Evening star., 1945-12-20


zCuriously Lowell MeIlett.
enough, however, all this hard work
on the part of the inquisitors wasn't
necessary. Gen. Marshall admitted
at the outset that he isn't perfect.
According to his closest associates,
he has been admitting it all his life.
He's Just fellow who does the best
he can. Sometimes that isn't good
enough. For example, Pearl Har-
Dor.
Put All in Preparation.
For months on weary months
back in 1941 he had been putting
everything he had into making
sure the United States would be
prepared In case of attack from any
quarter and at any point. Between
recruiting and molding into shape
the greatest army the country ever
had called into service, helping
formulate its strategy for every con-
ceivable eventuality, finding the
right men for the right jobs, and
spending much of every week dis
cussing matters, important and triv-
AoAF W4Gll SOlA61 CoOlO11d1 81,
the Chief of Staff had kept up a
correspondence with commanders
at key bases, including Pearl Har-
Dor.
He believed he had all the COM
manders thoroughly "alerted." His
belief turned out to be a mistake
and a costly one. When the Japs
came the Pearl Harbor command
was not ready for them.
Without excusing the command
er on the scene, Gen. Marshall told
the committee that, as overall COM
mander, he would accept the blame.
He agreed that there was one little
thing he might have done that he
didn't do. His delighted prosecu-
tors wrangled this bone for days.
Reminded of Limitations.
So, If Gen. Marshall had been dis
posed to accept all the extravagar
praise showered on him by pres :
dents, prime ministers and public.
the hard going-over given him BY
the Pearl Harbor Committee would
have restored him to his normally
modest self. He left for China well
reminded of his own limitations.
1t is just as well. The perfect man
already had been tried with results
that were something less than salts
factory. Not that the perfect man
admits this. No, Gen. Hurley is still
prepared to prove that his work in
China was the one fawIess perform
ance OF the whole war. But some
how. the public has come to diff
ferent conclusion and is now inter-
ested In what a less-than-perfect
man may do. -
In its present mood the public is
disposed to believe that if Gen.
Marshall cannot accomplish some
thing useful in China no American
can. The general possesses the price
less attribute of understanding. He
understands people. Otherwise we
would not have seen, at the end of
war calculated to break the best of
men, the same list of leaders chosen
by him at the beginning, still serv-
Ing and growing in stature.
Can Be Understood.
Nothing like that happened in any
other country, Allied or enemy;
nothing like 1t ever happened in
America before.
Not only does Gen. Marshall have
understanding, but he can make
himself understood. Churchill,
Stain, De Gaulle understood him
quickly. The same may be expected
of Generalissimo Chang Kai-shek
For ways that are dark and tricks
that are vain the Heather Chinee'
is peculiar, we have been told. But
the generalissimo is an intelligent
person and may be expected not to
waste on Gen. Marshall any tricks
that are vain.
Already there are signs that
Chinas affairs are being put in more
promising shape, with disposition
to demonstrate that China can be-
come republic in fact as well as
name, in order to meet the conditions
essential to our continued assistance
The Presidents frank statement
concerning American policy unques-