FRIDAY.
"Xveryoaa to Southern Orcgoa
- l 1 ETTuT WJItA
GERALD T LATHAM Bus Mer
-SSrr 1 1 1 .f.n jr.. Mm edit
PALE EIU, .,-
An Indep"0" . t
10c
Dnili end 9und.y-S moi
Duly nd Sundty 1 Jij
All Term" CMhJtLAdvtticB
o'nll.l p.per'ot City of Maf;j
Full Leaied Wire
nc in New Vork Chl De
"o" San FrancNco boiAnl el
. Seattle. Portland St UMiH
Isrtfl Vancouver
NEWSPAPER
PUBLISH!!
ASSOCIATION
NATIONAL EDITORIAL
Flight o' Time
Medford and Jackson County
History from the file of The
Mail Tribune 10, 20, 30, 40
and 50 years ago.
10 YEARS AGO '- v
Feb. 24, 1951 (Saturday)
me poaro ui ---Hvers
and harbor believes
that the proposed n
harbor project at Gold Beach
Ore., lacks "economic Justifi
cation." '
A sharp flare-up of upper
respiratory infections -, influ
enza, colds, and sore throats -i
truck Medford last week.
20 YEARS AGO
Feb. 24, H41 (Monday)
In a shooting listed by
Coroner H. W. Conger as acci
dental, a 21-year-old Apple
gate boy was killed yesterday
while hunting squirrels near
his home with two pompan-
From Arthur Perry's "Ye
Smudge Pot" column: "The
looiaintiirR today . passed a
.,, Jo.lon.tina 5S m.D.h,
as the official speed on Ore
gon roads. A few oi tne oiaer
autolsts can remember when
they went that slow."
30 YEARS AGO
Feb. 24, 1931 (Tuesday)
A petition seeking construc
tion of a road from the sum
mit of Blackwell hill to the
Jacksonville - Ruch road has
been filed with the county
court.
An estimated 4,000 spec
tators attended the winter
carnival and ski races held
at Ft. Klamath during the
week end.
40 YEARS AGO
Feb. 24, 1921 (Thursday)
. .Tk. Mnrirnrri Chamber of
Commerce this week held Its
first "preservation of Jackson
county's scenery" convention.
Local police have warned
autoisU they will be arrested
If they persist In parking their
cars in front of fire hydrants.
SO YEARS AGO
Feb. 24, 1911 (Friday)
nntinmnf Oswald West, to
the delight of southern Ore
gon residents, today vetoed
h Pierre Fish bill which
wmild have reopened the
Rogue river to commercial
fishing.
a PnnorMsional aooropri-
ations bill now before the
House of Representatives in
cludes $28,000 for a new Med
..( rttnm hnllrilnff. and
$3,000 for road improvements
In Crater Lane pane.
V-M's Your 10.7
kit m,m. ! auoerlert
even ei elehi ll eieellent) five e
lis is foed. ,
1. What island bears the
nickname "Emerald Isle"?
2. What name is given to
the study of insects?
3. Do more persons in the
world speak English, Chinese,
or Russian?
4. Dalmatian dogs come
from Dalmatla: true or false?
5. There are U. S. Mints in
two of the following cities;
name them: San Francisco,
Washington, D. C, Phila
delphia, Albany, Fort Knox.
6. Washington and Lee uni
versity is located in which
state?
7. During World War II,
was Portugal a combatant?
8. What have the following
names in common: Slmplon
Holland and Moffat?
9. What do the letters "pp'
stand for in musical composi-
tions?
10. What is a glazier?
Answers! 1. Ireland, 2. En
lomology. 3. Chinese. 4. Falte,
(England). 8, San Franelseo,
Philadelphia. S. Virginia.
No. I. They are all tunnels,
9. Pianissimo, (very soft). 10
A glass culler and seller.
4 A-
FEBRUARY 24, 19B1
Thoughts on River Use
All newspapermen, much as they hate it,
make mistakes at one time or another.
But it is rare that
five mistakes all in the
happy event occurred in
writer for our neighbor,
the other day.
The offending sentence said :
"Now that Senator Durno has introduced a
bill in the lower house of the Congress to get the
Talent dam project started, it would follow that
the whole up-river development program would
soon begin to take physical shape."
IN A helpful desire to assist our colleague with
Vila V. -.rv-i atr rAs mitf tiro nAinf Ant
1. Dr. Durno is not a
of the House of Repesentatives.
2. He has not introduced a bill "to get the
Talent dam project started," he has introduced a
bin to authorize expansion of the Talent project
to include construction of two small dams, one
reservoir, and a canal, at the Agate site.
3. The Talent division is not a dam, it is a
major project involving some $25,000,000 worth
of dams, canals, a power plant, and associated
works.
4. The Talent project
started, it is nearing completion.
5. It does not "follow" that the whole up-
river development program will soon begin to
take physical shape although we devoutly hope
it will.
IF THE above proves
cuibuiiai-wiiuug menu
we hope he continues it to
better understanding of the many and complex
problems involved in multi-purpose water re
source development.
If, he does, he will
irrigation, power generation, recreational use,
fish and wildlife, municipal and industrial use,
and pollution control all must be considered in
any development plan.
Each has a legitimate claim. And those plan
ning such a development must undertake the
difficult and sensitive task of setting priorities.
THE plan for the development of the upper
Pnmii. ia Yij-if lrnf nniYirilof aA Knf if a ttraA
to have it ready for submission to the 1962 ses
sion or congress.
The history of the
before the big fight of
sive, multi-purpose plan
the entire Rogue basin
Bureau or Keciamation.
It met so much controversy that the plans
were shelved. Later, one relatively small part
of it, the Talent project, was cut off from the
rest, met with no opposition, was approved by
Congress, and work began.
It was not until the floods of 1955 that agi
tation revived for a more
of the water resources of
.'-
IN THE past six years,
UCCll U&VCIUCU) YY 11,11 U1C JJl JQ UJ. XJIlglliCCI O
handling most of the preliminary work, with, at
long last, the cooperation of the Fish and Wild
life Service. It is hoped they will be in shape
for public hearings by this summer.
These plans represent a lot of hard work by a
lot of people over a long period of time.
Agencies involved in one way or another
have included the Corps of Army Engineers, the
Bureau of Reclamation, the State Water Re
sources Board, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Serv
ice, the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest
Service and the U.S. Bureau of Land Manage
ment, with an assist from other official agencies
ana units.
Much of the credit belongs to the Roeue River
Flood Control and Water Resources Association,
which, unlike some volunteer groups, has kept
plugging along, month alter month and year after
year. (We have occasionally disagreed with its
tactics; never with its aims and perseverance.)
A FORMER Congressman named Charlie Porter
also deserves a lot of the credit for getting
things going again. They wouldn't be anywhere
near as complete as they are without his prodding,
questioning and his continuing active interest.
So do the ardent sportsmen and conservation
ists, who finally convinced themselves that a
multi-purpose development of the upper Rogue,
designed to maximize streamflows during low
water periods, was about the only way in sight
to save the vanishing fish runs, and who, once
convinced, have become stout champions of the
proposal.
All this boils down to the fact that the Rogue
river belongs to no individual, no small organiza
tion, no sinerle area, no special-interest group.
It belongs to all, and should be held as a trust for
all, and any development
X7E HOPE our editorial colleague keeps these
T thing's in mind when cogitating on the pro
posal to construct a massive dam and lake at
and above Copper Canyon on the lower Rogue.
Its promoters seek to clothe it in the sheep's
clothing of multiple-use.
But the fact is that its construction would
destroy more values than it would create at least
if developed along the lines so far announced.
, In the development of the west we have, f ar
tod often, seen special-interest groups ride rough
shod over the rights of others, and over the
heritage of generations yet to come. The time for
that is past. E.A.
they succeed in making
same sentence. This un
the case of an editorial
the Grants Pass Courier,
Senator, he is a member
is not just about to tret
helpful in assisting our
iu uegm ma iiuiiicwui it
a point where he has a
find that flood control,
- 1
proposal goes back well
1948, when an all-inclu
for the development of
was presented by the
complete development
the Rogue basin.
the plans have slowly
plan must consider all
Dennis the
1 FsHjtyl
m toldemim earn play wve-in AWE,AN'u2e
GOMNA BE THE NICE LAW THAT WIN? THE SNACK BAP!
. ..Communications ...
Letters to the Editor must bear the name and address of
certain circumstances the use
The Mail Tribune reserves the
condensation. Letters submitted for publication must not exceed 400 words. The letters
printed in this column do not necessarily represent the views of the paper; in fact the
contrary is often the case.
A Brickbat ,
To the Editor: How inter
esting it was to read E.A.'s
editorial of Feb. 22. In speak
ing of his oft quoted "they,"
who do things which he says
should not be done, he gives
sly glimpse of his own
character.
How often in the past, and
even now, E.A. has been
guilty of the very thing he
criticizes others for doing.
He says, "They call them
names, they cast aspersions
on patriotism, they contribute
to fearfulness and discord."
E.A.'s aspersions cast upon
the President at the time of
the U2 incident and the smoke
screen of "tearfulness" -about
the H.U.A.C. at the present
time are examples.
Why is it that E.A. seems
to support the ones who ap
pear tp be in sympathy with
the Marxist theory?
why does E.A, try to give
the Impression that the ma
jority of people who are alert
to the danger of Communism
are in the wrong?
Is he trying to say that he
is the only marcher who is in
step and everyone else is out
of step who Is not gullible
or naive enough to swallow
the line of those E.A. likes to
support in his columns?
Mrs. Catherine G. Lynch
139 Kenwood ave.
Medford -
A Flower'
To the Editor: Please don't
dodge, for this isn't going to
be a brick-bat but a flower
for your buttonhole.
For some time, it has been
my intention to commend you
for your excellent editorials.
They seem to be always time
ly, and fair, yet courageous.
I have in mind several of re
cent date, which I shall not
specify.
I am a great grandmother
who has always taken a keen
interest in government, and
the welfare of the people, es
pecially the young.
The programs, both on
radio and T,V, in many cases,
I. believe to be degrading and
even dangerous to Uie youth
ful mind.
Recently, I asked a bright
little boy of six years, what
he wanted to be when he
grew up. Quick as a wink,
lie said, "I want to be a rob
ber and rob banks."
That may have been cute,
but the tragic truth is, it isn't.
I have called the stations
several times, urging better
music, for one thing. It is
tragic, the records we hear,
when we are hoping for some
of the music of great composers.
Try and Stop Me
By BENNETT CERF
BERNARD SOBEL, extolling the virtues of the honorable
craft of theatrical press agentry, points out that grad
uates from that exacting apprenticeship include Arthur
Kobcr, Lillian Hcllman,
S. N. Behrman, Irving
Hoffman, the late Sam
Hoffenstein, and Ben
Hecht. "Too long," con
eludes the persuasive Mr.
Sobel (one of the best
known of the fraternity
himself), "has the press
agent been without honor
in the country he loves."
Joe Vestibule, the Sutton
Place wag, looked up from
the sports section of hia
evening paper, saw that his
young son was in need of
a handkerchief, and called to his ,.0. "Baby's nose Is running1
again." Her angry answer was, "Don't you EVER think of Any
thing but horse racing?"
.
Every year a friend of Paul Lapolla gets a Valentine's Day
card from his wife, it reads, "Guess WHO and you'd better
be RIGHT!"
e 1961. by Bennett Cert Ciitrlbuted by Klai Future SjTldlcltf
MEDFORD
Menace
of a pen name or initial for publication is permissible.
right to edit all letters with a view to clarification and
What about this Dan
Smoot? Isn't he poisoning the
minds of the young?
Well, I didn't mean to
write a book, but my Irish
blood rebels at the trash our
youngsters hear.
Perhaps, one of your excel
lent editorials might help to
arouse the people.
Mrs. Joseph Chez
234 North Ivy st.
Medford
Against Morse
To the Editor: This is writ
ten in answer to David Frisch.
He holds a pity for the per
son who will run against
Wayne Morse. It could very
well be true that the man who
opposes Mr. Morse will be
clobbered, but here is one'per
son who is going to do his
best to see that Mr. Morse
gets the clobbering.
In the first place the State
of Oregon rates some good
representation in the Senate
of the United States, and we
haven't had much of that
quality since Guy Cordon was
in the Senate. I will say that
Mr. Neuberger became a bet
ter Senator the ' longer he
stayed in the Senate for the
very reason that his opinions
became DIVERSE of those of
Mr. Morse. Neuberger became
more conservative the longer
he stayed in the Senate, as I
see it,, even though he went
to Washington with the lib
eral label. ,
Just because . Neuberger
was quite able when he left
the Senate DID NOT qualify
his wife to replace him. Any
one who saw the half hour
debate on TV between Mrs.
Neuberger and Elmo Smith,
and could evaluate objective
ly and dispassionately, could
see which might qualify best
for the position.
If you recall as I do when
Mr. Smith was asked a ques
tion he knew right where he
was going and how to get
there, whereas Mrs. Neuber
ger could at best only gener
alize. I liked the answer to
one question put to Smith
and that concerned the abo
lition of the Conally reserva
tion which would allow a
world court to decide what is
a domestic issue and what is
not in our country. This I
consider strictly the business
of the people of the United
States. In answer to this ques
tion Smith proved that he
could think for HIMSELF and
not parrot any other person's
opinion, even though that
opinion differed from Mr.
Eisenhower or Mr. Nixon.
Still the people voted for
Mrs. Neuberger. This could
GRsAT smaocs of
r ABTHUI?
r KOBCR,
iss z:
MAIL TRIBUNE. MEDFORD.
Little-Noted FRB Action May
Ease Tight
By LYLE C. WILSON
Washington-fflPD-This essay
will award to President Ken
nedy highest honors for
prophecy in a
field.
Late in the
p r e s idential
election cam
paign, candi
dates Ken
nedy and
Rich ard M.
Nixon were
asked a tough
question by the Scripps-How-ard
Newspapers. It was:
"Would you attempt to in
fluence the policies of the
Federal Reserye Board in any
effort to reduce interest rates?
Or for any other purpose."
The candidates each re
quired a great many words to
answer that one, both avoid
ing either a simple yes or
no. Nixon did, however, say
the FRB should be free of
political pressures. Kennedy
said the FRB must bear in
mind the economic objectives
the writer, although under
mean only one thing and that
is government by SYMPA
THY, which hardly should be
the way to come to a decision
on such an important and far
reaching matter.
When people will take can
didates and vote for the best
qualified person to hold
position REGARDLESS of
party affiliation, then we will
have reached a milestone In
government. Morse has done
a great deal of objecting in
the Senate but one hardly
hears of constructive legisla
tion proposed by him. He has
been the tool of certain MIN
ORITY PRESSURE groups in
Oregon and I for one will vote
for anyone who opposes him.
I could not have voted for
Mrs. Neuberger even if she
had been a Republican,
Laurence E. Cuffel
S09 North Central ave.
Medford
Veteran Answers
To the Editor: This is' in
answer to the lady from East
Main st. who especially want
ed to hear from some of the
patriotic veterans from Camp
White regarding the Mexican
pear pickers, etc.
The lady from East Main
st. seems to have her wires
crossed somewhat, or is bark
ing up the wrong tree, as
there are no Veterans at
White City who are on wel
fare.
Every veteran who enters a
domiciliary must have some
degree of disability and has
paid, far in advance, for any
thing he gets.
As for your beans and
pears, don't blame the poor
Mexican. Blame your patri
otic orchardists. He had to
have cheap labor and he got
it. Now he can't get rid of It
I am glad.
You know, you can't send
all of your able bodied men
to war and have them home
to pick your pears at the
same time! Someone had to
pick them so you blame the
Mex, and then ask the vet
eran how it feels to be on
welfare.
One patriotic veteran.
Malemute Slim
White City, Ore.
The Alamo
To the Editor: Communists
and their sympathizers man
aged to destroy such anti-
communists as Joseph McCar
thy, quiet ihe voices of others
and blacklist many anti-com
munists in Hollywood films,
One by one, foes of Commu
nism have been systematically
' taken care of."
communist big guns are
now being leveled at John
Wayne.
Up to now he has consist
ently ranked among the big-
ten box office draws, but they
know now is the time to
move in for the kill.
Wayne has just produced a
picture called the "Alamo.'
He also directed and acted in
it, supported by a star-stud
ded cast. This $12,000,000
film is reputed to be the most
expensive ever made in the
United States.
The most important part of
the money for the purpose
was put up by Clinton Murch
ison and his family. The most
important part of everything
else needed was supplied by
John Wayne.
This picture represents a
return of cinema art, how
ever brief, to the realm of
honor and sanity and beauty.
It has everything to praise,
including the fact that it is
outstanding as sheer enter
tainment. We see few signs and little
likelihood of the "Alamo" be
ing a flop.
It has been running for
weeks at one of the expensive
downtown theaters in Boston.
The leftwingers in all com
munications media have been
sniping at it and seeking re-
si
ORE.
Money Situation
of the administration. He said
he was confident the board
would respond to administra
tion leadership.
Eaiy Money Policy
So what? So the FRB re
vealed this week that it would
do just that.
The FRB has abandoned a
long-time limitation on its in
volvement in the market for
U.S. bonds. The new policy
is to buy in the open market
long term bonds of the U.S.
government.
This is an "easy money"
policy. The immediate effect
is to be an Increase in prices
of long term bonds and cheap
er interest rates on long term
borrowing.
Immediately beneath the
surface of these dull facts is
a bread and butter political
issue, a so-called pocketbook
issue. This issue is important
to every American whether
he lives shabbily on a too
small wage or whoops it up
on inherited millions.
The U.S. dollar of today
compared with the 1939 buck
Algerian Peace Hope
Slowly Brightening;
Bourguiba
By PHIL NEWSOM
UPI Foreign News Analyst
Perilously, and with many
a pitfall still to be avoided,
prospects continue to brighten
for a negoti
ated peace in
Algeria,
i . i i
'g Ll an ciiu lu
1 the f igh ting
which has
gone on for
more than six
years and cost
more than
100,000 lives
is achieved, it
will be a tribute to the pati
ence and determination of
President Charles de Gaulle,
with a strong assist from an
other who has managed to re
main on friendly terms both
with France and the Algerians
rebels.
The other is President Ha-
blh Bourguiba of Tunisia.
A.iiong Moslems, the voice
of the 57-year-old Bourguiba
has been the moderating in
fluence, frequently bringing
down on his own, head the
wrath of other Arab leaders
whose fiery condemnations of
France stirried passions but
contributed nothing to the
prospects of peace.
Accused by Nasser
President Gamal Abdel Nas
ser of the United Arab Re
public once accused him of
being one of the last agents
of imperialism among Arab
leaders. To this, Bourguiba re
plied that his interests were
with the West and would re
main so.
As De Gaulle moved toward'
his tulimate goal of an "Al
gerian Algeria," and Bour
venge on the producer for
daring to glorify American
patriotism.
And they certainly keep
the movie from becoming the
nationwide smash hit which it
deserves to be.
Let's show the commies
that they are not running our
country yet and. go see the
"Alamo" when it comes to
Medford.
. Leila A. Morrow,
531 North Bartlett st.
Medford.
True Americanism
To the Editor: Your ''Free
dom and Security" editorial
on Feb. 22 seems to follow the
thought that Communism is
a terrible force, from without.
Since we must accept your
sincerity, It is necessary to
conclude your malady is sim
ply a dearth of knowledge.
for Communism always des
troys from within. Commu
nism is destroying our nation,
from within.
Now you do not even ad
mit that evidence is present
to prove this; rather you la
bor constantly against all in
dividuals and organizations le
gally supplying this evidence,
as being insulting simply be
cause they exist. Such a po
sition has nothing in common
with reason.
You would have us "re
shape the world"; but this is
repugnant to true American
ism. America developed under
a banner of Freedom. Let all
other nations imitate us, if
THEY so choose.
Robert J. Howard
828 B. West 14th
Medford.
O
Editor's note: Can Mr. How
ard name a single nation with
strong traditions of freedom
and self-government which
has fallen to Communism sole
ly from WITHIN? The editor
ial made no suggestion that
the world should be reshaped
by force, but by capturing "...
the imagination and respect
and good will of the world."
Why so fearful? Suggested
reading: The Declaration of
Independence, a radical, revo
lutionary document to which
we all pay lip service.
Newiom
is worth a few cents less than
50 cents, half of its pur
chesing power destroyed in
22 years. Any past or future
cheapening of the dollar must
be at the expense of each
citizen who has one. An "easy
money" policy is a dollar
cheapener.
Only Mild Reaction
In the first hours after an
nouncement of the new FRB
bond policy after one month
of the Kennedy administra
tion, the business and unan-
,.nW Viq nnt- AV-
ploded in protest: Far from
it. There were, however, some
cautious expressions of anx
iety as to where the new
policy may lead.
There seemed to be some
hope and confidence that the
administration and the FRB
would proceed with great care
and awareness of the currency
inflation dangers ahead.
If not, the federal reserve
system will become just what
Marriner Eccles warned
against it becoming, "simply
an engine of inflation."
Credited
guiba urged Moslem coopera
tion in tne referendum by
which De Haullp snnirht nn.
proval of his independence
program, Nasser and other
Arab and Afrinnn UaHnra mat
in Casablanca to condemn it.
the referendum could in no
way commit the Algerian run.
pie, they said.
Prospects Brighter
But as the referendum pass
ed successfully, and as Bour
guiba persisted in his plea for
moderation on both sides, the
prospects for peace suddenly
Drigmenea appreciably.
Cautious conferences be
tween French . and Tunisian
leaders anneared fhit
be opening up the possibili
ties oi an Algerian cease-fire
with no loss nf faro old, or in
De Gaulle or to the rebels.
II sucn can be anrnmnllah
ed, both De Gaulle and the
rebels will owe a debt of
gratitude to Bourguiba.
In the Day's News
By FRANK JENKINS
There is sad news as this is
written. Tragic news.
There is the recluse in the
forested slopes of the Umpqua
Basin Cascades. He is a vet
eran of World War II. He had
broken out of a veterans hos
pital about a year ago. He had
uvea alone in the forest since
He was regarded as a harm
less eccentric. . whn wanll
only to live alone m the for
est, ciose to nature.
. Then ... he becan stnnnincy
hunters, accusine them of
t. r
hounding him. Officers took
up the search for him. Yester
day. they found him . hut
he saw them first. Rifle
cracked. One of the officers
Was Shot throiieh the hnHu
The recluse disappeared in
me iog. tie is still being
auugm.
TN Weaverville, a 15-year-old
boy, president of his high
school sophomore class, secre
tary of his Scout troop, enters
his parents' room shortly after
midnight. He carried a rifle.
He DUt the muzzle atrainct hi.
father's head and pulled the.
trigger, Killing mm Instantly
His mother awoke, scream
ing with fright. He slugged
ner wun the rifle's barrel
then shot her-. A vounir wnm
an, living with the family,
was awaxened by the shots
and entered the room. He shot
at her. missed, then hnnf
over the head with the stock
of the weapon, but didn't k
her.
He dashed from the hn,,e
and was taken into custody
oy onicers of the law a few
nours later.
U7HY all this?
,T The officers tried to find
out. Thev questioned him.
He didn't like his father, he
said, adding that he had in-
lenoea lor some time to kill
him. He finally reached the
decision to do it now. Why
am ne Kill his mother? "
didn't like her much, either,'
he told the officers.
The girl was a mere incl
dent. She came srreaminfl
into the room, and he turned
on her.
TF these were isolated and
x u n u s u a I incidents, they
would be less disturbing. But
mey mm 1 isolated and
usual. The news in recent
years . . . and, it seems,
INCREASINGLY in recent
months . . . has been full of
them.
Grim questions:
Are our communications
merely so much better In
these modern days of gallop
ing progress in the communi
cations Industry that we
HEAR MORE ABOUT IT?
Washington Report
By William 8. Whit
LES BELGIQUES
Washineton- Sometime
columnist who utters the
smallest "yes, but" in all the
current evan
gelical clamor
against any
and all forms
o f "colonial .
ism" -even
where the
clear alterna
tive may be
Communist
choas - finds
whit himself n i, t
down as pro-something which
he
; snouia not oe.
This is the age not only
Instant rnffee hot al.n
of
instant classification by label.
There is a DroDer tap
everybody, and everybody
properly falls under this prop-
' tag.
One must he "for the Afri
cans," whether these be hon
est DatrinLs nr merelv m,,r.
derous gunmen on hire to
Kremlin agents. One must be
against "the colonial powers,"
even in tnose not-rare cases
where "the colonial powers"
have made decent and cnsilw
efforts to aid an orderly trans
ition oi Ainca into the new
independence.
Tf. fnr evamnle nna Anii
the total Tightness and wis
dom of all that has been going
on in the Conco aeainst ite
erstwhile Belgian rulers, one
iinas, pretty quicKly, that he
is "pro-Belgian" and "anti
independence." .
VERY well, then. This very
" nice and clear-cut way of
labeling at least has the ad
vantage ot ignoring all the
awkward shadincs in an lm.
mense problem. If a fellow
has simply got to be one or
tne otner-aDsoiutely against
the Belgians or absolutely in
favor of all African "Inrienen-
dence" movements, even the
communist ones - then this
correspondent makes his
choice.
In this sense he is "nrn.RM.
gian," for, from years now
lone Dast. he rememher-s in
an intimately personal way,
some tnings which others per.
haps have forgotten. He re
memhers 1044 when thi.
small country of Belgium was
slowly and bitterly being
"liberated" by the United
States Third Armored divi
sion. This was the forward, the
hrpalrtht-nixrhi 1li,leAn in
thrust across Eastern France
after Paris and then across
Belgium and into Germany,
Mons was the first Belgian
city we entered, with the
most forward tanks of this
most-forward division.
THIS is a mining area and
the countryside was not
unlike that around Pittsburgh
Wheeling, W.Va. France had
welcomed us Americans with
wine and flowers. Mons, in the
gloomy half-light of a glower
ing day, was something else
altogether.
Here, as our tanks and arm
ored cars trundled along
through the main street, stood
the people of Mons in long,
quiet lines. Many of them had
faces black with the grime of
the pits; on many of these
faces tears cut paths down the
cheeks of men as well as
women. There was no shout
ing, no hurrah.
They were hungry people,
desperately hungry and long
driven like cattle. (But unlike
cattle, they had never for an
instant been broken.) But they
crowded forward to hand us,
still in almost unbroken sil
ence, all that they had-little,
doughy cakes whose name I
never knew. We had far bet
ter food than this, even in
our "K" rations. But we forc
ed down the little cakes. "You
will eat the damn things," said
a colonel, a break in his voice,
"and that's an order."
UROM captured German of-
fleers themselves we learn
ed that night in Mons some
thing of what these Belgians
had done during the far long
er night of their Nazi captivi
ty. We were to learn much
more as the campaign for
Belgium went on: The un
breakable spirit of the Bel
giques. Their quiet, hopeless
gallantry - and that of the
Belgian white army partisans
who fought with us. Their
bleak, untalking, absolute, to
tal, final faithfulness to their
allies.
Among all the heroes of the
last war, in simple truth, the
indomitable Belgians need
take no second place. For my
own part, therefore, I think
they have long since worked
their passage with us - and
more. I think they have even
earned the right - among
their old friends, anyhow -even
to be wrong.
(Copyright, 1961, by United
Feature Syndicate, Inc.
Or is mental instability
GROWING?
TF the frequency of these
tragic Instances of mental
instability Is due merely to
more perfect communications,
there is less to worry about.
But
If it is due to growing
mental instability, it opens up
S lot of troublesome questions
about our modern way of life.