wheeler in a
widely publicized anti-war
speech in New York City re-
Gently.
This project. or the intention
10 carry out~such a project, is
obscure. Secretary Stimson is
quoted in the press as having
abandoned the idea.
Nevertheless, there is mat
ter here serious enough 10 war
rant discussion in case the
project should be again revived.
Such a poll, of such people. on
such question, would be as
great scandal as ever dis
graced the army.
IN the first place il is no part
L of the duty Of the armed
forces in service te express -ePiff-
ions on public and partisan
policy.
Since Woodrow Wilson. AT
least. there has been no politics
in the army.
II Is the most icorrodinc and
descriptive force in military eX-
pcrlence. A first principle is
that the army shall be loyal in
action 10 whatever sdministra-
ton the people elect 10 govern.
Theirs not To reason why,
theirs but 10 do or die"
That may sound tOtafitarian.
but military command and serv-
ice are necessarily totalitarian.
II is gospel long accepted
and acceded To in the military
creed. You can't have n depend
able defense and not meet and
accept il without question.
IN THE second place. what
would such a poll be worth?
For the reasons Just stated.
men in military service arc not
free agents. For any lack.- If
subservicpce they can he disci-
plined 10 the point of ruin. with
no legal or other redress and AZ
the absolute dictation of a single
man. the commandments.
Such a plebiscite would be Of
no more worth than Nazi cleo
tion. You vote va or else.
Furthermore. the whole idea
n An army voting on whether
il wants 10 fight. or how, is evil
for TWO other reasons.
First: a soviet command
which submits every military
question 10 a debating society
has been proved over and over
again TO be foredoomed 10 de-
feat.
Second: What would you OK
pect a good soldier 10 say on
the question Of fight or no
fight?
What would you expect a
duck 10 say on the question Of
swim or no swim? Fighting is
why soldiers were made. and,
especially among younger men
whose fate il is 10 seek "thc
bubble Of reputation even IN tho
lannon's mouth. You are AL
most sure IN find eagerneSS 10
test their worth in the profess
sion 10 which they have been
trained since boyhood.
I ONE Of the greatest mistakes
" OF Theodore RooSeVelt's life
was signing tho famous round
robin ~ officers demanding
withdrawal Of troops from
Cuba.
II was probably right in its
demands. hut il had tho vice Of
All soviet soldering end the adj
ditional vice of seeking IN con-
ceal lis leadership by signing in
a circle.
The Gallup type Of sampling
poll is supposed 10 he some
what secret ballot an express
sion Of opinion without disclos-
ing the responsibility of the
author.
On question Of such vital
national concern as that Of war
or peace. who wants 10 be
guided by an anonymous letter?
Who wants 10 he thrust into
war by the urgings of men who
have not the CUTS 10 stand for
their views in the open and
under their own names?
Maybe this will turn out IN he
fitting al a straw man. Let &
hope so. No more vicious sug-
CcStion was ever discussed,
much less suggested.
Distributed ny King Features Synd.. ln'
Reproduction In whole or IN part
strictly prohibited.