1878*

Hayt, our representative at the war front, says he can't enlist even at the listening station; they say he is too old. His domicile is within a few miles of two great flying fields. Says 80% of the Japs in California are native citizens and are generally loyal, answer without quibble the call to service, and make good soldiers. To be sure they carry on Saturday and Sunday schools teaching history, religion, and dual patriotism (Jap first, American second), but the average youngster doesn't fall for that teaching. Thinks we shall have no trouble with Japs in this country if we are decent to them. The 2500 in his county turned over to the sheriff a wonderful collection of guns, knives, swords, radios and kodaks. They don't feel properly dressed without a kodak.

Parkinson, far from the battle scene, records exciting adventures. Wishes someone with a movie camera had witnessed his antics on a steep and slippery hill. The film surely would have excited laughter, and laughing powder ought not to be wasted in these sober days. Starting down the sidewalk, rubber tipped cane in hand, catching at the fence as feet began to skid, he decided the roadway would be safer, but failed to make it, and sprawled prone in the glazed ditch and went sliding down a third of the hill; tried again for the road, got nearly on his feet; toppled, came down on his bottom, and made another third of the hill in the glossy ditch, "tobogganing without no toboggan," as the boy said in an ad. of Plymouth Rock Pants; then, distrusting his pants, he succeeded on getting to his feet in the road and tottering down it with feet and cane till a passing city truck distributing sand on the cross street at the foot, threw shovelfuls to his rescue. All this caused no serious bruises; but next day, crossing a level street, a bit of ice hidden under new snow threw him violently enough to knock out his lights and leave him with ribs if not broken, badly enough sprained to require bandaging and to cause the kind of pain that makes laughter difficult. In the first incident he was on his way to the hospital where for the third time within a year Mrs. Parkinson lies seriously ill. Shorter notes in future.

If you are interested in reconstruction after war, read Louis Adamic's "Two-Way Passage." It presents an idea to reckon with.

Secretary, 321 Highland Ave., Fitchburg, Mass