Editorially Speaking:
What Makes B Soldier?
(Contributed)
Here's a little of what makes an American soldier.
He’s out on a twenty-five mile hike, in leggings, full
pack and accessories.
It’s early evening. He’s been up
since six o'clock, put in a full day’s training under the
heat-livid Mississippi, Georgia or Lousiana sky.
The first fiive miles are on concrete.
It’s all right at
first, until the hard pavement begins to pound the shoes
right up into his feet, each step a sledgehammered blow,
until the insides of his shoes become steam chambers.
He could drop out, climb into the ambulance or the
Jeep that follows.
He could claim blisters or cramps or
too much sun from the day’s work. But he doesn’t. Why?
Because all around him are his buddies.
They did the
same day’s work. They've walked as far as he has. They're
not dropping out.
The pavement ends.
Mile after mile of dusty, muddy,
rutty cowpaths drops behind him. By the time he’s passed
ten miles his pack is filled with lead window sashes, his
sweaty clothes are heavy as a butcher’s hand, his leggings
are steel casing around his legs.
He could drop out now, stretch out in that Joop, rest
those weary muscles that feel like chopped steak. But he
doesn’t. Why? Because Uncle Joe Stilwell, 62 years old,
walked 140 miles out of Burma, without a Jeep behind
“him.
After 15 miles the only strength left in him is his
morale. Maybe he lapped up a little too much water, maybe
his supper needs a rest too. He's got a sideache from
waist to thigh. His guts are coils of redhot neon burning
their way out through the walls of his stomach. But he
doesn’t drop out.
Why? Because somewhere he’s read
that a Jap can fight through jungle all day and walk 35
miles at night on a bowl of rice.
So he stumbles across the finish line. The balls of his
feet are live coals. Each step springs a knife that stabs up-
ward through his leg. He's too tired to sleep. For three
days his movements will be brittle, like those of an old
and sapless man. But he’s made it. He can kid his bud-
dies in the mess hall, join the line that marches behind
Uncle Joe, thumb his nose at the Jap. He’s an American
soldier, and a damn good one.
Our thanks go to Bob Girvan of Camp Selby, Missis-
stppt, for this week’s editorial. Bob is the son of Mr. and
Mrs. John Girvan of Lake street.
*
*
So far as a husband’s misdeeds are concerned a woman’s
memory is perfect.
*
*
A lot of women could do the family washing with the
energy expanded in keeping their “foundation”
in place.
FROM.
PILLAR TO POST
By Mrs. T. M. B. Hicks, Tr.
For a
Counting in two borderline cases, we have six shining examples of
arrested development in our neighborhood. Probably every community
rejoices in a group of boys who are suffering from an acute attack of
growing pains, but the symptoms have ordinarily become less distressing
with the passage of years, and by the time the age of sixteen or seventeen
is reached the rash of childishness
is no longer visible to the naked
eye. 7
The eight-year-old, wishing to at-
tract the eye of the chosen female
of the species, stands on his head
and wiggles his legs. The ten-year-
old, waxing strong and manly with
the increasing burden of years, dips
the pigtails of the beloved in the
inkwell. The twelve-year-old, be-
coming enamored of another sev-
"enth-grader, plays violent games of
the you push me and I'll push you
variety.
With the age of fourteen, there
ordinarily occurs a blessed lull. The
fourteen-year-old displays a lordly
indifference to the opposite sex. He
is too much occupied in; football and
baseball to pay much attention to
girls, and his changing voice is all
too apt to embarrass him in polite
society. The dances which the
fourteen-year-old girl takes so much
delight in attending, are anathema
to the fourteen-year-old boy. Any
boy of this age-group who attends
a dance has been delivered to the
sacrifice by a well-meaning and un-
relenting mother.
With the advanced age of sixteen,
the normal young man puts away
childish things, and the neighbor-
hood draws a breath of relief. High
School juniors and seniors, though
they may render the night hideous
with raucous catcalls and ill-timed
whistling, can ordinarily be de-
pended upon to refrain from acting
like ten-year-olds in the matter of
childish antics.
But these are abnormal times,
and probably abnormal reactions
are to be expected, though one
would naturally assume that any de-
viation in a behavior pattern would
be in the direction of an increased
sense of responsibility and matur-
ity.
Two years from now, the com-
munity eye in composite form will
undoubtedly bedew itself with proud
moisture when reading of the heroic
exploits of these same boys on for-
eign soil and on the seven seas. Boys
no older than these neighborhood
pains-in-the-neck have already
given good account of themselves
on the Bataan Peninsula, and in the
Solomons.
These are the boys who did their
bit toward making the party a
cess by putting one car out of com-
mission with a deflated tire, and
tampering with the spark-plugs of
a second car. They could not have
forseen that a guest would be taken
(Continued on Page 3)
suc-
Four Brothers
Sent To Kis-Lyn
Lake Youths Admit
Several Robberies
Topping off a series of juvenile es-
capades that have had Harvey's
Lake Police on the run for several
months the four Murphy brothers,
Robert and Wil-
liam, sons of Mr. and Mrs. Edward
Murphy of Harvey's Lake, broke
into Kearney’s Restaurant at the
Tommy, Russell,
Lake on Wednesday and stole nine
beef steaks and three gallons of
ice cream.
After their apprehension the
youths admitted their crime and
were taken to Kis-Lyn to await
trial before Juvenile Court next
Friday. Robbery of the restaurant
climaxed months of petty larceny,
cottage breaking and other delin-
quencies during which the youths
were taken before Luzerne County
court at one time on a charge of
stealing a purse containing $173
from an automobile in front of a
Harvey's Lake grocery store.
The boys readily admitted break-
ing into two business places and
stealing $10 from each. They also
admitted stealing apples from an
Idetown orchard and when warned
away by the owner—who picked the
fruit—came back later to steal the
apples he had gathered and placed |
in baskets.
According to police the boys,
aged 11, 14, 15 and 16, have been a
problem to school authorities, hang-
ing around the Sunset bus terminal
mornings until the school bus left
and then swarming over vacant
cottages to continue their round of
petty stealing.
Misericordia Teacher
To Serve On Committee
Sister Mary - Eulalia, R.S.M. of
College Misericordia, has been ap-
pointed to the vital questions com-
mittee of the Debating Association
of Pennsylvania Colleges. The com-
mittee meets in Harrisburg on Oc-
tober 3 to select a question for this
year’s college debates. In view of
the present world situation, Sister
Eulalia has been called upon to par-
ticipate in a very important task.
he writes.
MORE THAN A NEWSPAPER, A COMMUNITY INSTITUTION
Tur Darras Post
Vol. 52
- FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1942
No. 39
Not everybody with a dollar
to spare can shoot a gun
straight—but" everybody can )
shoot straight to the bank and
buy War Bonds. Buy your 3
10% every pay day.
Mosier Named
As Instructor
/ Re Ces Snyder Who
es To York County
Sheldon Mosier, vocational-agri-
culture instructor at Laceyville for
the past four years, was appointed
to a similar position in Dallas
Township schools at the meeting of
the Board of Directors on Tuesday
night. Gerald Snyder, present in-
structor, resigned last week to take
a position in York County. Mr.
Mosier is the son of Mrs. Melvin
Mosier of Dallas Township. He at-
tended Dallas township grade
schools and is a graduate of Cough-
lin High School, Wilkes-Barre, and
Pennsylvania State College where
he was a member of the four-man
undergraduate’ judging team which
participated at the St. Louis and
other famous agricultural and live-
stock expositions.
He majored in animal husbandry
and after graduation gained several
years of practical] experience in a
supervisory capacity with some of
the best dairy herds in Luzerne
County. After his marriage to Miss
Hilda Ruggles,
Township teacher, he taught for a
time at East Berlin in Adams
county, leaving there to accept the
position at Laceyville.
. Exhibits by his students have re-
peatedly won first awards at Wyo-
ming County and Bloomsburg Fairs
and at the Pennsylvania State Farm
show. The Mosiers have three chil-
dren. Last summer they built a
home in Dallas township.
Mr. Mosier will start his new
duties as soon as an instructor can
be found to fill his position at
Laceyville, '
Army Chaplain
Now In Ireland
Writes, "The American
Spit Can't Be Sunk”
Mrs. Charles VanBuskirk
Meeker received an interesting let-
ter from Chaplain Donald L. War-
mouth, formerly
of
of Shavertown,
this week. Warmouth is located in
northern part Ireland. He enthusi-
astically praises the training our
boys are receiving over there and
the fine spirit
them.
prevalent among
“Our trip across was uneventful,”
“Most of the German
talk about sinking our ships is
ballyhoo. They haven't yet learned
that the American spirit can’t be
sunk.
“We still have the best navy in
the world and the United States
surely knows how to look after her
nephews and nieces. We don’t ex-
pect to come home until this job is
completely finished, nor do we want
to have to repeat it in another gen-
eration.”
Chaplain Warmouth was promot-
ed to the rank of eaptain August 1.
Folded in the letter sent to Mrs.
VanBuskirk was a real shamrock.
Service Men
On The Beam
All We Need Now Is
Addresses Of Girls
Blanks of all sorts have come in
\from the service men to the Script
Club. Blonde soldiers, brunette mar-
ines, and red-headed sailors, have
followed our tip. Big athletic fel-
lows and the little bookwormish
ones. All sorts—to suit any girl.
Now all we need is blanks filled in
by girls.
Can you imagine the catastrophe
if we gave the name of a redhead
to a fellow who just abhores red-
heads, or the name of a six-foot,
ninety-six pound girl to a four-foot |
eight, two hundred pound soldier.
Uh! Uh! It wouldn't work. A girl |
wants someone who has the same
education, who is trifle taller and |
who goes in for the same things
{ as she does.
It doesn’t make any difference in
the letters, of course, but you might |
meet the fellow some day, and then |
what ?
Help us avoid unnecessary heart-
breaks! Fill in the blank when you
send jn, your name.
a former Dallas.
a
toll of heavy Nazi tanks.
Hunting Nazis In North Africa
~~
Many British, two-pounder anti-tank guns are now mou nted on fast trucks so they can move quickly around
the desert. As shown in this dramatic picture, the gu n’s crew fires without unlimbering. They make daring
forays behind the enemy’s lines to play havoc with su pply columns and lightly armored. vehicles, even taking
Ed
Boys And Girls
Of Junior Army
To War On Scrap
Great Mass Attack
Will Start October
3th Against Enemy
The boys and girls of the Back
Mountain region are part of a na-
tional junior army which on Octo-
ber 5 will begin a great attack.
The attack is against the worst,
enemy within our borders today.
The enemy could stop our factories
from making guns and ships and.
tanks and planes. The enemy could
prevent those weapons from being
made by preventing manufacture of
the steel out of which parts of those
weapons are made.
That enemy is starvation of the
steel mills,
But the ‘schoo! pupils of our
nation, organized in a-.great junior
army, are going to feed the mills.
They are going to find and bring
together the things out of which
tanks and ships are made—things
like rusty pipe, broken bed springs,
air guns that won't shoot any
more. Around Dallas and Back
Mountain country that is junk,
scrap. But after it has gone through
the mills it is bombs for the Nazis
and bullets for the Japs.
Commanding General of the
Junior Army of School Boys and
Girls is Dr. Francis B. Haas, State
Superintendent of Public Instruc-
tion, Harrisburg. The regiment in
Dallas is headed by Colonel T. A.
Williammee. County Superinten-
dent A. P. Cope is Colonel of the
Luzerne county regiment.
Each school principal is major in
the junior army. Under each major
come the captains, the teachers.
School boys and girls of each school
room will be the lieutenants, ser-
geants, corporals, and privates of
the junior army. Those who do well
will be promoted, just like real sol-
diers in the fighting army.
A fighting army uses maps and
scouts every foot of the ground.
Members of the junior army will
scout the same way for the pieces
of junk. From map plans, each will
be given a place to scout. So the
junior army will scout all of Amer-
ica, each street and road, each city
block and country farm, finding
junk.
For, so long as the junk lies un-
gathered, it is part of the starva-
tion enemy of our steel mills, our
war factories, and our fighting men.
The boys and girls of the Back
Mountain Region are going to find
and take prisoner all of that enemy
in this part of our nation.
Howard Warden Makes
Brief Visit Home
Howard Warden spent Monday at
his home here. Howard drove down
from East Hartford, Conn., after
completing his shift at United Air-
craft where he his helping to build
Pratt & Whitney motors. He ar-
rived at 12 a, m. and left Monday
night shortly after 10 so that he
could be back on the job on Tues-
| day.
There are approximately 30,000
employees working in three shifts
{at the big plant which has grown
| tremendously since the advent of
| war. The proportion of women is
increasing weekly as they take jobs
of single men called into army ser-
vice.
| Howard indicated that living ex-
penses are very high and that it is
| almost impossible to obtain a home
| or rooms within miles of the United
J Aircraft plant.
ALL CITIZENS MUST BE
READY FOR A BLACKOUT
AT ANY HOUR OF NIGHT
Luzerne County has been cer-
tified to the Third Civilian De-
fense Region through the State
Council of Defense as having
reached a degree of efficiency in
its Civilian Defense Organiza-
tion that will permit surprise
blackouts. All further air raid
drills and blackouts will orig-
inate with the First Fighter
Command at Mitchell Field, N.
.Y. Robert D. Currie, zone war-
den for the Back Mountain
area, has stressed that no
official of the local or county
organization will have advance
knowledge of the drill. Until
the signals are received from
Mitchell Field no one will know
whether they indicate a test
blackout of an actual air raid.
Consequently all individuals as
well as air raid wardens are
urged to be on the alert at all
times, and the public must be
ready to obey all rules and
regulations at a minute’s notice.
Township Will
Keep Football
Coach Will Build Team
Around Veteran Backs
In spite of gasoline rationing and
tire shortages which for a time
threatened to remove football from
its athletic program, Dallas Town-
ship High School athletic authori-
ties have announced a curtailed
though nonetheless complete foot-
ball schedule.
The Township’s season, which
will open and close at contests with
Kingston Township High School,
will include a number of old rivals
on the schedule.
First game js at home on Octo-
ber 6 with Kingston Township fol-
lowed in order with games with
Clarks’ Summit, away, on October
17; West Pittston, at home, Octo-
ber 24; Pittston Township, at home,
October 31; Tunkhannock, away,
November 6; Kingston Township,
away, November 26. The long gap
between Tunkhannock and the final
Kingston Township contest may yet
be filled by other games.
A squad of more than 25 candi-
dates has responded to Coach
Robert Dolbear’s call for practice.
Most of his last year’s line has been
lost either by graduation or to the
army and defense work but he
hopes to build a powerful team-
around such veteran backs as Mar-
tin, Bittenbender and Morris. He
knows that he will have a hard
time without such stalwarts of last
year as William Girvan, Bernard
Breza, Wocjik and Redington. He
is also handicapped by lack of an
assistant, Coach Rosser having join-
ed the army.
Will Build Barn
McKinley Long of Sweet Valley
has received a construction permit
to build a new 60x70 barn to re-
place the structure destroyed by
fire on August 26, 1941.
First Frost” _.-
A frost, the first of the season,
visited this area on Monday night.
In many sections destruction of
flower and vegetable plants was
heavy, while in others there was
little or no damage. In Dallas ice
was frozen on automobile wind-
shields.
J Questions For
Home Owners On
War Co-Operation
V-Home Stickers
Will Be Awarded
Those Who Comply
Home owners in the Back Moun-
tain region will be asked five ques-
tions shortly by their Air Raid War-
ders to determine if they are co-
operating fully in the war effort
and thus are eligible to display the
new V-Home sticker. The question,
drawn up by the U. S. Office of
Civilian Defense and distributed
along with thousands of stickers by
the State Council of Defense, are:
1. Does your home follow the in-
structions of its Air Raid Warden,
in order to protect life and prop-
erty against attack by air?
2. Does your home conserve
food, clothing, transportation and
health in order to hasten an un-:
ceasing flow of war materials to
our men at the front?
3. Does you home salvage es-
sential materials that they may be
converted to immediate war uses ?
4. Does your home refuse to
spread rumors designed to divide
our nation ?
5. Is your home buying war sav-
ings stamps and bonds regularly?
In connection with question No.
1, citizens will be asked if they have
prepared a safety room and black-
out room in their home; if they
have made preparations to fight fire
bombs; if they have cleared inflam-
mable materials from their attics,
basement and closets; and if they
know what to do if someone in their
home is injured in an air raid.
The V-Home sticker, according
to the OCD, should be considered
a badge of homor, and “the display
of this certificate should indicate
that the home not only has com-
plied with the requirements of a
V-Home in the past, but that these
war services will be maintained for
the duration.”
Dallas Flowers
Win Top Awards
Local Vegetables And
Roses Take Ribbons
Mrs. Thomas Kingston of Tarlton
avenue, and Frank Jackson of Har-
vey’s Lake, brought distinction to the
Back Mountain area last Thursday
when they walked away with a
large number of first, second ‘and
third ‘prizes at the Flower Show
sponsored by the Cambrian Club
in the Y.W.C.A. building in Wilkes-
Barre.
Mrs. Kingston was awarded a
special prize for a basket of six red
roses, 11 first prizes, 5 second prizes
and three 3rd prizes. She exhibited
snapdragons, asters, delphiniums,
dahlias and chrysanthemums, Mr.
Jackson was given a special award
for a unique arrangement of vege-
tables. Small pumpkins, cucumbers,
mangos, etc., topped with a gay
sprig of blackberries were shown in
a handcarved wooden wagon. The
wagon was made by his nephew,
Robert Jackson. He won six first, 8
secand and 2 third prizes.
The show was open to all amateur
flower growers and exhibits were
entered by people from all over
northeastern Pennsylvania.
Board Of Three
Will Ration Al
nability To Repair
Or Borrow Equipment .
The secont order issued by the
‘United States Department of Agri-
culture, effective September 17, i
all farm
machinery in ‘the hinds of dealers
and setting up, a county rationing
committee. to: control the distribu-
tion of the: limited supply now on
hand, was termed by Nelson Lewis,
Carverton, chairman of the Luzerne’
County USDA | War Board, as
necessary to insure fair distribution’
available equipment and its
placement where it will do the most’
good in wartime farming produc-
tion. ey
Administration of the thr ma-
chinery rationing program was dele-
gated by ‘the War Production Board
to the Office of Price Administra-
tion, and re-delegated to the De-
partment of Agriculture. County
rationing will be handled by a
county rationing committee com-
posed of the County AAA Chairman :
and two farmers appointed by the
County War Board. Two alternates!
will also be appointed.
Farm machinery in one lassifica-
tion (Group A), which is scarce and
especially needed to meet current
agricultural needs, may be sold only
upon approval by the county farm
machinery rationing committee. Ma-
chinery in a second category"
(Group B), including items some-"
what less scarce, may be sold upon
certification by the farmer to the
dealer that it is required to meet
current agricultural needs. A third
classification (Group C), includes
the smaller items that may be sold
without restrictions. ;
Group A includes combines, corn
pickers, disc harrows, feed grinders,
fertilizer spreaders, grain drills,
grain elevators, hay balers, lime
spreaders, manure spreaders, milk
coolers, milking machines, pickup
balers, potato = diggers, shredders,
and tractors. (including garden
tractors).
Group B machinery, which can be
purchased upon certification to a
dealer that it is needed for current
production, includes most other
farm equipment and machinery.
Group C, which is.exempt from
any form of rationing control, in-
cludes hoes, rakes, forks, scythes,
shovels and all hand-operated and
one- and twohorse drawn farm ma-
chinery and equipment not included
in Group A.
There are no restrictions on sale
or transfer of used farm machinery,
equipment or repair parts.
Eligibility requirements for Group
A purchases include inadequacy of
present equipment and inability so
meet farm production goals by re-
pairing, or by purchasing or rent-
ing used machinery, or by custom or
exchange work. A purchaser must
turn in replaced equipment and
agree to rent or let ethers use the
new machinery on specified terms
and conditions. The purchaser must
present. a satisfactory reason if
changing from horses or mule power
to motor power, or from hand labor
to machinery.
Applicants who are refused cer-
tification for machinery purchase
may appeal to the State USDA War
Board and then to the Special War
Board Assistant to the Secretary of
Agriculture. :
A list of applicants receiving cer-
tificates and the equipment which
they purchase will be kept available
for inspection in county offices and
will be made available for publica-
tion in local papers.
Equipment in Group A must not
be purchased later than October
31, 1942. 5
Visit Military School
Mrs. Karl Kuehn, in company
with Gertrude Wilson and Jackie
Quaill, drove down to Valley Forge
Military Academy on Saturday to
see her son, Frank, who is enrolled
there as a student this year. Frank
is enthusiastic about the school but
says that he can understand now
why there are posters in postoffices
urging people to write to soldiers.
“Gee, when you line up for mail
and you don’t get a letter, you just
feel that everybody has forgotten
you, even in military school.”
/
temporarily “freezing”
of