Evening star., 1943-10-24

Washington is Americas principal
laboratory for war and postwar plan
ming 1t is here that the strategic plans
for the general conduct of the war are
being worked out by the joint and COM
bined chiefs of staff. 1t Is here that
President Roosevelt and his political
advisers are framing the various plans
which are intended to give us global
peace after the war is over.
Confidential reports regarding the
state of the world reach the White
House daily. Important conversations
with London are taking place frequently
between President Roosevelt or Harry
Hopkins and Prime Minister Churchill.
Into the chart room, the most secret
sanctum of the Executive Mansion, pours
real news from all battle fronts except
Russia. while at the desk Of the Chief
Executive are being gathered all the
threads which enable Mr.. Roosevelt and
his advisers to formulate the future
policies of this country.
Here also are being brought reports Of
the reactions Of John @. Public to the
idea that America should become a
political part and parcel Of the future
world, his feelings in regard to America
feeding the world in the period after the
war his attitude on our helping police
the four corners of the globe and his
views on greater cooperation with our
present associates in establishing a
better warless world.
Public Might Object.
OF course, John @ Public does not
know much about what is going on.
There is determined effort to give him
a directive of global thinking, since it
is suspected that he may balk at the
prospect of considering what is yours is
mine and what is mine is yours"
John @. Public is not internationally
minded. He receives his education by
reading the newspapers and listening to
the radio. The wal was not to his taste,
as il was not to the taste of any citizen
Of the democratic countries throughout
the world.
He accepts the burdens imposed on
him because he realizes that since We
are in it We must see it through, regard
less of cost
And, since he has definite aversion
to useless bloodshed. waste of human
lives and his earnings and savings. he
hopes that his Government will find
means Of averting another war. He
hears and reads a good deal about the
splendid world We are likely TO live in if
al! the nations get together and decide
that there shall be no more wars.
In reading and listening to what the
experts are telling him, John @. Public,
who has common horse sense. is won-
derlng whether the suggested proposals
Of strong cooperation among the four
nations now fighting the totalitarians-
the United States, Britain, Russia and
China-would really solve his troubles.
Backs Underdogs
Having sense of justice and having
been told repeatedly that the four coun-
tries are fighting for human justice, he
espouses without much effort the cause
of the underdog-peoples such as those
in Poland, the Baltic States and India
whom he would like to see enjoy the
right to live a life of their own.
John @. Public will have the fnaI
voice in anything his Government is
preparing Tor the postwar era. In order
to be able to express himself clearly
he should be taken into the confidence
OF his Government and be informed
frankly what is going on in the world
from both military and political angles
He is not well informed, however. TIC
form his own opinion. he must rely on
what he is told in the press, and over
the radio, but it is going too far tc
say that these sources OF information
are giving him clear picture of the
present pattern and a comprehensive
picture of what is happening behind
the scenes politically.
The war picture is blurred by either
too optimistic or too pessimistic state
ments. One day John Q. Public reads