Bradley beam., 1944-07-29
By SGT. EDGAR A. LANSING

happy tea leaves soddenly reposed therein gave me no clue toward the solution of my problem. With a gesture indicative of pique, I set the cup down, and, setting my cap upon my head on the approved Pic cadilly slant, I left the Red Cross building and sauntered off in quest of inspiration. I had hardly taken three steps when a number of chil- dren, dabb1ing about in the muddy gutter, spied me. F..
 Now English children do not have an unlimited supply of sweets. As a matter of fact, a candy ration equals something like three-quarters of pound a month, These children are perfectly nor maj in that they will go to ex- traordinary lengths to get enough sweets to satisfy their chronically demanding, sweet teeth. They know, for instance, on what days of the week CT Joe gets his candy ration. They are full of bullying winning ways. They know how to wiring the last drop of the milk ot human kindness from an innocent CT. These children can remember nothing but war and the gentle toys of the great humanitarian, Adolf the Hun. These children are wise and demanding. In time, per haps, succeeding generations will realize how wise these children are.
 Anyway, these children having seen me, at once identified me as an American soldier. That meant that could be fattered into giv- ing them my weeks candy ration, which they knew was secreted in the pockets of my lovely G1 rain, coat. (Note to travellers: Go mo- where in England without your raincoat regardless of what the weather-man says. Chief industry of England is rain production. They are tops in that.) Their leader ap- breaches me, and seeing my new Good-Conduct Ribbon, asked me if I earned it for killing Nazis. Now he knew that I had done no such thing. He knew what the ribbon meant better than I did. But the made me blush. He put me on the defensive at once. Somehow or oth- CT I had to make good to him for not having killed enough Nazis to earn a ribbon for it. It wouldn't do to tell him that I was part of large body of untried troops and a medic at that. Instead reached into my pockets and distributed my candy ration among them. They thanked me gravely and went back to their muddy gutter.
 Without realizing it, these chll- dren had solved my problem for me. I knew now what form this item would take. It would try to tell in some part, and as lightly as pos sible, the relationship between Gl Joe and the good People of Eng land.
 Much has been written about the American soldier. Much of it is true. None of it tries to tell what CT Joe says when he is cast social among the British and how his manners square off against British reserve"
 The most courteous soldiers Tn England are American soldiers. They have winning ways too. Eng fish girls like "Yanks"; particular ly the way Americans carry their romantic tradition from the States. A British girl on a date with a Tank is QUEEN for the evening. She names her amusement. She is boss and the Tank scampers about holding doors and more or less spreading his chivalrous cloak for her to step on. The girls at first don't know how to take all this. They assume, and sometimes they are right, that CT Joe is up to some wolfish trick of his. They are as- founded, after the evening, when the Yank cheerfully kisses her goodnight" and goes on his way. This is moi what they heard of the