EDITORIAL PAGE
La Grande Evening Observer
Frank Schlro, Publisher
SATURDAY EVENING, AUGUST 25, 1915
Puge Two
Please, Please Not Now!
1 shell- ''msmsmmg
shock mm&m
EVENING OBSERVER'S
PROGRESS PROGRAM
IRRIGATION Complete the Grande
Ronde Valley irrigation project.
LA GRANDE A city of 10,000
Extend the city limiU).
TODAY'S TEXT
It is better to dwell in the wilderness,
than with a contentious and an angry
woman. Proverbs 21: IS).
Our War Debt
If all the words that have been writ
ten about our obligations to the return
ing servicemen were laid end to end,
the resulting text would be very mo
notonous, indeed.
Yet, in view of recent experiences,
and in view of the imminent return of
millions more of our war veterans to
civilian life, it seems necessary to go
over the subject again.
It would be absurd to think that the
average person does not roaliezu his
obligation to the men who b r a v e il
death, and in too many cases met death,
that we at home might go on enjoying
freedom from the horrors of bombs
and shells and our neighbors do feel
indebted toward t h e s e men. lint in
evory-day practice that feeling seems
to be repressed, and we have this
picture:
The fighter turns in his gun, puis
on civvies, and tries to find a job and
home for his family. Time after time
he's told by indifferent landlords that
if he has children he's out of luck, it'
he finds a place, the rent is too high
for his uninflated pockclhook. In many
cases lie finds his old job filled and
he's shunted into an insignificant spot
which barely complies with the draft
law's requirements.
If he wants to build or buy a house,
lie finds himself snarled in the red tape
of the ti. 1. loan mess. Tf he's lucky
enough to get a business loan, he's im
mediately prey for all kinds of sharp
shooters. Is this the reception we planned for
our sons and husbands and brothers?
Can we blame these men if, after re
pealed instances of such mistreatment,
lliey become bitter and wonder if all
those things they were told about
fighting for a better world weren't
just a lot of nmlarkey?
There is, of course, an obligation on
Hie part of the veteran.
The young fellow who left a job as
a junior clerk to enlist in the air force,
became a bomber pilot, commissioned
as major with the corresponding high
pay, cannot expect to step into such a
high-salaried job as soon as he steps
out of uniform. Nor can he expect that
everyone be meets will know how many
t hues he's been decorated and treat
him with added deference. He m u s t
learn to slow down the tempo of his
living, and go along with the restric
tions that have been necessary in war
lime and which will continue, in many
instances, for many postwar months.
Tlie majority of fighters are so re
lieved to be through with killing thai
I hey are glad to live quietly and ask
no favors, but there are a few who
must learn. Just as some of us on the
home front must learn that our debt
to these men is not just a popular say
ing, but must be put into daily practice.
Funnu Husitu'ss
" -MiM.mtii in .
SO THEY SAY
1 it Kurd him (llirohito) as no
diffcicnt from HitliT and Musso
lini, ;md he should bo dealt with
accordingly as a war criminal.
Sen. John I.. MeClellan of
Arkansas.
Foreign trade can contribute
one out of every 111 postwar jobs.
George W. Mason, president,
Nash-Kelvinator Corp.
With proper industry and plen
ty of hard work, south Mississip
pians can provide themselves and
help provide the markets with the
articles for which t!c nations is
?i ms al"'d.
Laurel, Miss, Leader-Call.
"I had 'em put on in cams we get in cl.e contact with the onemyl"
Th" Rroat size of America, cou
pled V.h the bimic American
chaiaiioristie of disliking any
thing which is different or
strange, will constitute one ot the
barriers to good human relations
Dr. Margaret Mead, ethnologist,
American Museum of Natural
llistoi v.
Washington Merry-Go-Round
Br DREW PEARSON
(Note Drew -Pearson Is on vacation.
Dartyl Zanuck, lamed head of 20th Century-Fox,
contributes this column on post
war Germany.)
By DARRYL ZANUCK
Producer of "Woodrow Wilson"
HOLLYWOOD To my mind, the most
disturbing and sinister fact about Germany
today Is that it is a nation without a con
science. Not long ago, 1 visited Germany and other
sections of Europe at the invitation of the
psychological warfare section of the war de
partment. I went there as one of a group
of film executives, sent to study at first hand
what war, as it is fought today, does to men
and women and nations.
In the course of that tour, we talked to
many people. Among them were military
leaders and diplomats, high-ranking repre
sentatives of various governments, men of
religion and men of low estate, men and wo
men who had lived through the terror, some
scarred and some ennobled.
But shocking as it may seem, we failed to
find in Germany even one person with the
slightest sense of shame or war guilt. They
have no realization of the scope or enormity
of their crime against mankind. They have
no compunction. They have become, it
seems to me, a people without a soul.
Rev. Martin Niemoller
Two men whom I met in Germany and
talked to at length two men of totally dif
ferent antecedents and outlook summed up
for me the German frame of mind today.
One was Pastor Martin Niemoller, the fa
mous U-boat commander of World War I
who defied the nazis from his pulpit ahd
spent eight dreadful.years in a concentration
camp. The other was Max Schmeling, for
a brief time the world's heavyweight cham
pion, now a tavern keeper.
I ran across Niemoller in Frankfurt. He
speaks excellent 'English. He had intended
going with his wife to a tea that afternoon
but gave that up when he learned we were
in the city As one of Germany's foremost
anti-nazis, we were naturally eager to talk
to him. For his part, he was obviously just
as eager to talk to us.
We wasted little time in preliminaries. He
had spent two years in solitary confinement
after his arrest but when Germany plunged
into war, he offered his services and his life
as a U-boat skipper. We explained it vas
difficult for us to understand this. His ans
wer was measured and solemn:
"I don't expect you to understand. I ex
pect few people to nderstand. It's difficult
for anyone to understand my state of mind
unless they, too, have spent time in solitary
confinement.
"I had two consciences. On one side I
asked myself: 'How can I support a state
that is controlled by these horrible beasts?'
On the other: 'How can I turn down my
country, my Germany?' "
Always a German
And yet, knowing this horror and having
experienced it in his own person, this man
would not have hesitated to kill for the
nazis. For, in answer to another question
as to what would have been his conduct had
he been restored to active military service,
he said bluntly:
"To the best of my ability I would have
served Germany and fought as courageously
as I could. .
"Germany is guilty of permitting a mon
ster like Hitler to come to power," he said,
"but our war guilt ends there. Once Hitler
was in control,, we were powerless."
Max Schmeling Curies
I met Max Schmeling in Hamburg. He
was immaculately tailored and in excellent
health. And he bore a white card issued by
the military wHich apparently exempted
him from the curfew and similar miitary
requirements
He cursed Hitler and the nazis ferociously
and he told us, with seeming honesty, he'd
been induced to enlist in the paratroopers
by deceit.
"They told me they wanted me to get in
as a paratrooper by way of making propa
ganda and stimulating enlistments in this
branch," he said. "They also said I was too
old for this kind of action and they didn't
intend to use me in battle. But shortly after
I got in, I found myself jumping over Crete.
I broke my leg and hurt my back and that
ended my service."
He, too, like the others I spoke to in Cer
many, seemed unconscious of the horrors
perpetrated by his country on the rest of
Europe. "It was all Hitler's fault Hitler
and his nazis." They seemed to feel they
were altogether blameless, living in a world
apart.
WE, THE WOMEN
By HUTH MILLETT
The war meant a lot to you even if you
un dyour twin sister weren't quite four .when
the peace came.
"Why do some kids have their Daddy's
home, and Lynne and Petey's Daddy just
sends letters by the mail man?"
"Well, you see, there's a war and . ."
"When is daddy going to Lynne and Petey
a little black puppy dog?"
"When the war is over and daddy comes
home."
"Why doesn't daddy come home? I want
my daddy to come home tonight."
"Your daddy wants to come home, too,
but he can't come home until the war is
over."
"When is the war going to be over? I
want the war to be over now "
And then one day when the grown-ups
stuck by the radio hour after hour a man's
voice said: "The war is over." Said it with
such finality, it was a pronouncement even
little kids could grasp.
"The war is over," said the little boy.
"Then daddy is coming home."
"Yes, he is," said mama.
But it was all a mistake. A mistake hard
to explain to not quite four-year-olds.
Then, at last the news again. And this
time it was real.
This time it meant that grown-ups were
as excited as kids, and making more noise,
blowing horns, ringing cow bells, shrieking
whistles and noise makers which they told
the kids to take good care of so they could
save them always. v
But back to the old question: "WHEN
will daddy come home? Will he come home
tonight?"
"No Not tonight kids. But some day not
so very long away. Some day and this is
the wonderful thing some day, for sure."
"Honest-to-goodness, mommy?"
"Honest-to-goodness, Lynne and Petey."
Behind Scenes in Washington
By DOUGLAS LAHSEN
NEA Washington Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Aug. 25 Technically
there is no more censorship of news. Byron
Price, office of censorship head, formally
ended it with a flattering statement on the
splendid job the various media of news dis
semination had done in co-operating with
him. Newspapers countered with praise of
what Price had done.
It is generally agreed that within his
sphere Price did a sensational job with his
assignment. It was plenty tough, but he
kept a clear head, never got carried away
with his duties and everybody ended up
happy about it.
During his period of service with the U. S.,
however, he saw an ugly development in
the various federal agencies which he tried
unsuccessfully to stop. Under the disguise
of war censorship practically every agency,
whether its function had anything to do with
the war effort 01 not. plugged up virtually
every legitimate no,vs source. The order
went out that no government employe, re
gardless of rank, could speak to the press
unless what he said was cleared and cen
sored by the public relations office.
In addition to this strangulation of news
within the agencies, office of war informa
tion ordered that the official agency an
nouncements be cleared with OWI No gov
ernment employe was permitted to speak to
the public about any subject until his script
had been cleared. That is why so manv
officials were prohibited from taking part
in open forum discussions or debates. Only
a few top men who could be trusted to s.iv
nothing out of line in the heat of an argu
ment wore given this right. This was po
litical censorship plain and simple. Byron
Price fought against it.
But since the end of the war there has
boon no relaxation of this type of censorship.
A few "now.it can bo told" stories will come
out. but the struggle to keep anything out
of print that might not look so good for tlu
ugenoy continues.
. Both war and navy departments have re
iterated orders to civilian and military per
sonnel that nothing is to be given to the
press that isn't first cleared through public
relations. This idea of an agency having
the vested tight to okay any news coming
out of it is almost becoming accepted as a
fact within the government.
From time to time, public-spirited officials
come out with something that exposes cor
ruption and inefficiency. They feel that
their duty to the people they serve is great
er than to the bureau head. Too often this
"leak" is a half-truth, planted to knife an
enemy in the back. Denials all around will
follow. It usually ends with the accuser get
ting fired, or transferred if he has enough
pull.
Most enterprising reporters have their
contacts in the various agencies in order to
by-pass the public relations office This situ
ation results in much misinformation. The
iron-clad understanding between a reporter
and his contact is that he will never quote
hmi or reveal his source of information.
Knowing that reporters are pretty reliable
in this respect, contacts are tempted to hand
out bits of information as "feelers" or to
further their own ends.
Instead of having to duck around corners
and sneak into offices for news, Byron Price
would have complete freedom of all news
sources. A reporter would be able to get a
statement or information from a government
official speaking independently. He could
check it and get the other side of it. if it's a
controversial subject. In light of the facts,
ho could weigh the news value and give it
to the public.
With newsprint scarce, much of what has
gone on in the government hasn't been con
sidered sufficiently important to compete
with war news. As a result things which
normally would have gotten a complete air
ing in the press have had sketchy treatment.
From now on it will be a struggle between
nos-gatherers and the bureaucrats who
would like to remain holed up in anonymity
in their bailiwicks.
Side Glances v
,f
am. mm a sovici. wq t. h. ku,. B. . mt: tru B x'
"That soda jerk couldn't tell me ice cream to take out till I iold
him it was for a sick person but I really am still sick from those
greenapples we ale!" ''(
o McKENNEY ON BRIDGE
By WILLIAM E. McKENNEY America's Card Authority
NEVER GIVE UP
ON A WEAK HAND
"Never say die" is a good rule
in a bridge game. In today's
hand, for example, it looks as if
the declarer may have to lose a
spade, two diamonds and two
clubs Well, here is what hap
pened. The opening lead was won
with the ten of hearts, the heart
king was cashed and the queen
overtaken by dummy's ace. The
jack of diamonds was played and
A J 5 2
V A874
J 1053
A 9 5
AQ83
V 952
Q92
KJ62
N
W E
s
Dealer
A9764
V 3
K7 B
A A Q 10 4 3
A A K 10
V K Q J 10 6
A84
A87
Duplicate Neither vul.
South West North East
1 V Pass 2 V Pass
4 V Pass- Pass Pass
Opening V 2" ' " 27
suit broke, establishing dummy's
five-spot. The six of hearts was
led to dummy's eight and the
seven of clubs discarded on the
good diamond. The jack of
spades was led, just in case East
might have the queen, although
West was pret'.y well marked
with it as East had discarded
some spades. South went up
wi'.h the king, then led the spade
ace. West, still wanting to keep
out of an end-play, dropped the
queen of spades. Thus on a
hand that looked rather hopeless,
declarer made five-odd.
o IN FORMER
YEARS
allowed to ride when East re
fused to cofused to cover. West
won with the queen. On the sec
ond heart trick East had discard
ed the club three, trying to mis
lead the declarer as to the loca
tion of the club ace. Now West
was afraid to play a club, lest
he lead into a tenace, nor did he
want to lead a spade. The nine
of diamonds was led back, dum
my played the ton, East the king
and South won. He cashed his
good eight of diamonds and the
30 Years Ago
A progressive trick in farming
that promises to increase the pro
duction of field peas in this valley
has been turned by Frank Mc
Kennon on the McKennon-Led-better
ranch near Alicel. The
trick is simply that he Tan the
.poas . through a combine --with-"good
success. -'"'""
Two Fords at noon today tried
to occupy the same spot on the
pavement at the same time, and
though the machines are not mon
sters, it couldn't be done. Husky
dents in the noses of each ma
chine were the results of the experiment.
BARBS
Wasn't it a thrill, folks, on that
first plenty-of-gas drive through
the country, to sec real cows and
chickens?
15 Years Ago
A program of pleasing charac
ter has been chosen for the con
cart to be given by the municipal
band Tuesday evening at River
side park. The first part of the
program will be given over to
arrangements of southern melo
dies, and the program will fea
ture this "Old South" mus'.-!
Shortly we'll be getting while
shirts from Uncle Sam and he'll
be getting our shirt come income
tax time.
With the wartime speed limit
off, remember that the faster you
go. the faster your tires do likewise.
A short, short story The Allies
went to Potsdam and the Japs
went to pot.
10 Years Ago
Two projects were formally
launched today in La Grande, the
$90,000 undergrade crossing pro
ject on Spruce street, sponsored
by state, city and railroad with
government money, and the new
gymnasium on the E. O. N. cam
pus, sponsored by state and school
district with government money.
Arnold Haneke, 17-year-old La
Grande country club profession
al, who is still in high school, fin
ished 12th in the Idaho state open
golf tournament at Boise during
the weekend, carding a score of
.308 for the 72-hole play. '
This Curious World
&s. S OUTGROWS FV I
COPR. 194$ BY NEA SERVICE. IMC.
THE HEAVY END OF A MATCH
IS THE LIGHT END, " Sstft
C. J. BOVEK,
o
8-27
UNEARTHED IN UTAH IS S5TI
MATEDTO BS 20 AMLtlON
"TEARS OLD ITOI'SWUTTLI
FROV. MOCER SEClES.
T. M MO. U. MT. Vf.
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