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Vol. III No. 16 ……. What is America? ……. Newsfront – 2500-Mile Sentry Line ….. The people in the United States sometimes sing a song, “America the Beautiful !” America is beautiful. Ask any man about his State and his eyes will light up. Where, he will ask, are there lakes that compare with our lakes ? Where are there forests greater than our forests ? Where are the fruit-trees more beautiful or fields richer in grain? Where can one lift his eyes to more beautiful mountains or look down into more fertile valleys ? America is beautiful, but it’s not beauty alone that makes men love America. America is rich. Over one-third of all the minerals in the world are in the United States. Its developed water resources and water power have no rivals. It produces nearly two-thirds of the world’s oil and almost 40% of the world’s fuel and power. The United States has over 600,000,000 acres of forests and woodlands and nearly 900,000,000 acres of fertile farm land. No doubt Hitler’s agents have seen great American power plants producing electricity for the American people. They know its automobile factories and shipyards turn out cars and ships. The Japs are aware that the face of America is crossed with 234,000 miles of railroads and 700,000 miles of highways. America is full of the promises of worldly goods. But it is not for its great wealth alone that Americans risk their lives in this war. America is a land of culture. It prints more books, has more symphony orchestras, more movies and stage production, more newspapers and magazines, more art galleries, more libraries, more colleges and universities than any other nation. There is culture aplenty for those who want it. Or the American way of life will allow one to be a bum on his own terms if he prefers. It has far-famed cities. New York is known the world over. Chicago is a word that means something in the farthest corner of the earth. Pittsburgh, New Orleans, Washington, D.C., San Francisco. A song can be written with the names of United States cities. It would tell of good food, lovely women, romance, great churches, movie stars, beer, iron ranges, lumber mills, baseball, great opportunities. The United States is more than great cities, culture, wealth and beauty. America is also people and ideas.