ft' «*> ! !

Harold Winerip ("All for Lucy,"

page 30) is a veritable well of service stories, usually about some well-meaning but hapless enlisted man—a typical sad sack. This time he's named Dale, and ON CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUE his problem is getting the lovely Lucy of the PX to go to the regimental dance Stanly Ferber ("Central Park Cor- with him. ral," page 3) sold his first story to a Some of Mr. Winerip's more recent tiny tots' magazine, has since contrib- stories to appear in The Link were uted to publications here and abroad. "The Appetite of Angelo," "The Guy They include This Week Magazine, Who Missed Reveille," and "Class E Calling All Girls, Toronto Star Weekly, Allotment." If we hadn't been told that in his three a half years of Story Digest, and Free World. He is and wartime service he took part in two D-Day land- now editor of a trade journal, but has ings and was authorized assorted battle also worked in music publicity and writ- stars, ribbons, and assault arrowheads, ten theatrical material presented in New we might be inclined to believe he spent York, London, and Lake George. all that time just looking around him While in the service, Mr. Ferber was with an observant and slightly amused, section head of public relations for an sympathetic smile, storing up ideas for Eighth Air Force division, wrote part future stories of an AAF training film and combat

reports in addition to news stories and O

radio scripts. He was awarded the C. V. Jackson is the British veteran Bronze Star Medal. who wrote a textbook, Hobbies for the

Handicapped, to fill a need of wounded O veterans for occupation of an interesting but non-strenuous nature. In this issue H. O. Austin ("Practice Dive," page he brings Link readers another such 25) probably drew on his experiences hobby—"Carving Bone," page 35. And as a deep-sea diver in the Navy for there are lots of able-bodied people who

background information for this fiction like "occupation of an interesting but non-strenuous nature," we think story. Diving was his primary job for

about ten years, but he's no longer in

this field (you guessed it—he proved susceptible to "the bends" and other oc- Louis C. Fink ("Army Lawyer," cupational hazards). He is now a full- page 40) is evoking a good bit of in- time writer on the staff of All Hands: terest vi^ith his series of articles on you have seen his writing there may court-martial cases he has handled. We from time to time, and in The Link feel sure every mother's son he defended with "Mirage of Anger" (September, (and the mothers too) must appreciate 1949). the personal interest he took in them. 2 Bandages or no bandages, it was the biggest 7vink I've ever seen.

In Central Park, where the deer and the antelope seldom play, I came upon the unhappiest cowboy I ever saw. In fact, the only cowboy I ever saw. Out- side of the movies, that is. But he cer- tainly was unhappy. After a stuffy day in the office, I enjoy a saunter down a leafy arcade on my way home for dinner. It was there, on a bench just a few feet from I had a few minutes to spare. If this teeming Fifth Avenue, that I spotted was the prelude to some new kind of him. I blinked, thinking this must be an racket I wanted to know what it was. illusion of sun and shadow. But when I took the place next to him on the

I opened my eyes again he was still otherwise empty bench. there in all his glory—ten-gallon hat, "Got to kill some time," he explained, yellow silk shirt, chaps, soft leather "and I been fairly itchin' for company. ankle boots. Must be an ad for some- Name's Lucky." thing, I thought, but as I drew closer He didn't look it. "How do you do, I saw there was no writing on him. Lucky," I said. "I'm George Wattles." He glanced up as I passed. "Hi, "Folks in the show call me Tex," he pardner," he said. went on. I am not used to being made at home "Oh, you're from Texas?" on the range. I stopped. He shook his head. "Uh-uh. Arizona. "Won't you take a seat, stranger?" Near Tucson." he asked. "I'm alone in this here town, "I've been there," I told him. "Nice and mighty lonesome." place." —

4 THE LINK Volume 8

"Brother," he exclaimed, "you can that purplish black color like far-off say that again!" He seemed a little mountains, and cheeks like two sunsets. startled when I did, but continued, You oughta see her. No, maybe you "Know what? This sure is one whopper shouldn't. Might take a fancy to her of a town not to have buddies in." yourself." "Is that why you look so glum?" I I stared down at my fore-section pop- asked him. ping buttons on my vest, then glanced "That, and a heap of other reasons. at Lucky's long, lean frame, and smiled. I called home long distance this after- "I don't think I'd be much competition," noon. Well, George, you wouldn't be- I said. "But having a girl like that lieve it. My ma's got miseries again, my doesn't explain why you feel so down kid brother Jason ripped his arm open in the dumps." with a bowie knife, Cousin Spud got "This is how it is," he began. "When throwed off a bronc, and my sister I was here with the rodeo last year I

Pearl run off with a furriner from took a bad spill. This little gal

Tulsa. All in just one week." Micheline her name is—^she's a nurse, "What made you leave home and and she was the one patched me up. come East?" I took a shine to her right off, and I "Why," he said, "I'm in the Wild guess she didn't think I was so bad West show at the Garden. It opens either. She promised we'd get hitched next week. I come on a little ahead." up soon as I lumped together a big

He took off his hat and long yellow enough stake. But now it seems like I hair poured onto his forehead like water had this girl figured wrong. I featured from a faucet suddenly turned on full her as the kind that liked a little fun." force. He shook the stream back over "Well?" I asked. his head. "What business you in, "Well," he said, "I got in on the pardner?" train today, ahead of the show, just to

"Movies," I said. "Commercial and see her. I thought I'd have a little sport documentary films." with her. She works right at this here "Never heard of them," he said. hospital." He jerked his thumb over his "Must be a new outfit. I'm in the pic- shoulder at a stately white building on ture game myself. Westerns. You the avenue. "I called up and made out probably se-en me lots of times without like I was someone else and kidded knowing. When the star falls off a around. But it backfired. I don't know cliff into the water, or dives under the how, but she hepped to me." wheels of a coach, that ain't him at all." Quite an ear that girl must have, I He grinned—a wide, warm grin. "No, thought, to recognize that wide-open- sir. It's me. I bet I been killed more spaces accent, but I didn't say anything. times than any man alive." "I phoned her back later," he went on,

"You can take it, I see. Then why "and she wouldn't hardly talk to me. does just some bad news throw you for She was mad as a steer with a hot such a loop?" brand in his side. She mentioned that "It ain't only that." He leaned close. other call, and I acted dumb about it. "See, George, I'm sort of engaged to I told her it must have been my man- the sweetest little gal on this green ager who called her, but she didn't earth. Comes just up to here," and he go for that. She knows I haven't no shelved space with his hand, "with hair manager." Number 4 CENTRAL PARK CORRAL 5

"And that's it?" I inquired gently. "Auto accident. Some kind of cowboy "Pretty near, I guessed I'd do better or something got hurt." with her face to face, so I told her I'd I froze in my tracks as the laconic

wait here in the park for her to come stranger drifted on. Poor kid ! It wasn't down. I been settin' here most onto an bad enough that his family was in a hour now." shambles and his girl wouldn't talk to

"Well," I said, "I hope it turns out him, but he also had to step off a curb

all right. I'm glad to have met you, in this unfriendly city and get bumped

Lucky, but I have to run along now." by a car. But maybe he didn't just step "Stick around just a while longer, pal, off. I recalled one of his phrases with a

won't you?" He turned wide, pleading cold horror : "I ain't hardly responsible blue eyes on me. "I'm taken that bad for what I'd do to myself if I was

I ain't hardly responsible for what I'd alone."

do to myself if I was alone. Tell you I tried to tell myself that even if he what. Walk to the hospital with me. were seriously hurt it wasn't my affair.

I'll try calling her from downstairs." All I'd done was have a chat with the big oaf. But I knew I wouldn't rest Inside the hospital corridor Lucky until I found out how he was. stationed me outside the waiting room I went back through the glass doors. while he went to a booth down the hall. There was a blonde in white doing "Keep a lookout, huh?" he asked. strange things to a switchboard.— "Do, "Mitch might go out to meet me while you have a patient here " I began, and: I'm in there phoning. Think you can stopped. I didn't even know what he: " spot her?" was called. —named Lucky?" I finished "Sure," I said. "Far-off mountains limply. and sunsets." I saw a stiffly starched "Lucky?" She lifted already arched" matron and a porter and what looked eyebrows. I like an expectant father pass by. But "Cowboy," I said. "Stunt rider in the no "sweet little gal" of any description. rodeo. Hit by a car." Lucky came back with defeat in his "Oh, yes." She knew. "Room 1219. big eyes. "She hung up on me." He I guess you can go up." slapped his tall hat viciously against his Upstairs, I rapped softly. I knew at thigh before putting it back on. Outside once who the pretty young nurse was the plate-glass doors we parted again. who opened the door. Lucky hadn't "I really must go now," I said, but exaggerated. She gave me a look that he hardly noticed me any more. Turn- would freeze a cactus under the blazing !" ing for a last look before rounding the sun of noon. "So it's you

corner, I saw him still in front of the "Me?" I gulped.

hospital. His head was bent back, his "Don't try to squirm out of it," she

eyes fixed on an upstairs window, and insisted. "At first, I didn't believe that he looked sadder than before. story about the manager. But when a I walked down to Madison for a person jumps in front of a car because magazine I'd promised my wife. On my of you, and gasps out an explanation way back to our apartment house I when he can hardly move or talk, how noticed a crowd breaking up at the can you help believing? Especially corner. I asked one of the tail-enders when he gives you a description. Short what happened. and fat, with horn-rimmed goggles. If .

THE LINK Volume 8

tliat doesn't fit you, I'd like to know I dashed over. "How are you, kid? what does." Are you all right?" I took my fifteen-dollar felt off my He raised one bandaged arm in a

head and banged it against my leg as if sweeping gesture, and through the linen

it were a sombrero. "You got me dead on his lips mumbled something that to rights, ma'am," I said. "I reckon sounded vaguely like "Sure thing." I done something I plumb ought not to "I don't understand," I said. "I

of done. I know it don't help none to thought you were badly hurt. I thought say I'm sorry for the damage I caused, you- tried to kill yourself." but I sure am. Can I have a look at the He used his other arm to make a

kid? I'd plumb appreciate it." "Shh" sign and glanced at the nurse at "Well—" She hesitated. "So long as the other end of the room. Her back

you're sorry. But don't stay too long, was to us, but she looked as if she and don't excite him. He's very weak." might turn around at any moment. As "I promise, ma'am." She led me in. I stood there with my mouth agape one There was Lucky in the bed, wrapped of the blue eyes framed by gauze in so many bandages that only his big flicked open and shut. Bandages or no

blue eyes showed through. They were bandages, it was the biggest wink I've enough to identify him. ever seen.

A QUIZ FOR DOC DAYS

By Marion Sachen

Here is an intelligent dog, sometimes called "man's best friend," tracking

through 20 words. If you can follow him by finishing each word according to its

definition, you'll be as smart as "your best friend." Just fill in the blanks.

1 D O - C - evade 2. DOC---- a light vehicle 3. D O C - anciently, the chief magistrate 4. DO------C senile 5. D O C - - a doctrine 6. D O - - C - affairs 7. DO--- C tyrannical 8. DO ------C term once applied to Congress by the President 9. D O - C - unbaked bread 10. DO----C a breed of fowls 11. DOC----- pretended or fitful sleep 12. D O - C deep tone of a large bell 13. D O - - C - mental weakness 14. DO-----C increasing to twice as much

1 5. D O - - - C having excess affection for 16. DO-C---- a soldier 17. DO-C--- courageous 18. DO-----C distrusting 19. DO--C---- slope 20. DO----C-- absolute (Solution on page 29) Death Valley—Oasis of Silence BY BERTHA BLANCHARD

Luxurious Furnace Creek Inn, with its shady terraced gardens, sun decks, tennis courts and swimming pool, may be either a holiday resort or a haven for nature lovers and tired people far from the city. (Frasher photo, Pomona, California)

A COLORFUL pageant was staged pack horses to endure. With their sup- last Decembar in Desolation Canyon, plies on a one-eyed mule, they arrived Death Valley, to commemorate the one- in the valley about three weeks after hundredth anniversary of the Manly- they had left their companions. The food Jayhawker Party whose experiences in saved the lives of the two families who the valley gave this region its name. had given up all hope of escape and the In the gold rush to California this party was guided safely over the Pana- party, looking for a short cut to the mint Range, the west wall of the valley. gold fields, became lost in the valley. As they reached the mountain top one During the winter of 1849 they fought of the women looked back and cried, a courageous battle against starvation "Good-bye, Death Valley." and death. Finally two of the younger In 1933 Death Valley, which is nearly men volunteered to seek help. They twice as large as the State of Dela- hiked hundreds of miles in search of a ware, was made a National Monument route over the mountains. At last they because of its unusual features. It is found Soledad Canyon and Newhall famous for its magnificent and varied Pass which led into San Fernando Val- scenery. But this weird and colorful ley, California. wonderland is chiefly a geologists' para- Securing supplies, they hurried back dise, containing rock of all the great but the trip was too terrible for their divisions of geologic time. 7 8 THE LINK Volume 8

The valley is a gigantic, natural valley. After a sand storm, which blows

amphitheater hemmed in by high moun- and spouts sand high into the air, the tains. It is about 150 miles lo'ng and dunes form interesting patterns in the from 6 to 20 miles wide between the area near Stovepipe Wells.

mountain ranges. Located in south- Death Valley is famous for its borax. eastern California, the northeast border It was first mined in 1880. The famous of the valley parallels the Nevada State twenty-mule-team wagon hauled borax line. out of the valley and over the moun- Death Valley is a region of contrasts, tains, a distance of 165 miles, to the of extremes. From Dante's View, a point town of Mojave in early days. on the eastern range 5,700 feet above the A tribe of Shoshone Indians lives in valley, you can see Badwater and dis- the valley in winter and journeys up to tant Mount Whitney, the lowest and the high Panamints in summer. There highest points in the United States. One are only about thirty Indians left in of the hottest places on earth in sum- the tribe. As younger members become mer (the temperature has reached 135 educated they go out into the world to degrees in the shade, and some say 162 make a living. Johnnie Shoshone, the degrees in the sun), strong, cold winds chief and medicine man of the tribe, is blow through the valley in winter. over one hundred years old, and as fond About 500 square miles of Death of ice cream as any youngster. Valley are below sea level. In the Bad- High in the Panamint Range lives a

water region the valley floor is 279.6 special kind of goat that is found in no feet below sea level, the lowest point in other region in the world. There are the world, with the exception of the eight or ten plants that grow here and Dead Sea in Palestine. This section of nowhere else. These plants are adapting

the valley is still sinking, and will con- themselves to the extreme aridity of the tinue to sink for several thousand years. region.

The whole valley is an earthquake Droll prospectors in Death Valley center. In some future time there will added such cheerful names as Funeral be terrific earthquakes as the earth con- Mountains, Coffin Canyon, Tombstone tinues to sink. As park naturalist Ed Mine, Starvation Hill, Dead Man's

Alberts has expressed it, "Some day Pass, Last Chance Canyon, and Hell's we'll get a honey." Gate. On the valley floor are thousands of A few "desert rats" still live in the

acres of nearly pure rock salt. This has valley. The most famous of these is been dissolved and recrystallized, form- Walter E. Scott, better known as Death ing pointed pinnacles of varying heights. Valley Scotty. This colorful desert fig-

It is almost impossible to walk over ure built his famous castle in the these jagged edges. You can hear the northern part of the valley, on an oasis cracking in these projections as the 3,000 feet up in Grapevine Canyon. salt crystallizes and the crystals grow. Visitors marvel at the architecture of Open salt pools are mysterious and the castle, the magnificence of its fur- deep. The crystal-lined sides of these nishings, and art treasures brought from pools reflect the sunlight, making a all corners of the earth. beautiful spectacle. For many years it was believed the Shifting sand dunes cover 25 square castle was built by Scotty with gold miles in the northwestern part of the from a hidden mine. In 1941, a former Number 4 DEATH VALLEY OASIS OF SILENCE partner sued for a share of Scotty's with stories of his experiences in the "mines." It was then that the true valley and as a member of Buffalo Bill's ownership of the castle was disclosed. Wild West Show. Albert M. Johnson, formerly presi- Scotty lives in constant fear of attack dent of the National Life Insurance by persons who wish to find his gold Company of Chicago, whose life Scotty mine. He always carries a gun and had saved, built the fabulous $3,000,000 never travels the main road to or from

Death Valley Castle. Before his death the castle. Some believe the castle is he gave the castle to the Gospel Foun- built over the gold mine; and this may dation of California, a religious organi- be true, for under the castle miles of zation he founded. Provisions were concrete passages wander aimlessly like made for Scotty to continue to live in the burrowings of a giant mole. At in- a bungalow near the castle and enjoy tervals huge, vault-like steel doors are the same privileges that he had during built into the walls. Since Scotty loves Johnson's lifetime. notoriety, he does not deny the gold In the castle and the guest house are mine myth. accommodations for about twenty Although Death Valley seems to be a guests, with meals served at the ranch land of utter desolation, animal life is house. In the evening around the castle surprisingly abundant. The visitor sees lobby fireplace Scotty entertains guests little evidence of this, for most of the

The sweeping curves of sand dunes add to the beauty and interest of the northwest end of the valley. (Death Valley Hotel Co., Ltd., photo) 10 THE LINK Volume 8

animals are nocturnal, inhabiting the of sand and rocks. Besides these there mesquite thickets on the valley floor. are two hotels, the palatial Furnace Besides bighorn sheep in the mountains Creek Inn and George Putnam's Stove- there are wild burros, descendants of pipe Wells. those turned loose when the mines a short distance from your camp or closed. In the saline waters "desert hotel you notice a peculiar silence- sardmes live. Fourteen species of birds ^^thing like you have known before, make their permanent home on the The stillness seems to throb in your ears, floor of the valley, besides the many t, • ^ . .^. ., . •' it IS a r ^, J , . ., great primitive silence, vast and feathered winter visitors. , i * ,, , • r ,

rp, . • • eternal. All ^, 11 «: ,1 the quiet of the ages is ihe season in the valley is officially • * j u ii ^^' from 1st ^^ November to May 1st, and ac- ^ . , . ^^ ^^'' P^^"^^"^ '^^^"^^ ^^^ commodations fit every purse. There is '" ^"^ awe-inspiring scenery that attract a trailer park in one of the most restful ^^^^^^ visitors year. spots imaginable. Furnace Creek Camp ^^ every Once having visited the valley, longs is located in a tree-bordered date ranch. one to ^^turn The dates raised here are sold in city again and again. Each time he markets. A nine-hole golf course with goes back a new secret is revealed to the all-grass greens and fairways adjoins visitor and admirer of this vast oasis of the ranch, a veritable oasis in a desert silence.

FOOL'S GOLD

Soon after the war, I was assigned as officer-in-charge of a Marine guard detachment- stationed near the Mexican border. Object of our guardianship was an abandoned artillery range deep in the Colorado Desert of Southern California. The range had been declared obsolete when Marine units had begun training in the advanced staging areas of the Pacific. Miles from any town, we had one of the few supplies of fresh water in the area, and it was natural that several old prospectors should occasionally drop in on us to replenish their water supply. Eventually, we came to know several of these old desert rats quite well and to understand something of the wishful feeling that "the big strike" was just over the next sand dune or behind the next rocky ledge. With little but our daily duties to occupy us, the prospectors became objects of considerable talk about camp and there was an occasional trace of passive gold fever among the men. Whenever one of the old miners would arrive, the men would crowd about to' examine samples of his ore and to hear what had happened

during the latest prospecting trip. I was present one morning when an old fellow known to us only as "Sam" stopped off to visit. "What'd you find this time, Sam?" someone yelled at him as he strode along, dragging the listless-looking burro behind him. "Any luck this time?" another wanted to know. Sam stopped and shook his head.

"Got something here this time I just don't savvy," Sam told us, motioning to the huge pack on the burro's back. Eagerly someone asked what he meant. As he tore the canvas cover off the pack nddle, though, his circle of admirers de- serted him. Carefully lashed to each sid: of the saddle was a corroded but recog- nizable 155-millimeter dud that he had found on the old firing range! —Jack Lewis. !

// somebody had grabbed me from behind it wouldn't have been any worse. That fighter looked to me just like—"Well, boys. They're here!"

Chapter II—Conclusion

Synopsis of Chapter I: While Bill keeps the strangers covered, jack creeps through the jack, and his friend, old "Kougarok" Bill, outer hallway to the door of the cave in search of after being left by an Army plane in northern more Russians be there. Alaska at a "temporarily abandoned" project who may for which they have agreed to be watchmen, find themselves in a well-equipped and ex- tensively tunneled underground hideout. Bill IvIGHT on the spot where the C-47 figures that they are just about thirty min- that brought us here had stopped yes- utes from Siberia by plane—which is too close to suit Jack. Their orders are to keep terday was an airplane. A fighter. With the existence of the cave a secret by staying a big red star out of sight, even though nothing is to be If somebody had grabbed me from seen above ground but uninhabited tundra, and by keeping radio silence except to trans- behind it wouldn't have been any mit a signal every day at 1 1 a.m. if every- worse. That fighter looked to me just thing is all right. If anything goes wrong like—"Well, boys. They're here!" they are to signal the Base at 12 noon, It must have been a minute that I 6 p.m., midnight, or 6 a.m. stood there paralyzed. Then I noticed After the Major has briefed them and departed, the two men are barely getting the canopy was pushed back from over settled when a voice behind him exclaims, the pilot's seat and—it hit me like a "Hallo, Americanski!" and jack turns to sack of salt ! There was only room look into the muzzle of a gun. Bill comes for two in that fighter. And they was to his rescue and disarms the stranger and inside—on our davenport. another lurking in the hall. The intruders do not seem to understand English and the It was such a relief it nearly made Americans don't know Russian. me sick to my stomach for a second. 11 12 THE LINK Volume 8

Then I stepped out where I could look "That smells!" I said. "The Russians around. The sun was up and the air wouldn't send nobody over here without was nippy and everything was Q.K. I enough gas to get where they was sup- walked out to the fighter and gave it posed to be going." a quick double-0. There was two seats "Well," says Bill, "I have a hunch —one ahead of the other. So that was the Russians didn't send 'em over. I that. got a hunch that they are tryin' to I walked back into the quarters. escape." The party was almost chummy. Bill had set down in the straight chair with That put a new light on the proceed- his forty-five in his lap. The two flyers ings. I looked at the guys again. There looked relaxed. was puzzled looks on their faces like I said, 'That's all of them. There's they was trying to figure out what we an airplane out in front that can't carry was saying. but two passengers." Bill said, "There ain't been so many, Bill said, "Good. I kind of thought lately, that I know of. But before the so." war there used to be quite a few slip "To what," I asked, "do we owe the acrost the Straits. Aspecially along in pleasure of their company?" the thirties."

"I ain't quite sure," said Bill. "They "Well," I said, "even if that is the only seem to know a few words of Eng- case, there isn't nothing we can do for lish. But as near as I can figger out them, is there? I mean, it's just tough. they're tryin' to get to Fairbanks." We can't give them gas to go on with?" At the word Fairbanks the two men "No," said Bill. "I guess not." His nodded and grinned. voice was kind of regretful. "They seem to have a friend in Fair- The one called Victor spoke up banks," Bill went on. "They keep sayin' again, "Gas?" 'gas,' like they want gas to go on to Bill looked at him for a minute and Fairbanks." then said, "No," and shook his head.

The two men both started to talk, They got it. They slumped back in nodding their heads, all excited. the davenport. Victor looked like he'd "I think," says Bill, "they was ferry- been hit over the head. But the other pilots durin' the war. Ferryin' airplanes one was just plain mad. He did not like from Fairbanks to Russia." it—and—he did not like it a bit ! He The two guys on the davenport really declared war by just the way he got a head of steam up. They was gab- looked. bling to themselves and nodding and I commenced to get the wind up a smiling all at once. little. I said, "Look. We got to lock

"Well," I said, "if they're supposed these guys up or we'll have trouble with to be going to Fairbanks, just what are them. If we try to hold them until the they doing here? They ain't even sup- Army can get out here we'll have to kill !" posed to know where this place is them ! They aren't going to take 'no' The one that called himself Victor for an answer." couldn't stand it no longer. He pointed Bill glanced up at the clock by the out the door and said, "Gas?" radio. He was uneasy, too. "Ten "Well," says Bill, "it looks like they o'clock," he said. "Two hours before run out of gas." we can get a distress message to the — !

Number 4 WHAT CAN A MAN DO? IS

Base. And then no tellin' how long it'll roll off of Bill to give him a chance take 'em to get out here." with his gun. I tried to get a knee out

The guys on the davenport begun to where I could use it, or a fist loose. I

talk to themselves. I was trying to think felt a hard blow on the head. But it where would be a good place to lock didn't knock me out. They hit me again.

them up. But I couldn't remember if I still wasn't out ! I fought back, trying there was locks on any of the doors or to squirm loose. But I was held tight not. The Russians wasn't paying any every way I tried to move. I couldn't attention to us. It looked like they was move my arms or legs. having some kind of a argument. I kept trying to figure out what to do with Later I come to. I was tied hand and them. Pretty quick the second one foot. Just laying there on the floor. I Vasily—tried to get our attention. He felt like a dizzy fool. Boy! I had sure made signs like he wanted permission walked into that to take a magazine off of the table. There was a low, rumbling sound, I said, "Sure. Go ahead," and nodded. like thunder. It rumbled and rolled and Anything to keep 'em happy. rumbled and rolled. I just lay there with

That was it. He reached over and my eyes shut. The thunder seemed to

picked up the top one and put it on his be getting further away. And then it

lap and begun to thumb through it. stopped. The other one, Victor, looked over his I opened my eyes. All I could see was

shoulder and made a remark now and a white blur. But as I looked it kind of

then. took shape and it was the electric range

I says to Bill, "Looks like they're across the room. On the floor below it looking for something to explain some- there was a pair of legs. Tied together

thing to us with." with a cord. They was Bill's legs ! But "Yeah," says Bill. I couldn't see Bill. The kitchen table

Then the one with the magazine was upset and he was laying behind it. looked up at me and held the magazine I tried to call him. But no answer.

out. He was pointing at something on I wondered if he was dead. The

the page. I stepped over to see what it thought scared me. I started to get up,

was. It was small print and I leaned but couldn't make it. So I rolled over over to see it—and he had me by the toward him, and the whole world started wrist and the shirt front! I was ofif to roll over. I was dizzy as a coot! j^ balance. He shoved me toward Bill. I called again. No answer. W Hard! So lightning fast I couldn't stop. I wondered if they had killed him. We piled onto Bill and went down. The And where were they now? I twisted chair busted with a splintering crash. my head around to look back of me on

I heard Bill grunt when we lit on him. the davenport, fully expecting to see And his head hit the floor like a mallet. them setting there, laughing their teeth When I went down the gun in my out at the mess I was in. hand bucked and exploded. I felt hands The davenport was empty. And so

pounce on my wrist and the gun and was the chairs—^but there at the end

jerk it out of my hand. My trigger of the davenport, where I had put it

finger got fouled up in the trigger when I brought it in, was my roll of guard and broke like a stick of candy. leather. And in that roll was a canvas I tried to fight back. And I tried to kit of leather-tools. And in those tools !!

14 THE LINK Volume 8

was a skiving knife ! Sharp as a Then there was a bump. And then that scalpel. thunder I had first heard. The rolling

I rolled toward the davenport and thunder ! They were rolling out gas got my head and shoulders up on the Rolling a drum down the hallway. They seat. The effort made my stomach sick come past the door and went on out

and my head spin. But I made it, and through the tunnel. eased along toward the end. I butted I turned over and went after the the roll out onto the floor and went to string again.

work on the string. I tried to chew it. I thought I would never get it chewed

But it was tough. I tried to bust it by in two. But I did. Then I had a heck

hanging onto it with my teeth and of a time getting the little knife out. pulling my head back as far as possible. It wasn't anything I could cut myself

But there was too much slack. So I loose with after I got it out. But I

just set to chewing at it. held it in my teeth and rolled over to

Then I heard a noise. Footsteps. They Bill. I thought maybe if I could cut him

was coming back ! They was in the loose he might come to and get me tunnel. I rolled off of the leather and untied. tried to remember how I was laying I held the knife in my teeth and put when I come to. But I couldn't re- the edge against the cords around Bill's member. So I just played dead. wrists. I was afraid I might cut an The steps stopped at the door—and artery—that little blade was so sharp then went on. I held my breath to listen. But I sawed back and forth. I could hear the fibers of the cord separating. And in a minute the cord went slack. Bill groaned. I shouldered against him to wake him up. I expected any second to hear those guys coming back

in. I whispered, "Bill 1" And he said, "Yeah?"

I said, "Bill, wake up ! Wake up!" He groaned, kinda thick, "That you, Jack?" I said, "Yes. Wake up and cut me loose!" He set up and worked his wrists out of the cords. He could hardly pick up

the little knife, his hands was so numb.

But he made it and cut me loose. I could hardly move my arms or fingers. Then he cut the cords on my legs and

I got up. There wasn't anything in sight you

could fight a mouse with. Then I had an idea. I wobbled out the door and tried to run up the hallway. My legs was so weak and I was so dizzy I batted I held the knife in my teeth and put the edge against the cords around Bill's wrists. along like I was drunk. ! !

Number 4 WHAT CAN A MAN DO 15

But I knew what I wanted. I had leaning up against the wall holding his seen them the day before—new ones. broken arm. I passed the open door where the gas I picked up his gun and prodded him was stored and had to open two more into the quarters and tied him up good. doors before I found the hardware. I His face was gray with pain. He didn't picked up a pick-handle. put up no struggle. I shoved him over I ran back, afraid every second that onto the floor and started to help Bill. those guys would come in before I got I felt myself falling, but I couldn't stop there. I glanced in at the quarters door. it. I went over and out.

Bill was still setting on the floor, too When I come to I was laying on my weak to get up. I said, "Set still. Bill. back—in bed I'll get 'em when they come in," and The first thing I saw was the Major. dodged to the tunnel. I got set, right He said, "How are you, boy?" where the tunnel come into the hallway Well, to make a long story short, —and waited. If I had heard that air- when we didn't send our eleven o'clock plane motor start up I would have died message the Base tried to call us. They

Then I heard them. Feet ! They came couldn't get any answer, but there was running in the tunnel. When the first a plane near our place and they told the one reached the turn I swung. I hit pilot to stop in and see what gave. that knuckle-head as hard as I could When he reported back the Major came swing. And he went down. I felt bones right out with a doctor and some help. break when I hit him. It felt good. Bill's all right—or will be. I'm all The other one ducked back—and I right. Just got my head caved in a was set for him. He was there. I could little. hear him breathing. I knew he'd come Bill was right. Those poor guys was out with a gun. trying to escape. They had been trying I got nervous. I yelled to Bill, 'T got for a long time to get to a base in one down. Come out and see if you can Siberia where they could make it clear get his gun." to Fairbanks in one hop. But they

Bill tottered through the dor. But he couldn't seem to make it. So they got couldn't make it. He went to his knees. desperate and decided to take a chance But he was game. He crawled toward on getting gas here. They knew about the guy on the floor. the place from seeing it when they was There was a flash of movement in ferry-pilots during the war. the tunnel and I swung. The pick- Well, it's tough. They'll get well, all handle hit his arm. The gun exploded right, but I don't know what their and dropped to the floor. Bill crawled chances are of staying. a little—and then collapsed. It was a rough shuffle all around. I went into the tunnel with my club But the way things are, what can a man up. But the guy was all through. He was do?

M/Sgt. Daniel Ropp, who graduated from the second USAF Enlisted Welfare Specialist course at the Chaplain School, Carlisle Barracks, Pa., was the first Wel- fare Specialist in the Air Force to receive the Commendation Ribbon, awarded for ." "exceptionally meritorious service as Personal Affairs Consultant. . . because of its many meanings. Do we LIHK LINES know what we mean when we use it? In whatever sense it is used, freedom is made to sound like a possession to

which is By the Editor each of us entitled, a right inalienably ours as human beings. Is it? A friend who was unhappy in military service secured his discharge and set German Tribute forth as a civilian looking for "freedom." For him this meant a place in life where Several months ago we mentioned the no one would have the right to tell him importance of our service men and what he must do. To many the magic women as unofficial American ambas- word means absence of restrictions. To sadors to lands abroad. More than most many others it means release from fears of us realize, we said, our men and or from limitations. To some it means women in uniform are measures by license to follow one's own pleasure. which people of other countries judge To others it means the way of life be- "what Americans are like." yond prison doors. In this connection we'd like to pass To few does freedom seem to mean on to you a remark in a recent syndi- what it is in fact : a spiritual achieve- cated article which caught our eye and ment which each person has to strive our interest. Addressed to American for and earn for himself if he is ever to travelers in Europe, the article reported have it. And which he must nurture a conversation with a German editor constantly if he is to keep it. who was asked what impression his In its truest sense freedom is not countrymen have of Americans and something that can be bestowed. Nor other foreigners in Germany. After not has it anything to do with situation or very complimentary comment on repre- circumstance. It does have a great deal sentatives of another nation the editor to do with God and with our relation- continued, "Of course, we don't like ship to Him and to our fellow men. some of your bureaucrats either. But," If the essence of freedom lies in in- and his face lighted up, "your GI's are dividual spiritual attainment, its out- wonderful. Friendly, cheerful, generous, ward manifestation in social, political, always laughing. Our children adore and economic directions represents a them. They are your best ambassadors." cooperative venture. For in these fields What makes headway seldom makes the freedom of each one of us is inter- headlines, but it does make good news twined with the freedom of all. As and pleasurable reading. civilization advances man voluntarily Freedom gives up certain "rights" such as (for very simple example) the right to Freedom is one of the most popular words in the American language. It choose for himself which side of the

wears a kind of halo. Orators use it to road he will drive on. The individual

stir emotions. Politicians use it to lure moves with freedom down a highway

votes. The rest of us use it according because his rights are synchronized to our individual purposes as related to with those of others. Our traffic police- our particular desires and objectives. man tells us what to do, but in reality

It is a word easier to use than define, (Continued on page 38) 16 — : : ! ;

Weekly Subjects for TOPIC TALKS Personal or Group Use

Genuineness in Religion

AUGUST 6-12 BY ROBERT C. LINTNER

Why did Jesus despise hypocrisy in a college YMCA room that read as reHgion? He had withering denuncia- follows tion for it : "For I say unto you, That Be Careful How You Live; except your righteousness shall exceed You May Be the Only Bible the righteousness of the scribes and Some People Will Ever Read. Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into Let's not destroy some of the tre- the kingdom of heaven." ( Matthew 5 mendous influence of the world's great- 20) He was not interested in mere est Book formalism and ritual correctness, but He What does God value most in our was anxious that we should have com- religion? (Mark 12:33) mitments to the highest and holiest we Does religion need to be elaborate? know; He was eager for us to link (Micah 6:8) Why does religion merit our worship with sacrificial service to our earnest efforts? (Jude 1:3) God and our fellows. If we have genuineness in our re- Genuineness in religion, therefore, is ligion we shall try to live as we believe not merely a sincere and an earnest Christ would have us live every day. faith; it is also the kind of daily living We shall try to be molded by His life that such a faith requires of us each and His teachings. Paul once said, "If

of us. It is not enough to belong to a any man be in Christ, he is a new church; we must do the things that creature." (II Corinthians 5:17) Some-

church membership involves and im- one else has written these words : "To

plies. be in Christ is to live in His ideas,

Most of us, when we joined a church, character, spirit, as the atmosphere of being. everywhere are living in promised solemnly to attend it, support Men the ideas and characters of others. He it financially and pray for it and try who lives in the spirit of Raphael, be- to do things to make it more effective comes a painter; he who lives in the in its mission to needy and sinful men spirit of Milton, becomes a poet ; he and women. How well do we carry out who lives in the spirit of Bacon, be- these pledges? Have we sometimes al- comes a philosopher; he who lives in to neglect the lowed ourselves most the spirit of Caesar, becomes a warrior sacred obligation that a Christian can he who lives in the spirit of Christ, undertake ? becomes a man." I have read that a sign was hung in Let's be such a man! 17 ! :

When Sorrow Strikes

TOPIC TALK FOR AUGUST 13-19 BY ROBERT C. LINTNER

Sorrow stalks into the life of each them. Pascal gave us these words

of us, sooner or later. It often comes "Notwithstanding the sight of all our without warning; sometimes it strikes miseries, which press upon us and take repeatedly and leaves us quivering un- us by the throat, we have an instinct der its onslaughts. The man who has which we cannot repress, and which become a faithful Christian is better lifts us up." able to resist these onslaughts because Another thing we need to learn he has access to armament and inner sorrow does not stop the music of life power that he sorely needs. for us. Armistead Gordon put it in One thing that helps us to meet sor-

these words : "Sorrow is only one of row is a Christian perspective of life the lower notes in the oratorio of our and immortality. It helps us to realize blessedness." Could you express it in that the years of this life are hardly better words than those? more than pin-points on an endless line

But sorrow has an end ! The darkest that represents eternity. The dark clouds will be dissipated by the warm clouds, before we know it, can become a background for lovely rainbows sunshine in the heat of the day. Does through the grace of God. God wish to bring an end to sorrow? With this perspective we should have (Jeremiah 31 :12, 13) Can we trust Him a triumphant faith in God and His to do that now for us too? (Isaiah goodness. As we learn that we can 61:1-3) indeed rely on His eternal goodness, Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote brave we become more and more confident in and encouraging words for all of us Him. He will not forsake us who stand momentarily under the dark Sorrows can even be the means of clouds of sorrow; said he: "Just as driving us on to accomplish great there comes a warm sunbeam into things. Said Richter : are our "Joys every cottage window, so comes a love- wings ; sorrows our spurs." Perhaps the beam of God's care and pity for every loveliest bit of architecture in the world separate need." is the Taj Mahal in India. A rich and God is with us in every sorrow; His powerful stricken sor- man was with love strikes through our darkened row; but out of his sorrow he was windows and dispels the gloom. spurred on to give the world a lovely And those are not just words! Do monument to the wife he had lost. Many you remember one of the shining words a philanthropist has found his sorrow of Jonah? "When my soul fainted such a spur, within me I remembered the Lord." God intends that we shall shake off (2:7) our sorrows and not be overridden by Try that! Shatter your gloom! 18 ! !

The Underrated Duty

TOPIC TALK FOR AUGUST 20-26 BY ROBERT C. LINTNER

Robert Louis Stevenson, that brave and multiply them and then try to share soul who wrote so well in spite of his them with others?

pain, gave us these words : "There is How does religion figure in our hap- no duty we so much underrate as the piness? Listen to the old Psalmist: "I duty of being happy." will be glad and rejoice in thee." Struggling against the scourge of (Psalm 9:2) We who enjoy the Chris- tuberculosis, he had the duty to be tian faith have the greatest opportunity

happy ! How much more is it your duty for happiness. Don't you agree? How to be happy did a great Christian writer centuries But we don't think of happiness as a ago give a challenge to be joyful Chris-

duty; we think- of it as a gift that tians in all our living? "These things

other people owe us ! And if we don't write we unto you, that your joy may

receive it, we are aggrieved. be julir (I John 1:4)

But that is all wrong. We should Nobody would think of saying that instead think of happiness as a thing a Christian will not have disappoint-

we should give others ; at the very ments and sorrows, but the Christian

least, it is something we ought to share who really trusts the power and the

with others wisdom of God will find it possible, Jane Porter was trying to get us to through his faith and through the ex- understand this when she wrote: "Hap- ample of Christ, to face even his sor-

piness is a sunbeam which may pass rows with a degree of radiant happiness through a thousand bosoms without in his unconquered spirit.

losing a particle of its original ray; Don't you agree that every sorrow

nay, when it strikes a kindred heart, can give place to gladness in time?

like the converged light upon a mirror, Others have found it so in their experi-

it reflects itself with redoubled bright- ence. Listen: "Sing unto the Lord, O

ness.—It is not perfected till it is ye saints of his, and give thanks at the shared." remembrance of his holiness. For his Do you agree with Josh BilHngs? anger endureth but a moment; in his

Said he: "If you ever find happiness favor is life: weeping may endure for

by hunting for it, you will find it as a night, but joy cometh in the morn- the old woman did her lost spectacles, ing." (Psalm 30:4, 5) I safe on her own nose all the time." Do Doesn't God intend for us to be we forget to look for happiness right happy? "They that sow in tears shall where we are? Do we fail to take the reap in joy." (Psalm 126:5) small happinesses that are in our lives Happiness is our duty! and build upon them and enlarge them Let's do our duty! 19 ! :

Our Priceless Inheritance

TOPIC TALK FOR AUGUST 27-SEPTEMBER 2 BY ROBERT C LINTNER

One of the great pronouncements of it clear that we should live with Him Jesus shines forth from the momentous eternally? "In my Father's house are conversation which He held with the many mansions : if it were not so, / would have told you. I to prepare woman at the well in Sychar : "The go water that I shall give him shall be a place for you. And if I go and pre- in him a well of water springing up into pare a place for you, I will come again,

and receive unto myself ; that where everlasting life." (John 4:14) What a you priceless inheritance! Can you think of I am, there ye may be also." (John 14 a better way to describe the priceless 2, 3) gift of eternal life that He offers to In Northfield, Massachusetts, on the each of us who will accept it? tomb of Dwight L, Moody, there is this

He was always generous and thought- inscription : "He that doeth the will of ful when He sensed the needs of all God abideth forever." (See I John 2: who thronged about Him. Do you re- 17) That is a solemn reminder that

member the day when He lavishly as- each of us can try to build a life so sured us of immortality because He helpful and so Christlike that eternity

lived? "Because I live, ye shall live will be needed in order to allow its also." (John 14:19) He possessed im- development and its true fruition. Can mortality therefore to ; He wanted share you think of a finer epitaph for your

it with us ! Nothing short of that was own life than this? good enough to satisfy His love for us Charles F. Kettering is credited with who would follow Him! these words : "My interest is in the And it was a great promise that He future, because I am going to spend

had made and would keep ! Did He, in the rest of my life there." How much your opinion, ever make us a greater more should our interest be in eternity!

promise than this ? Listen : "And this is We are going to spend the rest of our the promise that he hath promised us, lives there! even eternal life." (I John 2:25) How Whatever mistakes we may have many other things He might have prom- made in the past, we have all of eternity ised us : world dominion, vast riches, before us and we can live with the great fame, a kind of Midas -touch that justifying our opportunity would turn anything into our heart's purpose of for eternal life! Hugh White once de- desire—^but He chose rather to promise past cannot be changed; us eternal life and make it our priceless clared: "The inheritance the future is still in your power." Do you remember the way He made Lefs live accordingly! 20 ; !

Labor—What and Why?

TOPIC TALK FOR SEPTEMBER 3-9 BY ROBERT C. LINTNER

Labor, as the dictionary reminds us, philosophy of labor? (Matthew 20:27) is physical or mental exertion for some We are told that all of the great rabbinical authorities end. It is work ; it is mental or physical in the time of it is purposeful. Would you say that Jesus were men who followed some

trade, if each of these is essential to the defini- even they had wealth. Paul tion? was a tentmaker; his teacher, Gamaliel the Elder, was a woodcutter and his Do you think Labor Day is a kind rival, Shammai, was a carpenter as our of memorial to all who toil with hand Master was. Every Jewish lad was sup- or brain? Or should it be a reminder posed to learn a trade. to each of us to make our labor more Henry van Dyke left us golden words effective, more significant, and more that sing of the glory of toil: completely satisfying? Robert Browning once admonished us This ts the gospel of labor, to be content in our work, doing what ring it, ye bells of the kirk! we can do, without presuming to fret The Lord of Love came down from above, to live with work; because it is small. Do you think this men who This is the rose that He planted, is a good philosophy of labor or not? here in the thorn-curst soil; it? Can you improve on Heaven is blest with perfect rest, When God prescribed labor for Adam but the blessing of Earth is toil.

was it a curse or the opening of great

vistas of human development and self- Labor should always be diligent. expression and self-realization so that Why? "Whatsoever thy hand findeth history could be meaningful and human to do, do it with all thy might." (Ec-

life might be purposeful? (Genesis 3: clesiastes 9:10)

19; Ecclesiastes 9:10; John 9:4) Doesn't God have the right to de- Labor, as we soon realize, should not mand that we toil? (Haggai 2:4, 5)

isn't it true that shares in be selfish; it should bring benefits to And God

others also. Some who think of Albert our toil? (I Corinthians 3:9) And Einstein only as a mental wizard will doesn't He demand our best? (I Corin- be interested to know that he has de- thians 3 :10) What is our incentive to (I Corinthians clared: "Only a life lived for others is do our best? 3:13)

a life worth while." Do you believe Nothing less than our best is worthy this? What did Jesus say that showed of us. And it is not worthy of the Mas- His conviction that a merely selfish ter whom we serve laborer has missed the point of a true Let's do our best—for Him! 21 ! !

History's Greatest Forces

TOPIC TALK FOR SEPTEMBER 10-16 BY ROBERT C. LINTNER

What do you think are the greatest clared: "The Sabbath is the golden forces in the world's history? Roger clasp that binds together the volume of Babson once made a declaration which the week." may surprise you ! "The three greatest But Abraham Lincoln used these forces in the world's history have been strong words : "As we keep or break the church, Sabbath observance, and the Sabbath, we nobly save or meanly family prayers." Are you surprised at lose the last, best hope by which man any one of these? The more you think rises." about them, the more you are likely to Does it matter to God if we neglect be convinced that he was absolutely our Sabbath observance occasionally? correct in his list. Listen: "Speak thou also unto the chil- Few of us would challenge the right dren of Israel, saying. Verily my sab- of the church to a place at the top of baths ye shall keep : for it is a sign

that list. It has made conquests where between me and you throughout your armies and navies would have been generations; that ye may know that I helpless. It has preached the Gospel of am the Lord that doth sanctify you." Christ and it has been the teacher of Does God bless those who honor the

the yoMng; it has blessed the founding Sabbath? (Isaiah 56:2) Why is Sabbath of homes and it has baptized the babes observance good for us? (Mark 2:27) that have been born to them; it has Will God honor family prayers in our nurtured the sick, cared for the dying, homes? (Matthew 18:20) One of the comforted the bereft and inspired the finest legacies that parents can give lonely and the burdened and the sin- their children is this daily practice of crushed. family prayers. It -can provide memories Probably we have not realized how that will sweeten life's bitterest moments vastly important is proper Sabbath ob- and help to insure victory in countless servance. Crawford Johnson put it this later temptations as they swoop down strongly : "No Sabbath, no worship ; no upon us in our work and in our recrea- worship, no religion; no religion, no tion. morals; no morals, then—what?" What, Do you think Jesus would even con- indeed done the omission of a family altar in Henry Ward Beecher once declared: a home that is dedicated to Him? Can "A world without a Sabbath would be you think of any good reasons for not like a summer without flowers." And having family prayers in your own it was Robert E. Speer, another great Christian of kingly stature, who said home? Name some good reasons why you should establish family prayers in these words : "The Lord's day is the shadow of Christ on the hot highway your family. of time." Be sure to pray as a family in your It was Lord Macaulay who once de- home 22 ! ! —;

From Fear to Faith

TOPIC TALK FOR SEPTEMBER 17-23 BY ROBERT C. LINTNER

These thoughtful and challenging to Him for counsel and direction and words, part of a message from the Re- help? (II Chronicles 20:12) ligious Society of Friends in Phila- Can we always be sure that our suc- delphia in 1948, should stimulate our cess will depend in considerable measure search for foundations for lasting peace upon our faith—our faith in it and in our co-laborers and in God? (Matthew in our divided and bewildered world: 9:29) "The world needs a change in outlook, How much does faith " depend upon from fear to faith, based on the kind love? (I Corinthians 13:2; Galatians of love that Jesus taught; from com- 5:6) pulsion with its trust in weapons, to Some of the most distressing and co-operation based on the dignity and deadly things that can befall us are worth of the human person." sometimes the results of our giving way From fear to faith! From compulsion to fear instead of to faith. Here is an to co-operation! Those are words to individual who shuts himself up in his

mull over and explore ! They seem to house and broods over his fears ; he challenge us to explore them and assay imagines things ; he is sure his friends try blend them together them and to are talking about him when they aren't into strange new formulae by which to he is afraid that disgrace is confronting make our world safer and our civiliza- him. Do you need anyone to tell you tion better. what may happen in that man's mind? Fear and compulsion certainly go to- He is paving the way to mental illness breeds fear, in man gether. Compulsion that can harm him physically and per- in nation. If a nation or child, or a haps even bring on insanity. another, the fearful nation will fears How will contentment aid the realiza- until it gathers mightier arma- not rest tion of peace, whether in the mind of ments in the hope that it may compel an individual or in the life of a nation? maintain a respectful peace. its enemy to (Philippians 4:11) If Germany had been If fears his neighbor it will result a man content to turn her nitrates into ferti- in suspicion and hatred. It is not a good lizer instead of into gunpowder, what and peace. soil for co-operation riches the world would have reaped Faith, however, makes co-operation and what peace between individuals or easy, whether Do you think peace is contagious? - nations. Faith is fed and developed by (I Thessalonians 5 :13) How? What are T trust and love, and these make for some ways in which you can help to happy and successful efforts toward spread peace in the lives of others? common goals. Let's build upon the dignity and the Can't we always count on God to worth of our fellow men strengthen our faith whenever we turn Aftd may God help us to do so! 23 God's Throne in Us

TOPIC TALK FOR SEPTEMBER 24-30 BY ROBERT C. LINTNER

How much do you value your con- will respond to our contrite hearts when science? William Penn once wrote these our consciences have led us to repent- thoughtful words : "Conscience is God's ance? (Psalm 51:17; Isaiah 57:15; throne in man, and the power of it his Malachi 3 :7) prerogative." This reminds us that How did conscience help the Prodigal

God is back of our conscience and every to come to himself? (Luke 15 : 17-19) effort it makes to direct us into ways When we repent and turn to God for of helpfulness and righteousness. His forgiveness, why is it proper for How does conscience convict us of us to do good works that are appropri- our sins? (John 8:9) It is difficult to ate to our repentance? (Acts 26:20) get away from its voice when it tries Why does God make the effort to to correct our conduct and our motives. convict us of our evil deeds by speaking

Isn't it true that our sins can so to us through our consciences? (Jude weigh down upon us that we are afraid 1:14, 15) even when we face no real danger? What is the language of contrition?

(Proverbs 28:1) And it is indeed true (Psalm 51:9, 10) that righteousness clothes us with bold- Why is repentance necessary if we ness. seek salvation from our sins? (Luke How can we best realize our aim to 13:3) have a conscience that does not con- What lies back of our repentance demn us before God and our fellow always? (Romans 2:4) men? (Acts 24:16) How will conscience help us to pray Why should we Iry not to wound for God's forgiveness of our sins? others? (I Corin- the consciences of (Hosea 14:2) thians 8:12) What happens when we How did conscience help a publican deaden our consciences? (Ephesians 4: to pray with deep contrition? (Luke 17-19) 18:13) We may well follow his ex- How can a good conscience help us ample, divesting ourselves of self-right- to withstand great temptations? (Dan- eousness and asking the mercy of God iel 1:8; Genesis 39:7-12) in our sins. "He came to himself." So How can conscience help us to be do we whenever we listen to God's penitent and try to mend our ways? voice within our spirits. We come to (Matthew 26:75) Peter was an excel- ourselves whenever we come reverently lent example of a man who was helped into the presence of God with penitence back to rectitude by his conscience. His desire to moral strength was revived and he re- and contrition and a fervent forgive- doubled his zeal in the service of his confess our sins and secure His Lord. How did his sensitive conscience ness. help him to be contrite? (Mark 14:72) Let's not forget His throne in us, What assurance do we have that God and let's listen to His voice! 24 —

J. C. HARVEY, gunner's mate, first class, and diver, first class, sat down upon a sturdy wooden stool, feeling bitter. He pulled off his shoes, then straightened and removed his wrist

watch and handed it to a friend. Somebody tossed him a pair of heavy woolen divers' socks. He bent to wrap his dungaree legs around his ankles before pulling the socks onto his feet. Stooping, Harvey felt the deck gently rising and falling beneath him as the submarine rescue vessel USS Bluejay stirred to the long Pacific swell. It was peaceful here in the Bay of Panama, even though the fantail deck was busy as an ant-hill—hot and peaceful, with the high-hilled coastline visible off to the northwest. A lot more peaceful than ashore. A shipmate dragged a diving suit around in front of Harvey. That man and another held~the big rubber-rimmed neck agape before Harvey's knees. Rest- ing a hand on a shoulder of each of the tenders, Harvey thrust a foot down into the suit's interior.

Off there, thought J. C. Harvey gunner's mate, first class, and diver, first class—is Taboga Island. Just to the right of Taboga, where the haze of smoke rises from the funnels of steamers in the canal entrance, are Balboa and

Panama City. There, too, is Madelyn,

wife of J. C. Harvey . . . The two tenders pulled Harvey's div- ing suit up around his waist. Another sailor held a bucket of soapy water before him. Harvey lathered his hands and wrists, then thrust his hands through the suit's tight rubber cuffs. He seated himself again on the stool. A tender gathered the suit's rubberized canvas bib around Harvey's neck while another lowered the breastplate over his head.

J. C. Harvey thought of the stormy 25 ! — ! !

26 THE LINK Volume 8

moments that had preceded his de- First of all, there was the steamy parture from home early that morning. evening when Harvey brought Brous- He thought of how such unpleasant sard home to supper. Broussard, of moments were becoming more frequent course, insisted on stopping for "a each week in the small apartment oc- couple of brews," and a couple multi- cupied—in liberty hours—by J. C. plied into half a dozen. Then, too, Harvey, and by Madelyn, And it was Broussard never had been one to watch getting so that these moments of strife his language around women any more sometimes lengthened into half-hours than around the black gang. . . . But and hours. that was no excuse for Madelyn to act

"Going home" had been the focal like a stiff-necked little prude. After all, point of trouble this morning. "When she ought to realize that she wasn't back are you going to let me go home and home in Sunday school any more. see the folks, Jack? I want to be there "Okay, stand up," one of the tenders, while Janet's home from college for said. "How does it feel?"

Christmas vacation !" Before that it Harvey raised his shoulders, feeling had been the car. "What possessed you the solid weight of rubber, brass, and to throw our savings into buying that lead heavy upon them. "Feels O.K." he thing, Jack? You know we don't really said. He seated himself again. A tender

need it, and you didn't even talk it over picked up the helmet and lowered it over with me !" Madelyn had cried a little Harvey's head, turning the helmet far to

that time, but she didn't cry any more. the left in preparation for screwing it She just seemed to grow more remote onto the breastplate. Harvey felt some-

and stony-faced each day . . . one holding his shoulders against the One of the tenders tightened down coming strain. the breastplate bolts. Another slipped Two hundred and eighty feet, this

a twelve-pound shoe onto Harvey's dive would be . . . almost forty fath- right foot. Two sailors stood by with oms, on "straight air." the eighty-pound belt. Forty fathoms on straight air

J. C. Harvey thought of the happy Harvey thought bitterly. Here we are, first months of his marriage, two years equipped with who-knows-how many ago. How delighted Madelyn had been dollars' worth of oxy-helium breathing to learn that they would be stationed equipment, and they put us down forty in far-off Panama and on a* type of duty fathoms on straight air

where Jack would be home a lot ! It What was it they had said at diving

had been fine, fixing up the apartment school . . . ? "Ordinary compressed air exploring souvenir shops, absorbing the breathed under high pressure may have atmosphere of the hot, swarming a considerable anaesthetic effect upon streets. Madelyn even learned not to be the mind. Some medical authorities con-

terrified on nights alone in the rainy tend that this phenomenon is brought season, when lightning made gargoyles about by the air's nitrogen content. As of the banyan trees. Little vicious biting you students may know, nitrous oxide

sand flies . . . ? Madelyn had laughed is the basis of the well-known 'laughing about them, making them part of the gas' used as an anaesthetic in den- ." remoteness and exoticness of the place. tistry . .

Things weren't like that any more. Yes, that was it—one of the instruc- Oh, no tors had spouted off endlessly, not ex- !

Number 4 PRACTICE DIVE 27 pecting the students to remember what just makes me remember. It makes me he was saying. Somehow the high- remember all kinds of things. Some- flown words had stuck. "Well, I don't times I remember things that happened have to keep on diving." Harvey mut- when I was four years old . . . some- tered into the loneliness of the diving times things that happened when I was helmet. "I don't have to stay married, fourteen . . . things I haven't thought either." of in years and years. I remember what

J. C. Harvey, diver, first class, arose people said, what I said . . . how every- to his feet, steadied on each side by thing seemed . . . how everything helping hands. He stepped onto a metal looked . . . how everybody acted. I re- grating on the deck and grasped the member how everything was, and I'm metal rods that rose above it. The there again. Yet I can do what I'm "stage" moved up from the deck and supposed to do and say what I'm sup- swung out over the water. It lowered posed to say. But when I get back to away. Harvey felt the legs of his suit the surface I forget all the things I close in as the water rose about them. remembered. I even forget having re- The water came up around his shoul- membered, until I get back down here ders, and Harvey felt the grinding again . . . weight of his outfit supported by the The voice of the telephone talker sea. The water came up past the face- came from topside again. "You all right, plate and the stage stopped. Harvey?" The diver stepped to a heavy manila "Yeah, I'm all right. Water's fairly line that slanted downward past the clear, too.'* stage. He hooked his knees around the "You're down a hundred and ninety." rope and grasped it with his right hand. "Okay." Harvey opened the air sup- With his left hand he clutched his air ply valve another fraction of a turn supply valve. "Going down," he called and felt the suit's fabric expand away into the telephone mouthpiece. from his chest. I knew when I passed "Going down!" the answer came the one seventy-five mark, he thought. back, rasping metallically into the That's when I always start hearing the helmet. compressors. Just listen to them. Zing, Harvey felt the soft, wet line slipping zing, zing, zing, zingzingzingsing. Won- through his hand. The stage disappeared der how I can hear anything over the above. The pale blue water darkened. telephone at all A school of small bluefish came into The measureless desert of water grew sight, made an about-face and swam darker and the descending line slanted away again. The diver's ears clicked as more sharply. "Getting close," J. C. pressure equalized behind the eardrums. Harvey, diver, first class, said to him- Harvey opened the supply valve a little self. "Getting close to the bottom." to increase the flow of air. Bubbles rattled out of the exhaust valve and the "Getting close to the bottom," Jack phone hummed softly. Harvey, senior at Central High School,

Well, I guess I know enough about said, peering at the gas gauge on his the "anaesthetic effect," Harvey thought. Model A. "Hope we find a gas station It makes some of the boys want to sing soon." and act silly. Others it makes dopey, or "So do I," said Madelyn Long, junior cranky. Me, it doesn't bother much. It at Central High School. "It looked lik« —

28 THE LINK Volume 8

it was going to rain when we started." High-school-senior Harvey walked She peered out a side window into the down a gravel road in darkness and November darkness. "I'm not scared, rain, carrying an empty gas can. By his though—with you with me." side walked Madelyn Long, hurrying to keep pace with his long steps. "You J. C. Harvey, gunner's mate and should have stayed behind," Harvey diver, first class, felt his feet sink into said. "You're going to get soaked." the mud. "On the bottom!" he shouted "It would have been lonesome and into the phone. scary," Madelyn said. !" "On the bottom came back the ac- "You could have locked yourself in. knowledging answer, thin and far away. You would have been all right." "Stand by to receive tool bag!" Harvey, "I'd rather be with you," and Madelyn the diver, stood on the ocean floor forty put her hand through Jack Harvey's fathoms down holding the descending elbow. She turned her head and looked line with one hand. With the other he back. "Look, we can't even see the car adjusted his air. Stirred-up silt rose any more." around his helmet, making the water A trickle of rain ran off Harvey's black as ink. hat brim and down his neck.

Jack Harvey, high-school senior, Diver J. C. Harvey found the thin drove from a football game in home rope in the mud, and followed it, half November, with Madelyn Long at his floundering, to the iron workbench. He side. "Mother thinks I'm too young to placed his tool bag on the bench and be engaged," he heard Madelyn say groped within it. He found the tools he softly in the darkness. "She says I wanted. Well, this shouldn't take so should wait till I graduate, anyway." long . . . Nothing to do but bolt a "Heck!" Jack Harvey said, his voice flange onto a steel plate, using bolt big and important. can at least be "We holes already prepared for it. Screw a engaged just between ourselves. No- short piece of pipe into the flange . . . !" body needs to know Rain began to Then, start up and begin compress- run down the windshield. Then the ing .. . steering wheel shook in Jack Harvey's hands as the motor spluttered before High-school-senior Harvey walked dying. toward his car with a gallon can filled with gasoline. It had been two miles to Diver Harvey felt the manila descend- a filling station. He would be late, and ing line shake in his hand as the tool Dad would be furious—to say nothing bag came sliding down on a shackle. of Madelyn's folks. The rain had He caught the heavy canvas bag as it stopped, though, and that was one good came past his chest and unshackled it

thing . . . from the descending line. He reached "Look," Madelyn said. "I see a star." down and groped for another line ?" one that led to a heavy workbench "Where . . . which stood in the ooze and darkness "Up there. Look . . . where I'm !" somewhere near by. A trickle of water pointing came in through his helmet's exhaust "Oh, yes. I see it, too. Two of them." valve and slid down the side of his "This is the way we'll always be," neck. Madelyn said. "—walking along to- Number 4 PRACTICE DIVE 29 gather ... in the rain, and in the star- of the Bay of Panama saw how far light—and in the sunshine, too, and in ahead of the present-day J. C. Harvey the cloudy weather. Won't we?" the Jack Harvey of six years ago had ." !" "Yes, we will. And darling . . been. "Topside he called into the (This was the first time Harvey had telephone. His voice was high and tinny ever used the word, and the sound of from the denseness of the air. it startled him.) "And darling, if ever "Topside !" came back the answer. we don't see things the same . . . I'll "Anybody up there know shorthand?" try to see your side of it." "Know what?" !" "And I'll try to see yours," Madelyn "SHORTHAND Long said. "Yeah, why?" "Let's always remember how we feel "Get him to copy this down!" tonight and the things we've said to- There was a pause, then : "O.K., go night," Jack Harvey, high-school senior, ahead." said. And he felt suave and important "To J. C. Harvey, gunner's mate, first and sophisticated, realizing how young class," the diver said, tightening bolts they both were and how long they would as he talked. "Got that?" !" have to wait, and how intelligent they "Yes were being, and how right. "O.K. Take this . . . Remember re-

membering . . . remember what you

"You O.K.?" came the talker's voice remembered . . . remember November from the ship above. night . . . remember walking for gas

"Yeah, I'm O.K.," said diver Harvey. . . . remember what we said ... re-

"Can't see anything, though." member how it was . . . remember rain "O.K." and two stars. Got it?" Then, suddenly, diver Harvey and "Got it," came the voice from topside. high-school-senior Harvey were one and "Say, Harvey, do you feel all right?" the same. And the combination Harvey "Sure I feel all right! Haven't felt who was tightening bolts at the bottom better in a long, long time 1"

SOLUTION TO DOC DAYS QUIZ

(From page 6)

1. DODGE n. DOGSLEEP 2. DOGCART 12. DONG 3. DOGE 13. DOTAGE 4. DODDERING 14. DOUBLING 5. DOGMA 15. DOTING 6. DOINGS 16. DOUGHBOY 7. DOMINEERING 17. DOUGHTY 8. DO NOTHING 18. DOUBTING 9. DOUGH 19. DOWNGRADE 10. DORKING 20. DOWNRIGHT —

She smiled cordially. "Hi, Dale, what'll All for Lucy it be?" "Uhrermumupherah," he said. "What's that again?" she asked. BY HAROLD WINERIP "That juke box in here is so noisy I can't hear myself think." Dale's face was as red as an Arizona X VT. Dale Tucker was convinced that — sunset. "I, uh, that is, er, Lucy " He Lucy Melton at the PX was the most couldn't get it out. beautiful girl in all North America. He stared at her foolishly and finally She had green eyes, yellow hair, and a his voice functioned. "Cheeseburger and smile that haunted him. He'd give a coke," the voice said, and he was sur- month's pay and pull KP every day for prised to realize that it was his own. the same period if he could get her to He gritted his teeth. "When she comes attend the regimental dance with him. back with that order," he muttered, "I'm But Dale was a shy guy and suffered going to ask her. If I drop dead doing every mental torture in the book trying it, I'm going to ask her." to summon enough nerve to ask her. A large sergeant shuffled in, flopped Heck, half the non-coms at Fort onto the seat beside Dale, and rubbed Sandler would be inviting her. What his hands. "Hi, Lucy!" he called. "Get chance would an obscure character like me up one of them steak sandwiches him have? Night after night he lay in like a nice kid, huh?" bed thinking of her, her honey smile, Lucy nodded, and Dale fretted. her smooth, sweet face. Jeepers, once "How'm I going to ask her now?" he he could get her to the dance maybe lamented. "This big lug'll cramp me. she'd learn to care for him. Maybe Aw for the love of— ." But he remem- once he got to talking to her, baring bered the combat soldiers, and his his thoughts and dreams and plans courage was back. As Lucy placed his maybe once she knew what an honest, order before him Dale blurted out, decent kid he was—why, perhaps she'd "Lucy, if you're not doing anything the even agree to go steady with him. And night of the first any chance of your after that, who could tell? A fellow coming to the regimental dance with had to get married sometime, didn't he? me?" One morning at chow an idea hit The sergeant turned and looked at him. Look at how those guys sweated Dale. He snickered, "You're too late, out the war, he reflected. They battled sonny boy. Lucy's already promised me." against mortars, heavy artillery, planes, Dale's jaw dropped. After all that tanks, machine guns—everything the sweating, after all those sleepless nights, Japs and Huns and Italians could de- his courage had come too late. Just like vise. They faced all that with a courage that, in a split second, Lucy was out of that won out—so why couldn't a peace- his life. time soldier, specifically Pvt. Dale she? looked indignantly Tucker, why couldn't he gather up Or was She sergeant. "I don't ever remember enough guts to ask a little blondie girl at the for a date? saying I was going to the dance with He skipped mess hall chow at noon you, Wilbur!" and climbed the hill to the PX. He sat The sergeant winked. "Course not," at the counter, saw Lucy, and gulped. he said. "Not yet. But I was just going 30 Number 4 ALL FOR LUCY 31

to ask, and you couldn't possibly refuse to hate Sgt. Wilbur Vernon with a great a feller like me, now could you, baby?" fervor. Lucy's eyes were blazing. "Well, I Lucy was back from waiting on the like that!" she fumed. recruit. She also had Sgt. Vernon's Dale felt helpless. He looked at Lucy, steak sandwich, and her anger seemed then the sergeant, and back to Lucy to have abated. again. Here his fate was being decided, "You know, boys," she stated, "I've and he didn't have the vaguest idea been doing some thinking. You're both

how he could help his own cause. a couple of nice guys, even if you are Lucy pressed hands to hips, and in- opposite types. I see you around often, augurated a lecture at the sergeant. Dale, and I know you're a sweet kid.

She looked indignantly at the sergeant. "I don't ever remember saying I was going to the dance with you, Wilbur!"

"Now you listen here, Wilbur You're too bashful for your own good, ." Vernon— but you are a likable Joe. I think it's But a recruit at the other end of the awful cute the way you blush when I counter was in need of a chocolate talk to you." malted, and Lucy was gone. Dale pushed Dale smiled weakly, his face redder his cheeseburger aside and haplessly than ever. Lucy turned to Wilbur. "And rested his chin in his hands. The ser- you, you big lug," she snapped, "you're geant slapped his back roughly. "Kid," as loud as a boiler factory and shy as

he suggested, "why don't you mosey on a bulldog. But your bark is worse than back to the barracks and get some bunk your bite. I couldn't dislike you if I fatigue? You look sleepy." tried." Dale Tucker was a mild soul as a "Hmmmmmm," reflected Dale. "I rule, and he divided people into two can dislike him without half trying."

classes : those he liked, and those toward "Tell you what I'll do," Lucy went whom he was indifferent. He had never on. "You guys are both playing in the hated anyone, but a sneaking suspicion regimental championship baseball game in his mind suggested that he was about the day of the dance, isn't that right?" 32 THE LINK Volume 8

They both nodded. Dale was center- wasn't much of a hitter, and was eighth

fielder for the Hq. Co. team ; Wilbur man In the batting order. It was his was catcher for Co. A. fielding that kept him in the lineup, and "Okay," said Lucy. "Whichever one little else. When he stepped into the of you fellows outshines the other in box for his initial licks there was one

the game, he's the one I'll go to the man on. . . . And the man died there, dance with. Isn't that fair enough?" for Dale struck out Ignominiously. Wilbur grinned from ear to ear. "Hrumph," he grunted. "Co. A leads "Great!" he boomed. "A swell idea!" us, 1-0. Wilbur leads me, 1-0." "Ha," thought Dale, "he should like In the fourth inning Wilbur cracked the idea. He leads the whole post in out a double, but didn't score. Dale batting with his .407 average. Me and came up to bat in the fifth stanza, my .277. I'm licked before I start." swung with all his might at a low, in- Lucy was looking at Dale. "Well?" side pitch—and fouled out to, of all she wanted to know. people, Wilbur Vernon. Vernon laughed The kid was trapped. "Sure, sure," with vast hilarity. "Kid," he cracked, he sputtered with false enthusiasm. "A "from now on I'm going to call you fine idea. Couldn't be fairer." He got up 'Stag'—'cause that's how you're going from his seat and started away from to the dance." Dale winced. the counter. The next time Wilbur went up to "What about your sandwich?" Lucy bat there were Co. A men on second asked. and third, and two out. The Hq. pitcher "I'm not hungry," Dale replied bit- received his instructions from the coach.

terly. "Give it to Wilbur. He looks Walk Vernon was the order, and walk hungry." Vernon the pitcher did. It was a for- On the day of the game, the Fort tunate thing, too, because the next man Sandler stands were jammed. Hq. Co. went out on a line drive to right. and Co. A were tied for first, and this Dale's third trip to the plate was as was the last game of the season. The fruitless as the others. With Wilbur winning club was to receive a hand- heckling him, clucking "Stag, Stag, some trophy, and the competitive feeling Stag," over and over. Dale was a cinch was as strong between the clubs as be- out on a soft grounder to the third base- tween the New York Yankees and the man. However, Co. A scored in that Brooklyn Dodgers at World Series Inning, and the game was tied up at time. 1-1. "We may win," admitted Dale as Sgt. Wilbur Vernon was clean-up he took his position in center field at man for his team, and in the last of the the end of the frame,, "but Wilbur has first inning he strolled to the plate with me beaten right now. I don't stand a a man on second, two out, and the game chance." scoreless. The Hq. pitcher, after wasting Came the last of the ninth Inning,

a couple of throws, whizzed in a fast and the score was still knotted. Co. A ball, waist high, and that was Wilbur's was at bat and the first hitter popped dish. He blasted a terrific triple to left to the shortstop. The next man was field, scoring the runner, and A Co. Wilbur Vernon. He swaggered into the had tasted first blood. box, swinging a big, menacing bat. Dale didn't come up to bat until the "Even from 'way out here he looks first of the third inning for Hq. He dangerous," worried Dale as he moved Number 4 ALL FOR LUCY 33

toward the wooden fence in center field. happy about it. "You should've let me The first pitch to Wilbur was a ball. die," he moaned to the puzzled doctor. !" "Hit it out of the park and cinch it He rose slowly to his feet, felt like the yelled the A Co. rooters. The next All-American goof, and walked with pitch was also a ball. "Pitch to him, head lowered to the dressing room. He pitch to him !" yelled the A Co. changed from his baseball uniform into fanatics. The next offering just made his Army uniform, and headed for the the edge of the plate and was called a barracks. strike. Wilbur called time, stepped out Bitter thoughts raced through his of the box, and rubbed his hands in the head. Instead of escorting Lucy to the dirt. Play was resumed and the Hq. dance he'd wind up stag—as Wilbur had pitcher went into his windup. The ball been hooting at him all through the shot for the plate, fast and straight, game. And he wouldn't have the gall,

and Wilbur leaned into it. after his goat-like fiasco, to ask any girl The horsehide streaked high out to for a dance during the evening, let alone

center field, and Dale eyed it anxiously. Lucy. It was a vicious wallop, and might be "No," he decided miserably. "I just

a homer. Then again— . The ball sud- won't go. I'm not going to have Wilbur denly curved in the wind and headed heckling me all night. This afternoon

for left center. Dale raced for it, and was bad enough. And just the sight of so did the left-fielder. It wasn't going that big gorilla dancing with Lucy to be a homer. It would stay inside would turn my stomach." the park and Dale was sure he could He sighed heavily, entered the bar- grab it. "All mine!" he cried excitedly. racks, and flopped onto the bed face He wanted to latch onto that ball and down. For the first time since he was

squeeze it, violently, to rid himself of a school kid he felt like crying. What all the frustration Vernon had caused kind of man was he, anyway? A guy him. like Wilbur could play ball naturally, But the left-fielder also had his eye with scarcely any effort. Everything for on the ball. He, too, screamed, "All

mine!" And neither of them caught it. They banged skulls fiercely, and both went sprawling to the ground. As the stands roared Wilbur raced from first to second, the ball bounced along the outfield, and the right-fielder went

chasing madly after it. When he finally

caught up with it Wilbur had touched third, and was on his way home. "Slide, Vernon, slide!" chanted the stands.

The right-fielder threw the ball, and Wilbur slid. He was safe by inches

and Co. A won the game, 2 to 1. As a mob gathered around Wilbur a doctor went to the rescue of Dale and the left-fielder. He gave them first aid and "So yoWre Sis's new beau? Boy, she's sure they quickly recovered. But Dale wasn't scraped the bottom of the barrel this time!" — "

34 THE LINK Volume 8

guys like him came easily, whether it You know, the blonde. Lucy what's- was making a sergeant's rating, batting her-name." for .400, or winning a girl like Lucy. Dale leaped out of bed. He quickly What chance did the Dale Tuckers ran his hands through his hair, and have, anyway? At every spare moment sped out the barracks door. She was he went out to the ball field and prac- standing there, looking smooth and ticed batting. He hit until his hands sweet in the evening air. "Hi, Dale," were sweaty and blistered—and then she said. he'd go into a game and get blanked. "H'lo," he mumbled awkwardly.

He tried to be a good soldier, he tried "You forgot to tell me," she said to like everything, yet none of the "what time you're planning to pick me officers even noticed him and he was up for the dance." still private. like he a He wanted Lucy Dale stared at her unbelievingly. "The had never in his life wanted anyone dance? Are you kidding?" and now she was slipping out of his "Of course I'm not!" she protested. life and into Wilbur's. "But what about Wilbur?" Dale He lay there feeling sorry for him- pressed. "He made me look like a tramp self for a full hour. All around him in that game. I didn't get a hit in was the chatter about the ball game, three—and loused up his fly ball on top the talk about the dance. He wanted to of it. He batted in both his team's die, to bury himself in the ground, to runs. He got a double, triple, walk and disappear from the face of the earth an inside-the-park homer. — when there was a tap on his shoulder. Why Lucy interrupted him with a smile. "Hey, Dale," a voice said. "Someone outside to see you." "I know. He also got a fractured ankle Dale sat up in bed, rubbing his eyes. sliding into home in the ninth inning. "Someone to see—me?" He won't be able to walk for weeks, let It was Pvt. Herbie Levine talking. alone dance." "Yeah. That waitress from the PX. "Well, holy smoke," Dale said.

Error

There was a large Ladies' Day crowd at Boston's Fenway Park for the game between the Red Sox and the New York Yankees one summer afternoon, and among the spectators were a stout, matronly woman and her young son, who looked to be somewhere between the advanced ages of five and six. During the course of the contest, Yank Tommy Henrich leaned into the Bosox hurler's offering and crashed a savage foul into the stands. The ball shot toward the corpulent lady as though aimed at her. She turned a ghostly white, instinctively

raised her hands in self-defense, and fortunately dodged just in time to avoid being hit. When the danger was over, she leaned back in her seat, gasping for breath and shaking tremulously. But the boy was quite unelated about his mother's survival.

"Aw, gee whiz. Ma," he moaned disappointedly. "You should've had it—that ball was right in your mitts!"—Horo/cf Winerip After the "bone-soup" has been made, Carving Bone salvage your raw material from the saucepan. Your next task is to cut it into more workable proportions. Place BY C. V. JACKSON a likely bone in a vice and with a small

hacksaw or coping saw cut it down lengthwise once or twice and so reduce jVIANY who like to work in crafts it to thin, flat slabs . . . And now to will be agreeably surprised to learn that work! bone can be fashioned into numerous

useful little novelties that have every appearance of being carved from ivory. This close similarity between articles made of well-polished bone and of real ivory has long been exploited by native craftsmen at all points east of Suez. Men and women of our armed forces have probably spent huge sums of money in the purchase of "ivory" objets-d'art with a much closer affinity to the bone of the ox than to the tusk of the ele- phant.

If one is prepared to ignore the rela- tive merits of bone and ivory, the prices charged by the bazaar wallahs are fairly reasonable when one takes into account the skill necessary to produce the arti- cles in question. The craftsmanship which the native worker lavishes on such a relatively inferior material as bone is little short of amazing. If the average hobbyist attempting his first project in bone feels that the intricate carving of the natives leaves him hopelessly outclassed, he need not despair. Many less ornate but possibly far more useful articles can easily be Fig. 1 fashioned by anyone who can handle a small file and a penknife. A host of small articles which can be First comes the preparation of the fashioned from bone: jewelry, book- raw material. Although it is not ad- marks, paper knives, penholders, but- visable to exhume your dog's favorite tons, buckles, chess pieces, etc. The cache in the garden, use can be found beginner will find that a simple paper for most types of bone. It will be neces- knife makes an excellent article to start sary to remove some of the natural fat with. Its clean, austere lines will not from the bones, and boiling is one of make too great a demand upon his skill the most satisfactory ways of accom- at this stage. The paper knives illus- plishing this. trated in Fig. 1 measure ten inches in 35 — 36 THE LINK Volume 8

length. Any one of them makes an at- a small saw remove those parts not tractive and useful addition to a desk. necessary to the design (see Fig. 2). To make such a knife work a slab The blade of the knife should be filed of bone down to a strip of appropriate and sandpapered to impart a reasonably keen edge. Polish the knife with some

] umice powder on a damp cloth, finish /ith a good rub with powdered chalk

nd linseed oil, and you will have an

^ory-like sheen that is most attractive. Personally, I prefer this natural finish,

but it is an easy matter to color the article any shade desired by applying spirit stain. It will not take you long to discover that the craft of carving bone novelties

Fig. 2 is a fascinating one. To beginner and

to practiced craftsman it offers unlimited dimensions—a large rib bone is ideal scope for originality. It is a pastime for the project. Sandpaper the bone until that can be practiced almost anywhere

it is perfectly smooth. Sketch the out- and think how cheap your raw material line of the knife on the bone and with is!

Three new Permabooks of interest to the hobbyist which have been brought

out by Garden City Publishing Company, Inc., are: A Handy Illustrated Guide to Baseball, by Sam Nisenson. Illustrated with over

200 action drawings, portraits, and diagrams, it gives information on how to play each position, batting hints, and strategy. Basic rules, records, outstanding achieve- ments, and an illustrated gallery of great managers and famous baseball stars are also included. Thirty-five cents. The Care and Handling of Dogs, by Jack Baird, well-known trainer, handler, and judge of dogs. In this comprehensive, 35-cent, pocket-size volume, the author

describes all the recognized standard breeds and advises as to their suitability as

pets for children or adults, for use in the field or show, and general, all-round

companionship. Divided into six main sections, The Care and Handling of Dogs covers

choosing a pet, its care, breeding, shows and other competitions, and origin of dogs and history of their domestication.

The Handy Book of Gardening, by Albert E. Wilkinson and Victor A. Tiedjens. A detailed guidebook for the home owner, The Handy Book of Gardening covers flowers, vegetables, trees, shrubs, vines and lawns, fruits, berries and nuts, and

house plants. Albert E. Wilkinson was for many years professor of gardening at the University of Connecticut, and Victor A. Tiedjens, formerly associate professor of gardening at the New Jersey State College of Agriculture, Rutgers University,

is an expert consultant in horticulture. The Indestructible Crosby

By Henry Morris

If the movies should make an award he needn't have done a song in them. to the actor or actress who gives the The singer is of short, stocky build; most for salary received, Bing Crosby, is constantly dieting and exercising in in this writer's opinion, would walk away with the honors hands down. He just couldn't lose. "He's never lost a friend, dropped a pal, or turned out a flop," columnist Hedda Hopper wrote recently. "He's weathered many a storm, crooned when crooning was the thing, and revealed the greatest ballad-singing talent of a gen- eration when that was indicated; never strives or strains, but goes along like that Old Man River he loves to warble about." Crosby's career refutes the theory that the life of a picture star is only five to eight years. Bing has been a movie hero for eighteen years and shows no signs of slowing down. In addition^ he is one of the highest paid artists in radio and also America's leading re- cording star ; his records sell by the millions. The one and only Bing Harry Lillis Crosby, to use his real name, made his first appearance in order to lose weight ; and his clothes

Tacoma, Washington, in either 1902 or never seem to fit him. He is often re-

1904. The record books are a little hazy ferred to as the "poorest dresser in as to the exact date of his birth. Hollywood." His favorite outfit is a

Crosby's age, however, is immaterial to yachting cap, a loud sports shirt, and his fans. The point is, he's a better an old pair of slacks. Bing is getting a singer and actor now than he was in little bald, too, but doesn't let it worry his more youthful days. When he first him. Because of studio convention he entered pictures Bing was camera-shy wears a toupee on the screen and he and ill at ease. Now he is the envy of usually wears a hat while singing over every actor with whom he works be- the air. cause of the easy, effortless way he does "Bingo" as he is known to his friends, his lines. Bing is the first to disclaim came up in show business the easy way. any thoughts of acting ability, yet his The singer who was to start a world- latest pictures have been so good that wide vogue for love songs began his 37 — 38 THE LINK Volume 8

warbling with a neighborhood orchestra Bob Hope. An older brother, Everett,

while still in high school. He played the manages his numerous business affairs. drums too, although he didn't know a Bing is a quiet, modest fellow, always note of music. In fact none of the band ready to help the underdog. He gave could read music. They learned numbers Marjorie Reynolds her big chance by by listening to phonograph records and picking her for his leading lady in practicing until they could copy the Holiday Inn. He popularized the songs melody and rhythm. of Johnny Burke and Jimmy Van After high school Bing entered Gon- Heusen and helped put that team at the zaga University with the intention of top of the song-writing game. Numerous becoming a lawyer, but when college radio stars, including Bob Burns and

began to lose its charm he and a friend Marilyn Maxwell, got their start on named Al Rinker decided to try vaude- Bing's radio show. ville with a singing act. Eventually the Crosby has long been one of America's team landed in Hollywood where they leading sportsmen. As a boy he wanted secured a job with a dining-room to become a big league baseball player. orchestra, then were booked in a the- Now he plays golf, and plays well. Each atre. Here Paul Whiteman heard them year he sponsors an open golf tourna- and signed the boys to sing with his ment for which he pays all expenses, orchestra. In their first appearance with and he would rather be known as a the Whiteman band they were a flop. golfer and sportsman than as a radio Later when Whiteman opened at a and movie celebrity. At various times Broadway night club he engaged Harry he owned a girls' soft-ball team, a racing

Barris, a song writer, to sing with stable, and a deep-sea-fishing boat ; also Rinker and Crosby. "Barris was the stock in a race-track, a prize fighter, only real musician of the bunch," Bing and a baseball club. says today. This trio sang with White- For years Hollywood has been look- man as the Rhythm Boys and was a hit. ing for a new Crosby, but they needn't When Whiteman returned to Holly- have bothered. The one and only has

wood to fill an engagement at the a long way to go. Cocoanut Grove and to make a picture for Universal, Mack Sennett heard Crosby and persuaded him to make six shorts. They didn't turn out so well, and although Sennett could have signed LINK LINES Crosby "for a song" he didn't think (Continued from page 16)

Bing was worth it. Bing made his actual he facilitates our freedom of movement picture debut in the Whiteman film, The instead of restricting it.

King Jass, in 1931 ; but it was not of No less do the commands of a man's the air until he had made a name on own high moral sense contribute to his that Paramount offered him an acting freedom. Are there any really free contract. men? The answer seems to us to Bing's screen vehicles number some be : a man is free in the measure that outstanding box office successes Going he comes to comprehend and move in My Way, Bells of St. Mary's, Blue harmony with the purposes of God and Skies, Emperor Walts, and the "Road" with the rights of all the children of our pictures in which he co-starred with Heavenly Father. FEN PAL Pentecostal, Southern Baptist, Naza- It would be an understatement to say rene, Reformed, Methodist, Lutheran, that I appreciate your magazine. In Congregational, Episcopal, Christian fact, I have derived much good from Science, United Brethren, and Mormon

its inspiring articles. And it depicts denominations and come from 18 States. life in the United States in a really pic- ture-making kind of way. So I have REGARDING CIVILIAN SUBSCRIPTIONS missed The Link very much indeed Would it be possible for me to sub- ever since Chaplain Doyle, who was in scribe to The Link, as I enjoyed read- charge of the American Post Chapel in ing it so much while I was serving with Bayreuth, was transferred. He always the Army? I still have quite a few kindly distributed The Link. copies which I received while serving I venture to write this letter request- and brought them along home with me, ing you to assist me in establishing a and occasionally get them out and find pen friendship with American boys and much helpful reading in them. girls. I am especially desirous of im- Franklin E. Ganger proving English and learning a lot my Birdshoro, Penna. about America. For my part, I will certainly do my best to meet my pen I am an ex-GI from the First pals' wishes. I am eighteen years of Armored Division and am now studying age. for the ministry. Rudolph Czarnach in regular reader Post Altdrassenfeld While ETO I was a Bei Bayreuth (12a), U. S. Zone, Germany of The Link, and miss it and its won- derful messages and lessons and now

NEWLY ORGANIZED SMCL UNIT wonder if it is possible for an ex-GI

The Service Men's Christian League to subscribe for it regularly. I of Dhahran Airfield, Dhahran, Saudi- James R. Owens Arabia, has recently been organized un- R.R. 5, Franklin, Ind. der the sponsorship of Chaplain John W.

Sloan, Base Chaplain of the 1414th Air [Editor's note : Of course civilians Base Group. Chaplain Sloan writes that may subscribe to The Link. The price the Unit has gotten off to a good start (see also Contents page for quantity with a membership of 28 men. They lots) is $1.25 a year, or 25^ a single represent the Presbyterian, U.S.A., copy.] 39 That was easy. Pvt. Feldstein and Army Lawyer Pvt. Aronson were ready. They pro- duced the passes, the MP scanned the signature of Capt. Jones and was BY LOUIS C. FINK satisfied.

"Okay," he barked. "I'll let you go. Chapter Five Go back to the base and put on neckties before you come to town again." The soldiers held out their hands for the Further interesting experiences of Lt. Fink passes. "I'll in Army court-martial cases. All names other precious send these back than Lt. Fink's are fictitious. to the post," said the MP. Now the paratroopers were not quite so happy. Still, what could happen? It began shortly after Sam Feldstein They'd get a reprimand for not wearing and Jack Aronson were able to leave ties, but they could claim they didn't the hospital. They were paratroopers, know about the rule. Lots of men forgot and about twenty years old. ties when they went to town. The ordinary man is depressed by an Next chapter in this little saga of injury, particularly if he breaks a leg the paratroopers from the Bronx oc- and has to stay in bed for a long time. curred when the complaint against them But not paratroopers. They live on ex- reached the desk of Lt. McQueen. He citement. was the Provost Marshal of our post, Sam and Jack were no more trouble- and he received many complaints against some than any other patients on Ward our soldiers for minor indiscretions. Eight. They engaged in all the usual Going without neckties hardly called deviltry that makes the life of an Army for an investigation. So he sent the com- nurse a test of her patience. But they plaint, accompanied by the two passes, both had gone AWOL for a few days. to Lt. Hartford who was the superior The CO of the patients let them off the officer of Feldstein and Aronson. Hart- first time. ford was the man who had no love for Maybe they were too young. Maybe these patients, the same two men whom life was too dull. Maybe it was the he had once let off for going AWOL, inactivity. Whatever it was, they in- and who practically told their friends dulged in a little bit of deviltry one that Hartford was a sucker. The Lieu- night which landed them in serious tenant was the Commanding Officer of trouble.

all the patients on the post ; his was Basically, all they did was to forge the responsibility for supply, discipline, a pass—^a pass which gave each of records, everything about them except them the right to be in town until their medical care. eleven o'clock at night. Lt. Hartford was annoyed that morn- What was the harm? Sam and Jack ing when he received the complaint from filled in the blanks. They went to town on the bus. In their exuberance, they the Provost Marshal by way of a hos- forgot to wear neckties. Paratroopers pital messenger. He wondered what were always doing that. Within ten punishment he might mete out to these minutes, a military policeman stopped two men who went to town without neck- them. "You're out of uniform, soldiers. ties. They had been here long enough No ties. Where's your pass?" to know better. Idly he glanced at their 40 Number 4 ARMY LAWYER 41 passes on his desk. How did they happen The Sergeant was deep in the "Man- to have passes? Their doctor had told ual for Courts-Martial." He had looked him they weren't allowed to go out at in the index for "Forgery," and on page night yet. His eyes opened a little wider 175 was reading a definition of that when he looked at the signatures. Henry crime. "It won't hold up," he said to Jones, Captain, Medical Corps. We himself. "Forgery is the false and didn't have any Henry Jones on the fraudulent making or altering of an medical staff; not that he knew of. instrument which would, if genuine, ap- A call to the Adjutant's office verified parently impose a legal liability on an- his suspicions. Henry Jones was no other or change his legal liability to his medical officer ; not on this post, any- prejudice." A glance at the proof re- way. Within a matter of minutes Feld- quired showed that forging a pass did stein and Aronson, in red convalescent not impose a legal liability on anybody. suits this time, were standing very straight before Hartford's desk. "Where did you men get these passes?" No answer. "Who signed Captain Jones' name on the bottom?" The secret was out. Feld- stein answered. "We did, sir." The Lieutenant saw red. The area above his collar grew red. In a voice that seemed to be dyed red he bellowed, "Sergeant, draw up charges against these men." His sergeant was only two feet away and the sound of the bellow, to say nothing of its timbre, startled him into more action than his usual was "You're out of uniform, soldiers. No ties. custom. "Yes, sir. Lieutenant, what's the Where's your pass?" charge? Out of uniform?" "No," in another bellow. "These men forged passes. They signed a phony No, forgery under the 93rd Article of name to some phony passes. Look it War wouldn't stand up in this case. up in the Manual and draw up a charge There was no other choice for Lt. sheet." Hartford than the 96th Article of War. He turned to the two red-clad patients That's a catch-all article which covers who were thinking all sorts of dire almost any conceivable crime. It covers things. "Go back to your ward, and all "disorders and neglects to the preju- stay there. I'm court-martialling you dice of good order and discipline." Lt. for this. You got away with that AWOL Hartford was satisfied with that. Forg- business, but now you've gone too far." ing a hospital pass certainly prejudiced The saluted left. men and The Lieu- discipline. You couldn't have discipline, tenant was muttering to himself. "Pretty or good order, if any man could go soon they'll be running the hospital. about writing his own passes. Making out their own passes. I'll fix The wheels started. He drew up a them if . . . Sergeant, what have you charge sheet complaining that Feldstein found in the Manual?" and Aronson had violated the 96th 42 THE LINK Volume 8

Article of War. He specified that they charges. By standing order I was now had wrongfully executed two passes and the regular defense counsel. signed thereto the name of Captain That night I went down to see my Henry Jones. He rushed the document two paratroopers. I explained my mis- down to the Adjutant of the hospital. sion, and reminded them that if they The Adjutant looked at the com- preferred another defense counsel they plaint, saw the passes offered in evi- had the right to ask for any man they dence, and referred the matter to an chose. Even a civilian lawyer, if they investigating officer. An investigating wanted one. Feldstein and Aronson officer must look into all the facts sur- were satisfied. They still couldn't be- rounding a complaint. He spoke to the lieve that this was a very serious charge.

MP's who had made the arrest; he After all, it was just a harmless prank, spoke to the Provost Marshal ; he called like playing hooky from school in the in the two patients. Bronx. The investigating officer warned the I asked them how much they were latter of their rights, and asked them willing to tell me. Like most of the men if they had any statement to make. For I defended they told me the whole story. once, two men who were to be my And as far as I could determine it was clients had sense enough to remain the whole truth. silent. They were still sure of them- They knew their ward doctor would selves. Not from any conviction that not leave the post. So far as they could they were innocent, but just from the see, their legs were healing nicely and spirit of bravado which had carried it would be fun to see the city. But them through worse storms in their they needed passes, and the little forms Army careers. They remained silent. were locked carefully in the ward offi- They admitted nothing, except that cer's desk. they were in town without their neck- It was just an accident that they ties. The CO of patients hadn't even heard of another patient who had some- bothered to charge them with that. They how tumbled on a pad of fifty of the didn't ask to examine the witnesses forms. He was selling them daily in against them, although that was their the PX, at fifty cents apiece, I stopped right, too. them before they could tell me his name. That had the makings of a much more The investigator decided the facts serious crime, and what they. were tell- were clear enough. He selected a Special ing me now was in confidence—the Court as the proper one—it has a maxi- mutual trust between an accused man mum of six months' imprisonment to and his counsel. offer. He made his recommendation ac- At fifty cents each, the passes looked cordingly to the hospital commander. like a bargain. So they bought two. And The next day the Trial Judge Advo- while my conscience was struggling with cate was handed the complaint. He duly the matter of this man who sold passes, served a copy on the accused men, and Feldstein blurted out, "You know, we've had them placed in confinement. This never seen that guy since. We don't meant a locked ward in the hospital, even know who he was, and nobody since patients aren't supposed to be in else seems to know, either. Guess he a guardhouse. Then the T J A called got shipped out." at my office and gave me a copy of the All they had to do now was to use Number 4 ARMY LAWYER 43 the ward typewriter to write in their well trained and salute with dignity. names and serial numbers, and give They are used to court procedure, and themselves a few hours in town. Chances answer questions in a clear voice, as were nobody would ever ask them for though they know what they are saying. their passes, but if they did—well, The MP's, interrogated separately, they'd be ready. The signature at the were consistent. They had noticed Pvts. bottom had them stopped, but Aronson Feldstein and Aronson at about seven remembered the medical officer of their P.M. Corner of Broad and Ninth Streets. old outfit at Camp Mackall. Capt. The two were out of uniform, so they Jones. Okay, they'd borrow his name. stopped them and asked them for their He wouldn't mind. They didn't know passes. They collected the passes, and his first name but Henry seemed about ordered the two to return to the hospital right. Henry Jones, Captain, Medical to put on neckties. Then they went back Corps. to the city police station, wrote out the complaint, and returned the passes to The case came up for trial three days the hospital. later. The T J A had prepared his facts rather smoothly. The members of the The passes were offered in evidence. five-man court took the oath, and then The MP's identified them as the two the T J A and his assistant were sworn they collected from the two patients. in. The defense counsel, by a quirk of They remembered Capt. Jones' name

Army procedure, is not sworn at a on the bottom. court-martial. He is not under oath to This was the key to my defense, and tell the truth, or to do anything else. I listened intently. I hadn't dared to His only obligation is the one he as- breathe a word of hope to the two sumed when he was commissioned, "To paratroopers, but the T J A was play- uphold the Constitution of the United ing into my hand. The passes were ad- States." mitted in evidence by the court. The T A went ahead methodically. J Now the T J A was about through. had the two patients identified. He He He called the Adjutant of our post, who had them placed on Ward Eight, under swore that a careful check of his records the care of Capt. Whyte. Capt. Whyte showed we had never had a Capt. Henry testified that on or about June 10th he Jones on the staff. Not now, on June had not given them a pass to leave the 10th, or ever. He was shown the passes. post. In fact, he volunteered, he did not consider it in their best interests to walk too much. That's why h^ could be sure they had no passes. Lt. Hartford was introduced. No, he had given them no passes. No, they had not applied for a pass. His written records were clear on both points. The military police appeared on the stand. MP's make wonderful witnesses. They appear in court with side arms, and for that reason never remove their "You paid two good heaver skins and didn't caps. They look like soldiers. They are even get any instructions I" — ! —

44 THE LINK Volume 8

No, he did not recognize the signature. of not guilty, then that motion should The prosecution rested. I could imag- have been upheld. ine his summation which would follow I showed the passes to each military later. Feldstein and Aronson had no policeman. Did he recognize the passes? authority to be off the post. They had Yes, sir. Could he positively identify been stopped, five miles from the post, them as the ones taken from the ac- by two MP's. They had offered passes cused? Yes, sir. Then I showed them which were now in the hands of the an exact duplicate, except that the name court. It had been shown conclusively of Captain Jones was in my own hand- that the signatures were not genuine. writing. Could they be sure this wasn't

The court could make no finding but the pass they had taken up? Well, sir, that the soldiers were guilty of violating if you put it that way, no, they couldn't the 96th Article of War. It was not be sure. But their passes had been sent necessary to prove forgery, just to show to the hospital. The Provost Marshal that an act had been committed which could identify the passes beyond any prejudiced good order and discipline. reasonable doubt.

All right, . I called the Provost Now I could start my defense. I had Marshal. Had he received two passes? learned an old trick from a veteran, Yes, he had. Were these passes—the and I used it now, as I did almost every ones offered in evidence originally time. the same passes ? Without a doubt. How

"If it please the court," I said, "the did he know? Well, they were accom- defense moves for a directed verdict of panied by a complaint giving all the not guilty. The prosecution has failed facts. I objected. That was hearsay to prove any case against these men." evidence. Stick to the facts you your- The T J A was on his feet. This was self know from personal experience, sheer nonsense. The court thought so, Lieutenant. Well, then, these passes too, and in a few seconds denied my were received in the mail. Had he motion. Proceed with the defense. marked them in any way? No. What The expediency of putting the accused had he done with them? Sent them by man on the stand is a normal question. messenger to the CO of patients. Could A'laybe he could arouse sympathy, maybe he be sure the messenger had not re- he could plead some compelling motive placed them with other passes? His in extenuation. But I didn't dare to take answer was a laughing No. Ridiculous the risk of having these men cross- question examined under oath. To them it was I asked for the CO of patients. Were still a prank, and they would have ad- these passes the ones he had received? mitted everything. Certainly. How did he know ? Were they I asked for the recall of the military marked in any way? No, of course not. police. Notice that I did not cross- Could they be substitutions? I didn't examine these men when they first ap- care whether he answered or not. peared. I wanted the prosecutor to In my mind, the case was finished. A rest his case first. The case must stand reasonable doubt had been established. or fall on what the prosecutor offers There was some doubt that the two before the T J A rests. If he had failed passes offered in evidence were the to prove his case beyond reasonable identical passes taken from my two doubt before my motion for a finding paratroopers. And if they were not the Number 1 ARMY LAWYER 45 identical passes, then they were no good fication, guilty, and sentences you to be at all as evidence. In military law, a confined at hard labor at such place as crime must be shown by specific evi- the reviewing authority may direct for dence. The passes resting on the desk of a period of three months." the court president were mere scraps of Well, it was less than the maximum, paper. anyway. I think it was the first time Remember, too, that the men had not the prisoners realized they were in been charged with AWOL, or with ap- trouble. It had never occurred to them pearing out of uniform. Either charge that an indignant court would look could have been upheld. But they were harshly on a little prank like forging charged with wrongfully using passes, passes. But these men were officers of signed by a nonexistent man. the hospital, and they were tired of The court recessed to consider its flagrant violations of discipline. verdict, and out in the hall Feldstein and Aronson asked me to explain my I consoled the two as best I could. line of reasoning. If they didn't under- With good behavior they'd be out in stand, I felt, the court wouldn't either. two and one-half months. They wouldn't I was not very optimistic. have to work, for they were still hos- In a few minutes, the court called us pital patients. But that much enforced all back into the room. The president idleness was a serious blow to the para- asked for a record of previous convic- troopers. If twenty-year-olds ever de- tions. That was the signal that my men spair of life, those two certainly did. No were guilty, for if they were innocent, use telling them that the case still had the case would have ended right there. to be reviewed. Fortunately enough, their records were I was pinning all my hopes on that spotless up till now. Only convictions motion for not guilty, entered before within the past twelve months can be I began my defense. I still felt there introduced. They had been AWOL be- was a reasonable doubt. The com- fore, but never tried in court, so the mander of the hospital looked over the

T J A could say nothing about it. And I stenographic record of the case and ap- had been careful to introduce statements proved the findings. He was no lawyer of their good conduct in the Army up to and inclined to agree with a court this point. I mentioned their volunteer- which had given full consideration to all ing for parachute duty, and everything the facts. else favorable that I could find in their Then the record of the trial went to service records. Atlanta for review. That was the head- The court recessed again, and now quarters of Fourth Service Command, they considered a sentence. Their maxi- the governing body for all posts such mum was six months' confinement, and as ours. There, a competent member of I suppose they considered all the evi- the Judge Advocate General's Depart- dence of previous good behavior. For ment reviewed each case carefully. They when we marched back into the room could reduce sentences, but not increase again the president intoned, "This them. They could find a guilty man in- court, by secret written ballot, two- nocent, but not the other way around. thirds of the members present concur- In two weeks the record of trial was ring in each finding of guilty, finds you back. The Service Command had ruled of the charge, guilty, and of the speci- that there zvas a reasonable doubt. That 46 THE LINK Volume 8 my not guilty motion should have been do when he gets out of jail?" They were approved; that the court was wrong in groping rather foolishly for words. The denying it. And therefore that Feld- occasion seemed to call for something. stein and Aronson were innocent. They Finally Sam found a voice. "Can't we were to be releasd at once and the con- repay you somehow? Is there something viction removed from their records. we can do for you for getting us out of The Adjutant must have sensed my this mess?" joy, for he called me in and invited me "Yes," I said, and here I was on safe to inform the two men in the locked ground. "Take my advice, and don't ever prison ward. Feldstein and Aronson get into trouble in this hospital again. were thoroughly disconsolate boys when Lt. Hartford will skin you alive if he I arrived. Two weeks of nothing had gets the chance. Don't break the slight- them down. est little rule. Don't speak out of turn. "Pack your clothes, boys," I said as Don't even look the wrong way." nonchalantly as I could. They looked at This they could understand. "We'll me with unbelief. "Service Command be perfect soldiers," they said in one says you're innocent. You can leave." voice. "And we'll get well and go back "Will they try us again?" to duty as soon as we can." "No, once you're acquitted in the I never saw them again, but they Army you can never be tried again for stayed in the hospital about a month the same offense," I reminded them. longer. Not the slightest petty violation They looked rather blank. Their hap- was ever charged against them. They piness was too great to let the full sig- were, indeed, good soldiers. And I sus- nificance dawn on them. "Did this ever pect they stayed that way the rest of happen before, sir? What does a man their Army lives.

HONOR ROLL, UNITED STATES MERCHANT MAR!NE

By John Ackerson

Where will you find these heroes? Fathoms down

Wherever ocean rolls, her billows gray Their tombstone, and the burst of sunlit spray Brave flowers, the dank weed their burial gown! Who murdered them? The fascist, in his hate For our bright creed, that goodness rules in man. Exulted when he slew the American,

Thinking to stem the ireful flood of fate

Thaf rises with each instant; now our eyes Grope through the years, find what their hearts desired; For this our seamen died, and we are fired To promise, by their ample sacrifice: "Comrades, like you, we will not rest content

Till goodness rule the State, your monument."

Liberty Ship Charles Carroll BY

BIBLE READING JAMES V. CLAYPOOL

FOR (Seey., Promotion of Bible Use, EVERY DAY American Bible OF THE MONTH Society)

AUGUST SEPTEMBER THEME: Some Things That Matter THEME: The Doings of Great People

1. To Each His Own . . Ecclesiastes 3 1 . A Holy Person I Peter 1 2. Remedy for Discontent 2. Holy People I Peter 2 Ecclesiastes 5 3. Take Care 1 Peter 5 3. Solitary Religion . Ecclesiastes 12

4. Good-bye . . Deuteronomy 31:1-8 4. The Peoples Praise .... Psalms 67 5. Bless And . Cod . You 5. Comfort in Church . Psalms 84 Deuteronomy 33:18-29 6. Both Good and Powerful

6. Service or Rank? . Luke 9:28-62 Psalms 145

7. Remember This II Peter 1 7. Stand on Thy Feet .... Ezekiel 2 8. How to Behave Titus 1:1-9 8. Come on Back Hosea 6

9. Cod's Clorious World . . Psalms 8 9. And Stay There Hosea 14

10. Thirsting for Cod . . . Psalms 42 10. A Trip to Jerusalem ..Ezra 7:6-1 3

1 . 13. The Original Joseph . . Genesis 37 1 . The Conquered Pray . Ezra 9:5-1 5

12. God Ever Present . . . Psalms 139 12. More Grief Nehemiah 1

13. The Original Joseph . . .Genesis 37 13. When Enemies Hinder 14. A Sly Woman Genesis 39 Nehemiah 4:1-9 15. Interpreter of Dreams 14. Doing a Great Work Genesis 41 :1-31 Nehemiah 6:1-9

16. Big Promotion . Genesis 41 :32-57 15. Comfort from Bible Reading 17. Hungry Brothers Genesis 42 Nehemiah 8:1-16 18. Still Hungry Genesis 43 16. The Victory That Overcomes

19. Something Wrong Here. Genesis 44 I John 5

20. Happy Ever After . . . .Genesis 45 17. Samson's Wife Judges 14

21. Too Sharp Talk James 3 18. Strong Man Samson . . .Judges 15

22. Cod As Love 1 John 4 19. Samson and Delilah . . . .Judges 16 23. Rapid Recruits Acts 5:1-16 20. Light in Darkness. II Corinthians 4 9^ 24. Easy Betrayal . . . .Luke 22:24-53 21. Jesus Gets Around .... Matthew

25. Unity in Diversity . I Corinthians 12 22. A Peaceful Future Micah 4 I 26. Concerning Vineyards . . . Isaiah 5 23. What Doth the Lord Require? 27. Praise to the Lord .... Isaiah 42 Micah 6:1-8

28. The Time Is at Hand 24. Jonah's Disobedience . . Jonah 1 Luke 21:1-19 25. Jonah Prays Jonah 2 29. The End of the World 26. A City Repents Jonah 3 Luke 21:20-38 27. Jonah Complains Jonah 4 30. Warning and Denunciation 28. Sing a New Song .... Psalms 96 Matthew 23:1-22 29. The Question of Rank 31. Woe and Lament Matthew 18

Matthew 23:23-39 30. War in Heaven . . Revelation 12 47 ^Mlii

DATE — ISSUED TO

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U. S. Army Chaplain School Library