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Show r.lerry Christmas A Merry Christmas should mean more than usual this year, in a world rent by dissention and strife. It is consoling' to nave one universal dav of goodwill, good-will, on which we can stop the mad pursuit of life, and rest and reminisce on the years gone by. Twenty years ago a depression depres-sion had descended upon us; ten years ago Europe was aflame with war; five years ago this flame had spread to the rest of the world. Today, while east and west are still foolishly engaged in a "cold war.", the international situation looks far more promising than it did a year ago. Now the U. S. and Russia have apparently reconciled recon-ciled themselves to a long, drawn-out struggle for supremacy suprem-acy in a torn, bitter, dislocated ' world. But in 1948 it looked as if the patience of both sides was worn out, and conflict inevitable. in-evitable. Last year, nationally, we had just finished a big election; and even though most of the bitter taste left by a hard political campaign had disappeared, things were not as serene as they might have been.' Christmas, Christ-mas, 1948, we ate our holiday turkey with the general goodwill good-will characteristic of the day, but doubts of the future still lingered in our minds. Where would the next day, week, or month find us busy with the everyday tasks of life, or getting get-ting ready to shoulder arms in World War III? We have a lot to be thankful for this year: A still troubled world is less troubled. Perhaps a miracle will happen, and our hopes for a future world of peace, so predominant when the war ended in 1945, will yet be realized. Who can fell what will hap-tpen hap-tpen between now and next Christmas? Perhaps, more than we realize, this Christmas will be an eventful one, signifying the beginning of an era invthe brotherhood of man. GWH |