The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1942-10-06

pdIG VI b community Is OOlQB 8ll IL
can. the other part Is riding as far
as possible. as usual. keeping up
speed and by so doing shortening
the life Of their tires-which seems
to concern them not at all.
What's your speedster going to
do when his tires are brought to an
untimely end? Isn't 1t better to, use
ones car carefully and to have 1t
hold together. than to burn up
ones gas and tires now? Why can't
the average citizen remember what
caused all these restrictions. why
they are necessary-in short. that
We are at war?
In New York City alone on the
hrst day Of enforcing the new law.
125 speeders were brought into
trafiic court. According to report.
many Of them were driving from As
to 80 miles an hour along the citys
darkened streets and parkways.
What possible sense Is there in
counting danger. In risking lives?
What Is the matter with us that we
won't curb our idiotic impulses and
behave like rational human beings
instead Of endangering life and
liberty by our foolhardiness?
Neighbor's Business
In small communities where
ones neighbors know. or think they
know. as much about ones business
as one knows oneself. there is a
good deal of unfavorable comment
and speculation going on about the
performances Of some car owners.
Where does she get the gas to 60
joy-riding around the way she
does?" one will hear. or. They
have three cars. get "a gallons Of
gas week and go touring around
as II there was no such thing as a.
gasoline shortage" Again. What
are those kids doing with car
when they can take the school bus
and walk to the movies?"
None Of the neighbors' business.
you say? Are you sure? These law
breakers are putting their own
pleasure and convenience before
their country's need. Sooner or
later someone Is going to report
these people. even though no neigh
Dor wants to turn informer on
another.
But that isn't the point Of my
story. The point Is that the people
who won't conform to the laws are
really biting OF their own noses.
since sooner than they realize they
will And themselves unable to use
their cars at all. while their more
conscientious neighbors will be sit
ting pretty behind the wheel.
Bootlegging sugar and gas Is
something to boast about. not be
ashamed Of. in many families. But
the inevitable will happen and the
innocent will have to suffer for and
be deprived Of sugar and gas be-
cause Of them.
There's No Excuse
The housewife who boards may
be actuated by q desire for self
protection she may not really
realize that she is hoarding-but
the man or woman who runs the
family car over the prescribed IS
miles. and who gets gas that isn't
coming to him - has no such ex-
cuse. He isn't actuated by an In
stinct for self-preservation. since
he isn't protecting. but is laying
himself open to penalties and
charges Of bad citizenship.
II the woman across the road, or
the fellow next door sees me break
ing the law and ignoring danger
signals. he and she are going to
wonder why they should deny
themselves the privileges ! take.
We. each one Of US. Is an influence.
whether we know it or not. In these
dangerous times 1t is definitely UP
to us to realize that the laws arc
made for our own good and that 1t
isn't smart to ignore them.
What good. for instance. b .
dimout when one person In the
community has lights burning
brightly? Such defiance Of the law
marks one as fool who endangers
the lives of the community Just to
defy the authorities.
II we can't or don't remember
Pearl Harbor. at least remember
WE ARE AT WAR and anything
we do to hinder the war efiort
places US In the ranks Of the Fifth
ColumniSts.