Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1946-12-27
Dear Joe
A VETERANS CHRISTMAS
SONG
BY JAMES L. HICKS

A VETERANS CHRISTMAS
SONG
Dear Santa Claus:
I've never had the nerve to ask
you for anything since you let me
live In New Guinea during the
Christmas Of 1913 and saved my
neck In that submarine attack q
thousand miles of Honolulu on
Christmas Day in I945.
Now that I'm safe back home I'm
not going to start asking you for
eggs In my beer because, after
being with me on the other side
for three years, no one knows bet
ter than you that I am not used to
II. But I am going to ask you to
give me one thing, Santa Claus. I'm
going TO ask you to give me now
the same thing | had when the
bombs were falling In I943-the
same thing I had when that subs
torpedoes came diving my way in
the middle Of the Pacific on Christ
mas Day In 1945.
Santa Claus, I'm asking you
to give me an even break.
Don't act surprised, Santa
Claus. Too many people act
surprised these days when guys
like me ask for an even break.
It's funny how people can change
when the shells stop flying.
Over there In New Guinea in
l943 ] had n good rife. a map Of
the surrounding country and a
damn good idea Of whom I was sup
posed to be fighting against.
Nine times out Of ten I knew
from which direction the Jap would
be coming and from the hole where
I lay I knew that IL I stayed on
the alert and remembered the
things I'd been trained I had q
$3.50 chance Of getting the Jap be-
fore he got me,
Even when the Jap came by air.
I usually got a three to Ave minute
warning that he was coming and
there were guys in the air over
my head who'd give their lives to
see that he didn't drop n bomb in
my hip pocket. Even when that
submarine struck on Christmas day
we had been warned twelve hours
before that she was on our trail.
We knew she was coming and were
ready when she got there.
In other words, Santa Claus, we
had an even chance-and that Is
what want for Christmas.
Take that surprised look OF your
face, Santa Claus, and take a look
at this reconverting Amsrica-this
Operation U. S. A."
I was three years old when the
boys came home after the last war.
so you can see I've never had any
training for this reconversion war
fare.
Sure. I heard about the riots
and the lyHehinEs that followed
the last war. and come 60 think
about u was rather . pretty
husky youRGster when they
turned the gas on the bonus
marehers q few years back, but
honestly Santa Claus, when l
signed up in iSlo. the U. 8. A.
promised me that all that Kind Of
business was over. And hid that
I was, Santa Claus, I believed u.
They tell me that the CT Bill Of
Rights is my rife in the War Of
Reconversion. They say with II
I'm q giant killsr--that I don't
need fear any kind Of attack. But
take a look at this rife they've
given me, Santa Claus. It's
funny irearm. II only shoots &C
eurately for certain kinds Of pso'
pie.
when I first got my hands OF
that CT Bin Of Rights rife, I tool
IL apart and studied il just like
studied the parts Of my old Spring
field back in basic training. Aftsl
I was sure how every part OF u
was supposed to work picked Out
my target and lined up my sights
But you know what happened
Santa Caus--tAks that surprises
look OF your faee-you knew al
the time that for me that rife had
blank ammunition. You knew but
now you act surprised. SAINTS
Claus.
When I found that rife had blanb
cartridge in Il I didn't give up
good soldier never gives up %
the airing lire. So I looked around
for something else TO hght with and
I got my hands on . pistol eallet
Public Law 10.
I auAliasA 90 aght with this
Kua In the War u RecSaveruios