Evening star., 1942-05-31
Little Justification Is Apparent
For Optimistic Outlook on War
Long Range Military Outlook for United Nations
Good, But Some Serious Reverses May Be
Ahead in Next Few Months
By Constantine BrO,cn

After a few weeks OF enthusiastic
optimism, which led many to believe the
war might be over some time this sum-
mer, President Roosevelt, Secretary of
State Hull and ranking military and
begun to warn that such optimism is
not justifable, at present at least.
Painting the war picture alternately
bright and dark must be done with ut
most discretion. In countries like Rus
sia, Italy and France, where the popula-
tions are emotional and their morale
rises or falls according to whether their
leaders are optimistic or pessimistic, ex-
aggerated statements-even far from
the truth-are necessary.
In countries like the United States and
Britain. however, where people have
both feet on the ground and can take
good news or bad without losing their
heads, official communications or state
ments painted in colors roster than the
situation warrants are dangerous. When
the real truth comes out, popular re-
action is one of doubt over Government
information.
The communiques of the Army and the
Navy are more than cautious and are
always painfully correct. In some in
stances, such as the battle of the Coral
Sea. the tendency is toward under
statement. Some day. when military
considerations no longer compel the
Navy to keep silent, it will be seen how
truly small American losses in the Coral
Sea were, compared with those inflicted
on the japanese.
Time Works in Our Favor.
Over the long pull the American people
are entitled to look at their position
optimistically. We are confronted with
a war, the duration of which is unpre-
dictable, except that it has all the ear
marks of being much longer than the
last one. But it can truthfully be said
that time works in our favor.
1t is sufficient to visit any training
camp in the country, including those
or June, and see the difference. We no
longer have bunch of raw draftees in
uniform. We have soldiers. The train
ing of the year-old citizen Army has sur
passed the most optimistic expectations
Even hard-b boiled. hard -to-satisfy Gen.
George c. Marshall, Chief of Staff, ad-
mitted after his last tour of inspection
that the Army is in excellent shape.
There continues, of course, to be a
shortage of ammunition for the>training
of 1000, 900 mcn. We are still short of
planes, especially training planes, for
paratroops and glider forces. But con-
sidering that we settled down to business
only after last December 7, the improve
ments and changes have been amazing.
While there is still good deal of dead
wood among the officers, much Of it has
been cleared away.
Unpleasant News Ahead.
The same can be said about the Navy,
which, being 80 percent professional. was
considered more ready for war than the
Army. Every week the factories are in
creaSing their output and delivering the
necessary tools for all branches of the
fighting forces. There still is some
bungling, delay and incompetence. But
compared with few months ago the
change is equally remarkable.
Looking at the war picture from the
standpoint of immediate operations. we
are likely to hear some very unpleasant
news in the near future The enemy is
at the peak of his military preparedness.
He knows-possibly better than ourselves
that no sacrifice is too great to win a
decision before the year is over.
In order to stall the American war
machine, the Nazis are trying to give us
the impression-by means of commu-
niQues-that Germany is going to pieces.
!, High-ranking Nazi officials, like Reich
marshal Hermann Goering, make pessi-
mistic speeches. Berlins experts on
America, some of whom have spent many
years in this country, and know our
foibles as well as our good qualities, are
said to be urging that Germanys leaders
make the front pages Of American papers
by exaggerating Germany's difficulties
within reason.
They do not want the American people
to get the idea that the Nazi Army has
gone SOFT that would be bad policy.
But they want to make us believe that
the Reich is tottering because of eco