The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-11-01
Editor Tall Tower Topics:

Iwonder if YOU have space in your column to present the honest views returned combat veteran about this business of homecoming The opinions of leading psy- chologists clergymen and writers about the difficulties the veteran will experience in adjusting himself to CIVIL ian life have greatly exaggerated every thinker
 must realize We are not psychopathc cases, in need of codding, unable to hurdle the dlttcutes which civilian life has to offer.
 But after having been through the heat of endless battle and after viewing half the world engulfed ln misery pan and privations, resulting from war; is most scouragng and excrucatingy painful to lind the dog-eat-dog attitude still existing at home. The men who lie under the crosses of the Pacific and Europe and the who fought the bloody fight through bitter months and years dreamed and sualzed and talked only about thing Their return to cou- try and community free of hate bitterness and resent ment; country and community where peace and good will among reigned supreme And what do we tno' \ The working struggling with the same old proo- lem of obtaining living wage To every combat veteran who has the widespread poverty which existed III Europe, it is obvious that fascism, communism ana war found root amid peoples denied their rght1 heritage o "a fair living standard peoples devoid of hope under ex- istng government and conditions
 Political candidates still involved in party politics, udhrowng and seeking political office for selfish ends rather than the common good of the people.
 The electorate showing the usual apathy toward elections and government not only in this city, but in the state and nation
 Peoples everywhere expressing hate fear and resent nent of other nations talking about another World War; and totally indifferent to lending their time or efforts toward seeing that this government works now to estap fish world peace.
 Racial and religious prejudices still fourishing ur- der constitution framed ITO years ago. which emphati- cay declares "every man is created equal
 Home and social problems, mounting to alarming rates and filling courts and penal institutions With ltte effort made to strike at the root of such diffcties
 The returning veteran cannot help asking hlmsel1: Was the and it's ensuing pan heartbreak and dev astaon all in vain? The who died on the patefeld and those lucky enough to get through sought no gor fcation They reaiss who knew the job had to be done and they did it well But Americas fighting men believed sincerely in the ideals they fighting for ideals which would build world founded on freedom ho1ia people at home sincere and would work to achieve those ideals
 No one has mentioned them since we came home. It would not either that any great effort is being spent either by leaders of the people toward their mater ializaton In fact the returning veteran sometimes won ders If those often-repeated ideals have not been com petey forgotten Lest they are it about time think that they be repeated.
 They are Freedom from want freedom from fear, freedom of religion, freedom of speech and expression Cordially, J. E. o.
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