Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-01-08

reco re David Lawrence.
the high plane of the utterance and
the complete absence of partisan
ship.
As a document calculated to tell
the whole world of the resoluteness
OF American purpose, the speech
will rank high in history. For while
at a critical time like this the
measured words may not have the
same meaning that they will later
on when the victory has been won.
there can be on doubt that the
phrases carry an inspiration and ar
encouragement to Allied forces
everywhere.
II the short wave radio which
the British, for instance, used to
relay the message to all of Europe
carried we'll to the occupied areas,
the message may be regarded as
the most valuable piece of Amer
lean psychological warfare that
could have been devised at this time.
The Presidents utterance was in
excellent spirit, and, notwithstand-
ing the presence of a bitterly par
tisan lineup on domestic issues and
. consciousness of deep-seated strife,
the emphasis given by Mr.. Roosevelt
to the conduct of the war, and
particularly the review of the
achievements of the Army and Navy,
was a master stroke of judgment.
Note of Cancellation.
It is significant that, except for
some broadly implicit paragraphs
that might be interpreted rs bid
for social security legislation, the
President kept away from contro-
versial issues. He dealt mildly, of
course, with the complaints of the
people about rationing and ques-
tionnaires and used an approach
that would have been even more
effective if it had been adopted
by his lieutenants in handling re-
strictions of the civilian economy
In the past.
There was note of Cancellation
in the speech which will not be
lost on the Congress.
1--WE have learned by the mistakes
that have been made" said the
President, and added this assurance:
Our experience will enable us dur
ing the coming year to improve the
necessary mechanisms of wartime
economic controls and to simplify
administrative procedures. But we
do not intend to leave things SO
lax that loopholes will be left for
the cheaters, for chiselers, Or for the
manipulators of the black market"
With this statement none will dis
agree though as simple matter of
practically 1t often is better to as
sumo that SO per cent or more are
honest than to impose regulations
that victimize the 80 per cent be-
SduoC vi VIC CillocliilS VI OIL iiillii-
itesimally small per cent. This
principle of administration is a hard
one to learn. but it comes under the
head Of experience, too.
Perhaps the most interesting as
pect of the scene in which the
President delivered his state of the
Union message was the applause. 1t
was surprising to some, perhaps, to
note that the heroic Chinese got the
biggest hand Of any nation but his
torically the friendship and ad
miration for the Chinese people
manifested by the American Con-
gress has been consistently displayed.
Broad Strategy.
The fact that the President de-
voted as much space as he did to
our broad strategy as it affects
China is a significant answer to
those who may have felt that China
was being sidetracked because Of the
pressure of attention given to Eu-
1opean affairs. Actually the Presi-
dent made it quite clear that China
will play a large part in the settle
ment of the whole problem of new
Asia and that America expects to
defeat Japan by activity that will
be launched from Chinese bases by
British and American armies, aided,
Of course, by what the American
= and Australian forces do on land,
sea and air from the outside.
The President did not predict the
year OF victory He said the Axis
had to win in 1912 and didn't. He
added that in 1913 the United Ma
. lions would advance" This is q
cautiously applied term to a situa-
ton that has in it the elements OF
long struggle. especially in the
Pacific, but as a war leader. Mr.
Roosevelt was expressing the spirit
Of victory.