Compiled by Keri Luiz
Assistant Editor

From the Desk of Publisher
Arthur W. Gluckman

That fighting man, MacArthur

He’s of the breed of John Paul Jones and Davy Crockett and Alvin York — that man MacArthur.

So was his old man before him: Arthur MacArthur, who at 20 was getting cited for “gallant and meritorius service” in Civil War battles, and who as a general helped take from the Spanish the territory his son has been defending against the Japs.

The tremendous odds may have told against Douglas MacArthur’s slim resources by the time this sees print, but up to this moment the American gamester and his handful of Americans and Filipinos have chewed up everything the Japs have thrown at them. The only thing Japan’s prize field marshals have gained from MacArthur is a lesson in the art ofwar.

Yet great as his military services have been across the far Pacific, greater yet has been MacArthur’s service in magnificent stimulus to the morale of every man and woman. The sad story of Pearl Harbor, where the very leaders chosen for the Army and Navy posts of the weightiest responsibility failed to take adequate precautions against treachery and surprise, might have shaken the faith of millions in the ranks of our fighting forces — had not the inspiring story that dauntless, brilliant, fighting American MacArthur been unfolding all the while. The wiliest brains in treacherous Japan couldn’t surprise Douglas MacArthur. Their shrewdest strategists couldn’t outwit him. Their picked shock troops, at odds of 21 to 1, were hurled back when they faced him. He has given his countrymen the light they needed.

And he’s America’s number one hero of this war — America’s fighting man, MacArthur.

Ten Million Valentines

Next Saturday, February 14, is St. Valentine’s Day.

Next Saturday is also the first of three days in which millions of Americans are to register under the new draft law.

And so by nightfall on St. Valentine’s Day there will be enough Valentines to Freedom to bury the Statue of Liberty up to her ears — each the signed pledge of an American to defend his nation with his life.

Some pledges will be signed by boys of 18 —proud to tell the world they are men who can fight America’s enemies face to face.

And some will be signed by men 44, men running a bit to waistline bulges and baldness and grey around the temples — but belligerently positive they can clean up anything the Axis can send at them on the sea, in the air or on wheels.

By nightfall Monday the pledges will all be in — sworn fealty of the mightiest host of fighting men in history: ten million Valentines to the Spirit of the Lady who holds aloft the Lamp of Freedom for America and for the men of good will in all the troubled world.

Mrs. Nixon to Speak to Women on A.W.V.S.

All women of Benicia are invited to attend a meeting to be held next Monday afternoon, February 16 at 2 o’clock in the Legion Hall where Mrs. Stanhope Nixon, state chairman of the American Women’s Voluntary Services, Inc., and Mrs. Guillard McDonald, first vice-president, will explain the organization and its usefulness to the community.

The meeting is the outcome of a preliminary meeting held last week at the home of Mrs. P. S. Wetmore at which several interested women discussed organization of an A.W.V.S. for Benicia.

Aim of the organization is to find how best patriotic women can serve their country and to offer courses to qualify women for effective service in both emergency and normal times.

Among the courses offered are Air Raid Precautions, Communications, First Aid and Home Nursing, Mass Feeding, Communal Feeding, Physical Fitness, Map Reading and Use of Compass, and many other important to effective service.

Similar organizations that have served successfully are the Lotta Svards of Finland, the Swiss Samaritans and the Women’s Voluntary Service of Great Britain.

Census of Preschool Children Under Way

Completing plans for a census of preschool children, the committee met at the home of Mrs. Dita Molfino, chairman, on a Saturday to discuss the census program in readiness for a possible evacuation.

Mrs. Molfino has worked out definite plans and named her committees to different sections of the city where they will cooperate with the warden heads and their assistants in securing census takers within certain blocks. Forms will be filled out giving necessary information and these taken to the schools where the information will be transferred to cards for Filing.

Jefferson Davis Heights Prepare for Defense

Residents living on Jefferson Davis Heights, both men and women, met Tuesday night at the office of the Defense Housing to formulate plans for organizing that section for defense.

Preliminary work of organization was accomplished and chairmen elected to head groups.

Mrs. Edna L. Brooker was named chairman of the women’s group to direct Red Cross First Aid and other work for the Heights.

D.W. Paige was elected chairman of air raid wardens and Joseph Oschner will organize for especial police work during raids.

S. Brockman will organize for a group for auxiliary fire fighting to assist local fire departments.

P.G. and E. To Occupy Stumm Bldg.

The Pacific Gas and Electric Company plan to move their office in the Stumm building which is being renovated to meet the requirements for the company. No date has been set for the change of location. The building is being remodeled by Graham and Jensen, San Francisco contractors. The property is owned by William Dwyer.

According to a report the Benicia Branch of the Bank of America will occupy the office vacated by the P. G. & E.

Small Number Of Aliens Register Here

According to Postmaster Alma Pometta, seven aliens registered here during the week of February 2-7, the time set for all alien registration.

There are 13 in the township some of whom are registered elsewhere. There are no Japanese in Benicia.

Registration To Start Saturday

Registration for men between the ages of 20 and 44 years will start Saturday, February 14, at the Legion Hall and continue through Sunday and Monday. The hall will be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

If through unavoidable circumstances a man cannot register on any one of the three days, he must do so as soon thereafter as possible.

Men away from their home city at the time of registration must register wherever they may be, according to Brig. General Joseph O. Donovan, state director of Selective Service. Their papers will then be forwarded to their regular local board.

More Election Precincts For Benicia

Due to increased population in Benicia, arrangements are being made by County Clerk Lewis Morrill to add two more new election precincts, making five for the city of Benicia.

Location of districts will be announced soon by Morrill so that the precincts may be ready for the city election to be held in April when two city trustees are to be elected.

Prowling Panthers
Personal, Social, Sports
Benicia High School

Panther Editorial

Patience and cool headedness are two wonderful things for us to possess in these days of turmoil. Too many of us do not think enough about these words and their meanings. We half hear something we think we do not like and right away we flare up and get excited. We call people names, are quick to misjudge other people’s remarks, and thoroughly make a fool out of ourself before we learn the true meaning of the statement of the other person.

We talk to a person and that person perhaps does not talk plain enough or fast enough, or has some other fault which we do not like and right away we flare up and holler at him. This not only hurts the feelings of the person talking, and puts a dent in our friendship and in our character, but also gives the person talking an inferiority complex so that he is not quite so quick to speak the next time.

In these days when the world is full of strife, we should more than ever remember these words: patience and coolhead, for they are helpful words.

In any emergency remember that any situation can be handled more easily and thoroughly by being cool and patient.

Get the facts before you let your temper run away with you. Any situation looks clearer and not quite so hard to conquer if you think about it before you act.

Lincoln Day Program

The dramatics class presented a program in honor of Abraham Lincoln on Wednesday, Feb. 11. The program included the following numbers.

Betty Precour announced the different selections.

Guard of Honor, Boy Scouts.

Pledge, School.

Star Spangled Banner, School.

Lincoln’s Qualities Must Become Those of the U.S. in ’42, supplemented by Gettysburg Address, Connie Thompson.

Columbie, the Gem of the Ocean, School.

Abraham Lincoln Walks at Midnight, Adrienne Baker.

The Master, Doris Azevedo.

Lincoln’s Letter to a Mother, Virginia Davison.

Ann Rutledge, Audrey Nunn.

Angels of Mercy, Doris Azevedo, accompanied by Jean Hafford.

Lincoln, the Man of the People, Jean Hafford.

God Bless America, School.

Varsity Loses to Rio Vista

Last Friday afternoon, Benicia High’s Varsity lost another league game, this time to Rio Vista. This game proved to be a very thrilling one as the score of 25 to 24 shows.

The first half of this game was Rio Vista really putting up a thrilling game of what at first seemed to be very dull. In the third quarter, Benicia held Rio Vista to 3 points while Benicia scored 8 points. Rio Vista held the small lead of 16 to 14 very dead on the half of Benicia. Rio Vista controlled the ball practically throughout, allowing Benicia to score but 6 points while Rio Vista was scoring 13.

In the final period, Benicia manged to tie the score on two occasions, but they were never able to take the lead. Benicia almost took the lead in the last ten seconds of the game on a series of set-ups that seemed to just not want to go in.

Here and There

Love is in the air. But it isn’t June and January. Cupid’s new conquests are Bob Uhl and Barbara Cooper.

Were we seeing right Friday night? Was Dave Lenard at Adrienne’s party with Ginger?

Wonder why those two dashing Romeos about town went stag to Adrienne’s party. In case you can’t guess to whom we are referring it’s none other than Walter Florey and Eddie Clay.

Jack Dinsdale was very much in demand Friday night. He’s certainly going to be a heart breaker, when and if he ever does grow up.

Roger (Pest) Dean came to the party stage but took Jean Holmes home. Nice work, if you keep it up.

When asking Denny Robins whom he squired to the party, he said, quote “I went stag.” unquote. But the question then arose “You went stag but how did you leave the party?” He wouldn’t talk.

We see that Vernon G. had his girl friend from Martinez in the show Sunday. He seems to have had a good time. What about it, Vernon?

Here’s one for the experts. Ferrol Hall was invited to the party but we have authentic information that he stayed home. Why? Couldn’t be he was aftraid of who might be at the party!

Why doesn’t Jean H. make up her mind whether it’s the boy from Fairfield or Ray- Come on, Jean, let’s not play hard-to-get.

It’s pretty hard to believe which girl Roger likes or if he’s still carrying the torch for LaVerne. He’s quite a wolf around the high school girls.