Evening star., 1946-01-23
Letters to The Star
Lists Questions About CROSSING
of the Rapido and Its Cost

To the Editor Of The Star:
Your editorial, "Rapido and Anzio,"
is logical as far as it goes; but it stops
short of several questions which are
the heart of the matter. Nor does
your editorial mention the very peril
nent fact that the operation was ordered
over the strong protests of the regi-
mental commander and all senior ofi-
GERS who were on the scene.
The War Department is quoted as
saying that the crossing operation was
diversionary action, important and
necessary to the success OF the full
campaign, and that the action kept
large elements of enemy forces oc-
cupied.
But throughout the war there were
hundreds Of similar diversionary op-
erations. Often only vigorous patrol
probings and planned artillery assaults
were necessary to keep large elements
of the enemy occupied" Threat of
attack was not infrequently as effective,
for diversionary purposes, as actual
attack
1t does not seem arbitrary, therefore,
to the survivors, their families and their
friends, to ask for inquiry as to why
an actual crossing of the Rapido, known
and reported by commanding officers
on the scene to be suicidal, was de-
manded by rear echelon. Deliberate
sacrifice of life on so huge scale Is
not, as your editorial implies, tradl-
tional toll of war. Indeed, it has been
the tradition to call for volunteers for
engagements known in advance to be
hopeless.
The points to be determined by in
vestigation would be: Cd Did the high
est commander who insisted upon the
order do SO in the belief that the
senior officers on the scene were re-
porting the difficulties incorrectly? (O
Did he insist because he believed the
operation could be successful, or 90
did he knowingly demand sacrifice of
so eXorbitant number of lives, DEEM
ing that sacrifice necessary to the sue
cess Of the general campaign? "a Did
he believe, and was he correct, that
diversionary results could be obtained
in no other manner than by actual
crossing of the Rapido?
INFANTRYMAN.
Disapproves Loan to Britain
To the Editor of The Star:
May I, as an Englishman who has
1ivaI and wcrko5 ip thic co,,ntr,, for
over 80 years. express my alarm at the
threatened British loan? May I ap-
peal to Congress not to pass a measure
which many of us fear must be un-
profitable to the United States and
humiliating to Great Britain, even to
those children and grandchildren who
have had no part in an unwise and
dishonorable transaction?
A government which happens now
to be in power has no right to leave
burden of debt and disgrace to future
generations. There may be urgent
needs at the present time; these should
be met by arranging on generous terms
for the shipment of supplies for the next
twelve months. 1t is not necessary to
fe1uSe the loan, maj action on the
measure may be- Just postponed Later
on, we may be able to take calmer
view of the world situation.
A mad scramble for world trade is
bad way TO prepare for that better
world which We hope to see. We are in
danger Of plethora of production, sense
less competition and widespread un-
employment. 1t is still possible, even in
this machine age. for men to exchange
goods and services on terms advan-
tSgeous to all concerned. But we must
Use machinery and mass production
with caution. A machine is useful if
it stops child labor and exhausting
toll; it is harmful If it creates un-
employment and destroys self-respect.
H. P. CARTER.