The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1941-08-21
MEMBER OF
THURSDAY. AUGUST 81, 1871
OUR MORALE

Talk OF America low army
morale is drawing prompt and in
some instances angry denial from
ranking officials. Among the
most emphatic in defense OF the
Army was Lieut. Gen. Ben Lear.
commander Of the Second Army,
who denies there is anything lack
ing in the morale OF his men but
adds: III the Army morale is low
Il is because the morale OF the
people is poor Many Of our peo-
pie have grown soft through years
of easy living. They are weak
minded. some Of them. and they
don't want TO be put out. II the
Army is soft. so is the nation"
Lieut.. Gen Walter Kruger,
commander OF the Third Army,
says he is proud Of his men and
the public would be, too. il they
knew OF the problems these sol
diers have solved uncomplainingly.
Lieut.. Gen. Lesley j. McNair,
chief Of staff OF the Third Army,
asks the public to be patient in
its demands on the Army.
Division commanders are unan
imous in praise OF their men. Maj.
Gen. Truman, commanding the 35th
Division OF troops from Kansas,
Nebraska and Missouri, comments:
Il don't know about the rest of
the Army, but / do know that my
own division has particularly high
morale. This attribute TO the $50
newspaper reporters | have in my
division who correspond with their
home papers. Thus the folks at
home are kept informed of what
is going on in the division. They
have an understanding and when
the folks at home know what's
going on and are satisfied, then
the troops In the field are con-
tented, too"
General Lear, referring 70 arti-
cles in two national magazines pic
turing Army morale as poor, says
They state that the Army has no
objective. The present mission OF
the Second Army is to train its
staffs. officers and men TO the ex-
tent that IL and when II becomes
necessary TO engage in actual COM
bat, this Army will be a credit to
our families and this nation. II is
terrible II they are unable to find
an objective in our preparedness
program. They have forgotten the
old motto that we older men
learned when we went to school:
Ny Country It's OF Thee"
Comments OF other officers
through the Army would. be sim
liar. They have faith in their men
and in the American people. The
whole story is that some men in
camp recognize no pressing OBJ
jective. They are typically Amer
lean. They want TO be accomplish
ing something That was the prs
vailing spirit in the previous war.
The American ambition was to
clean up the mess in Europe and
get back home. There was a def
mite Job TO do and the American
soldiers went about II in the
American way on a high speed
production basis.
The same will be true when We
get into war again. They will
be anxious 10 get II over. In the
meantime the daily routine Of
camp life is far from fascinating
for the average American youth
II is quite natural that we should
hear stories about Indifferent at.
titude, so many absent without
leave that the guard houses won't
hold them. II is also quite natur-
al that men who have left their
business or good positions to spend
year in camp at heavy financial
loss should not be overjoyed at
the news OF extended service.
These men went into camp for
year. Some made plans on the
basis OF a year. II war entangle.
ments reached US within the year
they would be expected to stay on
in the Army. but II we are no;
actually fighting when the year
Is ended. they want to return as
they had planned. They can't be
criticized for that The criti
cism comes as a result OF the way
these men are said to be express
ing their dlspleasure. Bad atti.
tude on the part OF men who may
have good cause encourages bad
attitude on the part OF others,
The new 2S-year age limit will
help TO adjust this situation. Bet
ter training facilities will help
better equipment will help, better
trained officers will help. In such
a hasty preparedness move as ours
has been there are necessary ad
justments between officers ant
men, between men and home. be
tween home and government, be
tween government and industry
between industry and labor and
so on around the whole circle OF
armament.
And all the time we should keer
in mind the fact that since war 4,
wrong. since II reflects weakness
In human relations. In business and
In government, II must necessar
fly involve wrongs Of many kinds
There will be innumerable wrongs
losses. sacrifices before this wal
Is ended, but as in the sick room
the aim is TO get well and pain 4,
eased by the knowledge that health
Is ahead. Health and freedom oi
the nation Is at stake. To pre-
serve II we shall suffer. The pre-
scrfption n unity, loyalty speedy
preparedness and possibly fight
ing. We are hoping. OF course
that the fighting can be avoided by
proper application OF the Other
less painful remedies.