Evening star., 1943-01-01
Allies Look to 1943
As q Year of Hope
War Initiotive Now Rests
In Our Hands, Yet 1t
Does Not Assure Victory
Bv Mai. George Fielding Eliot.

| 6y MuJ. OeOTge rICLuHly EttoL.
We are looking forward on this New
Years morning to year which is full
of hope 1t is year in which we and
our Allies will have the assurance of
definite accomplishment, year which
| will see the United Nations in full pos
session of the strategical initiative.
! Hereafter we shall be the architects of
| our own fortunes, and not the mere
| recipients of hostile blows We may and
we should rejoice that all this is so but
| we should temper our rejoicing with
sober reflection.
The mere possession of the initiative
| is not Of itself an assurance of victory.
1t is an advantage to be exploited with
| skill, with wisdom, with prudence where
| prudence Is necessary and boldness
! where boldness is required, with conf
| dence in ourselves and in our Allies and
| in the justice of our cause, and with
unshakable resolution to prosecute this
war against the forces of evil to final
| and complete decision.
Such decision in such a war as this
| can be reached only in one way-by a
peace imposed by armed might upon an
utterly defeated foe, foe who has taken
| the sword and must perish by the sword.
| There must be left no doubt in the mind
| Of any German or any japanese of this
generation or OF generations to come
that the business of world conquest and
the idea of master race are utterly
bankrupt and lead only to inevitable
disaster
Every sacrifice for a dictated peace
but not one thought to a negotiated
, peace--that should be our first and fore
most New Years resolution as this year
of opportunity begins. That there will
be sacrifices made we must understand.
Our foes are on the defensive, but they
are still dangerous. They are stubborn,
resolute and increasingly desperate op-
ponents. They are capable of dealing
hard blows even when strategically on
the defensive.
The record Of Tunisia, of Stalingrad,
of New Guinea and Guadalcanal are
signs and portents that we shall do we'll
to keep in mind. The Germans and the
japanese are grimly aware of the con-
sequences of defeat and they will not
be defeated easily. They have spent the
force Of their initial efforts; each of
them commenced war with limited
resources in the hope of winning a deci-
sion quickly, and each of them failed
to do so.
AS to each of them, it may be said
that 1912 was the last year in which
either could hope to win a decision and
1912 comes to an end not only without
their having done SO but with each of
them suffering under heavy counter
attacks by the forces of the great alliance
which has come into being against them.
But this is only the beginning. We have
not won victory but the chance to at
tain victory.
We Americans may say we have done
we'll in 1912, because we have made ready
to do better in 1943 and because in the
meanwhile we have been able to give
some aid to our Allies. We have
modified our fighting power, we have
struck initial blows and we have kept
open our vast and distant lines of COM
munication.
Meanwhile our Allies have carried on
their own struggles with the foe; not
one OF them has been defeated and the
year ends with all of them delivering
heavy counterstrokes against the enemy
1t is a record of which we may we'll be
proud-we and all of our associates in
this great struggle. 1t is an accomplish
ment for which we could scarcely have
hoped on New Year Day, 1912.
But We have little time to waste in
rejoicing, and none for self satisfaction
The major task lies ahead of u.s. In this
year the United States will bear the
chief burden of the war. Our Allies
have held the ring while we made ready.
We are ready now, we are pouring out
our men, our weapons, our materials to
the distant battlefields on which the
defeat of our enemies will finally be
accomplished.
We and our Allies have been almost
miraculously preserved from the great
est danger that has ever threatened the
cause Of liberty and. justice in this
planet; it is now for us to show our
selves worthy of the favor of heaven to
bear ourselves like men, to make the
armed power Of the American people a
, thing of dread to tyrants and would-be
| tyrants for generations to come.
All this will not be easily accom-
plished, nor quickly, nor without griev-
GUS loss and suffering to ourselves as
well as to the enemy. There are sacri-
fees to be faced as we'll as success;
there will be casualty lists to read as
we'll as the news of victories There is
no certainty. there is, indeed, grave doubt
| that we shall achieve final victory over
either of our foes in this year 1943. But
there is this certainty at least-it is a
year in which we, as Americans and as
free men, shall have opportunity to show
whether we are worthy of our heritage.
| (Copyright, 1943, New York Tribune, IncD
Defends Temporary" Bill
Providing Overtime Pay.
| To the Editor Of The Star.