Imperial Valley press., 1944-12-14
NUBBINS
BURRIS JENKINS

General Patton of the Third Army
/ in Germany made a remark the
other day which will probably go
down in history. lie didn't have
enough Caso,ine TO keep his army
moving forward when here came
trucks with supplies of food. Patton
glanced up and said:
Hey. what's the matter with that
supply man? He's going to the
wrong depot. We can get along with
out eating but we can't advance
without gas"
Great uttCranceS are born like
that. all of sudden, all i'm a heat;
and some day that utterance will be
nut beside AIeXander's, Caesars and
GhengiS Khan's. That phrase will
be taught TO American children out
of their school books and i'm their
schoolrooms. The spirit of that
phrase is the thing that has made
Patton the Great fighter that he is,
probably already accepted as the
single greatest fighting man in all
the American forces. I'VE can get
along without eating, but we can't
advance without gas
The American armies without
enough gas. How did they get that
way? Trying 10 provide too many
cigarettes at home or abroad? Try
inr to send too heavy Christmas
mail? Neglccting one end OF the
supply line while overlooking an
ether end? Things like that win or
lose wars. Things like that reveal
either superb generaliship or failure
i'm leadership. A thing like that
ought never TO happen in an Amer
lean army.
Is there fault here back home?
Among some of US? Have we taken
days off from the factory when VIC
could possibly have dragged our way
to our benches? Have we struck
when We were having enough to cat
and to wear, struck for even a httie
while? After all, we must all agree
that strikes have been very few ana
very far between during this war. "A
war Is the tiiHe VI s'ii ''N' "
advantage for workers through tur-
bulenee: but the disposition to show
such turbulence orr either side has
not been noteworthy.
Sneaking of women smoking, you
do occasionally see an American
woman who smokes cigars. Inc
nresent writer. standing the other
dav waiting for a red light to change
into green at one OF the pusies'
corrers in one of our greatest cuieS
happened to see 4 man ana wiie III
their car close to the spot where ne
u,,s standing on the curb. By ana
nv the woman coOlly drew out ois
black cigar. bit the end of OF IL,
reached for the lighter, and ti'ieo
tho front end of the car with smoke
before they moved on at the green
I;obt He does not remember ever
To have seen that happen IN inc
United States before. Maybe 1t VIII
come along i'm due time. ii IL nee
essary i'm order to provide gas 1or
pattou. then VIC all ought to start
crusade in favor OF II.
Talked with big, handsome
,,,;dd,a-aped naval officer the other
dav whose home has been here OH
the coast before and during .he
war. Although he has been IN inc
navy since 'I3. he is now Oniy ap-
r,.oacb;pp fifty. He belongs in
branch of the service that no soo"
American ought to identity puoicis'
INT we can say that his real Joo'
With the rank of commander, makes
a baaob-mastcr out of him. IL rs MS
Jessant little service to go ashore
with The first landing party at ah
invasion. to see that the party se's
all the supplies that IT needs' at
Tho time il needs them, and iast
enough for use.
Having lust come back from inc
Sauth Pacific after two years out
there and after participating III
most of the important landng
narties. this reporter asked MN
question which he knew OF course
was asked of every man in his posi-
ton, when is il all going TO END:
He answered very slowly, The
cnncensuS of best considered Opin-
ion out there is, at least. two years.
Il is perhaps Saie to say that that
| iS the iuG Ggmcnt Of tho most trust
worthy zen in all The armed forces.