Evening star., 1942-07-27
Our Vanishing Unity

crucial summer of the war tell
tragic story of the diSintegration of
that high order of American unity
which was the most significant
product of Japan's attack on Pearl
Harbor
In the days Immediately following
the seventh of last December, the
thought most often expressed was
that the enemy's treacherous attack,
whatever the damage to our fleet,
had forged new spirit of unity in
the United States-a national re-
solve to subordinate all rivalries,
jealouSieS and suspicious to the par
amount objective of winning the
war. We had made up our minds to
remember-and avenge-Pearl Har-
Dor, cost what it may
But what is the picture today only
little more than seven months
after a virtually unanimous Con-
gress declared this country to be at
war with the Japanese, the Germans
and the Italians? What has become
of that national unity which we
hailed such a short time ago as the
most powerful of all our weapons?
That it is vanishing in tempest of
accusations, prejudice and suspicion
can hardly be denied, and it is more
than probable that 1t will be ire
trieVably lost unless there is a re-
versal of the present trend-before,
not after, the November elections.
This rupture in our national unity
is most evident in Washington, be-
tween Congress and those executive
agencies directly responsible for the
prosecution of the war. One has
only to glance at a newspaper to
read the disheartening story-and
this despite the fact that we have
been accomplishing what has been
described as miracle" of war pro-
duction.
But the record of the great things
that have been done receives scant
consideration. Instead, because it
a contract for Louisiana shipyard
because of shortage of steel, Ad-
miral Land, chairman of the Mari
time Commission, is called before a
House committee to deny unsup-
ported charges that the commission
is being run in the selfish interests
of the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Cor
poration. Members of the House
group, without citing specific evi-
dence, imply that the steel shortage
Is artificial, and that it results be-
cause the Maritime Commission has
unduly favored yards controlled by
the "old steel trust" Other con-
gresSional committees aim their at
tacks at the War Production Board,
which is headed by Donald Nelson.
The integrity of Mr.. Nelson himself
is not brought directly into question,
but he is attacked indirectly through
charges, always unsupported by sub
stantial evidence, of bad faith on
the part of subordinates for whom
he is responsible. Because Leon
Henderson, head of the Office of
Price Administration, says that the
advance in farm prices must be
checked If living prices are to be
controlled, he is accused by Chair
man Fulmer of the House Agricul-
ture Committee of being "hell-bent
and determined to destroy" agricul-
ture and the small meat packers.
And when he proposes wage controls,
it is charged that he is seeking to
destroy labor
What is to be the effect of these
and other evidences of the widening
breach between Congress and the
executive war agencies? Certainly
unless there is a turn for the better,
the disunity which results from the
circulation of these suspicious and
sinister suggestions will filter down
to the people of the country and de-
stroy their faith In the men who are
directing the war effort. And II the
people come to believe that Wash
ington is rampant with skulduggery,
how can their sense Of unity be
maintained?
One possible remedy lies in the
exercise Of greater restraint by men,
bers of Congress; in a determination
on their part not to broadcast
charges against war officials unless
the evidence against them is clear
and convincing. But this is slim
hope A better solution would be
for the President to come forward
with a comprehensive statement OF
the facts. If there have been mis-
takes, as undoubtedly Is the case
they should be acknowledged II
there has been any bad faith, that
should be exposed and corrected
But where there has been neither
where officials of these war agencies
have been assailed without justifi-
cation-the President should set the
record straight by coming to their
defense with a full statement of the
facts in each case. Unless this Is
done, and done promptly, those who
do not hesitate to deal in reckless
and unsupported accusations vii
continue to hammer away at the
structure of our national unity unit