Evening star., 1943-05-20

highest military David Lawrence.
and naval men in the United States.
He was answering their conception
of how the world war should be
fought. And, in effect, he was
answering them in behalf of Presi-
dent Roosevelt, who either is some
what neutral in the dispute or be-
lieves it better to have it handled
in the open by the Prime Minister
of Great Britain-a master of such
debate.
Unfortunately for the American
people, they cannot know what our
high military and naval men think.
Unfortunately it is neither discreet
nor traditional for military men to
speak out when they think the
political heads of the two Allied
governments may make wrong
decision. The only alternative is
for these military and naval men
70 be honest and candid when ques-
tons are asked them by members of
Congress.
Chandler Critical
Senator Chandler of Kentucky
made a powerful speech Monday
which was criticism of the
Churchill concept of war strategy.
Senator Chandler is 100 per cent
supporter of the President on foreign
policy and on military measures
and preparedness appropriations
before and after Pearl Harbor. He
is a member of the all-important
Military Affairs Committee. He is
veteran Of the last war. 1t may be
presumed that he has made study
OF our war strategy and has had
access to the thinking of our mill
tary men. In his speech he made
this significant statement:
Il may be permitted to say that
for this speech received much more
encouragement from those from
whom I wanted to have encourage
ment, and I have spoken to the
Senate today not only my own feel
ings but the feeling of quite a
number of military and naval men
in the United States who think that
the course I have suggested is the
right course to pursue"
Senator Chandler then proceeded
to point out how the war against
Japan was being made a secondary
affair. In another portion of his
speech he said:
Il have a feeling that the great
majority of the high-ranking Army
and Navy officers, who, after all,
must fight this war and must die
for their country if the occasion
comes, would like to Go what I am
urging, If our Commander in Chief
and Mr.. Churchill would arrange
for them to do it."
Cites Force in India,
Now what were Senator Chand.
lers points? He declared that the
British have 100000 men in India
available for action against the co..
900 Japanese in Burma, that thu
only way to acquire air bases II
China from which to bomb Japan /!
to open the Burma Road. He added
The British have had in Indis
10 soldiers for every one the Japa.
nese have had in Burma, but so lit.
tie energy has been put into tn,
campaign that the British Army /.
now back where it started on the
border of India, and the same wear,
lack Of spirit has been.exhibited ir
the building of airf1elds from which
airplanes can take off to keep oper
a faint line to our gallant and iso.
lated ally, China"
Mr.. Churchills answer In hi.
speech was that he had brought
Gen. Wavell and other commander.
from the Indian area to Washing.
ton to discuss, the situation. HI
said the problem was wrapped up ir
the science of logistics." Thi
means shipping and, as pointed ou
m these dispatches before MI
Churchill came here, the questio,
OF allocating tonnage is the vita
point of the whole business.
Questions for Decision.
How much shipping shall be uset
TO maintain the civilian economy O
Great Britain? How much ship
ping shall be used to keep on sup
plying troops that apparently ar
not to be used to make an invasion
OF the continent of Europe thi
year? And If an air war is to b
tried out in Europe as a means O
forcing Germany to collapse by
process Of attrition, what possibl
objection can there be to sending
major portion Of the British Flee
to the Bay of Bengal to co-operat
with large air and sea and land op
erations involving the reconquest o
Burma and the opening of tn
Burma Road SO as to supply the al
bases we need to bomb Japan?
Mr.. Churchill's words are reas
suring. He has spoken eloquentl
of British purpose to help after Hit
Ter is beaten. But American mill
tary and naval men whose viewpoin
was reflected by Senator Chandle
are impatient for a large scale of
fensive from all sides against Japar
The prayers of every American
should be directed toward Divin
Guidance for the Commander i
chief of the American Army an
Navy in making his own decision a
this moment undeterred by the po
litical interests Of any other states
man or any other country-a de
cision that may enable us to shorter
the war and bring both Japan an
Germany to unconditional surren
der virtually at the same time.
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