Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-11-03

us, but we don't know how or when"
The artillery battaHon's COM
mander-Lt. Col. Anatole Smirnov,
that 6-foot Ukrainian mass of Drawn
and gusto-made his outfits inquiry
completely unanimous from the bot
tom rank to the top.
cts clear that Hitlerism will be
defeated" doomed 1t. Col. Smirnov,
but the whole world will never
pardon America If she has no real
part in the defeat of the Fascists."
On the second l-orning after rid
ing all night we had breakfast with
the major general and the brigade
commissar in a snug tent tucked
away in a grove of pines. The gen.
eral is fighting his third major war.
Commanders Speak Minds.
II don't count the little ones" he
says. He's from the Don. A heavy
set, brown-eyed man, very ener-
getic and direct and open faced
the kind Of army commander with
whom you know where you stand
very fast.
The general wears the Order of
Lenin, the Red Banner and the Red
Star on his tunic. The brigade COM
missar has the coveted Hero of the
Soviet Union decoration and the
Order of Lenin. These are both
outstanding leaders in the Red army
and like all military commanders
anywhere are worth their salt. They
speak their minds. God save
America. from the army officer with
the diplomatic" approach. Wher-
ever in the World War I have met
officers who was ingratiating and
silky voiced or who hemmed and
hawed when you asked their opin-
ion, another military disaster has
been chalked up very shortly. I
don't think it's an accident.)
You don't meet commanders with
out opinions in the Red army-no-
where that I've been, at any rate.
So we sat in the tent with the guns
rumbling along the front and de-
voured huge Russian pancakes
stuffed with chopped meat, and the
general and brigade commissar
asked "why?" and also spoke their
minds. Lack of ships? Perhaps
the need Of more American motor
lied divisions?
Haven't the British got an army
Of 100000 men they've been train
ing for more than two yearsanow?"
didn't try to answer that one
it seemer something which ought to
be relayed to London. I merely
pointed out that the American Army
had to start the war with very few
professional officers, and perhaps
some time had been needed to COM
plete the training of our reserve
officers.
Deplores Indecisi0n.
1.-THE best education for officers In
wartime is war ITSELF" remarked the
general bluntly.
explained to the general and
the brigade commissar every con-
ceivably valid reason for the failure
of Britain and America to create
second front this autumn, every
reason that has reached by ear.
Just the same, it's indecision
that dominates the British and
American high commands" insisted
the commissar.
The brigade commlssar was ex-
tremely courteous but extremely
realistic. like all Red army officers
have met during these nine days.
president Roosevelt himself said
that the worlds destiny would be
decided in Europe he continued.
If your American leaders had the
spirit Of decision there would be no
obstacle that couldn't be overcome.
If you were really in the war great
country like the United States
should certainly have been able to
send 100000 men to Europe in the
first IL months of hostilities."
Again I mentioned the Allies
shipping problem, and again he re-
piled: Just the same, it's the lack
of determination in the United
States and Britain that accounts
chiefly for your slowness. You say
that the overwhelming majority of
the American people favor a second
front-that (Wendell L. Willkie,
fresh from America, says 50. Very
well'
When we had worn out this sub
ject we relaxed and talked of many
other things. Everything was
straight from the shoulder-which
is on Of the things I like most of
all about these Red army men and
Russians In general-and everything
was friendly. just once the gen.
eral came back to the original dis
cussion and in his energetic, two
listed manner.
Must Hit Germans Now.
I'VE must hit the Germans" he
said with great earnestness. 1--WE
must do 1t before It's too late. We
Russians shall fight, anyway, but
unless the British and Americans
act soon the war at best will be very
long and terribly costly to all con-
cened. When you 60 home tell your
people they must hit the Germans
now"
On my first night in the front
zone I talked after dinner with a
colonel and several other officers,
and, Of course. the first thing they
asked me Is an American was
"why?" They wanted to know how
many American troops thought
would b In it whenever it did start.
II We had 10000 men in France
In 1913. how long would 1t be before
we'd have 100000 fighting in Eu-
rope this time? Finally the colonel
said:
I'm one year of this war, in 1910,
the British fought. But this is now
the fourth year OF the war"
During our night in q captured
German dugout in the headquarters
Of q front-line Red army unit,
Regimental Comissar Pavlov shook
his head sadly. II had hoped for
August and then for September
he said. Every Russian soldier
waits for tne hour, and every Rus
sian soldier asks when the day viii
aoSnn Tanv ash ma avArv dav