Evening star., 1942-12-27


front. Since November 7 the personal
implication of these strains has begun
to be apparent to every American.
Total war means exactly what the ad-
iective implies. 1t means that the
sacrifices, privations and effort of war
are not confined to troops on active
service but are spread without refer
ence to convenience throughout the en-
tire population. In this country, alone
among the belligerents, such universal
participation in the pain, so distinct
from the pomp, of war is only just begin
ming. And there is yet little concept of
what may be involved for Americans in
securing the eventual victory of the
United Nations
Indeed. that pleasant but deceptive
phrase unfortunately serves to prevent
full realization of the fact that if the
war is to be won the United States must
win it and pay a major share of the
price. Great Britain and Russia and
China are together not strong enough
for the task. In military capacity the
rest of the United Nations, excepting
oIiiS VIC Stu -Soptl iIllb blltLSIl UDullH-
ions, simply do not count
So both the burden and the RESPONSE
bility for victory are squarely upon the
American people. And if that burden
is to be supported and that RESPONSE
bilty met, enormous changes in our way
of life will be inevitable.
Taste of Things to Come.
The first strong intimatiop of this has
come home to many with the rapid in
crease Of really urgent domestic prob
lens during the closing weeks of 1912.
The sudden development of cOmmod-
ltV shortages, the mounting tranSporta-
ton difficulties, the increasing admins
trative tangles, the emergency of an
acute manpoWer problem even in ad-
vance of the heavy casualties to be an
ticipated-all these are samples of what
must be expected in far greater intensity
once the Nation engages in the large
scale fighting which is an indispensable
prelude to victory
That the small foretaste of things to
come has brought grumbling, irritation
and to some extent sense of resent
ment is at bottom evidence of the un-
preparedness of the American people as
whole for the grim realities of the
struggle in which they have become en-
gagged. With that psychological unpre-
paredness our political leadership, which
rather blithely took the country into
war, must now take steps to cope.
1t must, as one illustration, soon do
something more effective in regard to
those continuing strikes in war indus
tries which have wasted millions of man.
hours of precious time since Pearl Har-
borrower 2.000 900 man-hours last June
alone, according to War LABOR Board
statistics. And the administration must
further frankly face the fact that desir-
able social gains, such as the basic 40
hour week, are inconsistent with a situ-
alton so grim as to force consideration
of plans to conscript labor.
There is no pleasure in an attempt
to make honest analysis of the picture as
1912 draws to it's sonnber close But such
analysis is the more imperative because
of the Pollyanna vaporings which have
done so much to lull the American people
into the dangerously false belief that
this war can be won without appalling
sacrifice.
Intelligent anticipation will cushion
the shocks which l943 unquestionably
holds in store. The new year will be
happier if We enter it with resolution
to meet our problem without evasion,
discount or lack of faith in our ability
to confront disagreeable facts.