Milford chronicle., 1942-04-17
.CCRIB BLEC
y By ROBT. II. YERKES ~

chronicle a few of the happenings
of the day in our column. Every
thing seems to be going wrong
both abroad and at home. The
heroic defense of Bataan peninsula
has become a legend and rallying
cry for Americans in every walk
of life, but it is still a defeat and
a defeat that could have been pre-
vented if the American people had
stopped their ostrich activities as
late as two years ago and faced
facts as they were disclosed by ex-
perts, foremost of whom was the
gallant Macarthur, who plead with
an Indifferent congress for more
ships, more planes, more guns and
more men to make the Philippines
fmpregnable. At home we learn
that a war production investigat-
ing committee finds that many
plants, which should be running
night and day turning out the i'm
plements of war for a people who
are slowly awakening to the 'yel-
low peril" which is threatening to
engulf them, are tagging behind
schedule, some as much as rs per
cent of CAPACITY. What a tragedy
this is; can 1t be possible that the
American people who have every
thing to live for, are not willing to
step up production, by working
Just a bit harder? This is GER
tainly not the spirit of Bataan, or
the Argonne, or any other cam
paign where American fighting men
have electrified the world by their
willingness to do or die in face of
terrific odds. The crucial hour is
at hand, the fate of democracy is in
the balance. Remember this, Am
erican working man - remember
that your future and the future of
your children depends as much on
the quantity and quality of the war
material you produce, as on the
fight put up on a score of far
flung battle fields by your war
riors.
/s/s/
In the last issue of Scribbles,
this writer, in an appeal to the
public to attend the color presenta-
ton ceremony held at Dover last
Sunday, mentioned that the Guard,
while not likely to present as color
full a display as West Pointers,
was none the less willing to make
any sacrifice whatsoever for the
country. 1t seems that earlier in
the paragraph we mentioned that
many of the men were married and
some were fifty years of age or
older, and in mentioning their will
lingness to make the ultimate sac
rifice, we said every single man of
them was willing. Several people
have written good-natured letters
regarding this statement, several
asking If the married men were
not willing to sacrifice likewise.
My answer to all is that l am mar
ried, the father of two children,
with a good position, but if my
services are needed by my country,
whether as a guardsman or in some
other capacity, l stand ready and
willing to serve, and l know that
every other member of the Guard,
married, single or widower, feels |
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/e/o/
The other day, a gentleman,
whose counsel this writer appre-
ciates and respects, stopped in and
during our conversation, he told us
that it had been brought to his at
tention twice within the past week,
that many acts of vandalism are
being committed at the old Metho-
dist graveyard in North Milford.
According to my friend, boys of the
neighborhood, both white and col
Ored, use this hallowed lot for a
playground, tramping over the
graves and turning over and
breaking off the ancient weather.
beaten markers. This desecration
of one of our most sacred shrines
should be stopped. The police un-
doubtedly are not acquainted with
the condition or they would take
immediate steps to bring the young
vandals to bar, or perhaps the boys
in the eXuberance of youth, have
never thought what crime it is to
commit these acts of vandalism; or
perhaps they do not know that bur-
led in this yard are such illustrious
Delawareans as the late Governor
Peter F. Causey, General A. T. A.
Torbert, of Civil War and diplo-
matte service fame, and Robert II.
Clark, former paymaster for the
United States Navy. These are just
a few Of the prominent personages
who rest there. Then on the other
hand we believe that heirs of peo-
pie resting there might do some
thing to restore the grounds to
some semblance of their former
dignity and beauty.
/s/S/
This week l attended the funeral
of one Of my best friends, a man
who for the past nine years has
almost daily greeted me with a
CHEEKY Hello, Bobbie!" and who
many times gave me bits of good
solid advice. The man l am re-
ferring to is Harry l.. Grier, who
passed away in the local hospital
early last Sunday evening. Harry,
as l was privileged to call him, had
for years been in poor health, but /.
despite his Affections, to quote
the old saw, put his best foot
forward" he enjoyed a good time
and was especially interested in
baseball. All of the boys were his
boys, and l never heard him con-
denim the team when it went into
a slump. Harry, to quote Mayor
Edward C.. Evans, was a good
substantial citizen, and his passing
brings sorrow not only to his
family but to a host of other folk,
who respected and loved him for
what he was-a plain-spoken, big
hearted gentleman.