Evening star., 1942-11-15

every nDor OF our belng. We must,
lust for battle; our object In life
must be to kill; we must scheme
and plan night and day to kill.
There need be no pangs Of con-
science, for our enemies have lighted
the way to faster, surer and crueler
killing; they are past masters. We
must hurry to catch up with them
II we are to survive. Since killing
Is the object of our efforts, the
sooner we get in the killing mood
the better and more skillful we shall
be when the real test comes. The
struggle is for survival-kil or be
killed.
Modern warfare employs many
deadly weapons, but men survive
IN spite OF them. The one positive
method is hand-to-hand combat.
War kills by fire so far as possible,
but final victory against a deter
mined enemy is by close combat.
For this reason, a fighting army is
set to kill, and seeks ever to come
to grips with the enemy.
Must Get Killing Mad.
wonder whether you all are
thinking in terms of killing by bat
ting man to man. I do not know,
and perhaps you yourself do not
know your own feelings. A recent
group of voluntary enlistments-
totaling 0,000-reveals but S per
cent for the infantry and armored
force both. These two arms are
pre- -eminently those of close combat.
Does this figure mean that our
soldiers prefer the more genteel form
of war? If so, the sooner we change
such preferences, the better for our
country There is no doubt that
Americans can and will fight when
aroused; they are brave in battle.
You are going to get killing mad
eventually, why not now, while you
have time to learn thoroughly the
art of killing Soldiers learn quickly
and we'll in battle-no doubt about
that-but the method is costly to
both you and the Nation.
Certain surveys have given the
answer-true or false-that one
fourth of you want to fight, that
ne-fourth do not want to fight,
and that one-half are on the fence.
I'd prefer to think that more than
ne-fourth want to fight; but, even
if the figures are true, the picture
is all right, because those of you
who do not hate now are going
to do so later. 1t is the avowed pur-
pose of the Army to make killers
of all of you; if not at home, far
from the enemy, then overseas.
Also, there are certain indications
that one-half of you in combat di-
visions expect to fight All of you
must not only expect to fight, but
must be determined to fight and
kill.
Again, it is said that one-half of
you expect the war to end within
two years. But your reascn must
tell you that it will end only when
you finish it. If you intend to do
the job in two years, make your
self into fighting devils now, not
later.
Calls for Utmost Effort.
II seem to ask more of you to-
night than you have given already,
1t is not that I do not appreciate
what you have done and are doing.
You have come long way, and
have earned the respect and graf
itude of our people. But you still
have rough read to travel. It
is too much to expect a peace loving
Nation such as ours to turn in flash
and in full fury to an all-out war
overseas. Time is necessary for
our people and our soldiers to make
this fiendish transformation. I am
not impatient with either you or
our people. Nevertheless we must
hurry-you soldiers of the Nation
above all must hurry, for yours is
the greatest burden and the gravest
responsibility. You have the furthest
to go. You must hit harder and
harder. You must become tougher
and tougher. You must hate more
and more. Your devotion to duty
must deepen. You must ration your
pleasure time. You must think and
act war. Casualty lists-and even a
defeat perchance-must only fire
your zeal the more You must hurry
and you must hate If you will do
the job before YOU.
know full we'll that the American
soldier is thinking man, and he
thinks straight in the long run.
Equally I know that no words of
mine can force you to prepare your
self inside for this desperate war.
Some things you must think out for
yourself in your own way. Do it now
as we ponder this day-what it
means and what it calls for. We
salute those who have gone before
and shown the way. We take stock
OF the enemies who threaten u.s. We
review frankly our strength and our
weakness; both are formidable. I
hope very much that the day will
leave you more resolute and pur-
poseful soldiers, ready and eager to
60 to work harder than ever in this
deadly serious task of hitting Hitler
and Hirohito on the training ground
this winter.
We have applauded and pulled for
the Navy, our Air Forces and our
ground comrades overseas, first in
the Pacific and now in Africa. You
can see the pattern of the struggles
which will decide the war. The
United States is stretching out its
arms to encircle the globe-not in
conquest-in protection. Even with
our powerful Allies. the task is vast
and calls for our utmost all-out ef-
fort. Let no one of you be the super
optimist and conclude that Africa is
the beginning of the end. 1t is only
another great stride forward in our