Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-12-09
Telling War
Plans Branded
Slea1 Trick
DisIoyal Act. However
VaIueIess to Enemy
BY HUGH S. JOHNSON

AZ
n story of the Presidents re-
quest on the secretary of war
for an estimate of our military
plans and requirements and the
joint army-navy plan" prepared
pursuant to this request. there
has been a great deal of sound
and fury signifying nothing.
The disloyalty, lack of patriot
ism and political chicanery of
the person or persons responsible
for giving out this story are
astounding.
1t seems unbelievable that
any American. with sufficient
standing in the government to
have access to these documents,
would commit such a sleazy
trick. Mr.. Stimson is entirely
correct in his condemnation of
this act. If its perpetrator has
not been revealed by the time
this column appears. l sincerely
hope that he will soon be dis
covered and given the works.
However. let's not get too ex-
cited about this. There is no
military value 10 the enemy"
in the revelation of this plan.
TT is merely a fine example
L Of plain horse sense reason
ing which does credit to the
common sense of our high COM
mand and also presents a ster-
ling example of the fact that
the so-called "art of war" is. in
its essentials, nothing more than
that-plain, ordinary common
sense.
The German general staff has,
OF course, fully explored the
American military position and
potential. i venture to say that
their estimate of our position
agrees substantially with our
own estim ate of our own
situation.
Not for the purpose of any
back-slapping or in any spirit
of "I-told-you-so," 1 cannot re-
frain from calling attention 10
the fact that this column, on
November II. made an estimate
of our military situation which
varies in no essential way from
the one published as that of
the high command. II merely
faced the facts.
After all, any thinking per-
son knows. no matter how much
they may regret il, that the an
nounced objective Of this coun-
try is the ultimate defeat of the
Nazis. This means the German
army, despite the dissenting
views Of our air intelligence
(according to the Chicago Tri-
bune story, that it might be
possible to knock out Germany
by concentrated bombing of
German key economic centers.
IT is fundamental that an
L army may only be destroyed
by another army. AS / previ-
ously pointed out. air power,
economic power and fifth column
tactics all contribute heavily to
ultimate military success. but
they cannot alone defeat the
enemy's land forces.
When we consider the eff
ficiency. position and size of
the German army we must
realize the ultimate stupendous
character OF the task that we
have cut out for ourselves. The
estimated American high COM
mands plan Off accurately re-
ported) is surprising for It's
moderation rather than its
magnitude.
This job of fighting a war Of
the continents" as ! have said
before. approaches the realm of
Buck Rogers and Superman.
0F COURSE, these conclusions
" of the joint board (as re-
ported) did not and could not
properly include the question of
the fiscal and political posi-
bilities of such a colossal effort,
beginning with so silent a prep
aration of officer personnel and
combat experience.
Regardless of what may be
the opinion of the joint board,
with which this writer is not
familiar, his own views are that
this plan is not practicable
with either the fiscal or eco
nomic realms.
IT must be remembered that
there is always an unknown
quantity of vast possibilities
an internal German collapse
which might change the whole
picture.
Distributed by King Features Synd. Inc.