Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-08-13
Army Gets
Aggressive
Leadership
New Generals Selected
for Fighting Spirit
BY PAUL MALLON

of l00 new generals tmajor and
brigadier) may have meant no
more TO the general public than
reading a page from the tele-
phone book. but to those who
see the army up close, or from
the inside. it represented an in
spring effort TO put fighting
spirit and quality at the top in
the field.
No more than two or three
names could cause fellow Off
GERS to ask themselves the usual
question.
How in hell did he get up
there?"
The number Of buds and dudes
aSSayed no higher than two or
three per cent, which is record.
These new generals average
somewhere around their middle
fortieS in age, not as young as
might be, but young enough.
They are generally to take fight
ing tank commands, new air.
borne divisions, the airplane
ferry command, and some are
now already overseas.
Their choice Is a tribute TO the
inner army efficiency reporting
system. A few were plucked out
for exceptional personality and
ability, without a record, but
most were chosen because they
had efficiency records.
The list is a definite answer
to the popular prayer for agrees
Slve leadership in the field.
THOSE front-page official gov
L eminent photographs show
ing how Nazi saboteurs had
plowed our fields into huge
arrows. or marked them with
sacks OF grain 10 direct the way
for Nazi bombers TO our stra-
tegic detectives. turn out 10
have been an unattended gov
eminent hoax.
These photographs were pre-
pared months ago by our own
forces TO illustrate what army
aviators might expect from
Nazi saboteurS, not what the
saboteurS had done. They were
intended 10 warn our filters as
TO what 10 look for, while flying
around the country.
Authorities at certain east
ern airfield discovered these old
pictures, after the trial of the
eight saboteurs here, and pre-
sumably somehow reached the
erroneous conclusion that they
represented actual sabotage
work. already done.
The photographs were released
10 the press as such.
Such a scare blunder may be
expected once in the colossal
business of conducting war-but
not again.
WHEN officers are serving
w overseas. the official text Of
their commissions for promotion
is sent to their families. One
such Florida family was amaZ-
eddy proud the other day to see
notice that son had been
commissioned a brigadier gen.
eral-especially as he was only
second looey. They could not
believe it. In fact, they were so
amazed, they sought confirma-
ton.
Only then was it discovered
that a commission for their son
10 be promoted TO a first lieu
tenant had been sent to the
Iowa family of the brigadier
general who had the first and
last names (Harold NJ. McClel-
land and they had received the
brigadier generalship through a
mistake. The correction left
them only slightly less proud.
THE Admiral King statement.
Il telling the first news of our
attack on the Solomons, has
been rightly heralded by COM
ThentatorS as a gratifying inno-
walton in official news policy.
While II told little. it did so
promptly, which is an improve
.ment,
But il seemed to me also to
represent a characteristic defen-
Sive type of official publicity
that has gone on too long. A
defensive statement in my mind
IS one which is responsible Ia
accusation in character, or car
rieS an apologize or defensive
undertone. IL IS not self-asser-
tive. firm, confident
Admiral King said we al
tackled, but did not say how
However. he said the JapS Coun.
tcTattacked with rapldity anC
vieor Furthermore. he strongly
stressed the point that the ac-
ton was very dangerous anc
considerable losses must he
expected FOR the hard-won eX-
pcricnce.
The statement was ConCoCteC
in response 10 the grandioSc jar
claims and thus may have as
sumcd a defensive nature. OF
perhaps was intended as a fore
cast II bad news. In any event
too many Of our officials fee
they must be defensive in then
statements. even when announc
ing offensive action.
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