Evening star., 1941-04-16
Listen, NV Children"


Listen, My Children"
1t was early evening when Ber-
nard P. for nothing) Revere saw
the NaZi feet off the south shore
of Long Island. He Immediately
mounted his bicycle and pedaled
furiouSly until he met a group OF
men standing in front of a small
factory. They ran forward and
yanked him off the machine.
What you mean, crossing picket
line?" one of them demanded.
The Nazis are coming" Bernard
said.
I'VE heard that one before"
snapped the man. II suppose Presi-
dent J. j. Otterbein of the Ajax
Equipment Co. sent you to tell US
that"
Nobody told me-" retorted Ber-
nard Il saw the Nazi feet with
my own eyes"
II don't doubt it," the man said.
"Only you tell it to J. J. Otterbein
and get the hell away from this
picket line"
For a moment Bernard considered
the possibility of argument, but the
men edged forward so threateningly
that he jumped on his bicycle and
rode like the wind until he came
to large residence. A solid-look-
ing citizen, standing in the doorway,
looked him over tentatively.
Are you ]. ]. Otterbein?" Bernard
demanded.
That's me, son." said the man.
"The Nazis are coming" Bernard
| said.
Now wait a minute" said J. J.
Otterbein. Before we get into any,
international complications let's re-
view the domestic situation. Have
| you taken this up with the union
that's picketing my plant?"
Yes" said Bernard. They
wouldn't listen to me-"
Then we'll discuss the Nazis
when those reds back down and not
until" j. J. Cotterbein said. Get
out"
THE Nazis are coming" he
shouted.
It's agitator," some one
growled. "A nut" exclaimed an
other. What are you?" an elder
ly lady demanded. "A Republican
or a Democrat?"
An imposing gentleman motioned
for silence.
"I am president of the local de-
fense council" he said. What's
this all about?"
The Nazis are coming" Bernard
repeated. his voice near the break
ing point. Il saw the fleet. It's of
the south shore"
The defense council" the man
said, 'is unalterably opposed to the
spread of fear. The furtherance of
such a story as yours, true or false,
would create mass hysteria which
we are most anxious to avoid"
But the Nazis :" screamed
Bernard. His voice was drowned
in the rising tumult of angry voices.
He got away by abandoning his
bicycle and racing down a dark
alleyway. Noticing a doorway. he
entered and found himself in
tavern. A bartender and single
patron were drinking beer.
What you have?" asked the bar
tender.
1T doesn't matter one little bit"
said Bernard forlornly You see,
the Nazis are coming"
"Yea?" said the bartender. 80
what?"
wait a minute" said the patron.
This fellow has an honest face and
complete lack of imagination,
Maybe the Nazis really are coming"
Thank you" said Bernard. you
are the first person who has paid
any attention to me-"
/ That's all right" the man said
II pride myself on being able to read
a face. Have a drink"
But the Nazis :" Bernard began.
II know" said the man. They're
coming You got TO wait"
wait for what?" asked Bernard
frantically.
wait for public opinion to crys-
tallize," said the man. That's
rudimentary. Try a beer. It's very
good bectuse Jake keeps the pipes
clean"
But gleam of madness had come
into Bernard's eyes. Muttering hys-
terically to himself, he ran through
the door. AS he reached the road
way he stopped.
"The Nazis are comingl" he
shrieked. 1t was the last thing he
ever said. -
Bernard P for nothing) Revere
was the first person killed when the
Nazi fleet opened fire on Long
Island. A shell, fired from a battle
cruiser off the south shore, landed
within a few feet of the spot on
which he stood. A f1ngernail frag-
nent Is entombed beneath his monu-
ment which today stands a little
west Of the ruins of the Capitol
building in Washington.
LINNELL JONES.
"Just what kind of a man Is Mr.