Evening star., 1945-06-19

a puTGIut tCLt " SCHs ELScW-
ho,Der's neDs conference at the
Pentagon Building yesterday
afternoon:
I came over here and found that
the press conference we had in Paris
shortly before I left was covered
in an unusual way. I saw where
they had questions and answers and
everything. I don't know whether
I have very much new to say, but
there are few things in which
I think you might; be interested.
The first is this: At least in gen.
erality I have talked about the CT
in this war. I am going to tell just
one or two little incidents on which
I base my opinion of the American
as a fighting man and how he has
been trained and prepared for bat
tie.
One of them was in the Battle OF
the Bulge last winter. I was out
on trip and we were preparing
the boys for defense, using engi-
neers for sos (Service of Supply
in the event that any flying columns
of the Germans broke through. We
didn't want them to get cheap
crossing and get into our vital sup
plies.
These engineers were working
hard, so I stopped to chat with a
group of them. We had little
talk, and I turned to leave, and the
sergeant in charge said: General.
just one question:" said what is
that?"
"We Want At Them"
He, said, don't let those Joes up
in front get all those fellows. Let
few Krauts get back to us. We
want at them"
There was a sergeant who was
with me in this war, and one day
1 was making flight under condi-
tions that were not classed as
good, and I told him I didn't want
him to go along; wanted him to
stay and do something else. He was
quite worried and I said, well, what
is the matter?" He said, my mother
told me that If you don't come back
from this war, I am not going to
come back"
1t is incidents like that could
multiply them for you thousand
times. You encounter them day by
day with the American soldier. He
doesn't like war; he never will like
it, but he is in there pitching and
he is doing his duty and he does
it with cheerfulness under condi-
tions of unbelievable hardships.
Another thing in which you might
be interested in is this current Ger
man problem. 1t is very, very tough.
In the dislocation of her transport
system, breaking up of their agricul-
tural system, mining-mining is al
most ceased-they are facing prob
lem of starvation; I mean real star
vation.
Now, within the sections in which
my troops are situated, the first
problem Is to get localities started
by putting responsibility. so far as
you can, on some Germans where
your secret service organization
screens them and do your best to
get people that were anti-Nazi: fail
ing in that you try to get them at
least where they seem to be neutral.
You get them responsible for such
things as local police and traffic and
making sure that the labor that you
need for certain projects is turned
out. You give them the RESPONSE
bility of turning the urban popula-
ton out on the farms so as to raise
more fresh vegetables if you can't
raise grain. So it's strictly, for the
moment, an emergency problem in
Germany. But the long-range prob
lem is one for governments to solve,
me being merely an executor.
The displaced persons problem is
terrible. We have passed back, as
I recall, to the Russians 10000;
politicos, political prisoners, 1857
600; we have retaken, 7 think it Is,
about $4,000 of our own prisoners
of war. cleared back to the United
States 10000 We have gotten out
about 100000 British prisoners of
war and evacuated them. 1t was a
terrible job to get the organization
set up to take those people out.
When you talk about persons in that
number, their feeding and their
housing for the night at way-sta-
tions and so on. you have got real
task. They have done it beautifully
and the process of getting them out
has been working most efficiently.
Refers to Jap War.
One thing think have a right
to speak about since the war in
Europe is done is to refer briefly
to the Japanese war. The reason
1 would like to put in boost in
pulling for maximum effort
against Japan is based strictly upon
my own experience. When you ap-
ply maximum effort, your losses are
minimized. If you put one regi-
ment to attack a well-defended
battalion you are going to have
serious losses. but when you apply
overwhelming force. overwhelming
artillery, overwhelming air power
to that thing you have no losses
They are negligible, at least. No
one arm, no service, no two can
do the job alone.
My usual custom in press confer
ences-of course, I haven't been in
the rough hands of the Washing
ton press-is to speak for a few
minutes and then turn them loose
and do the best I can in defending
myself. If there are any question,
I shall be glad to attempt to an
swer them.
Visit With Pershing.
@. Will you describe your visit
with Gen. Pershing before you
start?
A. 1t was very personal thing,
and I, myself, should not like to
make any remark other than this:
Gen. Pershing was the commander
of the first AEF. I commanded
the sons of his men, and I felt that
my men would like me to 60 out and
pay my respects to Gen. Pershing.
That is all.
@. Could you describe the ribbons
you are wearing?
A. Well, this is one the Presi-
dent gave me Just an hour ago.
This is a second Oak Leaf Cluster