The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1942-11-16

reviously. He tossed back his
ID loudly.
, single Russian soldier or officer.
or commissar. who had the easily
discernible shadows Of doubt and
defeatism in his face. Among the
several millions In the Red army
there must be some discouraged
souls. but my experience would
indicate that II so, they are 30 rare
as to represent a completely I'M
natural phenomenon.
This army is an aroused fight
ing entity, strong in its unshat-
tered self-belief and girde1 with
the tenacity and silent patience
and remarkable fortitude OF the
Russian and Siberian peasants.
What you find in the Russian
soldier and difference I also
found II in the Spanish Loyalists
and Greeks and also with the
hard-bitten Finns-is character.
But 1t is character hammered out
of a lifetime of unremittent toll
and out Of long accustomedness
to hardship and uphill struggle.
Hitler thought he could make the
Germans into soldiers who would
be harder and spiritually tougher
fibered than the Russians. In this
he has already failed.
WILL NEVER QUIT
Here is a front-zone colonel Of
the Red army who Is typical of
scores of officers with whom I have
talked. He Is a serious-faced man
who chooses his words and evoids
all rhetoric: Russia will ne the
last country in the world TO ca
pitulate," he says. factually. I'VE
shall fight to the last man."
In another zone, a Red army
major snapped his jaws together
and then said:
Just one thing. Tell the
Americans the Russian people
will never be conquered
never"
The battalion commissar chimed
in with an emphatic nod Of his
head:
I'VE want help and we need IT,.
But IL you don't start a second
front, we shall fight on slone-re-
CARELESS. We shall keep fighting"
READY TO MOVE
Again and again, have heard
these same declarations from SOL
diers or officers and they were not
spoken as idle words but as ex-
precision Of an unalterable deci-
sion.
When the general says. Hit the
Germans" he Is voicing the central
philosophy and dominant idea Of
the Russian army from top to bot
tom. The average Red army man
seems convinced that all that is
needed is a measurable weakening
OF the Nazis armed FORCES IN 'ne
East, the sudden pressure Of a
t"o-rroh' war upon fitier' aho
the forward march of the Russian
troops VIII soon negin IN earnest
After living with the Red
army, after seeing Its sinews
1t close hand' ana feenng io
puise' ! 90 NO. ooo"' TOT
or that it will happen N a
second front IL created with
In a short time. The atmos-
phere and spirit Of the Rus
sian front IL one Of strength,
resolution and confidence.
There Is absolutely no underes-
timation of the foe nor Of the great
sacrifices that must still be made.
Yet the fact remains that these
Russian officers and men are I'M
beaten. that their organization Is
as intact as their morale and that
they still burn with the conviction
that Nazism must be crushed and
will be crushed in the end.
In my estimation the only thing
that could shatter or seriously in.
/ lure the offensive spirit OF the
Russian soldiers would be the fail
ure of Britain and the United
states TO have their forces fighting
on European soil
|
OUR BEST ALLY
Even after suen inexpiieaoie tar-
diness on the part OF Britain sno