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Opinion ITtw Sunday OwHa/Sunday- September 25. 1988/Pog. tA1938 post office cornerstone laid in war yearsJanesville’s post office was prominent in the news SO years ago, too.It was Sept. 23, 1938, that the cornerstone for the $140,000 building was laid for Janesville’s present post office. Leo Ford was the postmaster and the 121st Field Artillery Band played for the afternoon ceremony at South Franklin and Dodge streets The place was alive with dignitariesAn evening banquet for postal officials and employees was held at the then-nearby Methodist Church. The Gazette's story gave a blow by blow account as was the custom in newswriting back then.U.S. Sen. F. Ryan Duffy, a Democrat from Wisconsin, was the principal speaker for both the afternoon and evening events. War clouds were heavy over Europe as Adolf Hitler was getting his military machine in gear to overrun the continent The senator used the threat of war as the basis for his cornerstone talk.Duffy boldly predicted the United States would keep out of any war:“...the American people can rest assured that this nation will not engage in a foreign war. We are determined to conduct our affairs in such a manner that we will not get messed into the present European trouble. ... We are going to keep out of war by minding our own business, by not interfering in things which do not concern us and by proper preparedness.’’Of course events proved Duffy to be far off target in his crystal-ball gazing The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941 (not Sept. 7 as George Bush said in attempting to rewrite history) and President Franklin Roosevelt and Congress declared war the next day on both Japan and Germany.Duffy also told the Janesville crowd that: “If we went into a foreign war and won, we would lose. And if we should lose the war, we would lose the government which we cherish. We would probably have a dictator and thus relinquish all the freedom we have.” On national defense, he said that “this country is in such a shape that no foreign country can come over here and start a war. Listening PostMitch BlissThis weekly column oi commentary and opinion will cover the waterfront in people, places and things. Reader comments and contributions are welcome.On an adjacent column in the same Gazette issue was an Associated Press story from Italy—Germany’s ally in World War II—headlined “Foes too stupid to fight, shouts Duce. Duce, of course, was Italian Premier Benito Mussolini who “roused a fascist crowd to a roar of excitement with a double-barreled attack on the League of Nations and Czechoslovakia.”War definitely was a dominating story 50 years ago. Gazette Page 1 headlines for that Sept 23-24 period shouted: “War threatens as parley fails; Chamberlain-Hitler talk collapses and “Europe poised cm brink of Great War; Czechs called to colors to repel invasion. There also was a killer hurricane at that time that hammered the Eastern states, with 175 mph winds recorded It claimed more than 500 lives in several New England states, New York and PennsylvaniaDuffy, by the way, was a one-term senator. He rode the 1932 Democratic landslide of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Duffy was succeeded in 1939 by Alexander Wiley, a Republican from Chippewa Falls, who served 24 years, through 1962, when he was beaten by former Gov. Gaylord Nelson. And Nelson himself became an upset victim of Republican Bob Kasten in 1980Stephen Bolles, Gazette editor, was prominent in the 1938 news. He won the Republican nominationfor 1st District Congress and went on to gain election to the House in NovemberGuard reunion Oct. 8, 9Another reminder of World War II comes in an announcement that Oct. 8 and 9 are dates for the 48th reunion of the three Janesville National Guard units called to active duty on Oct., 15, 1940. They are:• The 32nd Division Tank Company, (later to become the 192nd Tank Battalion of Bataan Death March fame) which served heroically in the Pacific Theater of operations• 121st Field Artillery Service Battery Band (later to become the Americal Division Band) which also served in the Pacific with an outstanding record.• 107th Quartermaster Co. B (later to become Company A 150th Light Maintenance Battalion) served in the European Theater with an excellent record.E.J. “Doc” Sartell said that the 48th annual reunion will be held at the Veterans of Foreign Wars clubhouse in Janesville, with the banquet to be on Oct. 9, a Sunday. Chief Warrant Officer Joseph Clauder, director of the 32nd Division Band in WWII. will be the principal speaker Also on the program is retired Brig Gen. Charles Scharine of Whitewater.Harvey Dransfield, a Janesville native who lives in Iron Mountain, Mich., and a former first sergeant in the band, will give membership reports. Others on the program are Jim Hart, representing the Red Arrow Club of Janesville, retired Col. Ted Florey of Company L, 128th Infantry, Beloit, and Carl Nichols of Janesville, a Bataan Death March survivor.Also invited for the weekend gathering are members of the 128th Infantry from Beloit and Edgerton, and the Red Arrow Club of Southern Wisconsin.Sartell asks that reservations be made before Oct 1. That can be done by writing him at 716 Sousa Court, Janesville, or phoning 752-6731It takes stamina to stay together, and we do, remarked Sartell. “We are veterans.War definitely was a dominating story SO years ago. Gazette Page \ headlines for that Sept. 23-24 period shouted: 'War threatens as parley fails; Chamberlain-Hitler talk collapses.'Cedar Crest's 25th is Oct. 2A reminder that Cedar Crest, the non-profit retirement community located at 1700 S. River Road will observe its 25th anniversary with an open house from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 2. In addition to the main complex, visitors can stop at the nearbv Cedar Acres Adult Day Center at 1930 S. River Road Cedar Crest was built in 1963 as a 94-unit apart ment building for persons 55 and older. Now the facility has 144 apartments, a 95-bed skilled health center and the adult day center. The Rev Jay Smoke is administrator.Our publisher a classy guyLast but certainly not least, our Gazette family paid tribute a few days ago to one of the finest people you could ever associate with: Publisher Robert W. Bliss. The occasion for a cake-and-coffet celebration was his 85th birthday and 60 years of association with this newspaper Skip Bliss, company president and a nephew of Bob, in brief comments cited Bob’s “long and digni fied career that serve as an inspiration to all of us. Bob responded that through the years the Ga zette’s goal has been principally to “serve the com munity and the people in it.”Although we share the same last name. Bob and I are not related. I say with all sincerity that his high standards of fairness and integrity have been a guiding force in helping shape the Gazette through many decades. Thanks, Bob!Mitch Bliss is editor of The Janesville Gazette
Newspaper Details
Janesville Sunday Gazette
Janesville, Wisconsin, US
Sun, Sep 25, 1988
Page 6
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
WI, USA 14 May 2025
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