The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1943-06-24

TODAY
and
TOMORROW
By DON ROBINSON
By DON ROBINSON

The American people do a lot
better job of coping with bad
news than with good news
During the war, when news
has been ybad, mostsssof us have
been perfectly willing to make
any sacrifices we are called upon
to make-and we actually feel
better about it when we give up
a lot of things which usually are
important to us. The more we
do the more it helps to relieve us
of any feeling of personal guilt
over reverses on the fighting
fronts.
But when good news comes
along-the kind of news we have
had for the last few months
most Of us are over-eager to get
rid of sacrifices and nuisances
and resume normal living. It
seems to be our natural reaction
to relax immediately-to cut
down on the war work we are
doing, be less concerned about
black markets, let our scrap col
lecting slide, step on the gas and
let the other fellow handle de-
tails of "mopping up"
In spite of the fact that the big
gest and most bloody part of the
war is yet to come, many people
are actually taking the attitude
that we have reached the mop
ping up" stage. Recruiting has
fallen off, blood bank donations
are decreasing, and local defense
councils are reporting cooling
off of volunteer work.
| NEWS AS
Actually, good news, until this
war ends, is apt to demand more
civilian sacrifices than does bad
news.
Good news will mean that we
have greater numbers of planes
in Europe Africa and the Pacific
-planes which require increas-
ed amounts of the gasoline which
might otherwise 60 to civilians.
Good news will mean that we
are freeing countries where the
people have long been starving
under Hitler's rule and to whom
we will want to send enormous
quantities of food fro~1 our
shrinking larder.
And good news will me n that
the enemy will become ircreas-
ingly desperate and may resort
to the long-threatened bombing
of American towns and cities in
an effort to bolster morale in
their lettering countries.
Thus good news calls for harder
work, greater sacrifice and in
creased alertness on our part if
we want to hurry the day when
we will get the best news of all
the news of the unconditional
surrender of the enemy
FUTURE sacrifice
Fortunately, in this country, if
the people are given a clear pic
ture of the facts the majority can
be counted upon to do their part.
Those who are trying to throw
off the bonds of war before the
war is won are doing SO because
they don't fully understand the
vital need for increased effort
or because they belong to that
small, selfish minority which,
since the war began, has put its
own interests ahead of the inter
ests of the country.
Before this war is over we will
undoubtedly have to do a lot
more sacrificing than we have
done so far. Food will become
scarcer, gasoline will be curbed
more, luxury services to which
we are accustomed will be aban-
doned, large additional numbers
of men will be drafted into the
army, working hours will be in
creased, and the manufacture of
civilian supplies will be cut to
rock bottom.
| That day Of new automobiles,
private planes, improved refrig-
orators and washing machines,
miracle homes, and stores bulg-
ing with good things to eat may
be coming over the horizon, but
we have to travel the toughest
road we have traversed so far
before we reach it. So long as
millions of our boys must con-
tinue to fight, those of us at home
should permit no let-up in our
war activities.
ASHE FARMER is
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