The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1946-02-04

Military Leaders
Beat Hasty Retreat
When USO Closes
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BY HELEN EssARY

Al the Closing CeEeuiohiSs VI Inv
Washington Stage Door Canteen
there occurred a remarkable dem
onstration centered on Gen. Dwight
o. Eisenhower and Adm. Chester
W. NINTH. The demonstration
was not a TART OF the planned pro
gram for the evening.
In the program. as planned, the
general OF the Army and the ad-
. miral Of the fleet and their charm
ing wives were TO have coffee on
the stage OF the canteen. At the
end OF the coffee drinking, the
gentlemen were TO make short.
pleasant speeches and then with
their wives Join the soldiers, sailors
and Marines in the audience and
there watch the remainder Of the
evenings entertainment
However, there began such an
uproar Of yelling and rushing about
Immediately after the Speech-mAk-
ing, that the canteen authorities
thought II inadyisable 10 permit
General and Mrs. Eisenhower and
Admiral and Mrs. Nimitz to so
down from the stage and sit in the
midst OF the crowd OF excited men.
The uproar may have been en-.
thusiasm and an appreciation OF
the military chiefs. Or, It may
have been an expression OF resent.
ment against military practices
that began the CT rebellions in the
Philippines and spread to almost
every big military center abroad.
Whatever the commotion did
represent. It did not seem wise TO
take chances with the uncertain
mood OF the noisy mob. So the
canteen authorities swished the
Army and Navy chiefs and their
ladies out a back door OF the
theater. Swished them out so fast,
without warning, that Admiral
Einitz did not have time to fnsh
his coffee and Mrs. NimitS left her
coat behind and had to wait coat.
less until someone brought It.
Somebody phoned for official
cars. II took a while to get them
10 the theater. The little party Of
startled military celebrities stood
outside the cAnteen and waited,
shivering, for 20 minutes on the
coolest night in January rather
than risk a temperance among
the agitated servicemen.
Here is an incident to be thought
fully considered. | PASS Il on with
out comment.
NOW LET US GET TO A
PLEASANTER THEME-How to
be a good wife to a public man.
In other words, we'll change the
subject to Mrs. Harold Stassen and
how she conducted herself while
her husband was overseas.
Mrs. Stassen, in her husbands
opinion, is the best campaigner in
the family. He told me so at the
Women's National Press Club
luncheon. Fine. governor, or is It
captain you'd prefer to be called
now that you've been in the Naval
Reserve?" l said, But how does
she show her talent for campaign.
ing?"
by always instinctively doing
and saying the right thing" said
the gentleman from Minnesota,
often referred to as a Republican
presidential possibility for 1913.
I'll explain" said Governor Cap
tain-Presidential Possibility Stas-
sen. He was about to make an eH-
cellent speech on the need OF n
foreign policy for the United
States. with advice TO the United
Nations ito get up and walk.
Several awkward political situa.
tons developed in Minnesota while
] was away" he said. There was
the decision OF my associate ano
friend. Senator Joe Ball, to vote
for Mr.. Roosevelt and thus turn
thumbs down on Governor Dewey
at the last presidential election.
MY wife was bombarded with
questions. Would she make
speech, a statement? Would she
Just talk? Would she indicate
how I. then thousands OF miles
away. would feel about Joe's sud.
den change OF political faith7 There
was no way TO communicate with
me. Many people rushed forward
TO advise my wife. Put she took
no ones advice. She worked the
thirt out for herself.
"She said she didn't know wheth-
er or not the fact that Joe Ball
had changed his vote meant that
also would vote for Mr.. Roosevelt.
But she would be glad 10 say how
che was Foing 10 vote She would
vote for Tom Dewey"
I wonder how she'd III the un-en.
larged White House?