Evening star., 1942-02-19

figured I could do something on
Pass the biscuits, Pappy ODaniel,"
the States Junior Senator.
AS a lot of editors who buy my
stuff don't think I'm funny and feel
that should concentrate on being
a youngish, stoutish, size-42 Pesler,
I took look at the serious side.
I found both sides. But one hit
me sort of hard. reckon it hit me
sort of hard because the boys I've
always played with in Texas-and I
mean played-were downright grim.
Overnight-or, well, since December
They had quit thinking in terms
of being petroleum playboys.
They didn't have dance band
to meet me. They didn't shower me
with silver belts, 10-gallon hats or
cowhide chaps They didn't say, as
I stepped of the plane, THE world
Is yours and whatTl you have"
No, they talked war. They talked
America. They talked about Wash
ington. They talked about what
was being done and what wasn't
being done.
They showed me a letter-they
used to show me good time first
that is going to every Texas member
of Congress and Tom Connally and
w. Lee ODaniel, the Senators. 1t
will be signed by almost every
standout citizen in Texas and by
tens of thousands of Texas citizens
who carry their weight at the polls.
Here's the letter, in streamline
fashion:
Gentlemen: In this grave hour
of the Nations history, we folks
back home who have selected you
as our trustees are alarmed and dis
gusted with the chaotic condition
Of affairs in general in Washington.
We have no patience with fighting
and squabbling between bureaus and
agencies over jurisdictional power
and maintenance. We are angry and
apprehensive over military and ad-
ministrative blunders, bungling and
delays.
1--WE stand ready to sacrifice every
thing-time. money, work, our sons
and daughters, or our lives-to save
our country and preserve the Amer
lean way of life. The history Of your
State testifies that the citizens of 1t
have never failed in the hour of
crisis.
1--WE not only expect but demand
that you, our elected representa-
tives, live up to the traditions Of
Texas. Let politicians Of other States
worry about politics. Let politicians
Of other States fret about who is q
Democrat and who is a Republican.
Let politicians Of other States look
with greedy eyes toward election
day. Let politicians of other States
place themselves above the country.
"Let the politicians of other States
stoop to the mean and little things:
Patronage, pork barrels, and all the
other things that keep little men in
big Offices.
Texas has its eyes on you. It's
more than a song or a catchword
now. You live up to Texas. Texas
expects you to give unstintingly and
unselfshly of your time and effort
to remedy the existing evils, profit
by past mistakes, and, with no
thought Of personal ambition or
political gain, cooperate to promote
the most efficient, streamlined ad-
ministration Of this war that the
world has ever seen. We have placed
our trust in you and it must be
vindicated in your record"
That is the message Of Texas to
the men who represent it In Wash.
ington.
This letter was not written by a
crackpot on the banks Of the Rio
Grande or the Brazos or the Pecos.
1t is not the product of bum under
cottonwood.
1t came from Texans who matter.
Men signed that letter who could roll
you for a million and never ask to
/ see the dice. Men signed that letter
who have only muscle, courage and
honesty on the black side Of the
ledger. But-and I'm going to end
with this-Texas amt kidding.
AS the farmer said about his no
trespassing" sign: This amt poetry,
but 7 mean business.
So does Texas.