Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-02-06
Get in There
And Sock,
U. S. Urged
Strength Of Allies Seen
Depending on America
BY HUGH 5. JOHNSON

by HUH -. JOHNSON
1T CERTAINLY is not defeat
Il ism 10 grouse about bungling
war-making, if the conclusion is
not: $50 you're licked. you big
palooka. Lie down and quit"
but on the contrary. is: Get in
there and sock. or the referee
will declare this waltzing-match
no contest
Something of the latter sort
would be appropriate TO our con-
duct of this war 10 date. 1t is
going seriously against us. In
the opinion of most military ex-
perts l know, 1912 looks very
sour.
Here is the worst war in his
tory. Right now, before our eyes,
il is changing the political domi-
nation of half the globe. At its
opening blast il has brought us
the greatest naval disaster in
our history.
With that knockout punch,
plus British misfortune, il has
taken from us an element of
world strength on which we had
counted for two generations
naval supremacy in the Pacific.
In the process il has preached
the principal baStion of our sea-
ward defense - Hawaii 49, which
we had regarded as impregnable.
IN THE meantime, the strength
L OF our principal allies or
friends. upon which we had been
taught 10 rely has been proved
TO be a strength sufficient 10 re-
siSt only by reliance on our
strength and that TO the full
value pledged or given) of all
the wealth and value accumu-
lated in the United States since
Christopher Columbus.
In giving it we shall be forced
10 violate strategic principle
number one and scatter and
drlbble our strength away over
the whole surface of the known
earth. instead of concentrating
IN the spot where We can meet
any maximum enemy strength
with greater strength Of our
own.
The process Of stumbling and
fumbling and laundering our
selves into this unhappy situation
has taken years.
1t has been signalized by a
sort of happy go-lucky careless
ness which pooh-poohed proved
plans worked out by veteran
experts on experience and sub
stituted for them flash-in-the-
pan experiments. ill-conSidered,
poorly organized and lacking
either competent or sufficient
responsibility and authority.
There may be an equivalent
record Of waste and ineptitude
but II does not readily come to
mind.
THERE is no use crying over
L split milk or wasted mil
lions in wealth and opportunity
for national defense. and there
would be no excuse for such a
column as this if one aspect OF
perhaps the chief cause OF
ibid not remain. 1t is this -
speaking by and large. the gen
eral public. instead of being
shaken with Indignation. simply
does not seem 10 give tinker 5
dam-not even yet.
When the Maine was sunk in
Havana Harbor and our flag
over Fort Sumter was fired
upon these events were the cul-
mination Of years OF incidents
that had the whole country tin
one CaSeD and all OF the North
lin the other) seething with
anger What happened was close
10 home and almost everybody
/ nurSed a grievance.
ms upheaVal is different
Most people don't even know
the names Of the areas involved
and the four freedoms" are Just
a little too high up in the rari-
fled StratoSpherc for tho aver
age guy TO tell the difference
between a war for them and a
war 70 gain possession of oil
rubber and distant dominions.
II is too late TO talk about that
now. That may have brought us
into the war. but thS only fact
that counts now is that we are
in il and must get ready 10 give
a good account Of ourselves or
suffer the worst humiliation and
loss our country has ever known
This is the fact that must be
brought home 10 our people 10
jar them out Of their SmugneSS
and there is not a day to lose.
Distributed by KING Features Synd Inc.
Reproduction in whole or in part
strictly prohibited
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