The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1942-08-22
REFLECTI0 Ms
in a
Mirror
BY Erna p. Harris
(tor I.tTF)

the otasl waving >noW-Wnii,
handkerchief in a syneopated rhy-
thin. knclt one OF the characters
Of my small home town in OKLA
homa almost any sunday long ag1.
Notorious IN the annals OF village
gossip as wifc-beater and a mi
serly fsther, his PRAYER was never
theless standard procedure at eva
ming service In the church | attend
ed. II was always the evening serv-
ice W. Youngsters. outspoken 70
the point Of disrespect, said that
he never came 10 morning service
! les IN his absence his wife would
cook more than the meagre food
allowance he had made and feed
( their small army OF rickcty chil-
dren a really filling veal.
kncellng where he was In full
view. hi, tailor-made. hoN back
suit pressed Ia death and his yell
lowi>h-tan. straight laced shoes
>hined 10 match the CLEAN oi hi
bald head. he was the extreme of
The well-known. "Don't do as l do
do ~ | SAY do" preachment- His
petition was u masterpiece 81 thr
revival variety an incoherent con-
glOmeraiiOn Oi the Lords prayer.
various Psalms and an occn>ional
hi ri Proverbs. Delivered In the
rhythmic >ing->ong al his rich ten-
or voice. il was most effective IN
warming up the congregation.
wearied by the sunday round I'll
events and dulled by the extra
hcn,ine> of sunday dinner.
or course. take-off on II was
equally effective when done al A
party and several az Us knew II
verbatim We could render q wilh
tho same shaking OF the head and
-waying OF the body attendant 10
ihc original.
somehow ! think Of him fire..
queDtly these DAYS. lie has become
y symbol: kneeling where he could
hc seen. displaying his corrupted
cloqnence by permission oi mln-
i>fer who. aware of III repnte IN
mnttcr> IL inteerli, about town.
wa> Willing Ia use him. Around him
Sat or knelf the congregation con-
>eniing nv their silence or actually
giving vocal sanction even though
VI other times they expressed hit
Ter cen>ure Of fact Of his family.
Especially among the women was
talk riie. of undernonrished. III
clothed children. Some NJ tho
hra,er onc> even threatened 10 call
on his wife. y woman seldom seen
~ H. have heen legend In the
tnwn. ONLY irSi.hand Inforr' tion
ahunt her was brought ~ whlsDerS
b, the midwife who. for duiv'S SAKE.
was m almost regular caller.
Having occasionally questioned
hy Whit dsnonsalion he who con-
.is'enf'v secuted the good offices
ascrihed io The Christian life ard
having heon told with for-good-
ness sab how -lo-I know look that
We mr-ini lndae ! have eoN'
idea what N4rncncd 10 any adNli
who dared CHALLENGE the nroi's'i" ''
acrniesconcn ~ tho majority "
had made Tho round OF the church
o. IN town tho story heine tho same
IN each on mon who We're faitn-
MI workers took Tho hac'- seat ~
tho matter ~ ~. wing when II d:
E'eoncnoe arrived
Certainly wartime HIS brought n
>mP"rahundance OF his hind knee'-
Ing ~ ~" aisle ~ natlonnli>m. w"'-
ini- The il?~ and Swing PRAYERS fhai
iprlndc nhraSes from reerv "r"'-
able document from the Negna
(harta ~ the pe~Iarption 81 I"dc-
ncndcnce 10 ~t0fru. NpUghhol
found Rose IN Ireland"
senator Conaliy. who represents
hundreds " Texans DISTINGUISHED
hy the POLL tax law, promises that
America Will safeguard Freedom
,hroughout the world. Willkie. 70 =
mer official in a monopolisiic uiil.
ny that resented the government
sponsored effort 10 bring light and
power to southern tenant farmers
Al reasonable lafc. dccries our
willingness 10 exploit an unpro-
tecied people People who thought
IN was communistic 10 appropriate
few thousand dollars annually
from federal funds 80 that under
privileged children in The South
might have school training similar
10 that I'm other sections are Will
ms 10 appropriate millions for any
thing that can attach itself 10 the
program OF the moment Woe -
/ the nalnuriured baby who cannot
be classified under the "yitaminS
Tor victory slogans.
senator Bilbo. also selected" by
n largely disfranchiSed district In
Mississippi. u sponsor Of n bill pro.
,idlng for the registration Of all
citizens. male or female. aud
granting the President mower "a ~.
,lgn them ~ service. either ehilian
or military. ~ he may determine
Aside from the further disruption "i
American life. and obvious extcn-
sion II oil effects already percel,-
able In homes and small business.
such n move would make the whole
noruIatl0n. rs " a. wears. subser'
v'enf IN the state. This j. true
slnce soldiers NAV not vote IA
free themselves. and since fhe SO.
lective Service Acf specifically
StPtes that n shall he n crlrnIna
pet 10 advocate the suspension 81
The act.
Already being considered az The
Baldwin Bill by the House military
anairs committee and ready for ex.
animation IN the senate as the Bible
Bill. this act r. one To be consider
ed .,.b.rl, nv those sffll free 10 eN.