Evening star., 1942-05-24
Hull Gives Warning
OF Extreme Danger
In 0ver.0ptimism
Government Leaders
Would Encourage People
To Keep Feet on Ground
By GARRETT d. HORNER.

10 NSeP TSSt Oii SiOuho
By GARNET d. HORNER.
A concerted campaign by Gov
ernment leaders to counteract the
possibility Of overoptimism among
the American people was empha-
sized yesterday in a renewed warn
ing from Secretary of State Hull
of the extreme danger" facing the
United Nations.
1--WE are In hard fight which
will be won only by the combined
about efforts Of all our people and
all OF the United Nations" he said
In a formal statement, adding:
I'VE should accept our successes
In a spirit Of sober thanksgiving and
meet our reverses with grim de-
termination to fight all the harder
to ultimate and complete victory"
The Secretary's statement and re-
marks to the same general effect
by President Roosevelt at his Fri
day press conference and by an un-
named war of1cial Thursday ap-
peared aimed at inducing a keep
your feet on the ground" attitude
among the public generally in con-.
sidering war developments.
Definite Uneasiness.
IN the background was definite
uneasiness over the effect news OF
local successes in various theaters
OF the war may have on public
opinion, possibly building up an un-
justified expectation that final vic
tory will be so easy as not to demand
the sacrifices and extra exertion
officials say are necessary. There
also was fear that overemphasis on
single battles or particular develop
ments in the war might bring the
opposite reaction of undue pessi-
mism when they involved reverses
for the United States.
President Roosevelt pointed out
Friday that American tendency to
overstatement leads public feeling
to fluctuate too violently up or
down with developments that might
look important at the time, but were
only incidents in the general war
picture. His comment followed
anonymous warning by high Off
cial sharing responsibility in the
war effort against artificially boost
ing optimism by playing up a
minor skirmish as decisive bat
tie"
Concerned by Interpretation.
Secretary Hull appeared especially
concerned by general interpreta-
ton of remarks he made Wednes-
day about increasing Allied strength
as indicating hope that victory
might be achieved over the Axis
soonor than had been expected
few months ago.
In reply to a question asking
whether he had been encouraged
to suhc a hope by recent develop
ments, he had expressed the view
that our powers and facilities of 60
ing forward toward an outright Of
fensive are increasing steadily, and
that anyone could make his own
calculations about what effect this
might have ON duration of the war.
At his press conference yester-
cent statement by him to re-empha-
size that victory will be fastened
by every additional ounce of effort
which each one of us puts forth in
q situation that is as threatening
as if his own house was on fire. but
would be delayed by any weaken
ing in realization of the extreme
danger" and consequent tagging in
effort.
Fight Will Be Hard.
The text OF his statment follows:
II have noted with uneasiness
that some of the American people,
seeing the rapidly increasing
strength of the United States and
United Nations successes In varl-
Gus places, are inclined to antlcl-
pate an earlier victory than they
had heretofore expected.
eve can too easily be over-op-
tinnistic. We are in a hard fight
which will be won only by the COM
bined all-out efforts of all OF our
people and all of the United Nations.
I'VE should accept our successes
In a spirit of sober thanksgiving ana
meet our reverses with grim de-
termination to fight all the Snarder
to ultimate and complete victory.
"I have said it recently, but re-
neat because it Is most important:
"Victory will come sooner ana
with a vast saving in suffering, IN
life. and in property in proportion
as every man and woman In thls
country and each of the United Ma
tions realizes the extreme danger
from the purposes of the worst bar
barian leaders in all history who
plan to conquer and brutally sub
iucate the world by methods OF un-
paralleled savagery.
"Victory will be fastened by every
additional ounce of effort which
each one Of us puts forth in a sltu-
alton that is as threatening as II
his own house were on fire. 1t Will
be delayed and will involve an IN
calculable and unnecessary increase
in suffering and in losses with any
weakening of such realization and
with any tagging in effort and ex-
ertion."