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TWO MONTHS OF WAR
Two months ago today Japan struck at Pearl Harbor. That first blow was the opening move in a campaign that has been carried forward with great daring and uninterrupted success over the longest front in the history of modern warfare. It is impossible to belittle the achievements of the Japanese war machine. In the impressively short space of two months' time it has (1) put American seapower in the Pacific under an enormous initial handicap; (2) driven American landpower in the Pacific into a last-ditch stand in the Bataan Peninsula; (3) captured Hong Kong; (4) completed the conquest of the whole Malay Peninsula except for the island at its tip; (5) destroyed the utility of the great naval base of Singapore and subjected to siege the island on which it stands; (6) launched an invasion of the rich Netherlands Indies even without waiting for the fall of Singapore; and (7) driven a spearhead close to the Burma Road on which the successful resistance of China depends so heavily.
What have we to match against this record?
Fortunately, we have made progress. The country has been united. Partisanship has disappeared from the debates of Congress. The President has at last delegated necessary power to those in charge of war production. The output of every kind of weapon has been increased. Unified command has been established at Hawaii and at other outposts of American defense. Great industries which were encouraged for too long a time to busy themselves with peacetime goods are going into war production.
All this is good, but it is not enough. While the great historic bastions of Western power in the Pacific topple like trees in a sudden storm; while Hitler marshals his strength for a new offensive that may pierce the vital lines of the Middle East or crush our Russian ally, too many of us comfort ourselves with the assurance that, after all, this danger that we face is far away and in the long run victory is certain.
It is not certain if we fall to do our duty. We are face to face with forces that can change the history of the world for a thousand years to come. Not until every machine in America that can make a weapon has been harnessed for that purpose; not until every able-bodied man is working longer hours than he works today; not until every "bloc" in Washington and every business firm and every labor union has ceased trying to use the emergency of war for the advancement of its own position; not until every lesser interest has been subordinated to the national need and every individual effort has been merged in a strong national will- then, and not until then, will we be prepared to fight successfully for our existence as an independent nation.
 
NATHAN STRAUS RESIGNS
Administrator Nathan Straus Jr. of the USHA has just confirmed the announcement of his resignation, which was made about a month ago. Mr. Straus has had four hard years. He has had to deal with persons who did not approve of public housing, with those who wished to exploit it for their