Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-04-07
Courage Not
Peculiar TO
Any Nation
History Shows All Have
Their Ups and Downs
BY HUGH s. JOHNSON


w men of different groupings
of mankind don't all fight the
same-not with the same deter
mination, ferocity and indiffer-
ence to death, suffering and
wounds.
For long time the difference
was thought to be racial. For
example, il was a kind Of axiom
that colored men were so put
together, nervously, that they
couldn't stand heavy and long
continued shell fire.
But records of their regiments
In our regular army, especially
when they were properly led
and supported with their own
artillery, exploded that theory.
1t used to be said that Fill
pinos were first class fighting
men. except that they regarded
scrap as a kind OF a days
work and saw no particular dis
grace in leaving for home when
the sun went down. Their rec
ord in the Bataan peninsula is
answer enough to that SANDER.
1t wasn't because they couldn't
have filtered through the Jap
lines and escaped had they de-
sired. They are a. jungle people.
They have hung up an imperish-
able record because they were
veteran regular soldiers trained
and schooled in the American
method.
LOR centuries there has lived
L in what is now Germany a
race of people whose military
record shows that while they
have frequently been defeated
and down they are never out.
An early description of them
Is in Facitus which mentions
them as soldiers with a sort OF
awe. They stopped the advance
OF the Roman empire. Charlie
magne decimated them. but they
came back during his lifetime
to make it hot for him.
Napoleon beat them unmerci-
fully, but, just as did we in
1918, failed 10 disarn them
thoroughly. In the German case
the reason for military suprem-
acy seems 10 be a very old ira
dition amounting almost to
religion.
The French have a distinctly
spotty military history and the
Mongols almost none at all. Yet
both respon 10 inspired
leadership TO the conquest of
most of the world. The Moslems
did IL under the spur of religious
fanaticism.
Thus there seems TO be no
single common factor in the
military formula and no racial
monopoly on invincibility. Re-
ligion, or a long record OF VIC
tory. or OF conquest-each has,
at some time in history, been
the keynote OF success.
Now. as never before, there
seem 10 be at least three new
factors-supremacy in new and
powerful mechanical weapons
including the ability to produce
them; propaganda, building Vp
the morale of the victorious side
and bearing down that OF the
vanquished; unity, including uni
formity in bodily perfection and
similarity in outlook and meth
DDS of thinking
IF there is anything in this
Il analysis the more one
studies it the more accurate il
seems TO be-if there is any
thing. in il, we have great adj
vantages in every one of its ele-
ments. except, perhaps. in the
possession of great leadership
which we have not yet had time
to prove.
The tradition OF heroism I'M
der the most trying conditions
stands out in our history during
the entire period of the build
ing of the nation. No man can
turn yellow without letting his
forbears down. Patriotic devo-
ton amounting almost to re-
ligious fervor we still possess in
full measure. Our ability and
resources to build new arms is
unequaled.
Newspapers. radio. the movies
and automobiles have given our
young men such a common cast
of character and outlook, that
no great differences distinguish
those from different states. We
are more nearly one people than
many far smaller and more COM
pact nations.
In few words, we've got the
stuff and the only thing that can
lick us is top-side bungling and
spreading our strength too thin
by trying to fight in too many
places at one time.
Distributed by King Features synd., Inc.
Reproduction In whole or In part
strictly prohibited.
25 YEARS AGO TODAY
April 7, 1917