Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1945-12-06
Il Might Be
|Wrong--But'
p. G. sTROMBERG

unification of our armed
forces can be advanced than the
development of evidence at the
Pearl Harbor investigation by
the joint Congressional Com
mittee. 1t is an odd circumstance
that the Navy should stand SO
solidly against unification while
the Army al
UnificatiOn most as vigor-
OF Armed ously endorses
Services it. A far differ
ent America
looks at the Pearl Harbor dis
aster today than in December,
1941 and January 1912. Had not
the blow been such a shock to
our national pride while provid-
ing the spark which drove
isolationists to cover thereby
presenting to the world unity
unheard of in America We would
have witnessed a Court Martial
of the highest responsible au-
thorities. And the public would
have demanded of both the Army
and the Navy a full and salts
factory report of stewardship.
There would have been no soft
ening of sentiment. The loss of
more. than three thousand lives
of men not properly led; the loss
of {, airplanes and battleships
which prolonged the war with
Japan by years with additional
toll Of lives; the heartaches of
families of lost men at Pearl
Harbor would have brought
high officers before the relent-
less bar Of public opinion.
Gradually developing at the
Harbor hearings is ihdisputable
evidence that there WAS NOT
complete accord and desperation
between General Short for the
Army and Admiral Kimmel for
the Navy. Who was in COM
mand? That was the unexpressed
but all-important question!
Neither would recognize the
other and the good of America
demanded that
Was SOrely one or the other
Needed AT should have had
Pearl HarbOr full authority.
Had either been
charged with full aouthority it
is likely that we sohuld have
been spared the disaster. 1t is
likely that had Japan made the
Pearl Harbor attack we would
have met the challenge far from
the shores and administered a
staggering setback to what
proved to be the beginning Of an
historic series of victories for
the aggressive Japanese.
To those of us who want to
have pride in both our Army and
our Navy it is difficult to faith
ON the reasoning of high rank
ing officers who prefer to stand
alone. Rivalry between the
Army and Navy is generated in
a large measure by the annual
football classic. Much as the
color and appeal of this event
has for the public it would be
better to sacrifice rivalry in
sports if we gained in that for
which the two branches are main
tanned. Members Of Congress
seem to favor unifcation. The
Army high officers favor unifica-
ton. The public favors unifca-
ton. Only the Navy opposes.
The reason for Nays opposition
is not entirely clear. Unifca-
ton is what the country needs.
President Truman has finally
asked for some action looking
toward settlement Of existent
and impending strikes. 1t is un-
fortunate that he failed to real
ize that some
Truman constructive stef
and the was needed soon
GIN Strike er. To many the
GIN strike is
merely the forerunner of a Sc
ries Of strikes. The country IL
being made an innocent goat
The fight is on between Princes
Of Capital and Princes Of Labor
Labor's rank and file land the
innocent family victims) are the
ones who suffer most. Both
sides refuse to bulge. Only
Federal power can move them