The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1942-01-29
THROUGH
n A z & 1
E Y E S
.
BY
Hazel Brannon

The nation was stunned when the
Japanese attacked Hawaii on the
morning of December 7th. 1t was
shocked when Lieut.. Gen. Walter c.
Short and Admiral Husband E. Kim
mel, Commanding officers of the
army and navy in that area, were
found to be derelict in their duty by
the Roberts committee and their
dereliction described as the principal
reason for the Japs' success.
The brunt Of what happened in
Hawaii must necessarily fall on the
shoulders of these two men in charge.
1t is promising sign that guilt has
been openly placed on them and only
fair that they should pay with loss
of their commissions and disgrace,
perhaps with their lives, for neglect
ing their duties to such an extent
that the American outpost in the
Pacific was not protected as it should
have been.
On the other hand the American
people in their righteous anger and
Indignation over 5000 dead and un-
known loss of equipment and mater
ial know that part Of the guilt for
Pearl Harbor must rest squarely on
our Anticipated system of prepared
ness, the failure Of our commander
in-chief to ascertain and KNOW that
his orders were being carried out.
It is not enough to warn Of danger.
He must see that the warnings are
needed.
It is q fearful and mighty respon-
sibility that the President and CON-
manders Of our armed forces have on
their. shoulders in conceiving and ex-
ecuting war plan which involves the
question Of life and death for mil
lions of men in our armed forces.
That responsibility must not be TAX
en- lightly and the people Of this
country are looking askance to WASH
ington for its failures in the past.
These mistakes must not be made
again.
If we are to retain confidence in
the President as our commander in
chief and the high officers Of the
army, navy and airforce. they must
see to it that American troops do
not 20 to outposts to fight before
being properly trained and having
sufficient equipment to fight with
and for requirements. The specta-
Gle Of Gen. MacArthur's 10000 men
in the Philippines hopelessly out
-.aumbaFed 1O-to1 fighting for their
lives is gallant but heartbreakinE.
That our high-ranking officials
and leaders would have permitted
conditions to get SO bad that Ameri-
can troops would be put up against
such odds would have been thought
uncomfortable several months ago. We
all had implicit confidence in the
men in Washington and thought they
must know what they are doing, that
they would take care Of tAe needs Of
American fighting troops.
The British thought they knew
what they were doing when Cham
berlain went to Munich. Perhaps they
did but it will be many years before
Britain grasses that shameful chap
ter from her history.
The efforts of our armies, navy
and enforce must be effectively CO.
ordinated and central responsibility
made a reality if we are to guard
against another Pearl Harbor and
disasters equally as bad. Our Com
mander must see to it that this comes
about in the speediest and most eff
fective way possible.
We do not want our men used
only as cannon fodder for ourselves,
or for the benefit of the British
isles, Australia or any other country
in the world. We do not want them
sent anywhere to fight until they are
thoroughly trained and have suf-
ficiency of equipment. Our Com
mander must see to that.
Before Pearl Harbor we would not
have presumed to question our high
military authorities and commander
in-chief.
But this is AFTER Pear Harbor.
900
ut is corporation scheme to de-
feat justice to the killed and wound
ed in the industrial plants of our
state" says U. S. Senator Bilbo of
the proposed workmen's Compensa-
ton law, proposed before the legis-
lature now in session. Mississippi is
the only state in the Union not hav-
ing such law.
What industrial plants. Senator
Bilbo7
Mississippi has only a handful OF
industries compared to other south
ern states. We viii never have in
dustrial development to amount to
anything until we do have enacted
legislation protecting industry from
the damage suit racket that now
flourishes pretty generally over the