Evening star., 1941-07-28


The imminence of danger was
made so much clearer to me than
it ever was by the President de-
claring a state of national emereen-
cy. or by his asking Congress to
do likewise.
The impact was terrific as 1
watched that old skillet of mine, a
little bacon and eggs still on its
face. 20 down the street surrounded
by strange double boilers, cylinder
heads il mad never seen before.
hair curriers' and a naughty cigar
case.
At that moment I honestly don't
believe I would have been surprised
If some one had tapped me on the
shoulder and said. The Germans
are crossing the Hudson River, and
some of them are already on Forty
second street"
Many Of you who have contributed
your bits Of aluminium must have
shared my emotion.
Somehow, it's alarming that the
United States. the richest. the larg-
est and the most resourceful de-
mocracy in the world, has been
forced to beg from kitchens for ma
terialS with which TO protect itself.
A man would have TO wear bifocal
rose -colored glasses to find cheer in
the fact that his country, in its eff
forts to build a bulwark against
blitzkrieg, has had 10 rustic and
hustle and ferret among the pantries
for such non-lethal weapons as
waffle irons and egg-beaters.
Common sense tells me that when
a nation calls on the cooks and the
housewives, the scullery maids and
the dust bins, a four-ply, hand
stitched emergency is at hand 1t
wouldn't dig that deep unless there
was real trouble.
Some of my best friends are
prominent jack-leg politicians. They
else who would listen, all they know
about the Government. Yet II still
isn't quite clear in my mind WHY
the worlds greatest Nation should
be in such shape.
Some have advanced the theory
that this country is in peril be
cause it was taken by surprise.
That's a possibility. all right.
After all "Mein Kampf" WASH Z
written until 1925. Sixteen years
isn't much of a warning. And Hit
| Ter has been running wild for only
seven or eight years. For u1 TO
have taken steps then would have
been as foolish as 1t would be for
a man to grow alarmed simply be-
cause he sees an armed burglar
prowling around the backyard. Who
knows but what the burglar means
no harm at all and is Just out for
midnight constitutional
fully be blamed for this countrv's
shortage Of several essential war
materials. Mention aluminium and
they point out that it would have
taken a far-seeing man indeed to
predict how greatly We would need
1t. The Wright Brothers soloed at
Kitty Hawk in q plane that didn't
feature the stuff in it's makeup, so
what was there to indicate that
planes of 1941 would have to have
1t? And didn't Drake do 1t all right
against the Spanish armada with
out aluminium?
There Is always the chance. os
was allowed to dwindle in order IA
make 1t necessary to call upon tths
citizens for help. The old psyehoi-
ogy stuff, you know. A man who
suffers from the heat because his
electric fan has gone to the wars
as an sirplane propeller is certain 10
be more interested in giving further
aid to his country than a man who
has made no sacrifice at all. From
now on I will feel closer 10 the
battle line, what with my skillet
right up there in the danger zone.
Farewell, my pretty skillet.
You'll soon know why the United
States is called the greatest melt
ing pot of the world"
Be happy of chance 10 help
keep this country sunny side up,
Just as you did my eggs.