The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1946-01-04
LOOKING
AHEAD
y GEORGE S. BENSON
| presidrat--H Hurting coiiege
Seanfy. drkansas
Waiting?

A farmer friend of mine, accom-
panied by small son, took his we'll
used truck and drove over the river
to the county seat on a recent wet
Saturday. He did The weeks shop
Ping, treated the boy to western"
and started home; but mol The road
was under rising water on both
sides of the bridge Returning to
town he engaged nights lodging
and tried to telephone home.
Service on his party line had
grown steadily worse since Pearl
Harbor, especially on rainy days.
Now the instrument at his ear crack
led like cold breakfast fool and
the ringing signal suggested Central
America. He feared the worst.
Strangers nenaced him, wanting
something-the telephone maybe.
At last the operator cut in with her
inpersonal "Waiting?" and the
farmer exploded.
congressman Litcwire
Most people have had sub expert
ences. They seem to overtake us
easily when we're waiting for advice
from home. Congressman in Wash
ington krnv te fec'ir3 vel, am
told. They. most of al pu lie serv-
ants, want To hear from home. They
don't consider themselves ru, 2rs,
merely units out of far-away com
mun.ies. hard 9;c,-cd to represent
their neighbors who elected them.
Of ,;ctE
petent and eloquent; handle their
work well, but they want to be faith
full representatives Not pretending
to know all the answers, they try
earnestly to get word from the cleo
torate. Pressure groups menace
them, wanting something = their
votes maybe Their deliberations
are belittled by frantic executives
saying Waiting? What's the de-
lay?"
What's Your Pleasure?
What do you think about paying
$25 a week for 26 weeks to Tom,
Dick and Harry? Do you favor
Americas helping the Russians build
bigger and better atomic bombs?
How do you feel on the subject of
compulsory military training? Do
you believe Congress should guaran-
tee government jobs for all unera-
ployed? Your representative would
really like to know your wishes in
these matters.
Hon. Carter Manasco and score
more congressman recently listened
to testimony for more than 80 days
on the question of guaranteed jobs.
They invited every citizen with an
idea on the subject to come and tes-
tify and especially urged many to j
appear. They were most liberal
with time for preparation and time
to testify. The House Committee on
Executive Expenditures deserved
much credit and took plenty of
panning for that cautious job.
Genuine Cooperation
1t was just year ago now that
sixty citizens of Batesville, Ark,
met voluntarily to study piece Of
proposed legislation about to be con-
sidered by the House committee of
which their Washington representa-
tive was member. They deliberate
ed thoughtfully, reached a conclu-
sion and mailed Hon. Wilbur D.
Mills a brief statement of their
wishes and list of their names.
I wish the backbone friends of
every congressman in Washington
would hold such meeting soon on
one or more vital national issues. It
would twist the lever from the hand
of pressure groups. 1t would clear
the atmosphere along the Potomac.
1t would strengthen the morale of |
Congress, which is the individual cit
liens only citadel from oppression.