Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-02-26
Swift Action
Expected on
U.S.Offensive
Decisive Move 10 Follow
Roosevelt Address
BY PAUL MALION

WASHINGTON Feb. % Fol
" low action by Mr.. RooSe-
welt viii hit harder than his
carefully balanced chat.
His promise that interference
with production by small out
! lying labor groups will no longer
be tolerated may shortly be
/ supplemented by an executive
order or by instructions TO the
cropping war labor board.
His proposal TO seize the
offensive soon may bring
visible developments sooner
than YOU think. Churchill has
been talking about next year
a line which could have been
designed 10 deceive the enemy
even If earlier action were
planned. But the old theory
that we could not move until
We had overall superiority over
The enemy in total numbers of
planes and tanks has rapidly
shriVelcd i'm the face of later
war developments.
4 IL the superiority you seem
"a 10 need is al the point Of
contact. General mass superior
ity Of air or land forces is no
guarantee Of anything, especially
if spread all the way around the
world The problem IS 10 pick
out The weakest spot of the
enemy and hit il with more
planes and tanks than he can
gel 10 that spot.
The new Roosevelt pronounce
mcnt on its face CSpouSed this
basic offensive principle. The
hint gains further weight when
YOU consider that the Presidents
character is anything but de-
fenSlve in nature.
The fircSidc message viii be
further supplemented by an
earlhquaking Shake=dnMp- n lac
war department, and sllghter
trcmor IN the navy.
Coming also is a-cangreSSiaHa+
movcmcntto eliminate waste in
expenditures, supplemented by
White House aid at least 10 the
announced extent Of consolidate
ing the many housing units,
transfer of unneeded federal en-
ployes to defense efforts, and
such.
THE war department reOrgani-
Il cation is being conducted as
/ quietly as If this hcartcning
news was a military secret. En-
cuSe is that details were not
completed. You may be sure,
however. that il is not a minor
matter or a fakc-Shlft for pub
licity purposes. 1t is real and
deep.
The waStc-climlnation drive is
being organized by a southern
senator SO far tonGuc-WaGElng
has been the only action notice
able on the subject True. Sem
ator TydingS has received Sen
ate authority 10 investigate
transfer Of nOn-defenSe workers
10 defense and has sent out
QUESTIONABLE TO all government
units.
But the chance for real action
will come when the billion dol
lar independent offices appropri-
alton bill comes before the Sen
ate. II carries funds for a
swarm Of miscellaneous monde
Tense agencies next year.
DUBLIC officials here are
Il strangely timld in talking
about offensive military action.
probably because some people of
lhlS country are. 10 some extent,
still defense minded. That is
natural. our whole diplomatic
and poIItIca policy built up
since the last war. has been
solely defensive IN character.
The average American wants
only 10 defend his own home and
shore We covct nothing beyond.
Even now our diplomatic poll
icy Is top-hcavlly weighted with
the notion of hemisphere de-
Tense tho idea of drawing d
line IN the ocean and SAYING.
$50 far will we defend"
RRITAINS defense complex.
- which has been much
stronger thdn OUS has praCti-
I cally lmmuhlliIcd her large army
at homo for the 20 months since
Dunkmk.
Evidence Is accommodating that
this is IlItICrS chief reliance.
From his initial Venture INTO the
Rhlncland me has depended
upon the instinct OF each demo
cratic nation for dcfcnse only
HIS ShroWdcSt propaganda has
been directed toward fostering
this inherent weakness amouL
his enemies. With tins lmplc-
mcnt. more than armed might.
nc has made them wait until he
was ready 10 bowl them over,
one by one.
But the lessons OF The Rus
sian Nalayan and Llblan cam
palgnS are now plllng up on the
experience of France To suggest
the only way 10 beat tho hhtI
locally or internationally is TO
COUntCTaitaCk