Kankakee Valley Post, Volume 12, Number 11, DeMotte, Jasper County, 22 January 1942 — The Once Over [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The Once Over

by H.I.Phillips

WNVl wr*m

THE PAPERS OF PRIVATE PURKEY Dear Ma: Well from what I read in the papers and hear on the raddio I gess the boys in the army are a lot cooler then the folks back home in civilyun life. I hope you and pop half not had a breakdown listening to all them air raid warning tests and trying to follow all the different orders. The army has one thing on the civilyun, it don’t have to work in so much confusion. • * • I got your letter about dad being a air warden. I knew he wood want to do his bit but I half to laugh when I think of him ordering anybody to keep away from windows as he is always in a window looking out most of the time. <. '* * * I wish you could realize what a change has come over the boys here. They now want to fight anywhere and most anybody will do. But they put Japs at the top of their list. The more news we get about the treacherous stuff at Pearl Harbor and the brave work of our boys the soarer we get. Sergeant Mooney when he read about the Japs using a two-man submarine said it was probably no sub at all but just one of them barrels they juggle in the circus. And he says even two Japs Sn a sub would only be about half a man anyhow. \ * * * They serprised use all right but they got a serprise coming and how. I just heard a definition of a isolationist. A isolationist is- a fellow who thinks a net under a trapese is foolish on account of he is only a spectator anyhow. * * * Well 1 see where the dra(t age is to be extended to 44 which disposes of any idea I may get out soon witch I don’t want to do no more anyhow. A few weeks ago I was kicking like all the rest of the boys and asking what was the sense of all this time in a army with nobody to fight but now that we got more people fighting us at one time than ever before it all is different. You may laugh mom but this is a fact thaf we ain’t been worrying half about what happens to us in the war lately as we been worried about the folks back home wfith all them mayors broadcasting orders at once. I could picture s you rushing around shopping for sandbags and pop having a fit because he couldn’t find out how to shut off the gas in case of a raid. Still you better follow instructions as best you can as nobody can tell what may happen only I wish the mayors could be as calm as the people. I tuned in one night when Mr. TaGuardia was talking. It was such a cool calm talk I almost felt the war was over but you could of knocked me over with a feather when he wound up his talk by saying: “Well, I don’t expect any attack TONIGHT. The weather is unfavorable.” What a crack that was. I hope it did not scare you any. • * • There is a lot of rumors around camp and I think something is up, but 1 don’t know where we may get sent. Nothing would serprise me and I don’t care no more where l go as long as it gives me a chance to do my bit for the greatest country on earth. And I hope when we see action it won’t take no umpires to find out who won • ♦ • Well take care of yourself, do not let those air raid hints scare you too much and say a prayer for me now and then as this is the kind of war when they will all be needed. Your son, , Oscar • • • THE INNER CALL (“Hitler says an inner call caused him to take supreme command.”— News item.) He orders this and orders that— He leaps into the newest brawl He rages, acts or stands quite pat s . . According to “the inner call.” He hastens to his mountain place Or leaves it with no word at all; He gallops, or he slows his pace . . . Responding to “the inner call.” He makes a plan, then cuts it out; He quits the front to hire a hall; He turns from confidence to doubt... It’s all a case of “inner call.” Oh, on some future day he'll find He’s bashed his head against the wall; The reason will then be defined . . . 'Twas nothing but that "inner call!” • • • "Both Germany and America had depressions. But while a German experienced an immense regeneration of labor, trade and art, Roosevelt did not succeed in altering anything.”—Adolf Hitler. As Elmer Twitchell asks, "What’s that guy smoking anyhow?” • • • Elmer Twitchell says he understands that when the war hit that country the Wild Man of Borneo hoisted the white flag, came in on the run and asked protection from dviliza*on.