Evening star., 1945-06-23
'GIoboI War Phrase
Recalled by Observer


Recalled by Observer
He Asks if Pacific Fighting Men
Are FORGOTTEN in Celebrations
BY Dauid Laurence
Some months ago it was impressed
upon correspondents here that this was
. "global war" in which the United
States was engaged. The interdepend-
ence of what we did in Europe and
what we did in the Pacific was stressed.
America was urged to support the idea
Of single war and 1T was Indicated
that as soon as Hitler was eliminated
and Germany beaten all effort would
then be turned toward the Pacific.
Today the fears that were felt many
months ago have come to fruition. The
ending Of the war in Europe is being
accepted for all practical purposes as
the end of the war by millions of
Americans. The rehabilitation of the
armies in Europe is being attended by
celebrations and parades which would
appear to mean that there is q sharp
line Of demarcation between the Euro
pean war and the war against Japan.
Gen. Eisenhower deserves every bit
Of praise that he has or can be given
and yet he would have made an in
delible place in history if he had de-
clined to permit the War Department
to arrange the receptions In Washing
ton and New York and elsewhere. He
could have done so on the ground that
this is not the time for celebration be-
cause the global war has not been won
and that, in Difference to the many
millions Of American boys in the Pa
cific, celebrations could we'll be post
poned.
Other Fighting Men.
What contrast it is these days as
some of the fighting men from the
Pacific come into Washington. The
other day Admiral Marc Mitscher was
here. He has been striking at Japan
with carrier task forces and has done
a notable job in the Pacific. Then there
came Admiral Hewitt, who landed Gen.
Eisenhowers armies in Italy and il
Normandy and commanded the am
phlolous phases Of large operations. HI
tact and skill have not been publicizet
any more than has the sensational rec
ord OF Admiral Kinkaid, who dropped
into Washington quietly the other day
after three years of almost continuous
fghting in the Pacific, from the Aleu-
tians to the Solomons-a record that
should have earned him, too, the
thanks of Congress.
1t was Admiral Kinkaid who DESTROYED
the Japanese fleet in the Surigao Strai,
and saved Gen. MacArthurs troops
from annihilation in the Philippines
1t was Admiral Kinkaid who command
ed the brave line of ships that invaded
the Lingayen Gulf when every COM
mander knew there was no place to
retreat for help if his ships were dam
aged. 1t was the same Admiral Kinkaid
who supported the landings at Guadal-
canal and who supervised every single
amphibious operation that the MacAr-
thur troops undertook from New Gui-
nea to the Philippines bit OF
island-hopping and every landing.
These fighting men are modest. They
did not ask for applause. But a CRATE
full Nation will not forget them. They
have fought without equipment and
without the necessary supplies and un-
der conditions made difficult by the
remoteness Of their operations from
bases and homeland.
Navy Is Still at War.
Even II there were disposition now
to honor these brave commanders-and
the above are only a few who have
come back for few days to get fur
ther orders or confer on battle plans
the Navy cannot engage in celebrations
The Navy is still at war. More than
4,0OO, 900 boys and their families feel the
war is still on and that bloody battles
lie ahead
Thus. while all praise is due the Eu-
ropean commanders and their units
for their unprecedented victory and
their unparalleled achievement, the
question arises whether it would NO
have been better to reduce the empha-
sis on the European wars end and place
1t more on the need for ending the
whole global war.
This correspondent is in receipt of
many letters from the families of Army,
Navy and Marine Corps personnel in
the Pacific who seem to think the de-
mobllization plan should have been
worked out on global rather than ar
area basis, that length of service in the
Pacific should count just as much a.
length OF service in Europe, and thai
the point system should have been ap-
piled to all services instead of Just tn,
Army.
There is much talk these days about
all branches of the service being placed
in the same uniform and all units being
put in single department of national
defense. but the principle somehow
doesn't seem to have been applied to
the boys in the Pacific war, which only
few months ago was regarded as an
integral part of global war.
tReproduction Ristts Reserved)
A Problem Of Spelling
From the Manchester (N H.) Union.
Maybe we're old-fashioned. but we
like to see words spelled as they were
when we went to school, not elided or
telescoped. Or, If it's smart nowadays
to streamline them. why not be con-
sistent?
Take that word alright" which keeps
Nr0nnin0 oil -