The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1948-10-29


Union. General George G. Kenney,
commander of the Strategic Air
Command, did this in a lecture be-
fore the Maine State Federation of
Womens Clubs, reported in News
week" on May IT; General Carl
Spaatz, the retired chief of staff of
the U. S. Air Force, in featured
article in Life" on July S. Articles
similar in content, but more elabor-
ate in technical detail, have appeared
in several military journals.
Assuming that America may be
soon attacked or forced into war by
aggressive Soviet policy, the authors
of these articles discuss in a matter
of-fact way, what they think Amer
lean plans for fighting such a war
are Tor should be), placing heavy
emphasis on aerial atomic bomb at
tacks on Soviet cities and industrial
centers.
The staff of any great military
power would be derelict in its duties
if it left unprepared up-to-date cam
paign plans for fighting any likely
or unlikely enemy nation, or if in
planning it, failed to consider any
weapons, the use Of which might con-
ceivably prove advantageous in such
q conflict. No American law pre-
vents anybody, generals not ex-
Guided. from talking or writing about
such plans. And yet, there is some
thing wrong, politically and morally,
with our generals making use of this
right and with reputable mass cir
culation magazines prominently dis
playing their stories.
Such stories cannot be justified as |
reports to the people on things the |
people are entitled to know" As
long as war exists, military secrecy
will exist; and plans of future cam
paigns will properly be among the
most closely guarded of these secrets.
Public discussion of such plans, par
ticularly if it bears the stamp of /
must therefore appear
to all-and not only to the Soviet
rulers-as deliberate step in the
war of nerves"
Our Friends in Europe Must
Be Shocked
AS a move in the war of nerves,
the discussion of massive atomic
bomb attacks on Russian cities and
industrial centers, presumably is di
rected at the Soviet rulers How
ever, it is unlikely that these rulers
need magazine articles to convince
hem that the American military
leadership will not hesitate to use
he atomic bomb to the utmost Of
is potentialities in war against the
Soviet Union. 1t is also unlikely
hat they cherish the hope that
American political leadership will re-
use the military a free hand in such
contingency. The actual propa-
,anda objects to these articles, are
therefore, not the rulers, but the peo-
lies of the world, including the
american people, and it is doubtful
hat the effect is to promote the
ause of America.
At present our strongest prop
uganda weapon is provided by the
European Recovery Program, in
which America appears as leader
in the peaceful reconstruction OF
the world. All deeds or words
that make us appear to be, if not
looking forward to a military
Showdown" with eagerness, at
least contemplating it with GER
tain equanimity, strengthens the
lingering doubts in the minds of
our friends as to whether America
really cares for Europe, or regards
it merely as an dependable"
bridgehead in an intercontinental
war.
The expectation of first being
bandoned to Soviet occupation and
xploitation and then exposed to
merican aerial destruction, is not
kelly to strengthen the European
i'll to work for political and eco
omic reconstruction = the will on
hich the success of the Marshall
Ian is predicated.
Russians Forced To Rally To
Their Leaders;-Brutalizati