Evening star., 1942-03-14


private cars are packed with men
moving toward the city. The whole
place is like a plague of double
breasted, single-breasted, pin-striped
locusts.
The throng is Of one mind-reach
the Capital and then the ear of
some influential legislator in the
hope Of getting a commission in
the Army or Navy or Marines.
Down the roads, across the fields
and through the bitches plod the
red-blooded patriots ready to lay
down their lives for their country
provided they can lay them down
while wearing the bars, leaves or
stars of an officer. On they march,
prepared to sacrifice all for democ-
cracy provided that their sacrifice
can be made in tailored tunic, a
Sam Browne belt and pair Of
highly polished boots.
Come From Everywhere.
A telephone call to the city
brought me word that in Washing
ton itself, the congestion of COM
mis5ion-seekers is even worse. It
was believed at first that redis-
tribution of Government agencies
throughout the country would re-
lieve Washington's housing and
rooming problem. But for every
Government worker who has been
sent to another city. sixteen or
seventeen commission-s seekers have
moved in.
They have come from everywhere
and from every field Of life. Most
of them are over 80 years Of age
and from what I can learn. this is
practically their only qualification
for an officers commission.
AS I write this, I am moving to-
ward Washington, step by step, with
a group Of eight men who want to
be lieutenant commanders in the
Navy. They are all confident that
they will be able to pull some strings
that will get them all dressed up in
a pretty suit and enable them to
draw salutes when they pass along
the street. One of the men is not
sure that he will settle for neuten-
ant commanders job. He has a
friend who is full commander and
says that he may hold out in the
hope Of getting something better.
"A man Is foolish to take the first
thing that is offered" he maintained.
as We deployed around a group Of
men busy talking about putting the
bite on their Senator for Jobs as
second lieutenants.
The man I talked to by phone
said that the hotels and lobbies of
Washington hotels we're jammed
with commission seekers.
All Want in Intelligence.
They all have their aims set on
Jobs in the Naval or Army Intelli-
gence." he said. They seem to think
that the Army and Navy are in cry
ing need of some two or three mill
lion intelligence officers to sit behind
desks and look intelligent"
I put in several calls for Senators.
I asked them If these reports Of
thousands of commission seekers
were true, and if they were being
pestered by men who wanted to
serve their country, but who wanted
to serve it comfortably.
Lord, yes" one Senator told me.
IT believe half the men who voted
for me are either up here looking for
something soft or writing me for help
in finding a swivel-chair job"
There isn't man in my State
who isn't willing to serve his coun-
try-as brigadier general" another
Senator told me.
Tonight I am camping In Rock
Creek Park with a regiment of men.
all of whom are hopeful of getting
Jobs as liaison officers.
All I want is a captains bars and
an assignment in a foreign coun-
try" their leader told me. There
is no use in fellows of my type
carrying guns and working as COM
mon soldiers. We must be in intelli-
gence to be of the most help"