Evening star., 1942-08-09
Baby Constructor Newest Arrival Northeast Boys Home Zoo
lust Between Ourselves
BY PHILIP III. LOVE,
Junior Star Editor,

20 miles short of the farm. Driving
was the only way
But the family car was in an ex-
tremely rundown condition after
more than $4,000 miles of service,
Going anywhere in it had become
largely a matter of faith. And, of
course, there was the gasoline sit
uation.
1t was not so hard to gamble the
faith, but I had to walk many
mile to save enough gasoline to
guarantee the round trip. A full
tank, knew from experience, would
be just about enough to go and
come, with no margin at all for visit
ing around.
To save fuel and rubber, I drove
from 80 to 40 miles an hour, so the
trip took considerably longer than
it formerly did And all but three
of the filling stations I passed bore
No Gas" signs.
I still had 6-gallon unit left on
my old rationing card, and, of
course, wanted to translate it into
gasoline before the new system went
into operation. But all I could get
was gallons-half the amount the
unit called for. And, I may as we'll
break down and confess, I was
tickled to death to get it.
Throughout the two weeks the
automobile chugged only twice-on
urh to ri,
matter of about 3 miles The people
l always visited on past vacations
went unvisited, unless they lived
within easy walking distance
which most Of them didn't But, of
course, that left more time for
swimming, fishing. playing badmin-
ton, reading and just plain loafing
The farm on which I spend my
vacations is on the st. Georges
River within about 10 minutes by
motorboat from Piney Point and
about minutes by automobile from
Drayden. For the last two or three
years l have also spent few days
on farm on the PatuXent River,
near MlllSIOIle Landing.
Now, however, the Patuxent farm
is no more. The Government bought
it as part of the site of the Cedar
Point naval air base, now under
construction. The house in which
used to sleep and eat now is occu-
pied by Navy officer.
The st. Georges farm, wilder
ness last year, now is planted in
valuable oil-producing soybeans, not
to mention tobacco and variety of
| foodstuf1s. Piney Point, formerly a
quiet summer resort, now is a
| spraWling community of sailors and
| other Navy workers. Drayden, a
typical country store and post Office
town In the past, is booming now.
Personally, l preferred the farms,
Drayden and Piney Point, as they
were. But our Nation is in a war
not just an ordinary war, but a war
for survival war that is to de-
termine whether we and our Allies
are to be free people or slaves, a
war that may decide the fate of
humanity for 1000 years. Hence,
my personal preferences are Of no
Importance whatever The only
thing that is OF any Importance is
that we win this war.
I missed that farm on the Pa
tuxent; I'd have given anything to
swim there this year. I missed the
former quiet and seclusion of the
other farm; I'd have given anything
to see it the wilderness that it used
to be. I missed the charm of the
old, easy going Piney Point; I'd have
given anything to see it as it was
last year. missed the typical coun-
try townishness of Drayden; I'd
have given anything to see it as 1t
used to be-quiet, friendly, charm
ing. also missed the limitless
supply of gasoline and tires that
once made vacation driving merely
a matter of sitting behind the steer
ing wheel and pressing down.
But something I'd miss a great
deal more is my liberty as a free
citizen of the great democracy that
Is the United States. So >.
All things considered, I had fine
vacation. And so did Shirley Tur-
ner. And I trust you had-or will
| have-the same.