COUGAR SCREAM

LAST WEEK the daily press carried the news that Ray Frankowski, an All-American football star had enlisted in the Navy. The daily press, covered the occasion admirably in view of space limitations, but we take this occasion to point out a significant fact which apparently escaped the hurried sports writers in their continuous race with edition deadlines--that All-American takes on a double meaning for Frankowski, now that he has become a part of the nation's first line of defense.

His background shows him to be an All-American in fact as well as in name, and he enlisted in the Navy as an apprentice seaman, starting at the bottom of the ladder and asking for no special privileges on account of his fame both as a football star and a heavyweight wrestling champion-all he asked was for a place in this man's Navy and a chance to go to the top. He got both.

He was born in Chicago and was graduated from high school in Hammond, Indiana, before entering the University of Washington and, unlike many athletic stars, he gave the "gravy train" courses a wide birth at the University and elected to work for an engineering degree, taking a full course in mathematics. He might at the age of twenty-two, have tried for a commission, or, with his athletic background, started his Naval career as a Petty Officer in the specialist branch. But, we repeat, he chose to start at the bottom of the ladder as an Apprentice Seaman.

Frankowski enlisted in Class V-2 for the Aviation Machinist's Mate school with his eyes already bent on the first step up the ladder. He reached the top in college and remained unspoiled. With the background he now has, together with the strength of character of which he is possessed, there is nothing to prevent him from reaching the top in the Navy, for the Navy is ever seeking to bolster the first line of defense for this Nation--the kind of youth who typifies American men.

You hear so many men telling what the country should do, and isn't it a shame that so many great strategists are wasted in barber shops.

Labor is the work you are doing today; capital is a token representing the unspent portion of yesterday's labor.

You aren't really talking about the weather when you say it's a nice day. You are saying that you are well and happy.

There is need, writes a beauty expert, for a substitute fingernail polish. How about the soft, pink sheen God put there in the first place!

Hear the man growl angrily: "I don't believe it." It means he has heard bad news and knows it is true.

Did you know that Admiral Farragut was given command of a ship at the age of twelve. That he entered the U. S. Navy at the age of nine.

Heavenly father, up above

    Please protect the girl I love.

Keep her always safe and sound

    No matter with whom or where she

    is found.



Help her to know and help her to see

    That I love her and I hope she lover

    me;



And then, Dear Lord,

    Help me to be

The boy that she'd expect of me.

We wonder how many people, rank and file, fail to fully realize that we are at war, not only with Japan and Germany, but at war with a theory and philosophy that if successful, will make slaves of us all.

We drop into a cafe, into a tavern, or into a place of entertainment, and we see young men, young women, apparantly, if we accept their attitude as an indication of their impulses concerning their responsibilities, with no idea that we are at war, or how serious this thing is which we have to combat.

For five hundred years the AngleSaxon Race has made every effort, year after year, century after century, to assure the individual rights which are primary to a full life. The defeat of this effort, this combination of the thoughts of the intellectual dregs of Europe, together with the theories of the yellow race to suborn these things for which we have fought for centuries, is a thing that should be paramount in the mind and conscience of every Angle Saxon Human Being.

Of course, relaxation with the proper attention to the maintenance of maximum physical perfection, which is necessary to achieve that end, is something greatly to be desired. We can not exert our efforts without maintaining ourselves in a state of physical and mental perfection.

We have been in receipt recently of news letters from the Hawaii Area which felt the first impression of the attack on our territory. There is one which we would like to quote, which illustrates this point graphically.

"One of the most potent weapons of Axis enemies is "War of Nerves."

They hope that in an emergency their opponents will "Run in a circle, rave and shout. When you arrive back in port after a long tough cruise, lock up your trouble, forget your cares, everything will keep until tomorrow. Go ashore to one of the recreation centers to swim, bowl, play tennis or soft ball; the pure physical effort will enable you to relax mentally. When you get back on board ship and pick up where you left off, your troubles and cares will seem to have shrunk a lot."

That advice, however, was given to the men who took it, and had been taking it on the chin. The first two paragraphs above are not an exhortation to break out in tears but simply a reminder that we are at war.

TAKING INTO account the part fifth columnists have played in the hostilities in Hawaii and the Philippines, as well as previous activities in Norway, Denmark and France, it is well to consider the possibility of foreign agents operating around us here........casual acquaintances, neighbors, even persons whom we may number among our friends but of whom we may not know too much.

The activities of foreign agents are as varied as they are ingenious. It has been found that one method is the writing of letters to men in the armed services. Ingenious methods have been used to induce replies to letters, advertisements, offers of all kinds, etc. From the replies it is often possible to gain information about the localities and movements of naval vessels.

Recently, also, we reiterated the extreme necessity of repeating nothing regarding the Navy to any person. This necessity of rigid silence even on seemingly trivial matters, cannot be over-emphasized. Recently an employee of an important Naval shore activity, who possessed vital defense secrets, was approached by a neighbor with whom he had no previous relations. This neighbor was fully informed as to the nature of this naval employee's duties, and extended considerable hospitality of an expensive nature, entertaining him royally. The employee became suspicious and these suspicions probably saved many lives. He reported the matter directly to the Office of Naval Intelligence, which identified the neighbor as an agent of a foreign government.

The natural inclination in man, when he is lost in the woods, or is floundering around in business for which he is not qualified, is to move in a circle.

The carrier pigeon flies straight to his destination; the horse goes unguided through the darkest night to his stable.

A man may have genius or merely ordinary talent, but if he cannot move straight ahead, think clearly and keep his mind upon his work, he is plodding round and round, arriving at the end of the year about the same spot from which he started, befuddled a little more and decidedly less courageous.

Such a man, and there are thousands of them, is not built for success. He is apt to take no reckoning of his progress until someone beside him who has been thinking effectively in straight lines, moves up to where opportunity is greater and the reward richer.

This rude awakening causes but a temporary shock to his numb sensibilities, lasting, perhaps a day or two, but producing in him no material change for the better.

If any serious doubt as to his ability should come to him at such a time as this, it is instantly banished as to burdensome, and he continues his aimless trot in the old circle.

He doesn't ask himself whether he thinks constructively or whether he thinks at all.

He doesn't ask whether he is given to watching the clock and stealing away frequently from his work to inhale the aroma of his favorite cigarette.

He doesn't ask whether he in all his time in his present position has made a single suggestion of value to his employer.

Ah, no! he has the faculty of avoiding duteous obligations, especially those that would be likely to impose upon him an additional stroke of work, or interfere with his plans for pleasure among his night associates.

Such a man is not qualified for straight thinking or straight going. He is not capable of handling things with intelligence and in the depths of his heart he knows it.

He is a failure, and for no other reason in the world than his own perverseness is moving in the old circle--wandering about the best part of his life in the wilderness.

During hearings on the Navy Department Appropriation bill for 1943, Department spokesmen, presenting the item "Miscellaneous Expenses," attributed a portion of the increase over 1942 estimates to the additional number of good conduct medals that will be necessary.

The quack was selling an elixer which he declared would make men live to a great age.
"Look at me," he shouted. "Hale and hearty, I'm over 300 years old."
"Is he really as old as that?" asked a listener of the youthful assistant.
"I can't say," replied the assistant. "I've only worked for him for 100 years."

God sends us sorrow,--Care,

     To test our Faith in Him,

So may our lamp of

     Faith Never grow dim.



God sends us bitter loss,

     But gives us courage,--rare,

He never makes our cross

     To great to bear.



If God should give us naught

     But joy on earth,

We would not have the chance

     To prove our worth.



He knows just what is best,

     His love and care

Strengthens our Faith in Him.-

     Who answers Prayer.

"Jap hunting licenses issued here." That is the sign which rests on the Sergeant's desk of a California Marine Recruiting Station. Reports have it that he is doing a land-office business in his recruiting.

I am very enthusiastic about army camp life. We lie around in bed every morning until five o'clock. This, of course gives us plenty of time to get washed, shaved, dressed, make our bunks, etc., by five-ten. By five-fifteen we stand outside and shiver awhile until someone blows the bugle. After we are reasonably chilled, we grope our way through the darkness to the mess hall.

After chow, we have nothing to do until seven-thirty so we just sit around and mop floors, wash windows, and pick up all the cigarette butts and match-sticks within a radius of one hundred fifty feet of our barracks.

Soon the sergeant comes in and says "Come on out in the sun, kids," so we go out and bask in the wonderful sunshine, do a few simple calisthenics like touching you toes with both of your feet on the ground, and grabbing yourself by the hair and holding yourself at arms length.

At eight o'clock we put on a light pack, and start walking to the mountains. The light packs not to be confused with the heavy pack. The light pack includes a gun, bayonet, canteen, mess kit, coat, cartridge belt, first aid kit, pup tent, stakes, tent pole, rope, and a few other negligible items. The heavy pack has a blanket or two in it. Carrying my pack I weigh 237 pounds (weighed 140 pounds when I left) so you can see how easy and agreeable it is to romp and play in the mountains.

An observation car follows us as we climb the mountains and picks up the fellows who faint. The boys who fell out in the mountain climbing are treated very well. They give them six months in the guard house, but they do not have to face court martial. At twelve o'clock those who can, limp to the infirmary. At the infirmary, patients are divided into two classes. (1) Those who have athletics foot and (2) those who have colds. If you have athletics foot, you get your throat swabbed with Iodine. Any one who claims he has neither a cold nor athletics foot is sent to the guard house for impersonating an officer.

I am very popular at the infirmary. I told them that I have both a cold and athletics foot. What I really have is gastric ulcers, but I know when to; keep my mouth shut. Well, that's all I have time to write tonight. I've got to rush to the mess hall. We're having hominy tonight! Ohboy!
------------Your chum,
------------PRIVATE LEE

A gentleman was much surprised when the good-looking young lady greeted him by saying, "Good evening." He could not remember ever having seen her before.
She evidently realized that she had made a mistake, for she apologized, and explained: "Oh, I'm sorry. When I first saw you I thought you were the father of two of my children."
She walked on while the man stared after her. She did not realize, of course, that he was unaware of the fact that she was a school teacher.

A man who stuttered was asked why he did so.
"It's my p-p-p-peculiarity," he answered. "Everybody has s-s-s-some p-p-p-peculiarity,"
"I don't have any," said the questioner.
"Don't y-y-you s-s-stir you c-coffee with your r-r-r-right hand?"
"Yes, of course."
"Th-that's your p-p-p-peculiarity.
Most p-p-p-people use a s-s-s-spoon!"

Gardener: "This is a tobacco plant in full flower, madam."
Dear Old Lady: "How very interesting! And how long will it be before the cigars are ripe?"

The objector to temperance spoke bitterly. "Water has killed more people; than liquor ever did."
"You are raving," declared the tee-totaler. "How do you make that out?"
"Well, to begin with, there was the flood.

Mathey: "Have you ever had a lesson by correspondence?"
Griffiths: "Oh; yes. I: never write to women now."

A girl is always one of three things: Hungry, thirsty, or both.

If the Japs come looking for trouble again, they will be seeing double. The double trouble will be Marvin and Melvin Minor, nineteen-year-old identical twins from Vancouver, Washington, who look so much alike that even the Navy Recruiting doctor couldn't tell them apart.

Each is sixty-seven and--a quarter inches tall; weighs 156 pounds, had measels at the same time; had mumps at the same time, and on the same side at the same time; hair coloring identical; eyes identical and complexions, the same. The only evidence the doctor had that he had not examined the same man twice was that one had a mole on the right shoulder. They act alike and think alike, top, Each was a truck driver for the same firm and they told the Officer-in-Charge of the Seattle Navy Recruiting District, that they want to be aviation mechanics -- with an: identical yen to make as much trouble as possible for the Japs.

It wasn't by chance that-the sea going service obtained this reputation. Years of constant harping were necessary to instill the habit of cleanliness in every corner of the Navy, until the quality became a hard and fast mark of the service.

To the public, the appearance of a Navy man is indicative of the appearance of his ship or station. The ships and stations are scrupulously clean. It is up to the men to prove this fact by their personal appearance.

But the trouble is, it is far too easy for one man to cancel a sizeable portion He has only to walk ashore with unclean fingernails-dirty shoes or unpressed blues.

Dr. William Rothwell, 71, well-loved town character, who always paid the check at .parties. Died of heart disease in Pawtucket, R.I. His tombstone: a boulder inscribed "...This is on me."

In Tibet when one man greets another it goes beyond the mere shaking of hands. A Tibetan bows, extends both hands palms open and sticks out his tongue!

Few of us go about with knives in our hands, but many of us have words as sharp as knives on our tongues! With those words we can say cutting things which make others unhappy, discouraged, fearful. We can ruin careers, set man against man, create jealousies, and destroy as viciously as a soldier with a sword.

I like the Tibetan idea. If we would enter our relations with men with no evil words on our tongues, if we would learn to speak well of others or remain silent, if we would refrain from intolerant, bitter and unkind remarks what a changed world this would be!

Of course sticking out one's tongue has another meaning in America. We don't want to have people think we are giving them the Bronx cheer! But we can follow the idea of disarming our tongues without showing them. And that's all that counts.