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Show Washington Comment Modern methods of communication communica-tion have brought to every hearth, stone the president's latest message, mes-sage, and an account of the stirring stir-ring occurrences that attended its delivery. Congress may have consumed con-sumed much time in the paet and Mr. Roosevelt himself has had to pause and consider, but there will be no halting in the valley of decision de-cision now. Who was the statesman states-man who said: "It is a condition and not a theory that confronts us" ? General Sherman's blunt definition defini-tion of war has become a household house-hold word. War is just what he declared it to be. It is not a gentleman's game, to be played according to fixed rules. Viewing the Pearl Harbor bombardment by itself, and divorced from every other consideration, the United States has nothing about which to complain. It was a successful surprise attack, to be accepted as an example of the fortunes of war. One of the lessons taught is that the ocean is not so much of a safe-guard as isolationists have alleged it to be and as others had hoped it was. The papers say that Hawaii is better j prepared for such an onslaught I than any other piece of territory under the jurisdiction of the Unit-! Unit-! ed States. If that is true, more had better be done in the way of defense and right speedily. . It is improper, however, to study the Pearl Harbor matter absolutely. It must be considered relatively and subjectively. In the heat of anger, a man may grab i a knife and do damage. Allow-' Allow-' ance is made for the fact that he ' did not have what the lawyei-s call i "cooling time". The Japanese assault as-sault was not an outburst of suddenly sud-denly kindled hate. It takes time to plan so perfectly and to execute i in such secrecy and so efficiently. Preparations were well under way, and perhaps completed, before the sham "peace" commission left the home shores. The mere bombing of the Pacific outpost may be passed over, as a sample of what Japan may expect before she is through. Coupled with dawdling (Continued on last page Vvashington Comment i (Continued from page 1) j peace suggestions, intended to throw the president and those associated with him off their guard, the Pearl Harbor incident becomes a trespass which will have to be paid for in Nipponese blood and treasure. A few commentators, in the. newspaper and over the radio, j take the view that the Japanese; acted of their own free will and accord. The majority is of the belief that although the voice is Jacob's, the hands are the hands of Esau. M |