The Wilmington morning star., 1945-01-07

he has just held Mr.. Byrnes ad-
mitted that he was not altogether
happy about his recommendations
to the President and to Congress.
This was because he believed he
had had to make a choice, and he
was. not very happy about the
choice he had made.
On the one hand, there is the
conviction of the War and Navy
Departments, and Of our military
commanders, that without a uni
|versal service law it is impossible
to be certain that our two great
enemies will be defeated conclu-
sively in the shortest possible time
at the lowest cost in wounds and
deaths Mr.. Brynes shares this con-
viction.
On the other hand, it is his opin-
ion, based on his practical knoWl-
edge of the legislature, that Con-
gress would not pass a universal
service law. Caught between his
conviction about what the war re-
quires and his opinion of what
Congress will do. Mr.. Byrnes de-
cided to recommend only what he
thinks Congress will do.
This was not a very happy de-
ciSion for the Director of War
Mobilization to have felt he had 10
make. For it comes down to say
ing that we must take the risk of
prolonging the war, and of increas-
ing our casualties. rather than
make the effort to persuade the
Congress to do what it is already
pledged to do in its declaration of
war: to devote all of the resour-
ces of the country. TO bring the
conflict to a successful termina-
ton
In explaining mis- decision, Mr..
Byrnes said that when you can't
ride a horse, ride a mule" That
is not bad advice if it really does
not matter when you get to the
place you are going to. But IN this
terrible war it is a matter OF Lite
and death to untold numbers of
men, and of the vital happiness of
all who wait and pray for their
return, when we finish the war.
Now that one thing we know for
certain about this war is that the
more overwhelming the force we
bring to bear against the enemy
the swifter and the cheaper is the
victory. When the margin of our
superiority has not been decisively
great. as it has not been in our
winter campaign at the Siegfried
line and the Rhine barrier, we pay
for it in flesh and blood.
1t is difficult to believe that our
people. or the Congress which rep
resents them, would refuse any
contribution within their power if
the truth were carefully, authori-
tatively, and reasonably explained
to them. From the homes of the
members of Congress as from mil
lions of other American homes,
men have gone forth to battle. Is
it reasonable to suppose that they
will withhold anything, touching
their own comfort, their own con-
venience, or their own preconcep-
lions, which will bring these men
back sooner and more surely with
victory, in honor, and safely? 1t is
not reasonable to suppose it, and
it is not fair to the Congress or TO
the people to treat them as if they
were not good enough to face, up
to the reality and the need.
A careful reading Of Mr.. Byrnes
letter will disclose why the truth
has not been made clear to Con-
gress and to the people. The argu-
ment is that we have achieved an
enormous war production, and
that war plants are short only
about 100000 workers in total Of
over 100000, and that these 3OO,-
900 can probably be obtained by
squeezing the 4-F"s and bearing
down upon unessential industries
which absorb labor. This may Ae
correct but it is nevertheless an
unsound and dangerous calculation.
! For it rests upon the view that