Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-08-19
Army Vexed
As Morale
Of Men Says
Folks al Home TO Blame,
Mallon Declares
BY PAUL MALLON

getting INTO print.
Apparently they gained such
wide verbal circulation because
Of tho number of motorists who
have made a custom of picking
up hitch-hiking soldiers 10 ask
them how they liked their lot.
Now the national weekly Life
is currently publishing a collec-
iion of the gripes and grouches
from a National Guard unit.
Frankly, the war department
has been somewhat worried
about the situation. An admis-
sion Of its dissatisfaction is the
fact that War Secretary Henry
Stimson took the unprecedented
step last Friday of broadcaSting
an address directly 10 the sol
dierS of the army. explaining the
necessity OF keeping them on
another Is months.
EROM all | have been able 10
L gather in recent weeks per
Sonal talks with soldiers, Off
GERS. letters from their families
and testimony from motorists
covering all the East from
Maine to Florida the attitude
of the draftees is being mis-
understood.
They are not an unpatriotlc.
selfish lot. They Just do not all
see the necessity Of the sacrifice
they are being required TO make.
The international situation is
muddy enough even for the
statesmen who arc in it. Hitler
is a long way off. The news
from the fighting fronts is
obscure, net like-the last time,
when any one could put a map
on the wall. stick pins in il,
follow il daily and have an idea
where it Cand where he him
self was going.
New methods of international
politics which the Nazis have
imposed on the world have made
the day-to-day developments
even less understandable.
fhe technique of undeclared
wars. officials never saying
what they mean. softening their
enemies by friendship, keeps the
man in the army. as we'll as the
man in the street, befogged with
question marks.
This is a democratic army
Some of il quietly. politely, asks
why.
THE root of the temporary diff
l. hculty is not in the army,
but with the people back home.
They do not have enough home
pride. shame or interest in their
sons training for defense of their
country.
A soldier who goes over the
hill (deserts) is a Benedict
Arnold in his own small way
as much OF an Arnold as his
position permits. No family
could hold its head up in any
neighborhood. whose son was
traitor 10 his country in times
past. and times coming.
In Britain and Germany. If n
boy is court-martialcd even for
a minor breach of discipline. the
family feels the disgrace kecnly
Mothers have been known 10
60 into mourning in Germany
when their sons are hauled up
on the mat
a greater deficiency AZ home
is lack of knowledge and interest
in what the boy is doing.
Is he with a first class outfit ?
This army would he lot
/ further along today if every one
4 al home wrote 10 ask:
us il true that your outfit
batted 900 in maneuyers and
YOU were made 10 look like n lot
Of monkeys? ." Or. I'VE hear that
the umpty-umpth regiment. of
which YOU are member. il top
regiment In the whole Nth army.
Nice going"
WHETHER he is with a good
: w outfit or not may be the
main assurance of the boys life,
If the home folks only knew il.
Look AZ Germany and Italy.
The Italians, with plenty of
men and equipment, Sloughed
along in Greece losing great
numbers in killed and wounded.
although they were fighting an
inferior force of Greeks. poorly
equipped. The contest lasted
months
The Germans came along with
an army fun OF spirit and
cleaned the British. as well as
the Greeks out of Greece. with
fewer killed and wounded than
The Italians or the British and
Greeks.
Inquire about all the European
campaigns if YOU doubt my word
In Africa. France. the Low.
lands. Norway. everywhere the
men who are not good fighters
are not only defeated but also
decirrated. no matter what theii
equipment or their numbers
The lesson Of war is that :
don't give-a-damn soldier is Z
Ccad soldier.
In intelligent. efficient moderr
fighting based on skill in han
ding intricate machines anC
quick thinking by individual
soldiers the sloppy fighting mar
VIII head the casualty list. alonl
with ms pnfirc nation