Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1937-10-07

that America might be contributing
to the death and destruction now
spreading through China.
Just the other day an editorial
appeared in these columns setting
forth the price that our nations
commerce must pay if we are to
promote worldwide peace. The edi-
torial questioned-and rightly So
our willingness to accept any for
eign trade policy which would deter
warlike movements in far away
lands.
Today we are in receipt of COM
munication from Columbus reader
Of the Citizen. 1t tells great story
in a simple way We print it here,
believing that those who did not
hear the radio program described,
will better appreciate our nation s
stake in the affairs of the far east.
The letter:
"A little incident comes painfully
to mind every time | read of at
tempts the United States is making
to end this war that isn't war over
in China.
"The incident / remember was
about half minute long. 1t took
place on rebrOadcast from Homo
| lulu received in Columbus homes
about 1880 p. m. not SO many
nights ago.
s'One of the regular evening
broadcasts was on the air when sud
denly it was cut off to make way for
a half hours interview of the pas
sengers on the bombed President
Hoover.
You will recall that the Amer
lean regufee ship with its load of
passengers, mainly Americans, was
still on Chinese waters, but headed
homeward, when Chinese planes cir
cled low and bombed the boat, Kill
ing one, injuring many. No one
seems to be sure they were aiming
at the ship. The passengers thought
so. But anyhow, the point is, they
were hit
"The broadcast from the injured
ship was made just after the Presi-
dent Hoover pulled into the harbor
at Honolulu. And for all the late
tragedy, the crowd was courageous
vi spll.t, even a little hilarious on
the occasion. Men with bandaged
heads reported they were feeling
fine. Men, missed by the bombs
by inches, told incidents of their
dashes to safety under chairs and
tables, which they considered fun
ny-almost. All were SO delighted
to be away from it all and almost
home at last, all in such thank
God it's overt mood OF relieved
strain, that the voices coming over
the radio were almost jovial.
''It was time for another pas
senger to be interviewed. We'll
now hear from little-- -,
who's going to speak for her fam
ily', said the announcer, gayly The
child came onto the air. The stock
questions began.
"Was her home in China? It
was. How did she happen to live
way over there? Because her moth
been up on deck and seen the planes
when they dropped the bombs? Yes.
Was she very scared? Yes. The
six year old answered each question
with dispatch. You could almost
see her proud mother cher father
was still in China) and the rest of
the passengers beaming on her.
"Then came the next question.
so you live way over in China with
your mother and daddy, continued
the announcer encouragingly. And
what does your daddy do in China?'
"'Oh don't you know?' replied
the child, thrilled to be able to give
more information. Daddy builds
planes for the Chinese Just like
the ones that bombed u.s.!
L might add that there was
sudden silence before the announcer
could gather his wits together
enough to continue with the inter
view of the other passengers-all,
that is, except those whose heads
and bodies were so banged up that
they weren't able to stand and talk
into a microphone; and then, of
course, that one who will never talk
again. columbus Citizen.