Dealers Preparing Now

Mcny wise dealers throughout the country have crlrecrdy made crlterctions in their wcrehouses in prepcnction lor hcndling oI very much lcrger stocks ol plyurood in the postwcrr period thcn they did belore the wcn.

It isn't cr bit too scron to do this, in order to be recrdy lor the o1> portunity that wil surely be here one of these days.

ONE THING THE WAR HAS NOT CHANGED

'.v REI) WOO I) Sintc lEo-i

DOLBEER & CARSON LUMBER CO.

And then there was the tough "top kick" who said to the new rookie: "Wipe that OPINION off your face."

Statesmen have not done much of a job toward making this a peaceful world, or a world of plenty. It is time to rely upon the e.ffoits of engineers, scientists, and businessmen. ***

Yes sir, if the same old gang is left to handle the job of reconverting this country from war to peace and finding or creating fifty to sixty million jobs that will be needed, we can confidently expect to see the nation burdened with the same old artificial and witless schemes for dragging prosperity in by the ears, that prevailed before this war started; schemes that will be applauded enthusiastically by the gullible and the lazy. ***

The terrible blood bath in Europe goes on. And only for the purpose of prolonging the worthless lives of Hitler and his gang. Every day Germany fights-Hitler lives. What a price the world continues'to pay for having born just one little old mad paperhanger. ***

Maybe Russia would be a good vacation spot for Americans with itchy feet, after the war ends. Don't forget the story of the American who was visiting Russia in prewar days, and went to an interpreter for some lessons in speaking Russian. The teacher said: "The first sentence you must learn is 'Ya Vass lubu,' which means in English 'I love you;' and which will get you more exquisite returns in Russia than in any other country on earth." Which, I have always thought, was one of the biggest recommendations ever uttered for the land of the Soviet.

I think the nearest that WiU Rogers ever came to uttering a suggestive thing in a public address, was one of his remarks about Russia. I heard him deliver that famous address about Russia after visiting over there. He told about going down to the sea shore and river banks where the entire population bathed, without clothing or any apparent feeling of immodesty; and he concluded by saying that he might have seen more of Russia if he'd seen less of some Russans.

I felt quite prophetic the other day when reading over these Vagabond Editorials of a number of years back. In September, 1938, I wrote: "Europe t'apidly approaches a stage once more where Liberty sinks into a bottomless rnorass, and where another Voltaire is needed as badly as when the first one came."

And right art.. o.rttlro, ;"" the hordes of Huns were poised on the Belgian side of the channel and their rush across was momentarily expected by the practically unarmed British on the White Cliffs of Dover, I wrote a paragraph I am proud of now, that said: "The gorilla men have England on her five yard line, and nearer her goal line than any enemy has ever been before in her long history. Bgt how often have you sOen a football team defend its home goal from the one foot line, and then go ' on to glorious victory? Remember, it's always darkest just before morn, or, as the colored crapshooter stated it-'de biggest possums allus trot jes' befo' dawn.'"

**{<

If I hadn't missed rny guess on the date of the ending of the European war so many times, I believe I'd put in my application for a prophet's license just on the basis of the above quoted paragraph. But I've been pretty sour on my predictions about Germany's fall. Guess I didn't understand how badly Hitler wanted to live, or the price in German blood he was willing to pay for some extra days on earth. Knowing he is too foul for heaven and unfit for hell, he bites his nails and sssssms-"pight on !"

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Discussion of peace terms for Germany leads all other talk. In the days when the Roman Empire was at the height of its power, the rest of the world used the term of derision-"a Roman peace." By this they meant a peace settlement "enforced with sword and scourge and binding slavery." Which reminds me that Voltaire once said that the only thing wrong about the "Holy Roman Empire" was that it was neither holy, Rornan, nor an empire.

Senator George of Georgia is on record with a suggestion-a demand rather-that is chock full of wisdom. He says that there must be incorporated into every agreement for international operations the United States signs, a plant calling for FREEDOM OF RELIGION. Remember at the recent Big Three conference there were present t\po men of Christian faith, and one man who has'done more

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(Continued from Page 9) to destroy religion than any other in history. Because of that third man it is vitally and utterly important that the United States stand stoutly and unqualifiedly for a freedom of religion plank in every plan that is drawn for the postwar world.

*,f:f

Have you, gentle reader, given any thought to the part that religion is bound to play in the formulating of these postwar plans? Take tle sad case of Poland. The agreement to split Poland almost in half and give the East half to Russia, brings up innumerable questions, among which the question of religion deserves first attention. Suppose that the people in that East half of Poland are religionists (they are). And suppose after the war Russia plants the same iron heel on the throat of religion that it had when the war started. Then those Polish religionists would not only lose their national birthright-they would lose their religion, as well. Can you accept such a situation, and swallow the only excuse so far given, that there must be compromises in these world matters? Can you compromise a good woman away from her God, from her right to wogship flim as, and when, and how she pleases? Can you compromise between*Rl*na_""U Wrong?

When I consider the rape of Poland I recall the immortal remark of the great French liberator, Voltaire. He was debating with a lawyer the su,bject of hurnan liberty. The lawyer remarked that human freedom is a matter of contract. Voltaire replied: "Show me the contract with the signature of the slave, and I'll believe you." Show me the agreement to cut her in two and give half away, with the signature of the Polish people attached, and I'll agree that it was just.

Perhaps nothing r."" roli"l ,i"" ..,., been suggested in the making of history than that Poland lose a great chunk of her territory and population, and get in return a slice of Germany. It is like saying to a good mother: "We are going to take away two of your children, two of the dear little idols of your heart, and you will never see them again. But don't worry. You will be repaid. 'We're going to give you, two little hoodlums from back of the gas house to take the place of your dear ones."

The story of Job ir thJ orl .I"."*.nt is nearly as bad. According to the Book, God tried the obedience of old Job, by visiting him with more tribulations and trials and even persecutions than were ever inflicted upon mortal man. Job refused to complain against the Lord, even when his children were taken by death, to try him further. Finally the Lord decided that Job had been tested enough. So he removed all his plagues, restored his prosperity, and finally sbnt him a new batch of children. The story is almost as inhuman as the present Polish deal. The only difference is that the Lord gave Job and his wife some more children of their own, and not a flock of savage enemies to tear down their household. But the Bible story is bad enough.

I've decided that Joe Stalin is one of the smartest men on earth today. The old idea that he was a sort of stolid Mongolian doesn't fit his show of astuteness. For instance, when he rose at the Yalta conference to demand the Curzon line as the new Russian-Polish boundary, did you, notice how he justified it? According to the newspaper reports I read, he dramatically declared that twice in this generation the Germans have charged through Poland to attack Russia, and therefore in future Russia must keep Eastern Poland as a buffer against Germany. The facts are, of course, that in 1914 when the first event he referred to happened, Poland, like Finland, was part of the Russian Empire, and Russian armies moved through it to face the Germans, and by their own choice, made it a battlefield. Then again in 1939, did Germany go through Poland to attack Russia? Ridiculous! It was Russia that moved into Poland and grabbed half bf that cou.ntry by force while Germany was attacking the other half with all her horrid power. When the other folks at the conference of Yalta apparently swallowed that complete Russianization of recent history, Uncle Joe must have done some deep laughing in his big sleeves.

When r read in the that the Allies in their dash to the Rhine had taken the little city of Bonn, I wondered what the battle had done to the shrine of Beethoven. The great musician was born in Bonn, and later his birthplace was made into a wonderful Beethoven Museum. One of the chief displays in the museum was a set of Stradivarius instruments, given Beethoven by his friend and patron, Prince Lichnowsky. Those violins and cellos, etc., were themselves worth a king's ransom. They wouldn't stand shell fire very well, would they?

I dropped into a big retail lumber yard to visit with the owner, an old friend. I found him out in the yard loading a truck. He had just gne man on the job that day, besides himself. I stopped to watch. "I have just one thing to be thankful for these days," the .owner said. "What's that?" I asked. "Eased edges on lumber," he said, between shoves. "If they still made those old square edges I don't think these hands of mine would stand up these days." Always the bright side, you see.

Logging Added to Production Urgency List

"Logging-including the cutting of pulpwood and the hauling of logs from forest to mill" has been added to the National Production Urgency List as of March 9 by the Production Executive Committee.

Logging and lumber production had been included on the original list, but were omitted when that list r'vas scrapped last fall and the present list compiled, which was restricted to direct military supplies. Addition of logging to the list was effected by representations of the Lurnber & Lumber Products Division of the War Production Board to the committee.

National Production Urgency List ratings play an important part in determining manpower priorities by the War Manpower Commission. The list is compiled by the Production Executive Committee which comprises representatives of all the military services and civilian war agencies. The list is also used as an unofficial criterion by WPB, OPA, and other agencies to determine which activities are considered most important by the rnilitary' Inclusion of logging, therefore, should assist logging operators not only in obtaining labor referrals, but also in procuring trucks, tractors, tires, and other needed equipment.

New Yard in Greenlield

Hicks Lumber Company, Salinas, recently opened a branch yard in Greenfield, Calif.

PBTCIilOil KII,N DBTINfi CO.

Specialists in Custom Milling and Kiln Drying

CUSTOM MIITING

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KIIN DRYING tlrlr AND KltNs l4O5 Wqrer St. long Beoch 2 t-B 6-9235

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