Evening star., 1942-02-17

" e " IL va z
Philippines, the Malay Peninsula
and Singapore He declares that
the American feet has been dashed
TO the ground" but only for a
while" He leaves no doubt. how
ever, that had the Pearl Harbor
defeat not occurred there might
have been a different story to tell in
the Western Pacific.
From the lips Of no American
spokesman has there been so clear
cut q statement Of the war situation
as it affects the United States. 1t
has never been admitted here that
the japanese struck . devastating
blow. On the contrary, news has
been given out lately concerning the
excellent raid carried on by Amer
lean ships on the Gilbert and Mar
shall Islands with the purposeful
idea OF conveying the impression
that somehow that which happened
In the latter islands may be deemed
TO have Offset Pearl Harbor. Mr..
Churchill said:
The immediate deterrent whcih
the United States exercised upon
Japan, apart, of course, from the
measureless resources Of the Amer
lean union, was the dominant Amer
lean battle fleet in the Pacific, which
with the naval forces we could spare
confronted Japanese aggression with
Q shield Of superior sea power.
Rushed Into Opening.
But, my friends, by sn act OF
sudden and violent surprise
the shield Of sea power which was
protecting the fair lands and
islands of the Pacific Ocean was for
the time being-but only for the
time being-dashed to the ground.
Into the gap thus: opened rushed
the invading armies Of Japan. .
The overthrow for while OF British
and United States sea power was
like the breaking Of some mighty
dam No one must under
rate any more the gravity and effi-
cheney OF the japanese war machine.
There, in plain words. is the story
which has been withheld or sup
pressed on the American side OF the
Atlantic ever since December 7. 1t
isn't 50 important to know now just
how many battleships or cruisers or
destroyers were sunk or damaged in
Pearl Harhor. 1t is important to
know only that Hong Hong and
Manila and Singapore fell. each In
succession, and that the string OF
Japanese occupations has not yet
ended, all because the American
Battle Fleet was concentrated In
Pearl Harbor and was caught nap
ping in one of the most humiliating
defeats any Navy has suffered In
all history.
The tendency here in Washing
ton in ofIicial circles is to soft-pedal
any reminders of this event. The
idea is to forget what happened
and to look ahead. 1t is important,
of course, In any war to obtain and
maintain q sensible perspective.
America has not lost the war be-
cause Of the defeat at Pearl Harbor,
but America and Britain have suf-
fered a severe setback in prestige
and 1t will cost many American and
British lives to restore Britain and
America to a position Of dominance
In the air and on the sea In the
Pacific. 1t will also take q long,
long time.
Question Of Patriotism.
Under such circumstances Is 1t
patriotic to accept the past silently
and do nothing about correcting
the mistakes Of leadership or the
removal of those who underrated
Japanese naval and air strength or
Il it better to insist that the best
stratesists in the American Navy
and Army and air forces shall be
given full command without civilian
interference or political inhibitions?
This is a question for public opinion
to decide. And, thus far, the admin
istration has covered in cloak OF
secrecy all information concerning
remedial measures that are supposed
to have been taken since Decem-
Der 7.
All the outside world can do Is
TO hope that the lessons of Pearl
Harbor have really been taken to
heart. The tendency here, how
ever. in official quarters is to cover
UP the mistakes Of the past 50 that
the news Of the gravity OF the situa-
ton comes from a spokesman 5000
miles away, rather than from any
authorized source in the American
Government Itself. Small wonder
there are complaints about the
"complacency" of the American
public toward the war.
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