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Show BEfflNDJil Br PaulMallon Released by Western Ncwspnper Union. AMERICA'S TLACE IN POSTWAR WORLD Straight from the front comes evi dence now which will prick more bubbles of American wistful vista-Ing vista-Ing on the war and postwar world. This time, it is in a new book, "Report "Re-port on North Africa," by Kenneth G. Crawford, a sincere, superior reporter. re-porter. ' The troops in the field are encountering encoun-tering minor experiences with the British, French, Arabs. Italians, and others, which will make them even more isolationist this time than before, be-fore, Crawford thinks. They will look upon "only Americans Amer-icans as good people, and only America as a good country, and only complete isolation from the rest of the world as a good national policy," he writes. He does not want this, but he is a good enough reporter to recount faithfully the facts he found. Crawford warns America to steel itself again for the reaction experienced experi-enced after the last war when we became be-came Uncle Shylock to the world. "It will be the same again," he says. The British Tommy Is inclined to think we came In a bit late, and he has done most of the fighting. The French are thankful for another chance of national existence, but apparently ap-parently are politically dismembered and confused. The American soldier looks upon the war, he says, as "an unpleasant Job to be got over with, and to quarrel quar-rel about for years to come about - the question of whether we were suckers or really had to do it. But the British Tommy thinks only of Dunkirk and is fighting for his homeland." home-land." The evidence of this discerning reporter re-porter substantiates again In its broad aspects the reports of the five senators from the far PaciSc.v It calls again for development of more American self-interest in dealing deal-ing with allies and more realism in both war and postwar preparations. It completes the picture, the new undeniable, realistic picture which supplants the grandiose notions drawn for us by propagandizing lead crs in the early stages of the war. Mr. Crawford is no propagandist. He was sent abroad by the leftist-winged leftist-winged of all American newspapers, opposed to state department policy, pro internationalist, etc. What Mr. " Crawford found at the front was so irrefutably opposite that he resigned his position with that newspaper and now is associate editor of Newsweek (no propagandist sheet either). S 3 S nOW HOME FRONT REACHED CONFUSION STAGE How we got into a confused condition condi-tion on "the home front" Is shown in another new book by that name, written by the New York public relations rela-tions genius extraordinary, David ninshaw. Books have been raining out of the skies for months, mostly bearing panaceas for postwar or reciting re-citing exciting individual adventures. adven-tures. What this war needs is some good straight reporting and straight thinking, think-ing, , and It seems to me that what the liberal Mr. Crawford has done with North Africa, the conservative conserv-ative Mr. Hinshaw has done at home. From journals, speeches, announcements, announce-ments, and actions, Hinshaw has accumulated ac-cumulated a disillusioning record. nis main point Is that the Henderson Hender-son era was founded on distrust of the government for the common sense and integrity of the people and his testimony calls for a renewal renew-al of democratic faith. v $ S AMERICAN SELF-INTEREST The theme of a postwar peace based on American self-interest and neighborly negotiation without too much trust in Utopian formulas is developing fast. Another globe-trotter, President Johnston of the United States Chamber of Commerce, has returned with a speech advocating Just such a course. Mr. Johnston wants recognition of "our immense stake in law and order, or-der, in decency and prosperity all over the planet" but not on the basis of disarming alliances, or tailor-made tailor-made plans for new world orders. He says a strong, prosperous, self-reliant self-reliant America can serve as a mighty bulwark of world peace and progress and he could have said the mightiest The plan which would be adopted he rightly predicts will come slowly, painfully, and on a basis of evolution in collaboration among the nations. My own guess is the main inspiration inspira-tion of such an evolution will be a gigantic Hull trade program. 3 & CONGRESS AND THE MILITARY Sfnate defeat of the Wheeler Draft Fathers Exclusion bill was due to circumstances foreseen. Neither house dare stand firmly against the military leaders on a point of military mili-tary necessity. On no important phase of the war effort has congress ever overridden the plans of army and navy directors. direc-tors. Farthest congress has gone in that way was In the farmer draft directive last session, but this in volved the vital mall:; ol r.. .),,. tha United Nations. |