Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1942-10-22
The
What Not Shelf

be entitled "Out of the Mouths of
Babes" or it might yet be called
"And Little Child Shall Lead
Them"
Once upon a time there was
little boy named Dickie Price. 1t
SO happened that Dickie's father
had gone off to war, and Dickie
lived alone with his mother in a
little American town called Smyr-
ma.
One day, in the Middle of Octo-
Der, 1912, little Dickie went to visit
his grandparents, who were named
Ernest and Bess Slaughter, and
who lived on farm just outside of
the little town of Smyrna. Dickie
loved to visit his grandfather, be-
cause he had so much fun and
laughed lot at his grandfather's
jokes-and a boy loves to laugh.
So Dickie always called his grand
father pal" Just Pal.
The day of Dickie's visit was
dark and dreary, and the rain was
pouring down so hard on the win
dow where Dickie was looking out
that the trees and barn seemed
queer and lopsided. Dickie was
very quiet and thoughtful for some
time, and then he finally went to
the closet and put on his sturdy
raincoat and new sou'-wester.
Come on, Pal" Dickie pleaded
with big serious eyes. Lets go
out and look around for some scrap
iron. Maybe we can find lott"
"Hol Ho-" chided Pal, in that
special drawl that all nice grand
fathers have. GO out in a down
pour like this! You want Pal to
get soaked to the skin, do you?
Why boy, this is a day to stay in
doors and be comfortable"
pal" Dickie replied, with the
sadness that only children know"
we might find some scrap iron, and
if we turn it in, it might help win
the war-and then my Daddy can
come home"
Pal didn't hesitate. He put on
his raincoat and went out into the
rain with Dickie, and together they
searched for the stuff that makes
war, but with the spirit that ends
war.
"And then my Daddy can come
home" In how many thousands of
American towns are there little
Dickie Prices = waiting, waiting.
How many little Dickie Prices are
there in England and Russia and
China, in France and Poland and
Czechoslovakia, in Holland and
Belgium and Norway?
Rich and poor, black and white,
little Dickie Prices throughout the
world are waiting until the end of
the war-"end then my Daddy can
come home" Nor are the little
Dickie Prices alone-for thinking
the same thoughts, making the
same plans, dreaming the same
dreams, are all the mothers and
brothers and wives and sisters and
sweethearts throughout the war
torn world.
This very hope, nourished by
poignant lonliness, deep in the
hearts of those who are left behind
at the home front, is part of the
root and reason for united effort.
This is why the little people in the
little American town called Smyrna
are collecting scrap iron, are man
ming the airplane spotting posts
and the Civilian Defense control
center, are doing without automo-
biles and sugar, are going to their
churches to pray to God for the
protection of loved ones and for
their own strength and guidance.
Why do these little people make
sacrifices, donating their time and
effort and money? To-end the war
-yes,-to taste a glorious victory,
deeper in the hearts, be-
cause then my Daddy can come
home"
And you, little Dickie Price, with
the wisdom of all the ages, have
put into a few simple words the
dreams that are in the hearts of
all men.