Evening star., 1945-10-25
Letters to The Star
In Which "A Sailor Tells Why
He Should Be Home
To the Editor of The Star.

To the Editor of The Star:
As serviceman, father and would
be civilian, am taking this opportunity
to express my views on the matter of
discharging fathers from the services.
Before going into my own private song
and dance of my family and their in
creasing difficulties, let me relate an
instance of only few days past While
making my way from Harrisburg, Pa, to
a point in West Virginia, via the hitch
hike route, I chanced to stop in from
beer garden. From this vantage
point took up my immediate employ
ment of hitching ride. Standing there
for about minutes and having naught
to do except whistle to myself, chanced
to become engaged in conversation
with four young ladies. After the con-
yersation I decided they were not old
enough to be young ladies, but mere
children of Is and IA, and too far gone
TO be called ladies. I can truthfully say
that my vocabulary was considerably
increased with all the latest slang terms,
and lot of terms that I am unable to
print here. Nevertheless, through our
conversation learned that their fathers
were in the services. I asked them if
their mothers knew of their present
whereabouts and was told that they
could take care of themselves, and
especially where their mothers We're
concerned. Now I do not intend to
speak harshly or unduly against the
mothers of our youngsters, but in some
instances there has been decided ne
glect on the part of the mothers They
have had difficult time, and it is some
times beyond their power to meet the
daily difficulties resulting from the
father being absent. Anyway, these
girls were decidedly going to the
proVerbial dogs. I sincerely doubt that
they will ever become decent, normal
and marriagable girls.
Now for a brief outline of my own
difficulties.
I have son and a daughter 8. The
boy is now attending school, During
my recent visit home noticed that the
children were becoming rather inde-
pendent. remarked on this to my wife.
She explained as follows:
The boy is going to school. During
his trips to and from school he has met
a number of older boys who have caused
him to be late in coming home in the
evening after school. The boys have
taught him great many unnecessary
words. Many vile habits have become
known to his mind. For a child of
he would surprise a lot of persons on
certain topics not generally discussed
among the two sexes.
Recently, while myself was at home.
our boy did not come home. We both
went looking for him. My wife finally
found him playing under a bridge with
these other children, and just hap
pened to come by at the same time.
Well, the boys mother, being very upset,
began to give the older boys a good
talking to, and warned them to never
take her son out again. One of the
boys merely laughed at her and another
told her where to go. 1t finally ended
up then and there that all the children,
including my own, got fairly hard
spanking. I don't know what the law
is on that matter, but took the chance.
Nothing has yet been mentioned about it.
If we fathers were at home we could
nip such problems in the bud. We
could deal better with such matters
than the women. l am of the belief that
our being away is contributing lot to
child delinquency. suggest that some
thing be done to return us to our FAM
lies in order that the future generation
grow up in a wholesome atmosphere
and not behind bars. A SAILOR.