Evening star., 1943-05-16
Rups 'Me-First' View
In Citing OrdeoIs Of
Men in Hospitals
BY RICHARD B. STETSON.

BY RICHARD B. STETSON.
LONDONDERRY, Northern Ire
land.-While lying in my hospital
ward. 1 became acquainted with the
stories of four men who have seen
war as it is-a nasty job and one
that requires all a mans courage
and skill. But it is job that means
peace and quiet and contentment
when it is over. And every mother S
son of them is looking forward to
the day when it will be over.
l believe, through them. l have a
message for you and for others who
may read this.
First. there's Bagley. a British sea-
man from Lancashire. He was
aboard cruiser that found cam
oufaged German raider flying the
Norwegian flag. First off, the raider
fired a surprise blast from six-inch-
ers that reached the cruisers vitals
and left it wallowing and helpless
for three minutes while the Ger
mans fired everything they had at
llNl lC VI ltlSCl 1llllSllCu llCl Will
salvo after salvo soon after, but not
until terrific damage had been done
to men and personnel at close range.
Terror on Munitions Ship.
Then. there's chap can't name.
His ship was lying aside a Dutch
ammunition ship in the East Indies
The Japs came over and dropped
bombs. The ammunition ship was
the only one attacked that didn't
suffer direct hit. One bomb fell
near him. He lowered himself over
the side on a line to portfolio but
he couldn't save his mangled pal
from the flames. Later he had to
swim back to his ship and they
found the body of one of their Of
ficers in the water sans arms and
legs.
Third is MacClean, a Canadian
who found the raw winds of the
Atlantic mild compared to the polar
blasts of the Eskimo country, where
temperatures drop to so below and
transportation is by dog team or
canoe He tells of the fun they had
shooting down enemy aircraft from
a corvette during the landing oper-
ations at Oran. But his eyes cloud
when he recalls other corvettes
sinking with buddies he will never
see again.
Scale Cliff at Night.
Williams is young Welshman.
His destroyer was torpedoed by a
plane off the coast of Norway. A
few survivors clung to RATS or
wreckage while Jerry swooped low
to machine-gun them. They at last
reached a ford under cover of dark
ness and most of the party clambered
up the sheer cliff. Those that slipped
were lost.
Four men these, men who have
lived war and know of its horrors,
yet they shall be in it again in a
short time, doing their bits to finish
the job.
read articles in and -
magazines of the monumental In
efficiency of governmental bureaus.
how thousands of employees are
eager to help if they only could be
given something to do. 1 read Of
the petty grievances Of Mr.. John
Citizen.
Raps Wage Quibbling.
Are you citizen any more than
We? Are We not citizens, in battle
dress. your neighbors in peace time,
out doing the hard part of the job.
while you quibble about wages and
rationing? This is neither your war
nor my war-it is our war, and it is
up to you folks at home to see to 1t
that you don't fall down on your
end.
You're doing a grand job on pro-
duction and furnishing us with the
most Of the best, but. while you're
doing it, how about taking good
big notch in your belt and pulling
together without squawking about
hardships. Think of the experiences
Of these four boys, and tens OF
thousands like them, and bless your
Maker that you are home, safe and
sound.
Do WithOut-Sacrifice.
Buy bonds till it hurts, take you,
rationing with a grin. put aside
petty grievances for the duration
use your prerogative as an Ameri-
can citizen to try to straighten out
the hopeless Government tangle
This is citizens war-you. the
citizens at home-we, the citizens
abroad. If we pull together We'll
win: and the harder we pull the
sooner it'll be over. Do without
sacrifice-so that we may once again
be neighbors and rationing will be a
nightmare of the past.
I close with a word to people who
have that me first attitude. To
you. say that you have not friend
in the world. You are more loath-
some than the Jerry or the Jap
They are at least fighting for their
principles. If you would redeem
yourself, get in the fight. We're in
war, and every man. woman and
child is needed in some part Of the
war effort.
To all of you I say-may we all
pull together and make this short
war. Don't let " for Victory be-
come hollow phrase. Keep punch
ing. so that we, the citizens overseas
may come home-soon.
Dunn Ends Special Course