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Show fTCREEK k J v.. ,V 4 -Blta Who can say whether the October 15 Vitnam Moritorium marches and rallies were positive posi-tive or negative? Perphas we are too close to them to make an accurate evaluation, just now. President Nixon for one, said that his decisions, present and future, would not be affected by the demonstrations. But this could be the understatement of the year. I for another, was affected by it. In my opinion, it was the first time that American citizens, citi-zens, young and older, have expressed ex-pressed organized dissent relative rela-tive to the conduct of the Vietnam Viet-nam conflict in a sane and orderly or-derly way. There were no riots, lootings, burnings, shootings or homocides. The above facts seem to be ample evidence that the war-makers war-makers have been missing the boat ever since the Vietnam mess began. They haven't taken tak-en the American people into their confidence and sincerely asked for their support and aid. Especially has this been true with respect to the young people. Quoting from the historic poem, Charge of the Light Brigade, "Their's was not to reason why, their's was but to do and die." How well I remember the dark days of World War II. The warmakers, headed by President Presi-dent D. Roosevelt, asked for the assistance of everyone and they got it. Food, gasoline, automobile tires and metal implements and appliances were rationed. Children Chil-dren in the schools sold and bought for themselves both Savings Sa-vings Bonds and Stamps. Salvage drives for scrap metal, met-al, rubber, paper and even pits from peaches, plums, cherries and apricots were organized. Books and late number magazines maga-zines were collected and sent to military bases at home and overseas. Farewell services at the churches honored the boys before be-fore they left for military service ser-vice and welcome home meetings meet-ings were so designated when they returned. World War II was everybody's every-body's war because everybody sacrificed and assisted. There were no anti-war riots nor anti-draft anti-draft demonstrations and no draft card burnings. So, if the Vietnam Moritorium Moritor-ium will awaken the war makers mak-ers and American citizens at large to the fact that the Vietnam Viet-nam Conflict is also everybody's every-body's war and has been woefully woe-fully mismanaged, it should have a positive effect. Actually, as things have been and as they are today, the only ones in America that are sacrificing sacri-ficing and bearing the brunt of battle are the servicemen fighting, fight-ing, wounded and dying in the stinking Asian jungles and their loved ones at home. The military brass, safely at home and receiving their regular reg-ular promotions, the politicians raising their own salares every few months and the capitalists and industrialists who are becoming be-coming millionaires by the score, never had it so good. And what about the American rank and file, like you, me and the rest of us? If the war hasn't hit us personally, many of us could not care less. And so if I interpret the Vietnam Moritorium sensibly it is this: The young people do not object to the proclaimed reasons reas-ons for our being in Vietnam. They object to the bungling of the war and the unfairness in fixing the war's burdens and responsibilities. Perhaps the October Moritorium Moritor-ium and the ones that are pledged to follow in November and December will awaken those in authority to the fact that everyone in a democracy should share equally the burdens bur-dens and the benefits. For what other purpose was our democracy founded? So long 'til Thursday. |