The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1945-01-17
Observations
Washington, Liquor
Soaked, Sorry Scene
For War Time
BY HELEN EssARY

One day soon parsoh' Win
more than ordinary courage, is 60
ing to rise up in Washington, pull
pit and say something like this
THE drinking OF alcoholic IL
quors in the capital of our country
is so excessive as to be a national
disgrace. The time for repentance
is at hand. II had better be. Or
tla delirium tremens that threat
ems every other person here will
take first a nationwide spread and
soon engulf the whole world in its
unworthy clutches
Should a parson deliver such
sermon. | would applaud. For the
amount OF drinking in Washington
is increasing by the minute. What
has become OF that liquor shortage
people moan about? | cant ina
giLe. You never meet II face TO
I &c on the Potomac
| do know that during the holi-
days social Washington in all its
big little phases virtually swan
in spirits frumenti and the rich
and poor relations thereof The
last fortnight or so has been one
reckless spree. Not a pretty spec
tacle. such a spree, with the cas-
ualty lists OF war growing so long
and so frequent as TO be fearful
commonplace.
\ TOWN WIT of the old.time
variety was talking of Washington
OF today and said:
There are as many social climb
ers about the place as cocktail
parties. It's open season for the
mushroom species. Great growing
weather. you might say. Look at
the party-going names in the pa
pers and you'll see what | mean.
Watch 1945. There'll be a turn
over that'll make the social sprout-
ing of other wartime Washingtons
as flat as last October's leaf pile.
Were il for new crop OF Import
ant People. Call 'em the Ration
Book Black Market Aristocracy II
you want.
~ .ybe you feel a bit snooty
about some OF them now. But I'll
bet YOU that in another year you'll
be trying to make them come 20
your own parties and feeling hurt If
they decline
THE CHILDREN'S BUREAU OF
the Department OF Labor and other
agencies around here are in a state
Of proper agitation about juvenile
delinquency. Even as baleful a
situation as this has an amusing
angle. I'm speaking of til e
introduction Of the juveniles them
selves into the earnest council
some elders have called TO investi'
gate the 'teen-age rebels.
Tell us what you think is wrong
with the youth Of today?" the
elders have been asking prayerful-
ly as they sat at the feet of l4-year-
old advisers.
The thing that Is the matter with
us kids" the advisers have said.
lis you grown-ups. You're pretty
awful"
quite agree with this adolescent
summing up. We grown-ups are
pretty awful We need educating
by the young. I've always been
convinced that children were sent
TO educate their elders. I've seen
very few elders who were not i'm
proved by the discipline of their
young.
I'm expecting most any day now
TO have some precocious young-un
ask board OF social workers:
why don't older people begin
educating us for that next war you
talk about so much? Why don't
you turn the rough qualities you
complain about in US into some
prenaration for fighting:
What | mean Is. you try to make
us all good and kind to each other.
At the same time you say you got
to teach us how TO keep enemies
awav.
"If throw a stone through the
window Of the kid next door. nay
dad gives me a sDanking. Don't
YOU think II would he smarter II
he'd call me in and saw. Swell
Son. I'm glad you made such a
fine hit. Now keep Il IN. break
a. many windows as you can Des-
troy as much property as you can.
Some dav You'll grow up TO
be a real soldier Course Won
haven't rot ANYTHING 10 work with
now but sticks and stones Rut T.
Won keen nract'cing some 'dav vou'l
get nice bomb with Trcla Sans
name on II and you can drop that
on raorle.'
whats the idea ~ Won crown.
up neonle wasting time tollino us
70 stav on our side % the ferca
when n that uevt war vow talt
about comes oF von'll have 10 iea -,
ps ~ cot ovo~ nvorv fnuca We can >
And do all the dirty wort We 70 n
pct awpv With Eofore sorrehodv
does rs dirt Rrst. That's what voI
cpu rn'ional dafo0sa isr" 80"
To-~'fving tall, this would he. but
logical
The Virgin Islands are IN,