New-York tribune., 1919-09-07
Changed Heroes
To the Editor Of The Tribune.

l.
- Hero" touches on one result Of the
war much thought OF, but on when
there has been very little public comment,
though il has entered almost every Ameri-
can home that has n returned hero But
are they changed? Is it not rather develop
mcnt-that development which under nor
NAL conditions would take years, forced to
the surface in a few months, and the more
noticeable because we could not follow "
with our eyes? They left US irresponsible
boys, called upon to take part in ife
and death struggle, kill or be killed, living
always at high tension for two years, IN
contact with . civilization utterly dinerent
from theiu own. The marvel is we fnd any
trace of the boy we knew in pre-war days
They cannot be normal. They are restless
and unsettled. This msnifests itself IN
different ways, according to the tempera-
ment of the boy. For instance, IN dis-
like to having his hair stroked, the result
of nerve irritsblity, which has nothing 10
do with the affections. We have seen them
honestly trying to adapt themselves, gong
back to their university studies but they
say it is all so small, so useless, the one
time shining goal of a degree grown
strangely dim; going to work, then throw
ing up their job, because they feel they
are in the wrong place 1t would seem IN
finite patience and "grin and bear II
attitude are our part.
It may interest &c. H. H." to know how
much company she has in this problem.
IL ppfOnbOrhOO0
are:
Jimmie. good boy, who il delayed IN
town later than 10 telephoned the why
and wherefore, has returned. He bovrowS
the family car one afternoon and goes Tor
a ride with friends. Night comes, but no
Jimmie midnight, no message. Result
mother walking the floor. peering out the
window for lights OF the car, picturing him
dead at the side Of lonely road, the am
bulance will bring his body home in the
morning; 1890, enter cheerful jimmie
with his hat on the side of his head; sur
prscd she was worried. Why should he
telephone? guy who has chased Jerry
back into Germany could be trusted few
hours from home without a call to arms
being sounded. His mother says he never
acted so before, that he is so changed"
Not at all: Just Jimmie demonstrating he
is man of the world. He is to-day what
under normal conditions he would have
been five years from now
The noisy chatterbox of the family who
boasted when he left he was going over TO
ride the Kaiser's neck has come back
. r,,l hn
unless he has something TO say His family
are dazed, remembering the boy who, de-
spite protests, juggled the dinner plates
with disastrous results; who threw the cat
at the dog just to see what would happen
and something always did happen-to the
cat
The 6-foot, l95-pound second lieutenant
whose nightly custom it was to have his
mother scratch his head until he was
sleepy, regarded HIS mother in wide-eyed
honest surprise when she mentioned the
lapse of this ceremony. he didn't need to
have his head scratched any more to s.ecp
al he needed was bed. The mother won
dcrs sadly if some French girl has not
weancd him away from home ties, he is 80
"changod" As he only had one twenty
four-hour leave during five months service
and was all the time unromantically guard
ing docks the idea is abandoned. lie is
grown up; that is all.
The mother is the only successful recon
structonist fol this work. The following
recpe will work. Ii is mostly don'ts:
Don't probe too deeply into his mental
equipment; he will resent it. This is his
property, not yours.
Don't make reproachful comparisons be-
tween the boy who left and the one who
has returned.
Ignore any slight mental scars visible.
Time will oblitsrate them. Treat him as
an equal in age and brains and listen to
his opinions with respect. He has earned
this.
Let him alone a bit to find himself.
Let him alone some more.
Keep loving them, every staggering,
grouchy patronzng mothers son of them,
for underneath the disguise imposed by
war is the boy we knew and loved.
+. X. c.