The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1942-02-02

we're in the conflict. they're enti-
tied to some Of the excitement and
fun OF il.
They read. they say. about the
RECOMMENDATION they're due to be
subjected to. but they don't ex-
perience any Of it.
OF course the fact is that It's eff
fects haven't had time to filter
down to the ultimate consumer
yet. His autos still servicable His
tires are in good condition. II will
be quite a while before he needs a
new refrigerator or washing ma
chine. So far as he's concerned,
nearly everything's perfectly nor
NAL. and he frets because his
whole world hasn't been completely
transformed, as he'd expected.
And blackouts. What's the
sense" asked letter the other day
to the war department. from a mid
western woman, in a black out
with no air raid?"
Ofieialdom. caught decidedly of
base by the nature OF he outcry,
which is precisely the opposite of
what 1t had anticipated, tries to
reassure the home folk with solemn
promises that the pinch really and
truly will hit EN- presently-just
wait a bit and, meanwhile. don't
worry They do, though.
When II Comes
That, upon its arrival, they'll like
what's coming to 'em probably
wouldn't be very safe betting.
There seems to be no doubt, how
ever, that quite stable proportion
Of our population has been anxious,
all along, to ascertain, personally,
TO what extent civiliandom's side
swiped by today's new-fangled war
conditions. Some Commentators re-
fer to il as hysteria. don't think
it's that. think it's curiosity.
The general superstition was that
II vas scheduled to be satisfied d.
rectly following our own imphca-
ton in the muss. and there has
been lag instead. Hence the COM
pick simply has been intensified.
Womenfolk have a lot to do with
wartime readjustments.
They raise hades," a friend of
mine. in the civilian governmental
service, remarked to me few days
ago, with social relationships.
And the remedy for it," he con-
tlnued. is TO insist upon celibacy
on the part Of all officers above the
rank Of corporal. A generals wife
always announces, I'm Mrs. Gen.
eral So-and-so.' An admirals wife
says. I'm Mrs. Admiral Such-and-
such That makes 'em better than
all others, and they take on airs
accordingly. Pretty soon the gen.
eral and the admiral catch the con-
tsgion from the two danes and
they swell around ccrrespondingly
in masculine circles. II 1t weren't
for their wives they wouldn't think
Of 1t. Now, a corporal isn't a big
enough bug for his wife to say
I'm Mrs. Corporal Thus and so
Higher than that the unbreakable
rule ought to be celibacy."
My friend, whose civilian gov
ernT,entel job brings him into
everlasting contact with generals
and admirals, probably knows
what hes talking about.
Army officers Loftiest
Ny own observation, though, Is
that, on an average, an exalted
naval officer doesn't put on as
much dog as a higher-up in the
army ranks is apt to do. Perhaps
it's because he's more separated
from his home environment and
his spouse has correspondingly less
influence over him.
haven't yet had an opportunity
to check up fully concerning the
lofty muck-a-mucks in the aviation
service and THEIR wives.
Aviation's considerably subordi
mated to the other two branches,
anyway. as I've had occasion to
mention hitherto. II II gets what
1t considers its rights, ITS highe
commands wives may becom
snippy also and then their hus
bands.
Meantime civiliandom clamor
for action.