The Wyandotte news-herald. (Wyandotte, Mich.) 1943-1963, 1945-11-19
Michigan
Mirror
CONTINUED from Page 81
Gene Alleman


been getting from fathers and
mothers who can't see any reason
why the government should keep
their boys in foreign lands, now
that the war is over"
We accept as valid his observation
that the postwar public today is
"hellbent for return to normally,
come what may" But We believe it
is largely an emotional letdown -
part of our readjustment in chang
ing from war to peace
General Dwight D. Eisenhower,
home last week from Europe. voiced
an appeal for international COOP
Grafton and for finishing the job.
i believe in international cooper
alton" he declared. There must
be international cooperation We
must seek out those who are our
friends, who think as We do and
live as We do. and find every pos
Sible way to eliminate war - the
grimmest tragedy there is.
II have noticed that many people
newspapers, radio commentators
and others-have been saying that
We have not succeeded in indoctrin-
ating soldiers for the job they are
now doing (occupational duty to
restore order, police the aggresSors,
encourage democratic living as we'll
as they had been indoctrinated for
war.
Eisenhower was quoted by report
ers as blaming this state on the
clamor of Americans TO get the
fighting men home we all want
them home. the general said. But
We have big job ahead. a trem-
endous job"
To which We might pose this
question: Have We really won the
war yet? Must World War II be
continued. later on some year. by
World War III?
What happened after the last
war-World War /?
Let's glance at our history. For a
year or two after the Armistice in
1913 Gust q years ago. prices were
high and business good. Return Of
soldiers helped to build up an excess
OF available labor With war orders
cut off and European countries too
poor to pay cash for their usual
purchases. agriculture and many
industries accumulated large sup
ply of unmarketable goods.
Employers were faced with a
rather familiar situation: The work
er's demand for higher wage rates
in order TO maintain his wartime
take home" income and the econ
omic necessity of raising prices to
cover added production costs.
The year 19l9-which would COR
respond TO the fall and winter of
1945 and the spring and summer Of
l946-waS one of the most violent
in American labor annals. Reduc-
ton Of take-home pay. due to re-
ducion in working hours, was fol-
lowed by epidemic of strikes.
The spiral-higher wages. higher
prices-finally precipitated buyers
strike. Employers we're often glad to
close their doors because of dwind-
ling orders. Result: A depression
from 1920 to 1922. Then seven years
of so-called prosperity. 1929, the
big craS1. Remember? 1t was only
is years ago just Is years ago
Thanksgiving Day in Michigan
Unrest everywhere. Industrial
strikes apparently inevitable, just
as they we're in 1919. People tired
of the war, yearning for the good
old days.
And yet. underneath these surface
manifestations. there is a genuine
thankfulneSS in our hearts. Mich
igan was spared the destruction and
death which visited nearly every
part Of Europe. No bombs fell here
Thank God for that.
Today, east and west, north anc
south, are now Flanders fields where
peoples will grow.
New crosses row by row.
Back home. gold stars at windows
Peace have we really won il
yet? Is our job finished?
Lest We forget . lest We forget