Evening star., 1943-05-07
Cities Warned Against
Luxury Of Panic
Major Eliot Declares 'CIomor'
For Protection Would Aid
Enemies Still Powerful
BIZ Mai. Georoe Fieldino Eliot.


By Maj. George Fielding Eliot.
We Americans like to think Of our
selves as a tough-minded folk who can
take it as we'll as dish it out, and perhaps
basically we are just that. But we have
yet to pass through our baptism Of FIRE,
as Nation.
We have just seen, in North Africa,
that even well trained soldiers need a
little battle experience before they can
perform the grim tasks Of war with full
efficiency, taking their losses in stride.
In the Battle OF Britain, We saw an ex-
ample OF a whole population being thus
conditioned. That has not happened to
us here at home, and 1t may never hap
pen; but we will do well to remember
that there are instances in our history
which suggest the need for tough think
ing as we'll as tough working and tough
fighting.
For example, during the War Between
the States. there were two or three occa-
sions when, Confederate commerce
raider being reported at sea, the Navy
Department, the War Department and
even the President were deluged with
demands from seaside communities
from mayors, congressman, chambers OF
commerce and just private citizens-for
anything from a squadron OF warships
to new set Of fortincations and bri-
gade to garrison them. for the protection
OF local interests. This may seem funny
now It was not funny then, to Mr..
Lincoln and his aides, fighting war
which was straining every resource OF the
Nation and with not one man or one ship
to spare from the urgent necessities OF
the hour.
The political pressures thus set up
were. in sum total, not easy to resist, nor
did resisting them make the path Of the
Administration any smoother in other
respects. Had any Of these pressures
become so strong-as they might-to
have been irresistible, serious military
danger might have resulted by the diver
sion OF forces from active theaters Of
operations, fact of which the Southern
commanders would have been quick to
take advantage.
In the Spanish American War, a per-
seaboard when the news came that Ad-
miral Cervera's squadron had sailed from
the Cape Verde Islands. Almost every
coastal community from Maine to Florida
was demanding at least a battleship for
its own immediate protection. 1t was no
use explaining to the excited folk and
their excited political representatives
that the coal endurance of the Spanish
cruisers was such that they must refuel
in the Spanish West Indies before they
could possibly seek to attack our coast,
and therefore the place for our fleet was
in West Indian waters
This time, the sum total OF the political
pressures was great enough to effect a
serious military diversion. OF our six
available seagoing armored ships three
Massachusetts, Texas and Brooklyn)
were detained in Hampton Roads until
Cervera was reported definitely in the
West Indies; leaving Sampson, in the
true theater Of action only the Indiana
Iowa and New York. With this force, he
could not properly watch both Havana
and Cienfuegos, much less San Juan, and
was driven to expedients which might
well have been unsuccessful against foe
better armed and more energetic than
the Spanish monarchy of that day.
We can draw lesson from these
occurrences for present-day use. We are
fighting a desperate enemy, who may
very likely, as he sees our power accumu-
lating against him, seek some means of
diverting that power, or holding some Of
1t on this side OF the Atlantic. That is one
resson-and probably the only reason
why our enemies would ever attempt hit
and-run air raids against our coastal
cities. They are not in a position to
attempt such raids under conditions
which would justify the risk on the
ground Of the actual destructive effect to
be expected. If they do raid our coasts,
it will be with the hope of diverting us
by causing panicky reaction among the
civilian population OF these States.
That is why we shall do we'll to be
thinking of these things occasionally, to
resolve in our hearts that If such raids
come, they must be taken as part of the
price to be paid for victory, to resolve
further to take no part in any clamor
for observation-disclosures the best pos
sible protection now is being given, and
will be given in increasing measure, by
the blows being struck against the enemy
on his own side of the ocean, blows which
will increase In volume until he will be
unable to make any raids against these
or any other shores.
We may never have occasions for such
refections-but 1t Is not Spain We are
fighting this time: it is two desperate and
still powerful empires. Mistakes will cost
us far more dearly than in 1898. We
cannot afford the luxury even OF a little
panic.
Copyright, 194s. New York Tribune Inc)