The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1942-04-10
M!!hdt
Eleonor Roosevelt

with various other people, on a SUBJ
ject which seemed important to all
of us-"What Must We Do to I'm
prove the Health and Well Being Of
the American People," The Town
Hall offered prizes for 1,000-word
essays by adults, and by young peo-
pie below the age of FL. I have
| just heard that the first prize in the
adult group was won by DR.. Jacob
Sobel, well-known New York pedi-
african.
He based his essay on the point
OF view that only the nation which
has healthy children has a future
as nation, and included detailed,
specific plan for better health and
education program. The reason I
am telling you of this particular es-
say is that his premise seems to me
one which we should consider very
carefully today.
The tendency is to feel that any,
thing which is not directly connect
ed with war production, the build
ing Of ships, airplanes or other mill
tary equipment and the induction
into the military services of an ever
increasing number of young men, is
of no Importance in the war effort.
It we fall into this Misrepresentation,
we may find ourselves not only
handicapped in winning the war, but
very much handicapped in winning
the peace.
The best machinery in the world
has to be handled by intelligent peo-
pie, and unless we continue the serv-
ices we have set up for better
health, education and recreation for
the children and young people of
today, not only the future Of the war,
but the future of the country is in
danger.
We should learn something even
from our enemies. Germany has
paid great attention to the very
things which we are already neg
lecting in our haste to make war,
something which can only be won
on military basis and has nothing
to do with what happens on the ci-
william side of the picture. Just the
other day, I found in the crowded
industrial areas near San Diego and
Los Angeles that one of the most
agitated questions was how day nur-
series and nursery schools could be
set up. The lack of them slows up
production on the part of the women,
many of them mothers, who are en-
ployed in the aircraft factories.
A.
military Importance.
Buy Defense Bonds
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Since I missed the morning plane
for San Diego, I took the train and
the trip was not without interest.
The first person to speak to me was
Mrs. Bancroft from San Diego. She
and her husband have written book
on Southern California. They stud
led the bird life of the region for
years, incidentally becoming very
familiar with the geography and the
Mexican people. Their knowledge
has been of use in our preparation
for defense and she was kind enough
yesterday to send me her husbands
book, which I know the President
will enjoy.
enjoyed also talking to a free
lance writer, who is evidently the
kind of man who does not think
that you can put your liberalism UP
in camphor balls when the going is
hard and take it out unframed when
difficulties come to an end. One
hears this argued so much these
days, that it is sometimes difficult
to decide where common sense and
patriotism end and self-interest be-
gins.
Southern California is very beauti-
full with its flowers and waving trees
and houses covered with vines.
Buy Defense Bonds
WILL OF THE PEOPLE q
All travel today is more or less
uncertain and may be interrupted.
! discovered this on my trip. across
the country, when just beyond Tue
son, I learned that the plane was
almost entirely filed with ferry pi-
lots. I think there were just two
other civilian travellers besides me,
who had been allowed to make the
trip without interruption. One of
the boys had an advance release of
Mr.. Archibald MacLeish's speech.
and it was passed around and read.
It led to much discussion, but
there was general agreement with
his thesis that the will Of the people
determines the final outcome of any
war. ! think the win of the people
is pretty well set in this country,
except for occasional slight confu-
sions created by certain interests on
one side or the other. They may
succeed temporarily in gaining some
particular point Of interest to their
group, but if we hold to the old the
DRY that it is impossible to fool all
Of the people all Of the time, we
shall probably feel that whatever is
the truth will eventually reach all
the people.
AFFECTION FOR HOMELAND
Strangely enough, ! suppose if you
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