The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1952-10-03
Others Besides Me
By GRETCHEN BILLINGS


are asking where are we going? What
are we accomplishing? Where is il
to end? Where have we been?
Now that a political campaign is
in full swing the questions arise
louder and longer.
Others like me are heavy hearted
as we see our man-child strut proud
ly in his special" service uniform.
Others like me swallow hard at the
courage, abandon, and shakey Don't
worry about me, Nom" when the kids
say goodbye. Our kids know no fear
and when it hits them there is moth
ing we can do for them. They face
these things as we would have them
face everything in ilfe-but must
we raise them to face the violent
death of war at 18?
So we continue in a political cam
paign and the men who are destined
to be our leaders do not discuss our
boys facing death.
Republicans condemn events that
have accumulated the number of
American dead, and the events that
decree a grave in a far off land, but
what do they suggest to end it?
Democrats glorify the patriotic
purpose of the number of Ameri-
can dead and justify the past and |
future graves because they died |
fighting on foreign soil and not
Other besides me have condemned
our present state of affairs, many
not as forcefully as now, because we
are in political campaign, but there
nave been many others.
We, as nation, have been firmly
ndoctrinated with the conviction that
We must fight the Russians, but no
Russian boys are dying.
We seem to have been Unanswered
nto the position where, if we keep
N fighting we are fighting a use
ess war, if we stop we face mortal
Wounds to our national pride.
do not consider pride" vir-
lie. My pride has suffered indig- !
1tles many times in the process of
forth my sons, raising them '
nd providing for them. 1t could !
uffer more to save their lives. s
Other besides me are not convinced {
hat the only issues in this campaign
re the taxes that go for domestic |
ervices. I
In the multiple choice political t
uestion, "Who will be our next Pres d
lent" we will choose between men p
no will bubble about the 1870 of !;
IT national taxes that goes for SER o
ices to our aged, provide better edu- t
alton for our children, and bring +
reater betterment to the people of "
lie nation. We are not hearing dis o
used the $50 that goes into the +
ilitary establishment for destruc- S
on and the death of our sons. 1t u
Ill not be the small per cent that 81
'es for domestic services that will e.
I'm the country. But discussion of Sc
e larger percentage that takes our e7
innings in taxes and the cream of tt
II posterity is taboo.
1t is about time we stopped beat al
g our chests in frothy frenzy over I'll
'mestic taxes, over who's candidate kl
e candidate is, and "who shot the b1
ar" @,
Is 1t too much to ask that they tn
CURE out how they will settle the pl
oblem of WAR? If the candidates gi
e not capable of finding the an al
,er perhaps it should be singled out 81
an issue to be presented directly tn
the people to be settled. If it is an tn
iue too big for a single candidate bl
+ the Presidency of the United m
ates lets segregate it from the DO R;
zeal haraunging and give it to the in
ton. isl
Others besides me would like to
We say in the matter. Others be- re
les me are mothers of the best look tn
3 sailor in the United States NAVY. tn
hers besides me know that what in
er their son is called upon to do tri
will do well and with courage and
nor, unto facing death. But others SCI
sides me also know that he is there les
because of anything he has yet ne
a chance to decree, but because to,
lers as well as me have not spoken tn,