The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1939-1949, 1944-02-03
News ~
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WHAT sERv1cEMEN
ARE THINKING
By PAUL MALLoN :

Only people freely Speaking
their minds these days on the is
sues Of the day are the men at
the front, or just back.
Although they are millions
strong, and will be the prevail
d influence in the country after
5I war, their views are seldom
publicly reported. You can find
out what they think only by talk
ing with those at home on leave
or reading their letters to their
families.
Their common line of thought
las far as I have been able to
Judge in Conversations is fairly
accurately presented in a letter
from an army captain, received by
his father, newspaper editor.
His views seem an average of men
who have rubbed elbows with
allies and matched fists with enc
mics to achieve a better, realistic
understanding of both, as follows:
Things look different out here
Southwest Pacific) and there is
plenty Of time to reflect on past
life because life out here is so
primitive, so basic, strippd of all
luxuries and niceties that as Amer
lean kids we took for granted as
part of our country. But now
that we are giving, we have gained
a much finer perspective finer
appreciation.
"And I for one do not desire
to quit until we've wiped out
not just beat down to an uncondi-
tional surrender-but wiped out
the youth of Japan and Germany
and Italy For if we do not, we
shall have children who will, in
Is years, have to fight the children
growing up in those countries
r-with warped minds.
But will America get soft?
believe she is yet, and. will 60
easy on them. I suppose tie
American people still refuse to face
imperialism. But they damn sight
better learn quick.
English mandates are being
handed back on silver platter out
here to the English governor as he
moves in again-islands practically
bathed in marines blood. There is
one can think of at present, and
back to dear old England it goes
"This all may sound bloodthirsty
to the average civilian very COM
Portable and safe in an easy chair
in a carpeted home. Changed? No,
haven't changed at all. I al
ways thought thus. I just got
acquainted with primitive instincts
that / figured I would never have
to know. But I must rely on them
now to preserve the civilization
I learned at Amherst.
It seems strange in a way to
get acquainted with the ways our
old pioneer ancestors did things.
We, like they, hew our homes out
of the forests, live simply and
plainly.
Strange how habits stick to a
fellow-good and bad. The desire
to keep clean, for instance, under
the most difficult conditions. They
tell me marines would battle and
wash clothes in rivers and streams
aost under fire-so strong was
me habit from earlier training to
keep clean. -
Even now, washing clothes is
pretty primitive. usually do
mine on the hood of jeep with
the front end half way into the
stream. Makes a good wash board,
and a fast running river furnishes
plenty of water.
Don't think just because we
are In the service, we don't have
opinions"
Yes, and they will be bringing
them back-a strengthened re-
spect for the American way of
LIE, a first-hand knowledge of
the lnferiority and competition of
other SvSfoy,oc - Lax~,J e -1.x..1