"Man-on-the-Street" Interviews Following the Attack on Pearl Harbor

From the American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

Fieldworkers from 10 different localities around the U.S were dispatched to collect the opinions of ordinary Americans following the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. The transcripts are reprinted here.

"Man on the Street", Middlebury, Vermont, January or February 1942

Collector: Olney, Marguerite

Collector: Flanders, Helen Hartness, 1890-1972

AFS 6451A

Elmer George: Mr. President, I am Elmer George of North Montpelier, Vermont and I address you in your capacity as Commander in Chief of a nation of which I, although of somewhat humble origin, am proud to be a native citizen.

You are no doubt aware that these country people in some of these New England states survive chiefly by farming and lumbering which makes necessary the use of motor vehicles and motored power. This makes us dependent on gasoline and oils for power. The present vehicles are mostly mounted on rubber and originally designed so that they cannot be changed over to be used on anything else. It is also practically impossible to use horse-drawn farm and lumber vehicles on our highways since the advent of year-round motor roads. You can easily see how it is quite a problem for us to carry on these activities under the conditions that presently exist relative to fuel entire situation.

However, necessity is the mother of invention and we are all out to trim Hitler and the damn Japs by producing all the foodstuffs that we can and buying bonds and stamps. That is, those of us that have anything to buy with after paying for fertilizers and the taxes that have been bestowed upon us.

For we are a people who usually manage to carry the load and bear the burden. Although there are times when, as the other fellow said, it is about all the steers can handle. I will now call on our state senator, Raymond B. Daniels of Woodbury, Vermont, to tell us how he thinks the people from his neck of the woods would respond to the situation. Mr. Daniels.

Raymond B. Daniels: Mr. President, history proves that Vermonters will go the limit to preserve their freedom and independence. They will make any sacrifice and carry out any orders necessary to bring this war to a successful conclusion. They will grimly subject themselves to any danger and apply themselves to any task in order to accomplish this big job that we have to do.

In dealing with our people however, Mr. President, strict frankness should be adhered to. Upmost care should be taken to avoid any results that would give an appearance of misrepresentation. This does not mean that an honest mistake on anybody's part will be fatal to the cause. Vermonters and New Englanders are always reasonable. But on the other hand, if too much frivolous, non-essential lost motion is made a part of any program they are apt to think that the book isn't worth the candle.

On the whole, they can be relied upon to meet the acid test and with the same spirit that the Green Mountain boys followed Ethan Allen. If you will tell us what to do we will do it.

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AFS 6422A

Jack Holliday: The treacherous attack upon Pearl Harbor has convinced every thinking American that we must fight for our democratic way of life, if it is to survive. There has been no more formidable challenge to all those finer and higher qualities of civilization for a thousand years. For we must fight not only powerful armies and mechanized might, but also against the powers of darkness, against an enemy who sees the resources of the larger part of Europe organized with all the technique of modern science and hurled them against us with a deceit, treachery, cruelty, and an absolute contempt for all the rules of morality. But we are confident that the vigor and vitality of our democracy will overcome this challenge. I, Jack Holliday, a student at Middlebury College am reading this for Allan Kline, professor of American History at Middlebury, College. Professor Kline was unable to speak due to illness.

AFS 6422B [Blank]

AFS 6420A

Cut A1

Charles Dana Bennet: I am Charles Dana Bannet, publicist. I live on a farm in a county that is devoted almost entirely to the dairy industry. My friends and neighbors can and will make a concrete contribution to American victory in the form of an increase in milk production. But in order to assure this increased production, three things are necessary: One, adequate labor; Two, farm machinery; Three, at least the cost of production. Already the labor problem is acute. Farm machinery and replacement parts are difficult to obtain. If prices closely paralleling those recommended by the [OND Young (?)] Committee are forth coming the producer will not be recovering production cost. Vermont farmers will make every sacrifice for victory, but no government can ask people to commit economic suicide and expect them to greet such prospect with wild enthusiasm.

Cut A2

Margaret Patterson: I, Margaret Patterson, am a social worker in child welfare services with the State Department of Public Welfare at Middlebury, Vermont. Daily in the routine of my job I visit the homes of suffering and deprived rural children. Children from broken homes, from homes where there is discord between father and mother, where there is suffering from lack of food, clothing, proper housing, and health measures. The home and in its turn, the community, has failed to supply the child with the security which he must have. Through the channels of many social welfare programs, both public and private, I and many like me have been striving to help these children and their families so that each according to his needs and capacities will have an opportunity to develop for his own and society's good.

With the outbreak of war we have known we would have to expect the postponement of many welfare plans and programs. We have seen also a greater need for social work because of the increase in delinquency, the tendency to exploit the child in industry, the further breakdown of families because of parents' absence from home either in the armed forces or in industry. The security of the children with whom we have worked and indeed of all children has been threatened.

We realize that an all out program for a national defense is necessary, but we hope that with the more dramatic needs of the armed forces, the needs of children will not be forgotten. I do not feel that it is something that can wait until the war has been won. The children who are with us now are the men and women who will have to help reconstruct the world when we have peace.

AFS 6420B

Harry M. Fife: Mr. President, I am Harry M. Fife of Middlebury, Vermont, one of those ambassador states of a few years ago if you will remember. I'm a professor of economics. Your own personal devotion to the democratic way of life and your respect for the soundness of the judgements of the common man makes this talk with you possible.

The people of this community are disturbed and angered over the initial successes the Japanese have achieved through their treachery. We are not softened by these successes nor are we downhearted. Rather, they have aroused us from an overdose of trust in Japanese integrity. The Japanese have demonstrated that they are incapable of response to anything but military force. We are as sure of ultimate victory as we are of the rightness of our resistance to their perfidious aggression.

We know that great sacrifices will be called for and we are increasingly willing to make them. We want price upping stopped, we want burdens equitably distributed, we want Congress and officials to apply a soldier's devotion to duty so that the sacrifices we make are not made in vain. Given these conditions fulfilled along with the bold leadership for which you yourself are greatly noted greater and yet greater demands can be made upon us. We are fully conscious of the consequences of failure to do otherwise. Anything short of complete and final suppression of the aggressors is unthinkable no matter what it costs or how long it takes. Be assured Mr. President, that though we may grumble and curse the war, you can and must demand whatever is necessary to obtain complete victory. I think you should make these demands at once.