Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1943-07-09
WNU Service, Union Trust Building
Washington, D. C.


Washington, D. C.
On June day, when a gentle
breeze brought the scent of new
mown grass in through the White
House windows, President Roosevelt
sat at his desk and read slowly to
a group of correspondents from a
typewriter sheet. 1t wasn't for
NAL document but it was an historic
one-its purpose was to remind the
Italian people that the military cam
paign against them which had just
scored another Allied victory, Pan
telleria, was the result of the mis-
conduct of their rulers.
The message has been variously
interpreted since, but to me, it con-
tanned one significant point-the re-
minder of the coming birth of new
nation; the new Italy which will
emerge when the chains of arro-
gance and brute aggression which
bind her are broken. There has
been much talk about postwar po-
Icing of the re-made world; little
thought of the philosophy which will
underlie the forms which the reborn
governments must follow. To me,
such philosophy is set forth in a
work of pure fantasy. A hopeful
note for nations and men is sounded
in this delightful fairy tale by an
author who found spiritual rebirth
in the tragedy of the fall of his own
nation.
refer to Antoine de Saint-Ex-
upery and his latest work, 1.-THE Lit
tie Prince"
Those who have read his "Night
Flight" wind, Sand and Stars"
and "Flight to Arras' are not sur
prised that he could create a fairy
tale as delicate as this. Reviewers
have disagreed as to whether it is
for children or for adults. I believe
it is for both, like "Alice in Wonder
land" But the adult will find in
1.-THE Little Prince" something more
than artistry and the children will
sense that, too, l think.
Saint-Exupery is a brilliant avia-
tor who built up night flying for the
French airlines in South America.
He fought against the Germans
Flight to Arras" is the remarkable
book which tells of that experience.
He is now back with the French
army in Africa, scene of the open
ing of 1.-The Little Prince"
The Princes Story
"Six years ago." the author says,
II made forced landing in the
Sahara alone, thousand miles from
help, and faced the necessity of re-
pairing my motor by myself within
the number of days my drinking
water would last. The first morn
ing, l was awakened by a deter
mined but gentle voice which said:
If you please, draw me a Sheep"
So Exupery learned the story of
how the Little Prince had found out
what is really important in life.
The Little Prince is at once a deli
cate wisp of fancy, something so
sheer that at moments he seems to
float like piece of thistledown be-
fore your imagination-again, he
has all the reality of truth itself, he
is eternal childhood, all that is gen.
tie, and confiding and lovable, with
the faint Shadow of sorrow on his
Winsome face, he is the tug at your
heartstrings that comes when youth
looks at you in wide-eyed conf
dence, reaches up to take your hand
the same reminiscent tug when
you look back and see the surprised
and longing sorrow in the eyes of
your own lost youth.
The Little Prince lived far away,
it seems, on tiny planet with three
volcanoes so small that he cooked
his breakfast on one of them. A
flower came to his planet and the
Little Prince loved her and cared for
her but he couldn't understand her
and so he left to try to find out
why. He finally reached the earth,
and here the fox taught him.
The Little Prince had never seen
fox-"Come and play with me-"
he said, Il am so unhappy" II
cannot play with you," the fox said,
81 am not tanned" The Little Prince
did not understand. He told the fox
that he was looking for friends and
asked him what tame meant.
Philosophy of a Fox
at is an act too often neglected,
said the fox, "it means to estab-
lish ties to me, you are still
nothing but little boy who is just
like a hundred other little boys. And
have no need of you. To you,
am nothing more than a fox like a