The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1942-09-26

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bear and perfectly qualified to
tiEht. but otlici1ldom keeps staling
HIM OF. saying his case IS pending,
which he's finally decided is the
bunk. He's convinced that it's his
age that's queering him and he
asks angrly II it's any crime on
his part 10 be a trile on the ma
loritv side Of three score and ten.
He isn't demanding a commission.
he explains. for he doesn't need a
mere Job. being a former mining
engineer. retired on a sufficient in
come 10 keep him for another dec
ade or two All he wants il
chance 70 kill some Nazis or Japs
or Wops. and he contends that it's
one Of his rights to do so, as an
American citizen.
He concludes with an expression
OF his opinion that there are thou
sands of septuagenarians in his
fiX
The peculiar thing is that this
old BIRDS case isn't unique.
AT first l took it TO be so, but
mentioning his letter as a curiosity,
in conversation with members of
Gen, L. 3. Hersheys Selective
Service STAFF. | ascertained that by
no means all rejectees are pleased
to be turned down.
Few Write Papers
They don't generally write 10
some newspaper, its true And
maybe speaking Of EN- as number
ing into the thousands IS an exag-
geration.
What's more. there are relFc-
tons on other grounds than IN
qualified old age The average in
divdual knows how old he is, and,
II he's past the deadline, accepts
it as a matter Of course.
II he's had some comparatively
minor little physical amputation or
extraction however. and takes It
for granted that 1t didn't material
ly damage him. or II he's got some
unsuspected disease loose in his
system. l can understand that he'll
be resentful at having his inhrmity
revealed by an Army doc.
But the fact I'd guess, is that
patriotism is more genuine ar
ticle than we assess it at, casually.
Apparently there's an outright
URGE to fight the enemy.
He seems 10 rate it as privilege
rather than as a penalty
There probably is a modicum OF
foolishness about, IL. The old eX-
gineer I've quoted quite likely,
would be more valuable in a civil
ians Job than on the firing line.
There isn't any question as to his
sincerity, though.
Oldsters and inyalds doubtless
would be handicaps rather than
assets in combat. but there might
be a fen exceptions
7 Knew Of ore instance.
Back in about the day OF our
own War OF Secession. the South
American republic Of Paraguay,
under President Lopez. had a con-
fiict with Argentina. Uruguay and
Brazil comb i1ed.
Lopez had a population Of about
100000 versus 10000 900 APP
proXimately
His opposition 8 CONSUMPTION age
limits were normal His were y
to 20
It Took Seven Years
He vas licked but not until
after seven years fighting. at the
end Of which he'd been killed,
among others. ard, for a genera
ton afterward. there weren't any
male Paragusyans above - or IA
years old or few years more for
en-, 10 catch up.
What l, mean 10 say is that
think this spells patriotism
/ suppose the ArseHunos Uru-
guyars and Brazilians were as
patriotic as the parsguayans were.
but they weren't paying for it a.
the same rate
Now, suppose. az the deaillne.
Paraguaysn had SAID. I'm at the
deadhne-Just past 20 Wouldn't
he have made himself unpopular
with his countrymen?