Evening star., 1943-07-08


ping in the wind.
That happened to me here in
Dublin on the Fourth. Some Irish
friends were driving me through the
winding roads of Phoenix Park
when, just as we took q bend In the
road, there was the Stars and
Stripes, standing out above the trees.
1t was flying from the stan of the
American Legation. A good stin
breeze held it straight out. Every
star. every stripe seemed to be tell
ing the world that this was Inde-
pendence Day, not only for the
United States but for the world.
Colors Never Brighter.
I have been looking at the nag
and respecting 1t ever since I was
a school child and recited the Oath
of Allegiance every day. But never
were its colors so bright as at that
moment. The red was redder, the
blue bluer and the white whittier. I
could feel that crazy little tingling
feeling up my spine. The hair on
the back Of my head sort of bristled
and there was q catch in my throat.
I asked my Irish friends II they
would mind stopping the car near
the Legation gates. I knew that
under international law or some
thing Of the kind that the Legation
grounds - all the space inclosed
within the walls was American
soil and that wanted to touch It..
I am sure my friends thought
was batty when I climbed out Of
the car and made my way past the
guard at the gate. He wanted TO-
know what I wanted and said.
Nothing much, pal, but I am an
American citizen and this Is the
Fourth and I would like to spend
a few minutes on American soil"
My passport got me through and
Tor 10 minutes-right in the heart
of Dublin celebrated the Fourth
OF July. I didn't celebrate it In the
usual way with firecrackers. I lust
walked around, getting a kick out
OF being on part of America, even
II the part was on was thousands
Of miles away.
I picked American flowers, I
picked up American rocks from the
drive and then 1 scuffed nv feet
on American grass. I stood in the
shade OF American trees. I shifted
the air and would swear 1t was a
bit different from the air outside
the gates. 1t was air-maybe this
was my gination-that snelIed
OF Georgia pines and Oregon red.
woods and the little streets in New
Orleans and New York.
Turmoil Forgotten.
And, all the while the flag was
still there. One look at it and all
1 could think Of was the goodness
Of my country. Forgotten were the
strikes and the fights between vari-
Gus parties and imitation and in
come tax and all the other things
which are given so much promi-
nence
All could think OF was that at
the moment I was a part of the
greatest Nation on earth and that
above my head few a flag that Is
respected even by its bitterest enc
mics. The Axis powers may rant
and scream with hate against the
Stars and Stripes, but they know
in their hearts that their hate Is
based on the knowledge that as long
as 1t flies they cannot win.
I don't know what the member,
OF the American Legation thought
OF me, walking around the grounds.
They must have seen me thro,rh
the windows. II they ever see this
they'll know what they saw was
just country boy-a homesick
country boy - recapturing few
memories OF America. 1 might have
been there yet had not the Irish
friends begun honking the horn.
If this all sounds corny to YOU.
II 1t all sounds like stun and nom
sense, just spend Fourth Of july
on alien soil and just see that fas
away from home.
distributed By McNausht syndic,t. 1r,,