Show Kathleen Norris Says r j They Come Conte Back Changed Bell Syndicate Syndicate Features I i J Y f r IY c r iz U. Z It 1 f 1 r v Av A ft f Each o of f us could see that he comes home to a real welcome a plan an understanding understand I ing analysis of o f his problem 1 By KATHLEEN NORRIS NORRISA NORRISS S I write these words on a ahot ahot ahot A hot still June morning the biggest city is fuming and roaring away below my windows and complete strangers strang strang- ers are greeting each other in inthe inthe inthe the streets with the three incredible incredible incredible ible words Cherbourg is ours Yes those sweating powder- powder grimed homesick exhausted boys of ours pushed unit by unit through bitter long days up the Normandy peninsula until until until un un- un- un til they opened that vital gateway gateway gateway gate gate- way through which men and supplies could pour to their aid and that of their fellow fighters fight fight- ers all over France Lets Let's hope they know these know these soldiers soldiers soldiers sol sol- sol sol- diers of America how truly we appreciate what they have done Lets Let's hope they know that our prayers and thoughts and love have followed them through every agonizing agonizing agonizing ing step of the way and that we are glorying now in their their- courage and persistence This is a long step toward Berlin and toward the end And this brings us to thoughts of the days to come when the war is over It brings one oneto oneto oneto to serious thoughts of the army at home the home the women's army of mothers moth moth- ers daughters sisters wives The army that will welcome home that other army of tired bewildered disillusioned disillusioned disillusioned dis dis- dis- dis and often disabled fight fight- ers Tired Yes deadly tired of the disturbed and disorganized state of things at home after the months of sharply-organized sharply war Bewildered Certainly Not knowing knowing knowing know know- ing quite what to do where to take hold what work to look for at what point to begin Disillusioned Disillusioned not perhaps with the war or even with the peace but suffering from a adeep adeep adeep deep puzzled disillusionment with life life that can so generously feed teed and clothe a man in war time live him railway tickets and theater the- the iter lter tickets hospitalization education lion tion blankets cigarettes chocolate and and in peace time leave him to struggle with job-finding job unemployment ment high rents high cost of liv liv- ing And perhaps disabled Perhaps obliged to face all these things lacking lacking lacking lack lack- ing a hand lacking eyes needing a crutch or suffering from those far worse disorders of nerves and mind that cannot be reached by the cheerful cheerful cheerful cheer cheer- ful kindness and sympathy of Mom Momand Momand Momand and the girls A Place For Him Dim to Fit Are you ready to face these conditions for your soldier If two million women would face them for just one soldier each how greatly would the postwar problem be solved at home how immeasurably lessened the burden we must all to carry after the war No one Df f us can do it for them all nil but each one could do it for one could see that he comes home to a real welcome a plan an understanding analysis of his problem a small bank-account bank that w will save his self- self respect for a few months at least a place ready into which he can fit For make For make up your minds you mothers and sisters and wives everywhere everywhere everywhere ev ev- the boys are arc c coming ming home cross vague restless critical critical critical cal dissatisfied The bedroom all in order the friends gathered to cry b r ry y M Mt Mf t f Sweating powder grimed soldiers r I THE ROAD BACK When our soldiers come home tired tired disillusioned somewhat embittered with life they will be beat beat beat at loose ends for a while trying to get readjusted to a world they had almost forgotten After the rigid order o of f military living iving with everything provided and every move planned the problems problems I lems lenis and decisions of civilian life will be difficult for many veterans veterans veterans veter veter- ans to face It is during these trying days that mothers sisters sweethearts and wives must somehow give that spiritually exhausted man manthe manthe manthe the thing he wants most It maybe maybe may maybe be a trip to the mountains or a chance to complete his college course or a voyage to South America Whatever it is his liis relatives relatives relatives rela rela- tives and friends should try to provide it A tidy sum in the bank saved from war plant wages makes it a lot easier to to o gratify his wishes But in any case his struggle back c to normal living should get everyone's assistance and kiss him the admiration of medals the royal feast the feast the glamour of these things will last about 24 hours Then the change will come get ready for it Then the boy will begin to show the effects of the long strain Body mind and soul will let go all at once Hell He'll not be interested in Moms Mom's hospital work or the surprising surprising ing success of Sis in the chemical lab Hell He'll want to loaf about the house reading comics loaf downtown downtown downtown down down- town to a movie Hell He'll start up to answer your questions from some dark dream What What'd you say Mom Yep we had pretty good chow at Guadalcanal Nope it was kind of rotten oh I guess it was pretty good His voice will be uninterested uninterested uninterested ested he will turn back to his little pocket murder story again You'll feel for bitter months as if you had lost him Give him those months generously generous generous- ly and tenderly Let him get away into the mountains with a dog and an old horse if you can Get him himoff himoff himoff off to a cattle ranch or find out exactly what it has been his dream to do ship do-ship ship to China on a freighter live alone in the old cabin up by the lake and write a book finish his medical course course and and help him to do it The months of a great war war and and ours is years old now now are are hard for forthe forthe forthe the older men and for all the women women women wom wom- en at nt home But the months that follow the war are arc harder still Your splendid ambitious Jim always so full of courage and spirit and fun may come back to you silent and bitter perfectly willing to take a five from Dad and a dollar from Betty Lou perfectly willing to idle through his days drinking coffee smoking cigarettes talking movies and ball games Hes He's got long memories to live down Give him plenty of time Hell He'll come back It isn't his fault the world was plunged into the war that scarred him so deeply It was ours Pay for it by helping him back to sanity and peace |