Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1945-06-15
What's
New?
By
Edward Duck
The 10Th
Reot. in /.
Germany

Editors note: Nobody is bet
ter qualified to speak Of the
significance of Memorial Day
than man who wears or has
worn the uniform of his coun-
try's armed forces. While Dec.
grafton Day has passed. the
sentiments expressed in the
column of Pvt. Eddie Duck
are so appropriate for Memo
rial Day and every other day
that we have given this col
umn precedence over two
other columns which arrived
during the past week.
eve Here Highly ResoIue
That These Dead Shall Not
Haze Died In Vdini"
-LincoIn's
Gettysburg Address
Today, Memorial Day is not d
day of celebration, but day ot
reflection and meditation.
Today holds a different signi-
ficance in the minds of indivi-
dual groups. To those in uni
form, it recalls unpleasant
memories, the hideous, seeming
ly endless nightmare of combat
and bombardment, the fear of
meeting sudden and horrible
death, and the recollection that
many of their comrades are no
longer among those present
In thousands of homes in
America, in whose windows ap-
pear the gold star, a memorial
to the greatest sacrifice a moth
er or family could contribute to
their country and their fellow
men, it is an occasion of mourn
ing - drive to the cemetery,
a prayer, and a wreath placed
upon grave.
To those whose homes are as
yet untouched by the Grim
Reaper, this day is a reminder
that many an anxious moment
will be spent before Johnny
comes marching home again.
But mere sorrow, sentiment,
anxiety or worry cannot ac-
complish concrete, permanent,
worthwhile objective. These
things, if overdone, become an
obsession, and only beget and
multiply themselves, with a re-
sultant decline in ones mental
and physical health. To revere
the memory of a lost loved one
is sacred and proper, but brood
ing and fretting do not help the
absent or deceased.
CARRY ON
We who have been fortunate
enough to live must carry on, at
home and abroad, that struggle
for a better, happier and peace
full world, for which so many
have died. In this way can we
show our appreciation for the
sacrifice they have made.
By striving toward the attain
ment of liberty, freedom, secur-
lty ana prosperlty-for America
and for humanity wherever it
may be - we are fulfilling our
obligation toward our tigntlng
men In real and worthwhile
manner.
Rt. Rev. Msgr. Fulton j. Sheen,
in The SnleId of Faith, offers
"A m r C servicemen the
thought, Il am not fighting to
preserve the kind of worIa we
mad just before this war. IT l
were, l would be fighting to
preserve a world that produced
hitler. The new world must be
better world than that, or it is
not worth fighting for
A better world does not come
about through the placing of
on scraps of paper.
Inc Declaration of Independ-
ence, The Atlantic Charter, the
San Francisco agreements, the
written unconditional surrender
of Germany, are at best only the
foundation upon which worth
while accomplishments may be
realized.
MANY A SLIP
To say that something should
be done, or even to agree that it
will be done, is not sufficient.
In the past we have had far
too many SLIPS" and no one is
10 blame but the people them
selves - you, and you, and I
and all of us. We have accepted
The illogical philosophy that
there will always be wars; there
will always be unemployment;
here will always be poverty;
here will always be this-and-
hat which should never be at
al.
AS the late President Roose-
1elt has told us, we have moth
ng to fear but fear itself. De-
eatism produces defeat. Con-
idence can overcome seemingly
nsurmountable obstacles. If our
children and grandchildren are
o enjoy the peace and security
or which so many young men
lave given their lives and will
ontinue giving them until final
1ictory has been achieved in the
'acific, it will be because all of
is have awakened to the respon-
ibility which is ours.
We must take the initiative,
nd forge new world in which
var poverty. and WideSnread