The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-09-20
Observations
Writer Sees Fun
in Being Maryland
Democrat
BY Helen Esssry

Dear Madam: writes a not.too.
well.wisher What kind of politics
are you, anyhow? Are you New
Dealer or are you a dewyeyed
Dewey-ite? We've been arguing in
our lunch club about you. And We
say maybe you don't know your
self what you are Signed l.. L.)'
Dear l.. L.: I'm a Democrat.
That's what | am. But ! am also
a native Baltimorean. Born and
raised in the Maryland Free State.
Such a background makes anybody
peculiar. Especially when you add
to Free State propensities many
years OF living in Washington,
watching The Great put on their
big and little acts.
How do | know what | am po-
litically? | am sure Of this how
ever, il is powerful lot OF fun
10 stir up little constructive con-
fusion now and then. That is my
Maryland Free State disposition
again. We are natural again'-ers
JOE TUMULTY. famous secre-
tary to Woodrow Wilson. is we'll
portrayed in the inspiring film,
Wilson" Mr. Tumulty was a
colorful personality in the Wilson.
ian era. am happy to see that
Hollywood has caught his charm
and made real on the screen the
loyalty and encouragement he gave
to the World War President
The success OF Wilson" gives
me a chance 10 say to Hollywood:
II told you so!' Il realize that
all Hollywood is not waiting anx-
iously on my next sentence) For
years I've been arguing with the
help of printers ink that the film
producers should build their seen
arios on the lives of individuals
who have had dramatic careers.
Cooked up plots and imaginary peo-
pie are never convincing and sell
dom entertaining when they come
out of that purple atmosphere OF
Hollywood.
The best recent war picture is
1.-The Story of DR.. Wassell' found
ell on actual happenings in the life
OF a physician in the South Paci-
nc.
Wilson" will have an enormous
appeal. II is we'll done. But more
Importantly, it is based on a great
personality, a great American
personality. Whether you believe
in the League OF Nations or not,
you cannot deny that Woodrow
Wilson was a great personality.
Hollywood has hardly thought
OF the rich material-the Wilson's
and the Dr. Wassells-that have
helped build up this nation. You
may see any day in Washington
men and women whose thrilling
lives offer the motion picture artists
a chance 10 give substance as well
as entertainment to the screen.
SUCH PECULIAR THINGS pop
into my head. Take for example
this supposedly noble superiority
OF the white races. Or the civilized
races-if we may be more general.
In this war, the white races have
almost outdone the cannibals in
cruelty. Indeed the cannibals have
certain more admirable qualities
than civilized peoples. | never
have been close enough to help
prove the superiority.
But cannibals kill to eat. my
travelling friends tell me. They
eat human beings because they be-
lieve that by so doing they absorb
the strength, the best qualities OF
those they are eating. I'd rather
keep even my weaker qualities
within my own poor frame, but you
will have TO admit that civilized
people kill with no thought Of pick
ing up few human vitamins,
physical or spiritual, thereby.
They kill and then bury the VIC
tims-if they have time. Get no
value out OF the nasty business at
all as far as can see. They Just
kill.
do not advocate cannibalism IN
my own personal postwar pro-
gram. Besides. the people I might
like 10 kill, come some dark Mon
day. would be too tough for good
eatin'