Towson University - Tower Echoes Yearbook (Towson, MD)

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others For Ransom CATHERINE GRAY j Qlld. Note: This story is based on actual facts.j l jj' A S O N G U E R LIC K stared back over the widen- jing stretch of water at tl1e docks where stood his mother. xl-le waved a thin white hand in answer to a wisp of handkerchief and a grey head behind it. lt was a noble ihead, erect and stately, set delicately upon a gentle body. ,It was a head that had seen much trouble, much sacri- fice, many joys and now. disaster of a sort. jason was going to America. He was born in Bohemia, a place later to become a part of Czechoslovakia, and because of a 'job that led him to Germany, had taken his widowed mother to live in Emden near the sea. Several months ago a German friend had told him that the depression was not so bad in America. There was a depression, of course. but wasn't it all over the world? The standards of living were higher over there and it had been hard jsinee he had lost his job. There was no reason to go back to Czechoslovakia - no work - and both could not live on his mother's pension. That night he and his mother had talked. Many emotions came close to the surface during that conversation, but only cold facts Jroke through. So today, jason strained his eyes to get 1 last glimpse of the woman who must remain behind 1I'lCl wait: wait for money from America: wait for a son to come back with money enough to take her back :O her homeland. In the years that passed jason was not a brilliant suc- cess. but he had a S25 sales position in a downtown dc- oartment store. He lived alone: ate littleg enjoyed no lux- jiries. and banked the larger part of his salary. Gradually. sie became accustomed to the liberties in America - free jzpeeeh, free press - and his letters to his mother re- jilected the change. He became sensitive to the fact that iihe new ruler of Germany controlled the press there hnd that the German people learned only what they j.vere permitted to learn. He felt himself a privileged per- jzon every time he bought a newspaper or turned on fthe radio. Because of his mother's great desire to know pow he was and what his new surroundings were like. jie wrote letters telling her more and more about the lljtlnited States and gradually more and more about what ,ire had learned of Europe. One day a lightning bolt struck. A man sent thousands bf soldiers into a tiny country called Austria. lt seemed to climax a series of Germany's internal social rearrange- 'HDCTOBER . 1939 l'llC1lt El1lCl consequent expulsion of certain peoples. ja- so11 was shocked! hllusie by famous composers was burned! Books by immortal authors were destroyed! Diseoverers of great seientihe principles were driven from their l101'l1CSl jason wondered that his placid Ger- man friends could do such things, lt was impossible! Then came the crowning blow - his mother country absorbed! Poor jason and his American-German friends! He could contain himself no longer. Obviously his friends abroad and the great mass of people were being deceived. Their press and radio must be government- eontrolled. lt's too bad he forgot that censorship ex- tended over inore things than press and radio! The same night that found tl1e Slavs struggling, found jason and a Bund leader in a blistering argument. lm- mediately following this, he wrote to his mother in paf thetie tones - - - Dear Mother, VV hat has happened to my friends? XVhat are Fritz Humber and Otto, the butcher doing? ls the foot of this power-crazed man 011 their necks? Do you not know what is going on? Here in America. the German people are de- spised and it is because of one man .... Days passed. The ship that should have brought his mother's reply, returned to Germany. No letters. But. one day a large white envelope was delivered to jason. It was postmarked Germany. XV ith great curiosity jason ripped open the flap and read. His eyes fell on one sentence. 'Unless payment of S323 in American money is re- ceived. Mrs, Gerlick will remain at the ljmden Conf eentration Camp - indehnitely - for espionage. Espionage - an undiplomatie letter from abroad, jason fell into a state of semi-consciousness. His mother behind barbed wire: whipped: driven: subject to countless indignities: coarsely clothed: coarsely fed. He must get the money instantly. lt was simple. llc had saved much more than that. llc could have sent a thou- sand dollars - S25 was nothing. But wait. If it was nothing to him. it would be less to the German Govcrmnent. The Bund leader would know. Perhaps he would tell him something. They 7

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Richard Yardley An Interview IYIADELINE CABELL Y O U INI I O H T say that I have a very untidy office. remarked Mr. Yardley. l'his will give you an idea of my personal habits. On the floor were bits of paperg empty ink bottles could be seen almost everywhere. the desk was so littered that its top did not present one small patch to the air above it, and a coat was draped over the window sill. A few months ago I had a visitor who put me very much to shame by telling me that the condition of my oflice was hopeless. I was so ashamed of my untidiness that I set to work immediately and house-cleaned vigor- ously. I put papers in the cupboard, threw away all the empty ink bottles. cleared my desk of its debris, and hung my coat on the rack for nearly a week. The funny part about it was that I didn't even miss the things on my desk which I had spent weeks in collectingf' Alas, much to Mr. Yardley's sorrow, no one has come since, and his oflice has now become as cluttered as ever before. A'Six years ago I drew two maps of Maryland for the Sunday Sun. I decided to have some fun with them. and, in this way. I started cartooningf' Ever since. he has been working on the Sunday paper and for four years on the morning paper. I draw a cartoon and then hope and pray that the public will accept it. The next morning, I look at the paper and shudder to think that I could have ever produced such a thing. There is usually a wealth of material in the daily news. XVhen there isn't, I take a very insignificant hap- pening and play it up. Then. too. I like to poke fun at my friends, Harry Nice and Mayor jackson. Mr. Yardley has been working on the newspaper ever since he began to earn his living. He has always written or drawn for the editorial page. I like my work because it offers a great deal of freedom in that I can express my own ideas and work on my own time. He has had such interesting experiences as spending two or three days with the Oyster Fleet, viewing the Yankee Clipper, and attending meetings of the State Legislature. Legion parades, and national political conventions. His main objection to his vocation is night workg this fault he at- tributes to himself. His wife's chief objection is that he never gets home to dinner on time. I have always lived in IXIaryland, more or less. and went to Friends School and the Maryland Institute. I went to the Institute three times and did about one weeks work during my entire stay there. He closed his eyes and leaned his something over two hundred pounds back in the chair. HI wish I could tell you something in- 6 teresting that I'vc done, but I have never rescued any- body or explored the wilds of darkest Africa. I have led the life of an average citizen. although I have had a few more opportunities than most people. One of Mr. YardIey's hobbies is traveling. I especially enjoy going to Europe but one can't just pick up and E dash over during a week-end. Consequently. I haven't I been there for two years. One of the most trying ex-I periences which I have had was missing my boat train to Paris. I had to hire a car and race the train from Cher- 1 bourg. I made it. This may not sound hair-raising to you, ' but it was a trying experience for me. and I gained quite I a few gray hairs. Mr. Yardley has been to Cuba. He likes Florida and goes there often. He likes to travel any- where. even such short distances as to New York. XVash- ington, and Annapolis. ' I go to New York frequently, and I have the typical yokel's idea of the big city - that one should see every- thing of interest and all the bright lights. I have many' friends who live out on Long Island. and I usually end up spending the evening with them. listening to the ra- dio. This I could easily have done at home. I like cats. This explains why Mr. Yardley always has a cat following him in his cartoons. I have two: one, a white cat with one brown eye and one blue one, and the other, a black cat. The black cat is from Ruxton, while the white one comes from the slums. The white cat from the slums has a very expensive appetite. It turns up its nose at oysters which are bought at the store in a carton and insists upon the best. fresh from the shell. I am proud to say that all my editors are kind to ani- mals. remarked Mr. Yardley. UA stray police dog came I into the yard of the editor of The Morning Sun. It was Thanksgiving Day and the family prepared to sit down to a dinner consisting of turkey. dressing. and all thc things that go with such a dinner. There stood the dog' outside in the cold, looking in longingly at the window The dog came in and has been in ever since. As he ran his lingers through his hair. Mr. Yardlej said that he usually needed a hair-cut when people came to see himg but he had it done in a forty-cent barbe I shop in New York City. He also remarked that wheil I he got up, I would notice that his suit needed pressing .. His only regret was that he couldn't think of any r thing interesting which he had done. I wish I coulf I. flatter myself by thinking of something out of the ord' I nary which I have doneg but I just can't. If you don, have enough. give me a ring. and I'Il make up a goo.. story for you. TOWER LIGH' 0

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fought. yes. but in a situation like this. the Nazi would know what to do. The Buud leader was amused. The German Govern- ment stoop to S25? Impossible! However. the govern- ment was not responsible for the action of its oflicers. If the censor received Iason's letter and letters of others like him. it would be a mere matter of cooperation with a Gestapo oticer to do a little profitable collecting. Then. that was worse! In a small place like Emden. the oiiicials ruled. Twenty-live dollars went back on the next boat to Emden. At Emdeu greedy hands took in many twenty- iives and sums in larger figures. There was a split of the loot and a check was placed by a name for that month. W .-. .r. ... -.- an -.- -Q- England declared war! German citizens refused passage on ships back! ... .i. .., .-. as -v- -.- -f Iason could not get back to Gemiany. He could not find out why there had been another white envelope. He could not understand why he had not heard from his mother again. uban Wedding IUANITA GREER OUR FIRST visit after arriving in Havana via Pan- American Airways was to Mercedes Church. an artistic treasure. famous for its age. lovely archways. pillars. and exquisite paintings. A monk spent eleven years of his life decorating the church with murals and frescoes. Vforkmen were busily shining brass. removing pews and making an improvised hedge on either side of the central aisle which extended the full length of the mass- ive church. When we inquired the meaning of all this. our guide explained that a very fashionable wedding was to take place there at 9 P. M. The daughter of a banker was to wed the son of a fabulously wealthy brewer. Our great enthusiasm prompted our guide to speak to the priest concerning the possibility of our attending the wedding. The priest was delighted at our interest. and we were shown to a side entrance where our guide told us we were to meet the Father at 8:30 that evening. Before the appointed hour our car was parked as near Mercedes Church as space would permit. which was blocks away. Vfe hurriedly followed our guide along narrow winding streets until we reached the designated entrance. Throngs of excited people gathered near the church. Scores of policemen milled around in the crowd trying to maintain order. XYe were escorted in great style into the interior of the church. An orchestra played soft music from a distant balcony. There were no pews. The green hedges were banked on the inside bv a solid mass of white flowers. Near the 8 hedge were gladiolas. next shaggy chrysanthemums, then a single row of gardenias lining each side of a grassy aisle. The altar was lighted by candles from twenty candel- abra arranged to fomi a cross. Soon the orchestra began to play the familiar wedding march and a maid of honor appeared beneath an arch at the rear of the church. Slowly she and the bridesmaids walked down the magniiicent aisle. Each was gowned in a chartreuse pen de lis frock. of a slightly deeper tone than the preceding one. and each carried a bouquet of orchids and wore a diamond necklace. Following them came the bride whose gown was of white crepe rosolba. Her long tulle veil was caught with a halo of brilliants. She. too. carried orchids. but white ones. and wore a diamond necklace, Almost miraculously the groom, the witnesses. and the parents of the bride and groom ap- peared. The audience gazed and moved about in the space on either side of the central aisle. In about twenty minutes the music became more lively and the figures began to descend from the altar. XVe realized that the wedding was over. I simply must add that we went to Sans Souci. very smart night club. immediately following the wed ding and were delighted to ind that the reception was being held there. Then. two days later. when we Hey back to Miami. Mr. and Mrs. lose Rionda were among our thirty-three passengers. - TOWER LIGHU