Imperial Valley press., 1943-10-06
1Mu Z(au
BY
ROOSEVELT

CTR. NIX. REG. U. S. PAT. OFF,
Reproduction in whole or part
forbidden.
Hyde Park, Friday-On my way
to Australia 1 stayed at a post on
an island where we have been for
many years. War brought it may
changes, but it is still garrisoned
by the navy, and Major General
Charles F. B. Price u. S. M. c.
was in command of the whole area.
For the first time we had hot and
cold water and really comfortable
mattress to sleep on! A navy nurse
1t. j. G. Edna r. Tilden acted as
hostess and spent the night at the
guest house with me.
We each had q bedroom and a
bathroom and there were two other
bedrooms and a charming sitting
room, so I walloWed in comfort.
This very fact, however, made me
notice the difference in the mems
quarters, where even combat crews
of airplanes returning for rest have
just cots and blankets, no mattress
and no pillow.
EGGS ARE HIGH
The men are well fed and they
get much fresh food, though from
the prices which l reard quoted for
eggs, New Zealand and the Islands
have not done as well as we have
at home in keeping prices down.
Eggs, they say, have been as high
as SITS a dozen. At one of the
islands where our troops are sta
toned, the men pay about $400 a
week for their wash if they have it
done by a native woman. 1t is
fortunate that the government
provides the men with food and
lodging, SO there is not much for
them to spend money on.
There was great deal of con-
struction going on everywhere; air.
fields were being built; quarters,
roads, defenSeS of all kinds. The
men were busy, not only with drill,
but in changing the face of the
landscape, and making it look by
camouflage as much as possible, as
though there were no changes. If
the men want a desk, cupboard,
a chair, they not only have to make
it but they have to find scrap
material, improvise hinges, hooks,
etc America is a nation of re-
soUrceful and inventive people, and
our pioneering days are not too far
behind us. We have learned a few
things about sanitation even in the
wilderness which are standing us in
good stead now.
We saw two picturesque things.
One was a native house, very elab-
crate with much carving on the
posts, and simple painted decora-
tions. All the supports and posts
were tied together by string, where
they were fitted or joined, and
yards were used. The whole thing
is then shellacked. A bed stood
at one end, woven mats covered the
ground, one mattress was placed on
the floor near the other bed, and
extra bedding was neatly folded
and placed off the ground.
NATIVE MARINES
The other interesting sight was
a group of native marines. They
looked smart and stood inspection
as we'll as any other battalion.
Their skirts seem to be no impedi-
ment, and made then walk more
gracefully I saw the hospital here
and it was we'll equipped and pre-
pared to take care of all kinds of
illness and accident. This was one
of the places where Captain Rick
enbacker and his party were cared
for on their way home. They point
ed out to me with great pride that
they had about the only air condi-
toned operating room in the is
lands, which the Rickenbacker
party fully appreciated.
I have said little to you about the
scenery on this trip because other
things seem more important, but as
you fly, if you are lucky in the
weather, the ocean looks a deep
blue below you. Fleecy white
clouds sometimes float under you,
sometimes beside you. Occasionally
they close in and blot out every
thing and then suddenly yoU find
them gone and an island lies be-
low. These islands may be merely
coral reefs with palms and coconut
trees as the chief vegetation. In the
lagoonS and near the shore, the
colors will be every shade of green
and sometimes red. Other islands
will be volcanic and mountainous
and the scenery is striking and the
vegetation more varied.
E. r.
Copyright, 1943, by United Fea-