The Wilmington morning star., 1943-11-27
GENERAL DEFENDS
ACTION. IN CASE
CONTINUED From Page One)

Algiers at first issued an eouivo-
cal statement which on the sur.
face might look like a denial.
News dispatches from Allied
headquarters on Tuesday said that
correspondents, who h a d known
the facts for some time, were told
after the cutting incident occurred
that publication would aid the en-
envy. Hence, the story stayed out
Of print until Radio Commentator
Drew Pearson divulged it this
week.
Eisenhower's report as m d e
public today said:
II commend the great body Of
American newspapermen in this
theater because all of them knew
something of the facts involved,
and some of them knew all in
Guiding the corrective action taken
and the circumstances that tended
to ameliorate the obvious injus-
tice Of Patton's acts. These men
chose 20 regard the matter as one
IN which the high command acted
for the best interests of the war
effort and let the matter res t
there. To them l am grateful.
Reynolds made public the Eisen-
hover report after closed meet
ing of the military committee with
this comment:
This report by no means closes
the matter. Some senators prob
ably will have some questions to
ask about phases of it and I may
have two or three myself"
Senator Wallgren ID. Wash
said there was some discussion of
attempting to obtain statements
from the men who were upbraided
by Patton. He said all members
Of the committee had been flooded
with mail, the general t tenor of
which was to inquire if Patton S
actions were typical on the part
Of American generals.
Eisenhower laid great stress in
his report on the value of Patton
to the Army.
Calling Patton the main spring
of the Seventh Arny's sustained
drive from Celia to Messina, he
said the general absolutely re.
fused to accept excuses for delay
with resulting rapid advance OF
that army which had much to do
with the early collapse of resist
ance in Sicily
In this campaign, Eisenhower
said, Patton drove himself as
lard as he did members of his
army" and consequently became
almost ruthless in his demands
upon individual men,"
While visiting wounded in hos.
pitfalls in two instances he encoun.
tered unwounded patients who had
been evacuated for what is com
monty known as battle anxiety
specifically nerve difficulty" Els
enhower reported Also. one mar
had temperature.
He momentarily lost his tenn
per in these two instances and ir
an unseemly and indefensible man
ner upbraided the individuals, anc
in one of the cases cuffed the in
dividual involved so that the mans
helmet rolled oft his head"
When the cases were reported
by medical officer and three
newspaper men who were pres
ent, Eisenhower said he wrote Pat
ton a letter expressing his lex
IRENE displeasure' and Inform
ing him that any repetition would
result in his instant relief"
Further Eisenhower contin
ued, II told MIN that he would
necessarily make, on his own in
itiative to the individuals involved
amends, and, if necessary, take
the necessary steps to make prop
er amends before his whole army
II also told him that 1 woulc
reserve decision affecting his re
lief from command of the ARM
until l could determine the effec
of his own corrective action
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