Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-05-08


1 decorated throughout for the |
occupancy of the new tenants.
no public announcement and thu
proclamation was not broadcas
over the public address system
However. there were lines of peopl,
around the newsstands and bunche!
Of civilians and servicemen peereo
at the papers over each others
shoulders, talking quietly.
i Il just got out of japanese prison
camp" an Army captain said. 81
have brother still over in the Pa.
ciflc. The war for me isn't over"
An Army private with three rows
of ribbons and decorations across his
chest said, Il lost my leg in Belgium
I'm glad the fighting over there has
stopped now. I'd like to see the
faces of some of those frightened
people-the Belgians, I mean. How.
ever, we've still got long way to go.
At the United Nations Service
Center, overseas veterans both OF the
Pacific and European areas al
seemed to feel the day for celebra-
ton had not yet come.
A sergeant with two years service
in the Pacific said: I'm glad the
fellows in Europe will have chance
to relax. This is only another mile
: stone-my buddies in the Pacific art
still fighting"
Two Raj flyers said, 'It's quite 9
relief at home. It'll be good for ou
families to sleep without being
bombed. AS for us, we've just grad.
uated as pilots. We're on our way
to the Far East. The fighting will
be easier knowing things at home
are straight again"
Walter Reed Stages Ceremony.
More than 5000 residents of WAL
ter Reed Hospital streamed into the
new large gymnasium for We day
ceremony. They nearly filled the
great basket ball court. The post
band struck up a medley of patriotic
airs, God Bless America" THE
Battle Hymn of the Republic" and
at the signal of an officer on the
platform, the crowd came surging
forwards moving sight.
There were crutches, casts, band
ages in sight, all the implements
used to patch up the destruction of
war.
The maroon coveralls of the con-
valescents mingled with the khaki.
There were nurses caps and officers
bars and Negro faces and white
tunics of medical corpsmen, and
WACS and civilians in the crowd.
The two speakers hardly men
toned victory in Europe. They spoke
about the job ahead across the Pa
cific. They were T/Sergt. Charles
H. Hickock of Kingsport, Tenn, who
had been with the guerrillas in the
Philippines, and Maj. Gen. Lloyd E.
Jones, Regular Army officer, born
in Columbia, Mo-, who had been at
Attu and Kiska in the Aleutians.
A reporter asked one of several
boys on clutches, each with leg
missing. how they felt when they
heard the news.
"The war was over for us when we
got it," he said.
The man who wanted to keep the
last war going another year, so the
Americans could march into Berlin
in 1918-85-year-old Gen. John j.
Pershing-was unavailable for COM
ment in his penthouse apartment in
the main hospital building.
In the amputation ward, radio
men were going from cot to cot
with microphones. The boys were
saying, Hello, nom, my right leg
is gone, but the doctor says I will
be able to walk all right when I get
my prosthetic."
The men and women who gath
cred around radios in restaurants
and hotel Hobbies showed the same
reaction found among the Govern
ment workers-"Japan is still ahead
of U.s."
'Whee, It's Over" Brings Frown.
Gill Sldu lOT tll6 IIlOGIlGTS WIFI
boys fighting in Europe" one moth
er said, "but my boy is on Okinawa. ~
When the reporter asked her name
her eyes filled with tears and she
hurried away.
I'VE are thankful-we think It's
great" said T. w. Allen Of Creed
more, N. c., listening In a hotel
lobby. "but it's not over, is it?"
Seaman &c Alfred M. johnson of
Fuguay Springs, N. c., frowned when
two teen-aged girls, drinking cof-
fee next to him in a drugstore, said
Vince, it's over" when President
Truman's voice proclaimed thanks
giving.
"The Nays biggest job is still
ahead, kids" he said. They stared
after him as he went out into the
rain.
Respond to Plea.
In response to the official plea
that there be no interruption in the
production of war goods needed to
fight Japan, Government workers
and employes priyate CONCERNS