Evening star., 1945-01-17
Letters to The Star
General Ansell Writes Again
About Philippines Fighting
To thu rditor At IN. st.r.

AAAPPAnSo Ai8ntiuS
7 To the Editor Of The star:
The other day Macarthur landed on
Leyte, my old stamping ground. Letters
from many old-timers led me to write to
you = reminiscing article. Now that
Macarthur has returned to Luzon I
have letter from an old Irish sergeant
who for q while served with me on
special mission In the area between
Lingayen Gulf and Manila Bay. The
sergeant's letter induces me to rem
inisce again-for the last time.
Macarthur left there four years ago,
but the sergeant and left - years ago.
We return only in memory. The news
now tells us Of Lngayen, Dagupan, San
Fabian, Rosario and other "cities," hard
surfaced highways lacing the area (five
centering in the city of Langayen
alone), and Of many more confusing
things. Old-timers see those cities as
consisting largely of nipa houses and
huts, each with Its pretentious church,
and the bodegas Of Chinese and Span
ish merchants. The news, as yet, has
little to say Of those features Of terrain
which were Of most painful interest to
the infantry soldier of that day; the
deep swamps and jungles Of the Lin
gayen Gulf coast, the mucky plain where
the rice grew, the almost impossible
muddy streams. Infantry soldiers of
that day sludged through 1t all under
their own power, each burdened with
40 pounds Of ammunition belt, tent roll,
haversack and rations III any,. We see
the tao In the rice paddy who greeted
Us obeisantly one day only perhaps to be
rs captured insurrecto the next.
My comrade asks If remember the
little native girl who was always toting
her little brother around and whose
sad face, upon the little fellows death,
caused some Of the soldiers to call
her Mater Dolorosa." She escapes me.
But I do remember another incident
which, with others like 1t, may have en-
hanced our regard for the possibilities
Of the natives. In one of those "cities"
was a cantino where the soldiers
bought colored drinks and hot beer.
The cantino was the front of a rela-
lively good home. Passing by one eve
ming, was surprised by the sweet
piano rendering Of one of Brahms SOUL
ful melodies. The owner of the house
invited me in, and enjoyably listened
to the melody made by his two daugh-
ters who had studied music in the
convent
Hard Work Ahead.
Actually, Manila is little more than
100 miles from the head of Lingayen
Gulf. Militarily, 1t can be many a long
battle OF. Strong resistance may be
expected. There are many rivers to
be crossed, many "cities" to be taken.
such as Dagupan, Tarlac, San Fernando,
Malolos. These towns were points of
strong resistance in insurrection days
Their names found q place in soldier
lingo. II you wanted a native to hurry
up. no matter where you were, you
commanded "sigue Dagupan." Some
became famous in soldier songs There
was the one that went: THE rebels I'D at
old Tarlac, three men to every gun:
they say the war is over, say it's Just
begun" The soldiers were faithful to
their officers, but made fun of them
high and low. There was the refrain
OF the commanding generals many
versed lament asking: What I'd like
to know, Who's the boss of this show.
Is 1t me or Emelio Aguinaldo?" These
songs will be heard no more, except.
possibly. when attempted by imbibing
voiceless veterans at "carabao wallow."
Some Of us have sad memories Forty
years ago we talked Of fortifying Lin
gayen Gulf and Aparri, of making Cor
regidor q super Gibraltar, of building
the greatest naval base In the world at
Olongapo. Nothing came of it. We
would not pay the price. The only
alternative was to get out, with the
least possible sacrifice, at the first fash
OF war. At what price in money and
IN what money won't buy!
Nations, including our own, do not
believe In the confessional. But, not
withstanding our presently overworked
word realism" 1t is not too dif,cult
to believe that moral principle has
much to do with national affairs. In
law and morals no trust Is more sacred
than that OF = guardian, and the law
Is even stricter in the case of one who
becomes trustee by his own wilful
act. We, As well as our Filipino wards
who yelled for independence, are faced
by the present holocaust. May We not
ask how well We kept our trust?
SAMUEL r. ANSEL
Wants Everybody Considered