Army & Navy – MORALE: Censors, Butt Out

Some military censors like to write cozy postscripts to soldiers’ mail, have even been known to slip money into letters to folks at home. Last week the War Department issued a stern warning: cut it out.

The Army also asked civilians to report any violations. Reason: such well-intentioned butting-in reminds people too forcefully that their mail is being read.

“Are You All Right?”

Most popular of the coded, low-cost radiograms which shuttle between overseas servicemen and their families is Number 1, “Letter received. Many thanks.” But pushing the leader harder than ever last week, said Mackay Radio, were Numbers 85 (“Son born”) and 86 (“Daughter born”).

Started four months after Pearl Harbor, Expeditionary Force Messages were modeled on the British system, using the same standardized texts—covering 150-odd stock situations. Steady favorites: Numbers 32 and 61, which read, “All my love, dearest” and, “You are more than ever in my thoughts at this time.”

With more than a million Americans abroad, outbound messages have increased steadily. But this year inbound family communiqués have risen even more sharply. Stock query from mail-hungry servicemen to folks at home is wrinkle-browed old Number 73: “Are you all right? Worried about you.”