Imperial Valley press., 1945-01-14
FIRES KINDLED

Writer Tells
OF GI's on Front
'GI Joe is the most remarkable
solcier in history and the only one
ever heard of who entered a war
without illusions or cause but in
tends to win it because he is in it,
was the opinion expressed in El
Centre Saturday by Burris jenkins,
Jr., world famous cartoonist, sports
artist, and war correspondent.
Jenkins. accompanied by Mrs.
jenkins, will be in Ell Centre three
weeks visiting his brother, Paul
Jenkins ant his parents, DR.. and
Mrs. Burris jenkins, Sr., who are
spending the winter in FL Centre.
Jenkins is familiar with CT Joe
and his activities on two war fronts,
Italy and Normandy. He was sent
to Europe by the New York journal
American. His pictures and cartoons
are syndicated by the Hearst publi-
cations and International News
Service and sert all over the worlo.
SUFFER AND TAKE 1T
Il never saw men suffer more
than Go the CT Joes." jenkins said,
lin the way Of discomfort. But GI
Joe is Ligger ard stronger than he
was in the first world war. He can
march longer and carry a heavier
pack greater dis.a.faes than those
of the other world war jenkins
was an aviator in the first world
war and was as familiar with G1
ice then as he is now.
He described a days march he
made in Italy along with the men.
They went ever mountains, slugging
and slipping in the mud as they
clan15erei up steep cliffs. They car
ried their heavy packs anc guns
and parts Of machine guns, he said,
and struggled along the roads dug
out a few minutes before by bull
dozers.
"I dicn't have as much to carry
as they cid" the cartoonist recalled,
but 1 began discarding things.
When the march ended I was carry
ing only a pencil and piece CT
paper. 1t was too much for me even
though I was usec, to marching.
"Cne cf the boys kept muttering
ana cursing every step of the way.
He kess saying over and over again,
They think we're bunch of Blank
ely -lank mountain goats. Well, We
re net a bunca CT blankety blank
goats No one paid any attention
cut the diSgusted CT went on ours
ing and marching all day."
DIG IN FOR NIGHT
Arrived at the erd of the march,
the CT Jocs began digging in for
the night, urging Jenkins to do so,
tco, because Jerry" was bound to
give .nem a sa2w that night. Jen-
kins satd he found jeep and rode
back. Il couldn't take any more"
he declared.
He found the same American grit
in France when he was sent there.
He also became familiar with the
British soldier along the Eighth
army front.
Competition for news is extreme
ly high among the war correspond
ents, jenkins said. This. he thinks,
accounts for the fact that the per-
cantage CT casualties amcng war
is highest Of any
branch CT the service. The cor
keep getting up close"
to teat cath other to story.
Jenkins first was sent over to
draw pictures and write articles on
he London blitz in l941, staying
here six weeks He stayed in Eur
cpe three months last summer
travelling frcm battle front to battle
front where action was taking place.
He went to hospital net because
he was wount ed ous because he
had dysentery or GI as IL is called.
Everybody has it," jenkins said.
"GI Joe keeps on with his march
ing and fighting in spite of it until
lie falls from weakness or his tenn
perature reaches 102 degrees. Then
he is permitted to notice IT,"
WELCOMED
Americans received a warm well
come in NEST places with the civil
ians greeting them with kisses ano
flowers. Children would run out CT
the houses. salute, and present bou-
1uets Of flowers. The populace was
a little mere reserved in France
than in some places, in his opinion,
jenkins declared.
Tine Americans have better med
ical treatment, better food, and
letter supplies than solt iers of any
war;" jenkins said.
But CT is just plain sore about
the strikes at home. He doesn't want
to reason about it. He doesn't like
the strikes and he doesn't care who
knows it," the visitor concluded.
jenkins will continue with his
cartoons while in El Certro.