Evening star., 1943-11-24

Democrat, of Colorado, and was
!. conc,Tred ia by all members pres
ent.
Senator Reynolds told reporter
that he personally believed any ac-
ton against Gen. Patton. who was
rebuked by Gen. Dwight D. Eisen-
hover, should be left in the hands
OF Army authorities. He said. how
ever, that there is likely to be
much Senate discussion of the af-
fair before action is taken on Gen.
Patton's promotion.
Nominated Month After Incident.
L think general can get lust
as War-Weary and develop just as
frayed nerves as private soldier
and there may have been some
extenuating circumstances in Gen.
Patton's case that We don't know
about" Senator Reynolds said.
However, I agree with the ma
jority that the committee ought to
have an official report on the case
before 1t acts on the nomination. !"
The nomination was sent to the
Senate October /, more than a
month after the incident in Cicily.
This would indicate that President
Roosevelt attached no lasting signi-
flcance to the affair if he knew
about it at the time.
The House also received demand
for an investiga ton by its Military
Committee. Representative Hoeven.
Republican, of Iowa. asked the in
qulry, saying an American Legion
post in his district had requested
the action.
Legion Plea Presented.
Mr.. Hoeven read to the House a
telegram from the Legion post COM
mander, whom he did not identify.
stateing these are American SOL
dlerS and not Germans If our boys
are to be mistreated, let's import
Hitler and do it up right"
/ Mr.. Hoeven called the Patton in
cident most unfortunate" y
Perhaps we have too much blood
and CUTS now he commented, re-
ferring to Gen. Patton's nickname.
Il feel that the entire matter should
be investigated. Apparently
Gen. Patton is getting by with an
apology. If the soldier had struck
the general. We would have a diff
ferent story"
Senator Bridges said in a state
ment that the incident lis unfortu-
nate and should not be dismissed
lightly"
General May Have Been Exhausted.
1T occurs to me that a general
himself, frequently exhausted due
to the rigors of active battle rs he
personally leads his troops into
combat, might be a victim of battle
fatigue without realizing it.
After all, the condition is hu-
man aff1iction and is not visited ac-
cording to rank; general as we'll
as private, can be its victim, for
our generals do not die in bed"
Meanwhile, long time friends !oi
Gen. Patton, seeking to explain his
action, recalled today that the officer
never could comprehend that shell
shock can be as real as shrapnel
wound. The general, these friends
say, has a blind spot toward war
fares psychological or nervous
casualties; he remains unconvinced
by medical evidence that all wounds
are not necessarily visible to the
naked eye.
In the absence of an official re-
port on the episode, for which Gen
Patton apologized to his entire COM
mand, they assume the hard driving
general found group of she'll
shocked patients in hospital tent
and, under the stress of develop
ing campaign, leaped to the con-
clusion that they were gold brick
ing" or malingering.
He is said to have denounced an
entire group in his fury, while ex-
pressing sympathy for men who
were really wounded" Then he
struck one of the soldiers on the
back of the head, knocking the
mans helmet liner of.
Although retaining his command
OF the 7th Army. Gen. Patton re-
| ceived from Gen. Eisenhower such