Evening star., 1941-07-29

henry Mcfmore ItSS plOS dIL Oo
made available.
I first became conscious Of this
novel and efficient Government
service a month or so ago when I
read in the papers all about how
Charles Kettering. the inventive
genius who thought up the self
starter for automobiles, among other
things. was working on device
which gave promise of eliminating
the menace of enemy submarines
1t was a most interesting and in"
formative article. Everything vas
there except the blueprints Of the
padget, but one had feeling that
lust as soon as these could he
printed UP the Government would
see to it that the people had a
chance to study them.
-
More recently the Office OF Blah--
bing and Popping Of. As I presume.
it is named did beautiful Job OF
exposing the invention Of a new
engine for national defense. Scarce
" anything was held back in ths
description of this tiny. tWo-Cy1-
inder. cooled engine designed TO
maintain sea-level conditions IN the
cabins of sub ub-stratosphere bombers-
without drain on their main en-
gines." Even the nickname OF the
new engine which it was helpfully
pointed out, will make the long
range patrol ships totally independ-
ent of shore help, was furnished. It
is known as the watch charm"
Almost every day the Office Of
Blabbing and Popping of lets tbs
public in on some choice little mill.
tary detail. On Monday We learn
the diving speed Of new bomber
and on Tuesday and wednesday We
get the inside on a new bit Of
armament for a fighting plane. II
there is no new invention for
Thursday or Friday, We learn the
major Deficiencies Of some type Of
United States war equipment, and
on Saturdays are furnished with 8
summary of the weeks secret,
guarded information.
Nothing is kept back.
Even the occupation Of Iceland
came as anti-climaX to the Ameri-
can public. The citizens had heard
so much talk of such an occupation
that their surprise was no more
genuine than that of the honor
guest at a surprise party who has
been tipped off beforehand.
This refusal to keep anything
secret is sporting of the Govern
ment you know. It wouldn't be
quite cricket. would it, to keep q
new device to combat submarines
up your sleeve? Some fine old Axis
U-boat commander might be knock
ed off before he had a chance to
wreck a convoy. Likewise, what
satisfaction would there be IN it
for the pilot of an American plane
If his victories were scored in a
ship with superior equipment?
No. let US, by all means, continue
to play the game as gentlemen with
those sterling old sportsmen. Hitler
and Mussolini. One could not ask,
for more courtly opponents. Out Of
respect for their feeling for fair
play. this country must by all means
avoid doing anything on the sly.
It would be terrible, wouldn't it, to
have Herr Goebbels or Count Ciano
think that this country wasn't
sporting, even in as rough a game
as war. And how long would it
take this Nation to live down q
frown or a raised eyebrow from
that gracious assassin, Ribbentrop7
At the same time, I can't but
hope that the citizens appreciate
the confidence the Government has
shown in them by making them sort
of unoff1cial members of the gen.
eral staff Let us guard our in
formation very carefully, and hope
and pray that none of our enemies
is able to read or understand Eng
lish.
Somehow, it seems to me that in
the game of war we'll have to con-
tradict Grantland Rice and say TT
isn't how you played the game, but
whether you won or lost"
Distributed by McNsusht Syndicate, Ineb