Many can remember living through the times of sacrifice in World War II, while others have learned about those sacrifices, all in the effort to defeat the Axis powers. Apparently getting those sacrifices under way took some extra effort, as they weren't taken too seriously at first, if newspaper accounts in August 1942 are an indicator.
"We believe the country now is more ready to make an all-out war effort than the government realizes -- that they will welcome the opportunity to sacrifice to assure a complete and speedy victory in the war," an Oneonta Star editorial stated, on Thursday, Aug. 6, 1942.
"For many months, in various ways and with several accents, this newspaper has been urging 'Wake Up America.'"
"Condemnation of the political-mindedness of our leaders has been general -- but if it is fear of losing votes that has held many necessary undertakings in abeyance until after the elections it means either that the politicians do not understand the attitude of our country or that the majority of the people still are thinking in terms of business-as-usual, of guns AND butter, that the voters do not realize the seriousness of our situation."
For this reason, the Star put a petition in the newspaper that day, directed toward President Roosevelt, voicing what was believed to be a spirit of an "awakened" America. People were urged to sign and return it, to be sent in the near future to the president.
"Is America Awake?" was the title over the next day's editorial. "A few less than a score of people called at our office," which was then found on Broad Street, "to sign a petition sheet, and a blank appearing in the paper, to which signatures might be attached was returned by only eight."
The Oneonta Star wasn't alone in trying to get the awake message across. The Oneonta Rotary Club, at its luncheon at the Oneonta Hotel on Aug. 6, was addressed by Robert Kazmeyer, a minister, business analyst and publisher.
Kazmeyer ventured an opinion that when it comes to making sacrifices, "America will not make this effort until she has been thoroughly scared.
"For three years, ever since I returned from Europe in 1939 at the outbreak of the hostilities, I have said that the American people must be awakened. Ever since Pearl Harbor I have been told they are awake. Maybe that is true. Maybe we are.
"But if we are awake, then we need something else -- maybe we need to be scared -- scared into an honest, holy fear that will move the great mass of us to action, a fear of losing this war and of losing our homes, our jobs, our schools, our churches.
"And I am also sure of this," Kazmeyer added, "There are no grounds for optimism, there are good grounds for genuine fear."
Sacrifices at home for the war effort eventually did take hold, both here and elsewhere.
Seen in the Aug. 7 edition of the Star were pictures of groups of men who had left the day before for service in the war.
At the D&H Railroad station, these men were given a farewell address by Dr. George J. Dann, superintendent of Oneonta's schools. Fear may or may not have been clearly seen by those in attendance, but it was likely on the minds of a few parents and loved ones, seeing their young men heading overseas.
"Let us have done with talk of defense," Dann told the men. "Let us learn how to say 'offense,' and do 'offense.' It is we or they. Get your man. Get him first."
"Oneonta wishes you good luck and Godspeed as you go on your great adventure. Many of us saw your fathers go on a like adventure 25 years ago. They did their duty and you will do your duty. No duty was ever more righteous.
"Our enemies are trying to enslave the world. We are trying to establish the idea that all men are created equal. Mussolini says, 'It is either we or they.' Let us accept the challenge."
On Monday: Bus drivers had plenty to remember in local travels.
City Historian Mark Simonson's column appears twice weekly. On Saturdays, his column focuses on the area during the Depression and before. His Monday columns address local history after the Depression. If you have feedback or ideas about the column, write to him at The Daily Star, or email him at simmark@stny.rr.com. His website is www. oneontahistorian.com. His columns can be found at www.thedailystar.com/marksimonson.
Mark Simonson
Related Photos
-
CSS297D.jpg
Discussion
Welcome to our story comments feature. We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including the unpopular ones. We only ask that you keep your conversations clean, civil and on the topic of the story you are commenting on.
Coinciding with our websites redesign, we launched our new story comments feature through Disqus.
Disqus gives users the ability to log into our story comments feature so that they may be able to track their conversations, receive emails when their comments get a reply or to even have your comments update onto your Facebook or Twitter accounts.
For the time being, our story comments feature will continue to have the ability to post comments anonymously. We reserve the right to require registration in the future using your name and verified email address.
Not all comments are deemed printable. Some are disqualified at the newspaper’s discretion for a number of different reasons. Please follow our Online Rules of Conduct at all times.
RULES OF CONDUCT:
We reserve the right to remove comments that are unacceptable, to wit:
1. False and inacurate statements.
2. Personal attacks. Explicit name-calling.
3. Harassing, harmful, vulgar, obscene and defamatory language.
4. Threatening statements or statements that suggest violence.
5. Hate speech of any kind.
6. Intolerant comments on religion, race, age, gender, sexual preference or disabilities.
7. Accusations of criminal activity.
8. Content that is harmful to children and minors in any way.
9. References to any type of sexual activity and other private matters.
10. Random and inflammatory statements that are off topic.
11. Advertising of any kind.
12. Typing in all caps.
WE ENCOURAGE REASONABLE AND COURTEOUS COMMENTS THAT:
1. Create conversation on issues of interest and concern to fellow readers and local community members.
2. Express opinions and contrarian views.
3. Stimulate debate with respectful language.
4. Stay within the boundaries of these rules.
WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO SUSPEND OR TERMINATE ACCESS FOR:
1. Violating any of these Online Rules of Conduct.
2. Deliberately disrupting discussions with repetitive messages, meaningless messages or spam.
3. Misrepresentation of identity or impersonating another user.
WE WELCOME:
1. Flagging violations of these rules that you observe to our attention.
MONITORING:
We monitor comments regularly Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Approval of comments outside of this time (including weekends) will be sporadic.
A wake-up call sounded in August 1942
- Mark Simonson
-
-
Sunday movies in Oneonta finally shown in 1934
You know an issue is divisive when a vote to resolve it is quite close. In Oneonta during the early 1930s there were probably plenty of discussions or arguments at the family dinner table or sermons from the pulpits on Sunday mornings, regarding whether or should be able to see a movie in Oneonta on Sunday.
-
Politics, fitness and landmarks dominated local news in May 1968
Area residents mulled over the idea of Gov. Nelson Rockefeller as their next President of the United States. New fitness opportunities emerged for all ages. One area landmark was saved while another was razed. It was only a part of our life and times in May 1968.
-
Local people sought income in many ways in 1933
In the economy that was the Great Depression, there were times people would do what it took to try to earn some money.
-
Local windstorm in 1983 caused tense moments
I realize I've got the wrong month in mind when I say "May came in like a lion." However, that's what happened in 1983 as a number of twisters moved through our region, leaving plenty of damage behind in their trails. Add some melting snow and heavy rain, and scenes of cleanups were widespread 30 years ago this month.
-
Disaster, expansions put people to work in May 1913
- Monday, April 29, 2013
-
Job opportunities abounded in area 45 years ago
If you were looking for a job in April 1968 in our area, or perhaps looking to change your employment situation in the near future, opportunities were pointing in your favor.
- Saturday, April 27, 2013
-
Oneonta greeted an aviation giant in 1928
An early aviation superstar came to Oneonta in 1928.
- Monday, April 22, 2013
-
Area saw its own armed standoffs 30 years ago
This past Friday, we watched how the Boston area went into a lockdown during a tense search for the last suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings. Had I still been living and working in that area, as I was in the early 1990s, I would have had a day off from work Friday, as police scoured the city of Waltham.
- Saturday, April 20, 2013
-
U.S.S. Maine explosion, war drew much local sentiment
For most people in our area in early 1898, a growing conflict between two distant nations probably didn't get much attention, other than some glances at the newspaper. When a young Oneonta man was one of many injured or killed in an explosion of a battleship he was aboard, the local attention increased markedly to what was soon to become the Spanish-American War.
- Monday, April 15, 2013
-
Oneonta river walking path came from a surveyor's daydream
Leon Kalmus of Oneonta spent a lot of time surveying land near the Susquehanna River in the early 1970s around the time Interstate 88 was being planned and built in this area. What he saw along the shores of the river, he called “pristine,� and soon had an idea for some kind of walking or hiking pathway along the shores of the river in the town of Oneonta.
- Saturday, April 13, 2013
-
Decline of Prohibition led to return of beer in April 1933
“I think this would be a good time for a beer,� remarked President Franklin D. Roosevelt, when he signed the Cullen-Harrison Act on March 22, 1933. This marked the beginning of the end for Prohibition that year.
- Monday, April 8, 2013
-
Dietz Street shifted from residential to commercial through the years
By taking a walk along Dietz Street today, heading north to Walnut Street, one can see a lot of businesses and the recently refurbished parking lot on the east side of the street. It would take some imagination to see this street lined with houses and a church, but prior to the late 1940s, that’s what was there.
- Saturday, April 6, 2013
-
Oneontans voted for a 'dry' city in 1918
- Monday, April 1, 2013
-
Future city historian kept family busy for Easter and April 1958
- Saturday, March 30, 2013
-
Colliscroft became new Oneonta landmark in 1902
If the Oneonta building trade sector of the economy could have awarded a plaque to a most valuable individual customer of 1902, it would have nearly been a shoo-in. That was Edward H. Pardee, who was listed in the Oneonta Directory around that time as a farmer, on Southside.
- Wednesday, March 27, 2013
-
Historic Cooperstown cottage got a new address in 1988
To unknowing tourists seeking information from the tourism information center at 31 Chestnut St. in Cooperstown, they would probably believe that the mid-19th century cottage had always been on that site. It blends in well with some of the grand old houses along that street, and the same tourists might think it has an interesting history behind it.
- Saturday, March 23, 2013
-
Free mail delivery began in Oneonta 125 years ago
- Monday, March 18, 2013
-
Oneonta enacted first building code 60 years ago
There will be no parade, fireworks display or commemorative coins minted for the occasion.
- Saturday, March 16, 2013
-
Area isolated during historic March 1888 snowstorm
Earlier in the week, we recalled the "Blizzard of 1993," which was one containing historic snowfall that fell on our region on Saturday, March 13. It was the largest recorded in a single local snowfall in the 20th century, and ever since another storm dating back 105 years. The latter snowfall was worse than the 1993 storm, falling overnight into Tuesday, March 13, 1888. It was commonly referred to as the "Blizzard of 1888."
- Monday, March 11, 2013
-
Blizzard of 1993 was a local memory maker
-
