The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1943-05-27
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TODAY
and
TOMOR ROW
By DON ROBINSON
CIRCUS
By DON ROBINSON
necessity

O1hOOO ACCCSSAIy
Although the government is
deaf to all appeals for the right
to use motor or rail transporta-
ton facilities for non essential
purposes, it showed no hesitancy
about giving its permission to the
Ringing Bros. and Barnum q
Bailey Circus to take "The
Greatest Show on Earth" from
one end of the country to the 9TH
er.
Thus the circus is now official
ly classified as a wartime neces-
sity, as we'll it should be. For,
even though we are in the midst
of a war that calls for about sac
rifice, we need an occasional dose
of inspiring entertainment to boil
ster us up. The circus has always
been one of the most potent
spring tonics for Americans and
to ban it's appearance during war
time would be akin to banning
the spring season itself.
The circus is thought of largely
as a kids show" but as l looked
over the audience reaction when
the 1913 show opened in New
York, it was apparent that the
kids" age Is to 70 watched with
even more wide-eyed wonder
than the kindergarten contingent.
Youngsters haven't yet learned
what is impossible. They watch
the feats of human strength and
balance with an interest that
springs from the thought that
they can probably 60 home and,
with a little practice, perform
those circus stunts in their own
backwards. But the oldsters know
what is impossible and yet they
see one impossible" feat after
another being performed before
their very eyes.
AUDIENCE 1900, 600
Every performance of the cir
Gus this year is crowded with
men in uniform, most of them on
short leave from strenuous train
ing in nearby camps. If for no
other reason, the inspiration 1t
must be to these men to see the
capacity of the human body when
properly trained is enough to
make it worth while to keep the
circus going on during wartime.
In addition, the kick that MIL
lions of children get out OF the
circus makes it seem important
not to permit war in which
they have no part and which they
do not understand from interfer-
ing with their big thrill OF the
year.
The Office of Defense Trans
portation, which warns civilians
not to travel unnecessarily, has
made a human and wise decision
by exempting circus elephants,
circus gorillas and circus per
formers from that ruling.
Last year the Ringing Bros.
circus was seen by over 4,OOO,OOO
people. This year the attendance
will probably be even greater
than that. for there are few SOL
diers who, when possible, won't
take advantage Of the offer to see
this remarkable show without
charge.
And one more argument to
justify the "circus as usual dur
ing wartime is the patriotic theme
of the show itself. A March OF
the United Nations, envisionlng
the happy days when the four
freedoms will be shared by all
peoples, and the Drums of Vic
tory finale of this years show,
add new hope and encouragement
to War-Weary people.
GREECE strength
No description of the marVels
of the circus show could do just
ice to it. The features everyone
talks about after seeing it, such as
the amazing performance Of La
Lage and her aerial troop, take
seeing for believing. But the cir
Gus has everything this year.
Perhaps it's because of the war
but somehow the clowns seem
funnier, the animals more ferocl-
GUS and the featS OF strength
more breathtaking than ever be-
fore.
Thousands of years ago, when
Greece was at the height of her
glory, all wars were temporarily
called off for the duration of the
Olympian games. Thus the peo-
pie were able to satisfy their
longing to see, each year, the ath-
letes and acrobats, who had
reached new heights of physical
perfection, demonstrate the cap
abilities of human strength.