Evening star., 1943-04-06
Aches Below Diaphragm Produce
Responsive Ache From Chevy Chase.

Responsive Ache From Chevy Chase.
To the Editor OF The Star:
Years ago when was cub reporter,
one good old Saxon word never eluded
the irate blue pencil of the editor. This
grand old English noun only got into
the public prints when William Shake
speare was quoted directly or when it
became unavoidably necessary to refer
to the nasty situation in which, accord
ing to Holy Writ, the unfortunate Jonah
once found himself.
The late great surgeon, DR.. Charles
Mayo, delighted In using it publicly in
describing those vague and sundry mis-
cries that plague the human system in
vicinity roughly bounded by the dia-
phragm on the north and the pelvic
structures on the south. Winston
Churchill added further degree of re-
spectability with his picturesque ana
tomical metaphor about Europes soft
southern exposure.
Perhaps the term no longer is taboo.
But since this letter is sent The Star
at the behest of some of my neighbors-
good housewives of the Chevy Chase
section-I dare not risk its being
chucked out for inelegancy. Therefore,
let me WELD my own blue pencil:
Ever since it became necessary in VIM
ming this war to ask general public sacri-
flee, there has gone up a mighty tblue
penclD ache. Mostly it came from pow
erfully organized pressure groups. AL
ways these organized (blue penciD-
achings have loosened the screws on this
particular group with a corresponding
tightening upon other unorganized
groups. Foremost are the war profiteers,
wanting their big salaries and bonuses
back. They gave out a (blue penciD-
ache and Congress gave in. Then comes
the farm bloc in the finest economic
position it ever has enjoyed. Farmers
have been (blue pencil -aching for 40
years. With them it is now a fine art.
They want all ceilings kept of farm
prices. They say it will increase pro-
duction. This (blue penciD -ache will
win. 1t always has. Then there is the
worlds loudest (blue penciD -acfer,
John L. Lewis. If higher prices will
produce more and fatter pigs. why
wouldn't two bucks more day produce
more and huskier coal diggers? Sounds
reasonable, besides the (blue penciD
-ache of guy with 100000 votes in his
pocket and half million iron men in the
political kitty can't be treated with a
couple of soda mints. Moreover, (blue
penciD -aching from manufacturers and
merchants bring continuous upward re-
visions of ceiling prices. Always the
screws turning tighter and tighter on the
unorganized masses.
But that is not all, say my neighbors.
Clutching their frayed ration books, they
stand patiently In line only to find when
they get to the meat cases that sirloin
steaks. ceiling priced at Al cents and up,
consist of 40 per cent suet and IS per
cent bone-take it or leave it. Rib lamb
chops which once were supposed to have
just enough bone to wear a nifty paper
pantalette, now have one measly bite
Of loin attached to a seven-inch rib
deeply imbedded in breast tallow. Where,
they patriotically ask, will Messrs
Proctor and Gamble get the stuff to
make ivory soap. or the Government the
glycerin for TINT If We eat it under the
impression that It is porterhouse steak?
So, do print this, Mr.. Editor. It Is
Just big tbiue penciD .ache from 40.-