Evening star., 1942-06-23

demands an answer to why Britain
has been defeated in Libya. even as
American public opinion looks as
kance at the japanese occupation OF
some Of the Aleutian Islands, the
shelling of the Oregon coast by jap
anese submarines and the reverses
being suffered by Russia at Sevas-
topol.
Two men will get the credit for
the victories-the same two men
must bear the brunt Of criticism
when things 60 wrong. 1t is an in
evitable development IN war. But
It is not permitted to say which OF
the two men is responsible for aid
too little and too late in North At
rica or for the lack of weapons or
men or ships to supply a second
front to harass Hitler as he spreads
his operations to Southeastern Eu-
rope and the Middle East.
1t is significant that Harry Hop
kins. who is a kind of assistant
President and who has given few
interviews since the war began,
made a public speech last night in
which he said many things, among
them:
1T is true England has met with
serious reverse-at Hong Kong, at
Singapore, in Africa. 1t is true that
their forces in outposts throughout
the world have never been strong
enough. But I confess that I am
getting tired Of hearing people say
that the British can't fight"
Top Men Criticized.
Mr.. Hopkins is right-the British
can fight; they have demonstrated
1t again and again-but he has mis-
taken the true nature Of the criti-
cism Of Britain that is spreading in
America. 1t is that the British men
at the top lack organizing skill and
overall planning ability and that
the rank and file Of Britain's SOL
diers and sailors are paying the
penalty for that weakness at the top.
Secrecy and censorship prevent
the American people from knowing
what is happening to the planning
and organizing side of our own mill
tary effort. But if non-military per-
sons are doing the deciding and If
the side of our war effort that peo-
pie can see-such as civilian defense
and gas rationing-is an index Of
the way things are being run on the
military side, then there will arise
inside America, too, criticism Of the
lack of organizing ability on the
part of our own leaders.
The trouble probably lies in the
fact that, while the Allies have ex-
cellent political collaboration and
the President and the Prime Min
lister cooperate splendidly, there is
still lacking both in Britain and in
America what Is known as unity of
command. The remarks of the Lon
don Economist recently about the
British and American system OF
command are pertinent:
The point is that, though there
IS Joint planning. there is not unity
Of command. In the absence of
unity Of command, joint planning
itself must inevitably be hobbled
The separate services work together
when they come together in specific
combined operations; Cor most of
their work and training they remain
quite separate.
German View Broader.
Command Is tri-partite. There
Is no commander in chief, and no
true general staff. Still less is there
integration below the highest level
Naval, military and air commands,
though they may cooperate and
have liaison officers. are separate
and independent; they belong to
different firms; they manage their
own affairs"
The German general staff is made
up of generals, air marshalS and
admirals who command no armies
or air forces or fleets and who do
not report to particular services but
who look upon the war as whole
While political decisions necessarily
are made by Hitler or, among the
Allies. by Churchill and Roosevelt,
the execution has to be left to a
general staff responsible for carry