SUNDAYJuly 26, 2020

GREAT BEND 7A

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BY VERONICA COONS vcoons@gbtribune.com

Each week we’ll take a step back into the history of Great Bend through the eyes of reporters past. We’ll reacquaint you with what went into creating the Great Bend of today, and do our best to update you on what “the rest of the story” turned out to be.

On Saturday June 27, 1940, moviegoers got their fi rst look at a newly minted cartoon pair, courtesy of Warner Bros. Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd appeared together in the cartoon classic, “Wild Hare,” created by Tex Avery and Bob Givens who also worked together on the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series. Cartoons created by the studio were released along with fi lms back in the day, and this one was fi rst released with the fi lm Ladies Must Live, a romantic courtship comedy.

According to Warner Media, the cartoon was fi rst theatrically released with the Warner Bros. fi lm Ladies Must Live, a romantic comedy starring Wayne Morris and Rosemary Lane. We checked that week’s motion picture listings, and found no billing for it at Th e Strand, Th e Kansan, nor Th e Plaza, all Great Bend movie houses at the time.

Eventually, Great Bend got its fi rst look at Bugs and Elmer, but probably not for at least a couple of months. You can see some of “Wild Hare” on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZAP4OwnsE4.

Fast-forward to 2020. Warner Media, through HBO, is releasing the “New Looney Tunes,” which will feature all the old favorite characters, including Bugs and Elmer Fudd, as well as most of the old cartoony violence of dropping anvils and exploding dynamite. But, guns are out. Elmer Fudd, as a result, now carries a scythe, rather than a double-barrel shotgun. Warner Media hasn’t commented on the reason for no guns. Because of copyright, we can’t show you what the revamped Elmer looks like here, but you can check him out by searching “Elmer Fudd” on your internet browser.

Debating Selective ServiceAlso happening this week,

Congress was considering a peacetime conscription bill eyed at becoming a major part of the national defense eff ort.

“We know exactly what countries are going to attack us unless we are prepared, New York Mayor LaGuardia told the House military committee early in the week. “But those two (unnamed) are not going to attack us if we are prepared.”

He suggested boys age 18, high school graduates, “should be trained fi rst, to prevent dislocation in industry, widespread demands for exemption, and hardships for dependents.” He said high school graduates should be permitted to take their training before, during, or aft er college so that there would be a minimum of interference with higher education.

Meanwhile, the Senate military committee was also working on a draft of a similar bill, and called for “the registration for military service of all men in the nation between the ages of 18 and 64.”

With Great Britain’s stand against the Nazi’s precarious, many saw passage of some sort

of conscription act inevitable. Th e Associated Press, in a report “Kansas to provide 5,700 young men,” broke down the numbers.

“If the present conscription bill passes Congress and becomes law, Kansas will send approximately 5,700 young men to army camps this fall for training.”

Th is number was based on a population of 1,840,000, with about 167,000 men ages 21 to 30 years, of those and estimated 39 percent or 65,100 men fi t and free for immediate service. From that amount, it was expected 8.8 percent would be chosen, or 5,700.

Th roughout the week, it became increasingly clear there was majority support for compulsory conscription, but the ages of men required to register was the sticking point. Another pitch was for men ages 21 to 31. Th e bill also contained modifi cations exempting conscientious objectors. As the week wore on, rumors circulated that President F. D. Roosevelt “was not so hot about conscription,” which prompted the president to permit a direct quotation to

the press:“I am distinctly in favor of

a selective service training bill and I consider it essential to adequate national defense.”

No resolution was found that week in 1940, but it wouldn’t be long aft er. Th e Burke-Wadsworth Selective Service Act passed the Senate

Aug. 28 and was ratifi ed by the president, becoming eff ective Sept. 16, 1940. Th e draft began in October of that year. Th e initial age ranged from men 21 to 36, but when the U.S. entered World War II, it was broadened to include men ages 18 to 45.

Eyes on the skyWeeks aft er it was

announced fl ight training would be provided to a select group of young people here in Great Bend, the initial group of ground school students was growing.

“Th ree more names have been added to the list of persons taking the summer non-college primary fl ight training course here, Clarence Evans, secretary of the Chamber of Commerce said today. Th ose added brought the total enrolled in the course to 39.”

Th e goal was to grow the list to at least 50 students so 10 fl ight scholarships could be awarded by the federal government. Th e stated eff ort was to get more commercial pilots trained, but in light of the war activity happening at the time, one has to wonder if there weren’t other motives at play. At any rate, those signing up for the program would have also been within age range for the draft that would soon be in eff ect. Th e three new students who qualifi ed as competitors are Elmo Lowry and Richard Darnall, Great Bend, and Robert Garvin, Ellinwood.

We asked Barton County Historical Society Co-director Karen Neuforth if she could help us fi nd more information about these young men. She was successful with two out of the three.

Elmo Lowry was a lifelong resident of Barton County according to his obituary. He was a lifetime member of the American Legion Argonne Post No. 1121 here in Great Bend, as well as a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1428. Th e retired railroad engineer received military rites from the Fort Riley Honor Guard. He died in 2005.

Neuforth also located a brief report about the passing of Darnell. In 1970, Darnell, Staff ord, died of “injuries suff ered in his horse corral” about a month prior to his death. Th e report stated he never regained consciousness, so it was never learned what happened in the corral. Darnell was active in the Kansas Arabian Horse Association. Th ere was no mention of prior military service.

Just for funSandhill plum scareIt’s sandhill plum season

in these parts of Kansas. We found one account of a 1940 plum gathering experience that should keep readers on the lookout as they make their way to their favorite grove.

“It is not safe to mention sandhill plums to one of the young husbands in Great Bend, as it touches a sore spot in his recent experiences when he was picnicking with his daily and picking the plums.

“A bucket full of plums had been set down by a bush and later when he stooped over to retrieve it a large snake was coiled a few inches away. Th e young husband who has a pronounced aversion to snakes, anyway, left that vicinity, losing the bucket and the plums to say nothing of a little sweat.”

1940: Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd and selective service

COURTESY PHOTOThe theater card for the fi rst offi cial cartoon appearance of Bugs

Bunny and Elmer Fudd in 1940. Located on Wikipedia.

TRIBUNE FILEThe Great Bend Tribune published a sample of a registration card for Selective Service young men

would be expected to carry with them if the Burke-Wadsworth bill should pass. It did in August, and

was in effect by mid-September. A draft began in October, 1940.