The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1943-02-11
Writer Describes Muncie,
Subject of Famous Study
CHURCH REMINDS OF TAXES

CHURCH REMINDS OF TAXES |
Dr. j. Marion Smiths First
Baptist Church is Indiana Gothic
outside and in. You get hand
shake in the vestibule, and an in
vitation to 60 farther front from
the pulpit. DR.. Smith is pally |
man with a beautiful voice. He
is an expounder of the Scripture,
out of patience with ministers
who review books in the pulpit.
When the collection is taken he
makes a remark about giving
while it's still possible, meaning
taxes will get you if you don't
watch out. He pronounced the
benediction, and l went to a
movie.
The church was a quarter full.
The movie was five-quarters
full. And hot. The news reel was
ignored for the most part. New
congressman were not applaud
ed. African war scene were
taken in comparative silence,
Clare Booth Luce got whistle
from an urchin with one foot
braced against the back of my
neck, and Donald Duck brought
cheers, not all juvenile.
They all liked the feature pic
ture, which showed Charles
Laughton, Brian Donlevy and
Robert Taylor running section
of the Navy in about that order
of proficiency. Then l took
walk.
LIGHTS AGLOW
The streets were about as pop
ulated as Fifth avenue on a win
ter week night. Neon signs bios
son in Muncie- Middletown, traf-
fic lights are full and round in
stead of frail crosses of red and
green. Houses blaze with lights
and the smell of soft coal bliss
fully burning hangs over the
city.
In 30-odd blocks of walking,
sliding, blowing on hands and
listening l passed hundreds of
civilians, had conversation with
a short order man, was accosted
once, and passed two sailors and
four soldiers. Both sailors and
two of the soldiers had girls.
Muncie- Middletown just has
Mt gone to war, thought as
opened my window to let the
heat out
On the Atlantic seaboard we
have war once removed; here it
is war at two removes. There
was East Adams street, packed
with cars for blocks at of the
afternoon. There was the wo-
man on the street who said to
another woman, mo. dear. In
dianapolis is no drive at all
we'll be there in an hour and
half"
But l was wrong. War has hit
Middletown, n d Middletown
has struck a blow for war.
O.
He was COB, and he was
propping up the Rivoli theater,
waiting for bus, talking to a
starry-eyed kid of twelve.
Boy" said the kid, II sure
hope it lasts long enough so l
can get in the Navy"
Boy said the COB, so pleas
cd he almost popped off his pea
jacket, you're sure full of
hops"
This was segment of Mid
dletoWn that Robert and Helen
Lynd missed when they survey
ed Muncie and wrote their two
remarkable studies: Middle
town" and "Middletown is Tran
sition." SO I broke in.
How do your folks feel
about the war;" asked the COB.
"They think it's hell he said
They're right, too" he added
and swung up into his bus.
The hell has come home to
Middleton and Delaware Coun-
ty with the messenger boy and
his Hateful yellow envelope. But
the changes have come so grad
ually Middletown h ardly re-
members when and how.
They grumble about ration
ing, being human. But the stores
are better stocked than most
eastern stores, especially in gro
ceries. You can't get a steak un-
less you belong to a certain club