The Daily Alaska empire Newspaper, December 22, 1945, Page 17

. THIRD SECTION THE DAILY ALASKA EMPIRE—JUNEAU, ALASKA W TRe Tomplle s Dewo THE sweet hush of peace fills the air — to be broken only by the warm, chattery greetings of neighbors meeting on their way to church . . . and by the children’s laughter as they make merry in the snow. All the ground is mantled with the snow’s whiteness, and again- as-white is the little house of worship illumined by the early morning sun. It is Christmas in Ameriea. Christmas, 1945. And from the rock-ribbed New England coast to the coast, 3,000 miles away, many millions of the people will be observing the holiday, each in his own fashion. For from each native land, and from each denomination’s tenets, have come down varying customs in raiment, in food, in the exchange of gifts — and'in the very spiritual observance itself. Yet such is the heart and spirit of America — that the gracious sharing of gocd things at Christmas time has been adopted as a custom too, even by these whose forbears’ origin and faith do not call for Christmas chservance. And such is the sob) and zeal of Americans That in every heart this Christmas will rise the common prayer of — “Peace on Earth: Good Will toward Men.” Fér this is the Temple of Democracy, where all men, all women, and ‘all children are meant to live in love and toler- ance for each other’s habits, traditions . . . and failings. This is where the arms of friendship cpen wide — (o sustain the weak as they embrace the strong, whatever 2 man’s race, religion or creed; so long as he too is true te the meaning of Democracy. For He whose blessed birth is so joyousiy remembered at this time was verily the most ardent teacher of demccracy the world has ever known. And as we re-read the story of His life and re-hear the words He spoke, there will only be reaffirmed the fact that these are the teachings which must be again carried around the werld—and this is the land that now has the very sacred obligation of bringing about the vigorotis and everlasting re-birth of democracy —Bury deep under their own iniquities those who, with the insidious means cf fascism, would make the world again pagan — bereft of the holiness and beauty of brotherly love! Let the churches and the homes of the nation be filled with prayer and song in praise of Him! And let us do more: let each one of us go forth from this day c¢n ,and in His name beceme an unflagging crusader for the regeneration of the brotherhood of man, as He taught it, and still lives to teach it in the hearts of those who understand that Love and Democracy are one! And next Christmas may the hands and hearts of all God’s children be joined in peace. ALASKA JUNEAYU.GOLD MINING CO. PAGES 1 TO 8