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Show SOUTH CACHE COURIER Marine Sergeant Who Was King Of 12,000 Natives on Voodoo Isle Yank Was Believed .Reincarnation of Faustin I. ONE rs s, fox-hol- pre-flig- ht knife-wieldin- Big City Vignette: Two boys were enthused about the newsreel chewing their taffy and otherwise being kids at a movie theater last week . . . Then on came Greer Garsons short appealing for Infantile Paralysis contributions . . . The house lights went up, and the ladies with the coin boxes passed them . . . Probably thinking children had no money, a skipped the two boys . . . One got up and chased her several rows back Here before, he could catch her. lady, he kept calling, lady, here! . . . Limping on his braced leg to give his little bit so that some other youngster not so fortunate as he could go to a movie and giggle and munch candy and also give. box-pass- Picture: Thumbnail Raymond Paige read it long ago. About the diplomat from Europe, who after 125 witnessing Congress in action the Warnings were issued that evefirst time, observed: Congress is strange. A man gets up to speak ning that one of our patrols would and says nothing. Nobody listens be coming through the woods after making a reconnaissance in front of and then all disagree. the lines. Late in the evening some Heheheh: Lee.Shubert, the thea- 50 men approached us. "We thought it was our own pater magnate, was complaining of a trol, said Pfc. Jack Sugarman, but sore throat. Thats what you get, scolded a we werent taking any chances. We wag, for counting your money out hollered hIt, fired a shot over their heads and no one answered. Then loud. ABOUT RUBBER not successfuL Wirkus engaged in many scraps he killed seven cacos in one bitter engagement and gained recognition as an effgrad-uall- y The Magic Lanterns: Tallulah Bankhead, whose cinema career was wrecked a decade ago with cheesy stories, didnt make that blunder again. She comes back in By ROBERT H. MYERS Released by Western Newspaper Union. Lifeboat," fashioned by John Steinbeck and directed by the mighty (Through courtesy of THE LEATHHitchcock. Its a highly seaworthy ERNECK, the magazine of the U. S. vehicle. Its story deals with the ad- Marines.) ventures of nine in a boat through dark, gloomy night in the courtesy of a Nazi sub. A Nazi year 1848, on the tiny gets aboard the boat, and from then on, in Steinbecks devastating diatropical voodoo isle of La logue, you get a swell look at a rat. Gonave, black King Faustin Tallulah gives her role plenty of I suddenly and mysteriously vigor, and there are good jobs by disappeared. Years crept by Wm. Bendix, Gwen Anderson and and King Faustin I was never . . . Sherlock Holmes . Henry Hull from again, but a legheard and the Spider Woman" puts Basil was end born that some day a Rathbone to work at his silky gumdescendant of his name would shoeing. He prowls around to discover that all those suicides arent return to rule this West Indies what theyre cracked up to be . . . island. Some three score and ten years Of Thee I Sing is to be filmed, probably hopeful of getting a free later, in 1920, a creaky sailboat lurched acfoss the choppy waters of ride on the Presidential campaign. the channel from Port au Prince and I Remember It! Bob Dunn won-,de- scraped up on the sands of La Gonif we ever heard about the late ave. Bounding out was a strange Jim Thornton, the vaudeville star, collection of occupants; chattering black natives, bawling cattle and when he was teamed with Gentleman Jim Corbett. Mr. Thornton Gunnery Sergeant Wirkus of the was an elbow-bende- r, and whenever Uhited States marines whose first he went on a spree, the act was name was Faustin. Thus was forged a link in' one of cancelled. It happened at the Palace Theatre. the strangest stories that ever came out of this storied, superstition-boun- d Corbett went looking for his partisland. For Faustin E. Wir-kuner and located him in a saloon a blue-eyesquare-chinne- d with a terrible looking bum. Corbett bawled him out and refused to Yankee from the state of Pennsylgive him money for one more drink. vania, who had never heard of King To which Thornton, in regal tones, Faustin I or about his mysterious Mr. Russell, disappearance from La Gonave, and said to the bum: this is Mr. Corbett. Throw a louse most certainly was no descendant of on him!" the ebony emperor, eventually was crowned King Faustin II and Mail This to Someone: We saw it reigned virtually singlehanded over In Coronet. It should be handed to the 12,000 natives for nearly five people who cash in their War Bonds. years between 1921 and 1925. A man scheduled for induction the Hes Asked About Queen. next day decided, before going to He became famous as the White sleep, to cash in his Bond the next King of La Gonave, and as he a. m. dugoes about more That night he dreamt he was in a ties in the marinecommonplace he corps today, e fighting Japs. One Jap still gets numerous inquiries about charged at him with a bayonet. his years in Haiti; about the broad Sighting his own rifle, our hero was and beaming native woman, Queen about to save himself by pulling the Ti Memenne, who had chosen him trigger, when his sergeant tapped to rule the island. him on the shoulder and said, SorQueen Ti Memenne, of course, was ry, but the man who paid for your not really a queen, nor was Wirkus rifle wants it back. truly a king, because La Gonave was merely a province of Haiti and The Morning Mail: Dear Wal under the administration of the Haiter," writes Maurice Rocco, It tian republic and its president But must be an oldie, but it still gets the stormy little country had been the biggest laugh wherever gamblers the scene of a bloody uprising a gather. About the wife who (going few years before, starting in 1915. through her grooms pockets) found Marines had been sent in to settle a slip of paper on which was memod it, and a picked number had reRuth. She asked him: Whats this mained to train and run the native mean? Gendarmerie. Oh, he ohd, thats a horse I Gunnery Sergeant Wirkus was one played today. Then the phone rang. of these men, and by congressional She picked up the receiver. permission, was on detached duty Darling, said the Mrs., your with the Gendarmerie and held the horse wants to tatk to you. rank of lieutenant in the force. Assigned to La Gonave, he was officialBehind the Scenes: Grena Ben ly a subdistrict commander. ' nett, a New York opera critic, Today Wirkus is a warrant officer, movies. in at hours the charge of the marine aviation despends spare In one film revival she saw an actor tachment at the navys listed as Alexander Broun. Grena school at Chapel Hill, N. C. But to wracked her memory to place a go back to those years of yesterfamiliar mannerism of the unknown day y Soon after enlisting, he landed in player. Then a closeup showed the Haiti with the first outfits of matrouper had oddly scarred thumbs. It was Richard Bennett, in a rines that went down to settle the meager role, who disguised himself trouble in that country. His was the in two critics names, Woollcott and old Twenty-secon- d company, led by Broun. Miss Eenntett, you see, was Capt. Alexander S. Williams, and Richard Bennetts first wife. She his battalion commander was a man remembered a boyhood accident later destined for world fame, Gen. Smedley Butler. that nearly cost him his hands. Five Years of Bushfighting. Off and on for five years, the maThe morning after movie director Edmund Gouldiiig first visited Hol- rines were busy bushflghting the g cacos, lywood (many years ago), he was treacherous awakened by his hosts valet, who natives whose tactics were bloody if stood by the bed offering him a small golden bowl filled with a clear, liquid. Oqly half, awake, Goulding stared at the bowl. Was it a finger bowl? Surely not at this hour Was it something to drink? He finally decided to ask the valet. What the .devil is this, anyhow? The temperature of. your bath, Will you intoned the lackey. kindly let me know if it is satisfactory, sir?" d, SNAPPY FACTS icient and straight-shootin- g non-co- Once in Port au Prince he took a handful of native gendarmerie and broke up a secret voodoo ceremony and captured the ringleaders. This he accomplished with not a man injured. Voodoo meetings were often hotbeds of trouble. During these years Wirkus kept hearing tales about the island of La Gonave, 40 miles north of Port au Prince and about 300 square miles in area. Voodooism was rampant on the island, and fearsome were some of the tales. A white man, so it was whispered, was not safe on Warrant Officer Faustin Wirkus at La Gonave. No one wanted that out- he looks today. post duty. Ghosts and spooks, they teriously, into a dwelling especially said, haunted the place. But Wirkus made one visit to the reserved for him. It was late afterisland and decided he wanted it as noon and the queens emissaries a command. He scoffed informed him that his presence at voodoo scare tales and still does would not be wanted before Queen and figured it would be a good Ti Memenne until late that night. n place as a job. Hunting Already drums were slowly beating and fishing were good, the climate in the village center. Still wondering was no barrier, and Wirkus was what it was all about, he calmly unambitious to make a name for him- dressed and went to sleep. Khaki-Cla- d Monarch. self as the key man in running the subdistrict. It was his responsibility the marine sergeant, Later to regulate travel and traffic, pre- dressed in his usual khaki and putvent smuggling, exercise control tees, entered the queens house, over the prison, enforce harbor and stepping into a .tiny room. Squatdocking regulations, sanitation re- ting in close array on the floor were quirements, and see that lands were members of the inner court. Ti properly allotted and taxes paid. Memenne, barefoot and dressed in Natives Suspicious. a gaily colored robe, sat at the front When Wirkus arrived on brooding in regal fashion, her black face La Gonave, he found the natives shadowy in the sputtering, vague suspicious of all white men, which rays of candles. Queen Ti Memenne was hardly surprising. For years must have been in her forties or they had been exploited and cheated. more, and, while a friendly woman, Their lot was a poor one, to say the she had a way of commanding and least. Wirkus set out to correct getting respect. these conditions, and behind his sucThe marine found out why he had cess was a genuine affection for the been summoned before the queen. native population. As sequester, or He was to be crowned King1 Fausadministrator, he not only handled tin II. his official duties, but went out of At first I thought it was jus$ a his way to help the people. He way they had of telling me. they showed them better ways to till their liked me, but later it developed that lands, for the main industry was ag- Ti Memenne and her people were riculture. He repaired their antique in earnest about the matter. They equipment and modernized it where had discussed the thing for days, possible. and had agreed to name me as their ( Mothers were astonished but white king. The ceremony, weird in many grateful when he came to their aid in bringing up their offspring. They ways, lasted nearly three hours. Outdidnt know it, but he bought a side the drums rolled and pounded, book, The Care and Feeding of all but drowning out the bleating of to help him with such a young goat scared to the Children, tip of problems. He surveyed the lands his tail, which was brought into the and divided, eliminating bitter dis- royal chamber and offered up as a putes, and he reduced taxes for blood sacrifice. some and boosted it for others, many Wirkus was seated on a small, of whom had enjoyed favoritism d chair, and at the from corrupt local representatives queens command, an attendant of the Haitian government. came from the next room bearing a It took a full year for Wirkus to heavy, ornate crown. I now erown you King Faustin gain the trust and friendship of the islanders, and particularly Queen TI II, proclaimed Queen Ti MemMemenne. The queen was the enne, and she placed the crown leading figure in a group of matrithe same crown, so it was said, archal societies which dominated that once had adorned the head of affairs of business and society on King Faustin I on Wirkus I La Gonave. During his early months Two huge blacks then picked me there, Wirkus had made it a point to up and carried me outside. As soon humor the fat and friendly queen, as I the drums beat out and she soon began to accept his the appeared salute four ruffles and kings advice and help. , three taps. I knew that this was Summons From Queen. no empty honor they were paying sumOne day Wirkus received a me. mons at his newly built home on the White King of La Gonave. coast. Messengers from the queen was crowned The White Thus soldelivered it. They were very emn. The message asked that Wir- King of La Gonave, a title that kus hasten inland and up into the was to bring Wirkus, the marine, back mountain country to the fame in many countries. William B. Seabrook made him the featured roqueens village of whitewashed mud huts. The queen very urgently want- mantic character of his book, Maged to see thf young American, who ic Isle, and later Mr. Wirkus himself wrote a book which he called was then not quite 25. The White King of La Gonave. could what be about, it Wondering With the fame, however, also Wirkus accepted and started off on came envy and jealousy from cerhorseback. The trails up the mountain were crowded with natives, all tain quarters. Haitis president a ' heading for the queens village. few years later, Louis Borno, hardly When he finally reached the village relished the popularity of Ld Gon-avsubdistrict commander, or the he was ushered, still somewhat mys- thought that a king, official or unofficial, was in charge of one of his VS v 'V ssv , vV ' 'Hi provinces. So eventually Wirkus was transferred to another West Indies station. Before that happened, though, the adventure - loving leatherneck proved himself a good .and kindly administrator. The natives greeted him with Bon soir, Roi, or Good evening. King, and he was forever amused at the intense interest the natives took in his everyday affairs. Often they stood around his home, just to watch him dress. As King, of course, he had no more authority than he had before. In the eyes of his marine associates in the Gendarmerie, he was still merely subdistrict commander. He received no pay for his kingly title, and his stay on the island was as routine as before. To him, it was just a high compliment. In 1925 Wirkus was transferred to another station in the West Indies. It was a sad occasion when The White King of La Gonave bade his people goodby. The natives lined the shores and cheered as Queen Ti Memenne gravely prophesied: Some .day you will come back and rule the island of La Gonave. sub-distri- one-ma- short-legge- es V ' How a Handful of Devildogs, Armed With One Machine Gun, Slew Japanese in a Three Hour Battle on Guadalcanal Washington, D. C. OF WASTED MANPOWER ' The fathers draft has brought on a new series of complaints about wasted manpower in the armed services stationed in the U. S. A. Pending a call to action, a feeling of idleness and waste becomes demoralizing factor. The men on the home front generally suffer most service disease of from the age-ol- d just waiting around. The type of thing that happens in the waiting period is illustrated in a confidential survey made at the naval dirigible station at Lakehurst, N. J., which brought forth the fol lowing facts. 1. The navy uses 100 to 115 men to handle a blimp when it lands, whereas Goodyear handles the same blimp with 15 civilians. 2. As at many shore stations, duty usually consists of 24 hours on, then 24 hours stand-b- y (which means waiting around to 'see if anything happens), then 24 hours liberty, Then this is repeated. Many men complain that the 24 hours of loafing at stand-b- y could be used for some constructive type of work. 3. More than 1,000 civilians are employed to recondition ships at high rates of pay, while enlisted men who could do the job and need the training lie around idle. 4. A high wire fence, guarded by armed sailors, surrounds Lakehurst, Then, inside the fence, a marine guards the outside of each hangar, Then, inside the hangar, two civilians also stand guard. 5. The Lakehurst commissary, which handles about 100 customers per day, is staffed to handle about 1,000. It has 10 clerks, 2 commissioned officers and 1 cashier. Any civilian groceryman plus an assistant could easily handle the whole business. Multiply Lakehursts wasted manpower by the navys many other Shore stations and it runs into thousands of men. Note: Hie men themselves are not to blame. Most of them chafe at inactivity, want to see action. Effect on the Men. One significant indication of how glutted the navy is with manpower g is in the camps, designed to transform a civilian into a sailor. This training used to last three weeks. Now it has been running four months or more. And aftthouer finishing this sands of men lie around for months in OGUs (outgoing units) awaiting assignment to a school or other activity. In the past year, also, many enlisted men come to the conclusion that navy schools are being maintained mainly for the purpose of keeping them occupied. Slump in Draft Quotas. ti Most significant fact about the manpower situation is that, all last summer, the army and navy were getting less than the quota of men they requested from the draft boards, but did not complain. Few people outside the government realized it, but even at the time the fathers draft was under vigorous discussion on Capitol Hill, the army and navy were not complaining about the failure of draft boards to fill the quotas. During the first months of 1943, draft boards overfilled their quotas. But in April, they began to slump off. In that month, the army-nav- y asked for 334,000 men but actually got only 299,000. This would not have been significant if it had occurred in one month only. But in May, the services asked Selective Service for How303,000 men, got only 264,000. ever, there was no complaint from either the army or navy. Again, in June, the services asked for 320,000 men, but got only 288,000. In July, they asked for 355,000 but got only 289,000, only slightly more than the June figure despite the fact that the quota requested by the army and navy had been increased. In August, the army-nav-y request dropped to 299,000, and the draft boards supplied only 221,000 men, a scant 75 per cent of the number asked for. In September, the army-nav- y quota was 313,000 men, but they got only 214,000 or 70 per cent of what they asked for. However, at no time did the armed services make any protest. They seemed content to coast along with what the draft boards were giving them. This was all during the period was under when the father-draf- t serious discussion and when the administration was taking a vigorous stand that fathers had to be drafted. What the answer is, no one quite officers knows. Highup army-nav- y probably know but wont talk. However, the Truman committee may ask some potent questiohs.' Normally U. S. motorists needed 30 to 35 million new replacement tiros a year. In 1943 and 1943 combined, only about 17 million tires will have reached vehicle owners through rationing of- COMPLAINTS boot-trainin- boot-trainin- g, MERRY-GO-ROUN- D C, New Democratic National Chairman Bob Hannegan is boosting Dan Nee, Internal Revenue collector at the attack began. said Sugarman, attacking, our Kansas City, to be 'his successor as Japanese troops rushed the barbed gun jammed and we had to work Commissioner of Internal Revenue. wire defenses and attempted to scale pretty fast to clear it. Then their Thus the commissionership would them with a bridge made of poles mortars fonnd the range. Seven be merely shifted from one end of and cloth. For each man that fell times we had to move our gun posi- Missouri, St. Louis, home town of it seemed there were two more to tion. Hannegan, to the other end of Mistake his place. The Japs threw evThe battle lasted three hours, ac- souri, Kansas City, home town of erything at the maehine gun posi- cording to Sugarman. He estimated Nee. tions, including grenades, dynamite, that the machine gun pumped out C. Tom Corcoran, the trustand flame throwers. 4,000 rounds, and 125 dead Japs lay er, has had a shot in his arm preFive times, when the Japs were in front of their sector. paratory to going to China. -- in fices. Koroseal Is "Plasticized polyvinyl chloride," a B. F. Goodrich rubber-lik- e material that before the war was used Inmore than 300 different products. Koroseal has now gone to war. Wheel alignment means much to tire mileage these days, with so many old cars in service. ' Frequent checking of camber and toe-i- n in front wheels will prove a rubber and mileage saver. BEGoodrich FIRS Two Qualities There are only two qualities in this world efficiency and inefficiency; and only two sorts of people the efficient 'and the inefficient. G. B. Shaw. 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