The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1943-06-24
WNU Service, Union Trust Building
Washington, ID. c.

Washington, ID. c.
Today there came to my desk
mimeographed sheet from the OF
flee of War Information 1t was
headed 1.-THE Nazi Slave Labor So
ciety."
AS | read that title. my mind shot
back to very few days before this
writing, one of the days when your
capital was tense over the coal
strike from one end of Constitution
avenue to the other, and on both
sides of the Potomac. | say Con
stitution" avenue instead of Penn
syivania' (Which you and | have
come to feel is the main street of
Washington because this coal strike
struck deep into lot of offices and
bureaus beside the White House at
one end of this historic thoroughfare
and the Capitol at the other.
Naturally, Harold Ickes, in his Of
fees looking down the mall from
that strange modernistic pile that
is the new Interior building, was
concerned. He was, at that mo-
ment. responsible head of the soft
coal mining industry and the indus
try wasn't functioning.
Naturally the members Of the War
Labor board were concerned. The
boards existence was threatened.
TUo Worries
Over across the Potomac in that
marvellous architectural achieve
ment, the Pentagon building. where
the army is housed, officers paced
the floor OF their pentagonal offices.
They had two worries. One. Will
there be a coal shortage that will
hold up production Of important war
supplies2 Two. Will we have to 60
out and push people around with
bayonets?
| haven't mentioned what was go
ing on at the Capitol or in the White
House. Plenty. Every enemy OF
the administration, every friend OF
the administration who was angry
Mt Lewis, everyone who was for l0C
per cent prosecution Of the war
and they weren't necessarily differ.
ent people, but people with different
ideas-was yelling for Lewis eye.
broWs and some of them were
threatening the President ii he didn'l
bring them in Ton a silver charger)
for breakfast.
Inside the White House, there
we're meetings which, because of the
presence and absence of certain per.
sons, | would like to report in great
err detail but | can't--tha will have
to be left to history.
AS write these lines, cannot
predict the aftermath Of the actor
which began late one afternoon or
June 3 when, contrary to reports
circulated earlier in the day, a state
ment was issued from the White
House ordering the men back to tht
mines by June 7. But between these
lines of that statement was the story
of "Franklinstein" and the creature
which he created, as dramatic, i
not as tragic, as the horror tale By
the gentle Mrs. Shelly, written early
in the 10Th century.
Sef-Destroyer
A copy OF that book (''Franken
stein") is on my table as | write
On the last page are the lines Spoken
by this strange being which the here
had created, hoping to raise thu
standard Of humanity but which
alas, had found itself heir to thu
human weaknesses and turned
against his creator. The being,
just before it destroys itself, speaks
to its creator:
9" thou didst seek my extinc
ton that might not cause create
wretchedness and If yet, in som,
mode unknown to me, thou hast no
ceased to think and feel, thol
wouldst not desire against me |
vengeance greater than that which
| feel. Blasted as thou vert. nj,
agony was still superior Il
thine -
(You really ought to read thu
book--it's far superior to the movi
version.)
But why do I handy with thi
ancient tale2 Because | do heliev
that all Of us build, materially 0
| physically, creatures which com
| back to haunt us.
Look at the record of John Levi
and Franklin Roosevelt.
John, born to the pits, a ma
who won to hteracy, yes, to scholar
| ship the hard way.
Franklin, born to the purple.
Both endowed with that indomits
BILE something that lifted them, i