| Show Boyle Has an Idea War of the Future With O Odd d Men in Battle Lines B By Hal lIal Boyle NEW YORK YORK Once Once upon a future time a n great war was declared But this time both sides demanded demanded de dc- de- de ie r Why should if the s scarlet car let blood of youth i ibe be waste wasted n s t cd t Why s should h 0 U I d young youns men Inthe in inthe the flower of their promise die upon the hZ battlefield to Mr lUr Boyle I save us Send the old men into battle The young men thought that was a fine idea too So both sides made an nn unofficial unofficial un un- un- un official gentleman's agreement to summon summon only oldsters to arms The first draft call was for formen formen formen men over 70 They made a fine stirring heart sight as they paraded through the streets in uniform stamping their canes bending to kiss their grandchildren dren farewell They fought their best But they couldn't climb the hills and the artillery was so noisy at night it kept them awake and wore down their strength At the end of six months the battle lines hadn't changed an inch There were more soldiers soldiers soldiers sol sol- sol sol- diers in the hospitals than on the front The rheumatism cases outnumbered the combat casualties 30 to 1 Six men over 80 convicted of desertion said To hell with it Getting Nowhere And the people began to grumble What kind of war is this Were Here not getting anywhere By a an another n o 0 t the h e r gentleman's agreement both sides then lowered the draft age to 60 Defense industries quit making canes and began grinding out bifocal glasses But in another six months the Army hospitals were full of soldiers who had come down with heart attacks AFTER climbing the hills And the people complained Millions lillions of pensions but not a single victory Is this warfare So the draft age was lowered again this again this time to 45 For the first time real infantry fighting fighting fighting fight fight- ing developed Yet after six months the hospitals again were overflowing now no with more ulcer victims than the bullet wounded Youn Young Men Ien Uneasy Were not a foot ne nearer peace but bud were we're galloping toward bankruptcy the people jeered All except the young men men- They just dust looked more and more uneasy For they had seen the war of the codgers become a war of the middle One day a n prisoner under 30 was taken I just sneaked along after my old man he explained Hes got varicose veins and andI I just wanted to help him back if he couldn't make it Well yes I was carrying a shotgun when you caught me But I was just looking for quail You know I wouldn't shoot at you fellows why fellows why Im I'm too young for forthe forthe forthe the draft But the enemy commander didn't believe belie him lIe He flashed back word to higher headquarters Rules Broken The liThe other side has broken the rules They are slipping younger soldiers into the line Are Arc we going to stand for this Soon both sides were putting younger volunteers into action And soon after after- that the gentleman's gentleman's gentleman's gentle gentle- mans man's agreement collapsed completely The bugles in both lands blew for all boys over 18 And the young men shouldered their rifles and said We Ve knew all along it was too good to be betrue true They kissed their mothers and sweethearts their sweethearts their wives and children and sisters sisters and and marched in long columns toward toward toward to to- ward the front The blood of youth again flowed in a scarlet tide And the war became like any other war war J |
