The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-07-11

ladies on front porches, and little children on lawns. Always we would let them see our children.
 We would drive north by car, go backwards into spring, following the flowers-the aZaleas in Savannah, the dogwood in Virginia, the cherry blossoms in Washington, and the first green buds in New York. We would watch the opening of the baseball season. We would go that night to see Jack White. We would not bounce around all the phony joints on Sand street; but wo would walk up and down and across New York, in and out fo all the little neighborhoods, among all the little people.
 We would go to the Fair, to Coney Island, Central Park and Riverside Drive. We would make a side trip to Boston with It's narrow streets and show these boys where liberty was born. We would go to the Cam adian border, where there are no incidents, where there are no sol- diers, where there is no hate. would ask them if they would like to walk the three- thousand miles of that border and find there nrot a fort.
 We would come back to join the sports writers and 10 through the summer with those most fortunate Americans, who get paid for doing what they love. We would let Adolf and Musso write a story of a heavyweight championship fight, an open golf tournament, World Series, a horse race; we would watch them send their masterpieces on to burn brightly forever more let them see how these things final- ly come out in print-and then ask what they think about the only dic- tators we have--the lousy heels on a copy desk who butcher our master pieces.
 Sometime during the summer we would go to Belmont Hills for golf we would be caught away from the clubhouse in terrific storm; we wauld run for cover and find thirty people in shelter house around a keg of beer. I would let Musso and Adolf watch these old men of America soaked to the skin; listen to them talk and laugh; watch them chew tobacco--away from their wives-listen to the stories they tell I would ask Adolf and Musso what they think about a country whose old men, important men, are still tough enough to tramp the hilltops in a rain.
 I would take them through the football season, let them look upon our boys stripped in the locker rooms; see how our young men learn tactics; how they think under pressure; how they fight with pure ''f f would w iHietIi let them think about this America and It's people. would take them to Chicago for the Legion parade; sit them in the stands and let them watch the men go by fol the eight hours 1t took in Los An- geles, the nineteen hours 1t took in New York--the parade and the pageant and the warning of Amer ica. would have them watch as the Gold Star Mothers peer among the shadows that march in the Sun would let them see the rising rev. erence that precedes the entrance ol every flag.
 I would ask them what the, thought after this visit with thu backbone of America, what the, thought of this confession of faitl from the Legion.
 The year would be almost ovel and 1t would be coming Christmas I would take them home with me tt my little town and let them watcf the people prepare for Christmas watch the people doing things fol other people. I would have then help me trim the tree for my little boy. I would watch their faces when they handled the little tir soldiers. I would take them in e little room and let them look upor Q little lad dreaming of Santa Claus.
 I would take them to midnight mass, and let them feel again the spirit of Christmas, of peace on earth and good will to men. I would leave them there on their knees be- fore the altar, before the Prince Of Peace, the god of their youth.