Evening star., 1943-10-31


is done, but there is an overwhelming
feeling on the part of those who have
been overseas for many long months that
arrangements should be made to give
them respite from their trials and dam
gers and chance to see their families
Every member of the committee is
agreed that the War Department should
Immediately ADOPT some policy of re-
turning troops home for a leave or rest
after certain services have been per-
formed This has worked we'll in the
case OF the crews of our airplanes, who
are allowed a fixed period of rest after
a certain number of sorties, which varies
in different theaters of operations.
believe it would be great incentive to
the men and would still further reinforce
the fine morale that is now displayed If
all Of them had definite prospect of a
visit home after the performance of a
certain task or period of service for
which they are assigned For obvious
reasons this is difficult matter on which
to legislate, but the committee has made
strong recommendations to the War De-
partment and the Navy Department that
fair policy of leaves be promulgated
Praise for USO.
The one bright spot in many of the
isolated places where our men are serv-
ing has been the American Red Cross
and the USO troupes. There is no way
to compute what these touches of home
life have meant to boys who are work.
ing and fighting under almost impossible
conditions. The girls in the Red Cross
canteenS have been worth their weight
in gold and the resourcefulness they
have displayed in all conceivable cir
cumstances has been amazing We met
several of the USO troupes Some of
them were tired and worn, but thev were
still carrying on, and I am sure that
none of them have ever played to more
appreclative audiences. A report to the
headquarters of our forces in the Middle
East on the trials of a group of these
entertainers whose stage was the burn
Ing sands OF the deserts enabled US TO
have better appreciation of what these
stage people are doing. The report said:
HttiGuNc VI liOulJC 81 ldI Is very GOOQ.
Tonight will play Basra and depart for
Khorramshaar tomorrow, Accordion
now useless as heat melted wax"
Men who live close to death think on
the spiritual side of life. We attended
church services at several places and
were much impressed by the manner in
which the chaplains are carrying out
their multifold duties We likewise
visited several cemeteries where rest
those heroes who have made the
supreme sacrifice. Even in the haste and
confusion OF war our honOred dead have
not been neglected. Those who have
loved ones or friends who have fallen in
battle would be comforted if they could
see the Well-kept cemeteries where they
sleep, and the solicitude of the chaplans
IN charge to have every grave properly
marked amidst surroundings of appro-
pirate dignity.
Any account of our observations with
out word of praise to the Navy Sea-
bees and the Army engineers would be
incomplete as well as unjust to some of
the heroes of this war. From the frozen
lava beds of Iceland to the blistering
sands Of the deserts, these men work as
high as 20 hours some days constructing
facilities that are essential to modern
war. When the history of this war is
written, their unselflsh sacrifices and
tireless labor should adorn one of its
brightest pages. To date they have
received far too little credit.
Expectations Of Relief.
l was very much concerned to note
that for some reason many of the most
recent of our Allies and our late enemies
have great expectations as to what thev
are to receive from the United States
in the way of relief and rehabilitation.
1t Is very unfortunate that their expecta-
tlons are SO high. The widespread idea
that we are preparing to look after all
OF the needs of the world and to restore
the destruction wrought by this war has
caused me seriously to question the wis
dom of delegating to a civilian agency
the responsibility OF handling relief and
rehabilitation abroad The stablish-
ment of large civilian agency with
NAoStRiSoo dSllFiUlcS ID Ilhtly ellI6T 10
generate unnecessary bitterness by fall
ing to fulfill hopes that are excessive
or else prove to be a more expensive
undertaking than the American people
should be compelled to finance. believe
1t would be much better for all con-
cerned if the people of North Africa
and Italy, particularly, were frankly
given to understand now that, while
willing to assist to a reasonable extent
we do not consider it the responsibility
of the United States to rebuild DESTROYED
cities or embark upon any long-t time
program of relief
Let them know that in the last anal
ysis they will be compelled to work out
their own destiny and restore the de-
struction of war by their own efforts
Such necessary relief can be handled
by the Army, even if a unit has to be
established for that purpose. The Army
can supply rations in the areas that
have suffered most severely, and there
by prevent actual starvation. In no
case should relief or rehabilitation as
sumo such proportions that the recip-
tents will have reason to expect or
depend on American bounty for any
long period of time. I hope that 1 do
not sound callous when say that in my
opinion this relief should be on a tenn
porary basis, and so far as adults are
concerned should be confined to the
very minimum, sufficiency for short
period to maintain life but kent so