The Key West Citizen Newspaper, December 24, 1938, Page 7

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1938 Second-Hand | VIKING NATIONS SHARPEN SWORDS | Toy Business ‘ooms Again Disearded Playthings Pro- vide Yule Cheer for Unfortunate Throughout America thousands of public spirited citizens are partici- pating in a toy industry from which they make no money, but will bring them a greater payment in satisfac- tion on Christmas morning. That industry is the second-hand toy business, an enterprise that flourishes in towns and cities | | By WILLIAM McGAFFIN | _AP Feature Service Writer | LONDON, Dec. 24.—Peace-lov- jing Sweden bought another | ultra-modern bomber from | Britain the other day and flew it {home as a model for the con- struction of a host of duplicates. This is but one example of |how those four arch-pacifists— Sweden, Norway, Denmark and |Finland—are sharpening their | swords to keep their little world safe for neutrality. They have set up informally a league of nations of their own to do the job the moribund world throughout the country each Novem- jeague couldn't do for them. And, ber and December. In high school Manual training rooms, fire stations and service club headquarters, dis- | carded playthings are being re-| paired and repainted. | In some of these workshops new | toys are being fashioned by ingen- fous amateurs. But in all of them, | busy merchants and professional | men are devoting their spare time to helping Santa Claus make sure he has gifts for every youngster on Christmas eve. Dolls Get New Dresses. Dolls which faced dusty aban- donment through their later years are being rejuvenated, Cleaning and mew paint have brought back the first flush of youtly to their shining cheeks and the early sparkle to their obediently open or closed eyes. New dresses have added much to their attractivenes: | There is new fire in the big glass | yes of many a rocking horse, too, the long legs of whose original own- would now dangle on the floor. ‘ith new paint throwing his proud mane into brighter relief, he's as follicking a steed prancing along the road to romance as ever he was, ; “The procedure of these communi- volunteer organizations varies make no mistake, they are giv- | ing their league teeth. Two Goals, Two Fears They have their heads together | now on: Military plans for common as- sistance to defend neutrality. The sharing of raw materials and foodstuffs difficult to get in case of war. Two fears, they say, dominate their discussions: The possibility of a German attack on Denmark, part of which belonged to Germany be- fore the World war. The possibility of a Russian attack on Finland, which be- long to Russia before the war. The Viking nations would not go down without a fight. But in addition to the overwhelming odds against them, there would be the problem of getting help to Denmark or Finland. Air Base Problem They admit that in case of a direct attack against one of them, there is little the others could do. But the alliance could be used TO KEEP THEMSELVES OUT OF WAR: !an extension of the co-operation | which has been going on in other Scandinavian spheres for some| time. | Embarrassing Iron | Sweden has an edge on the others through an abundance of iron ore. But she is not very happy about it. Here’s the situation: Germany, whose armament factories seem- ingly have an insatiable appetite for iron ore, imports nearly a | third of her supply from Sweden. In case of war, England and! France, Swedish experts expect, probably would ask Sweden to stop shipments. If she did, it’s a question whether Germany would regard this as a breach of ‘ neutrality. “She could, of course,” the Swedes tell you morosely. Denmark is nervous, too. , Known as England’s breadbasket, she supplies more foodstuffs to Britain than any of her northern sisters. Germany, it has been ‘suggested, might as a consequence ; bomb Denmark if there were no other way.to stop the flow of food during a war. These northern nations do not i know how successrul they will be with “armed neutrality.” But they agree with the Swedish for- eign minister who said in a speech last spring, “It’s worth trying.” Denmark and Norway are backward in a military way, and the four powers together had an| army a year ago. estimated at| ever, of expansion to several hun- dred thousand) and only about 500 planes. Field For Propaganda The tragedy of it all for Scandi- navia, according to astute ob- city to city. In larger towns, |to help maintain freedom of servers, is that she may just be Policemen and firemen are rejuve- | trade, or, perhaps, to reject the building up an ante for the mating toys collected by Boy and Girl Scouts. Smaller communities: depend on volunteer co-operation. Women make new dresses for dolls and men repair the toys. "Christmas baskets for unfortu- hates will have many presents other than toys. Each year thousands of Communities find means of placing candy, nuts, fruit—and often all the | makings for a Christmas dinner—in each basket. Shoes,*stockings, mit- | tens and other apparel also finds a When Yule Carol Stilled War Guns | _The huddle on detense is but “next” war, 7 woot Battle Front WRONG-WAYER AND GLOBE-CIRCLER land-Watt of Norfolk tells how the Steains of “Silent Night, Holy Night,” sweeping gently across a battlefield in two languages, quieted uns in front-line trenches of the greatest war on earth for a Christ- mas celebration. -It was Christmas eve, 1914, be- tween Armentiers and Arras, while landers huddled in | somebody remem- | the day. i * "*Jim, let's sing,” one said to Pri- Sutherland-Watt. i \ pleaded off, but someone else | “Silent Night, Holy Night,” ‘and soon Jim and the whole Scot , regiment had joined in. | When the last refrain subsided, from the opposite trenches arose other voices—attuned in “Stille Nacht.” Then all night long Christ- mas carols rang from trench to trench in strange tongues while can- non and sares from other sectors lit the sky. | At the customary “zero” hour, | the British soldiers saw gray-clad figures making their way out of the opposite trenches. A few shots were fired. Then it was seen that the Germans carried no arms. Scots | leaped from their trenches, likewise , unarmed, only to be ordered back. Anti-Communist Flegs Replace Beloved Santa In Japan’s Christmas | TOKYO.—Santa Claus has been banished from Japan, much to the sorrow of thousands of boys and girls who had come to love the pa- tron saint of Christmas. A 2ome ministry ordinance now forbids the usual festival manner of celebrat- ing. Japan, although not a Chris- tian jon, has been celebrating the day with growing ardor annu- ally, with department stores featur- ing Santa Clauses similar to the American variety. But now shop- keepers have announced that in- stead of the usual decorations their establishments will display Japan- nese, German and Italian flags, rep- resenting the three leading anti- communist nations. Christmas All Year! CHRISTMAS, FLA.—There’s nary @ snowflake in this southern com- munity but it's the only town in America that has a “Christmas mosphere the year around. Each Yuletide season cards and pack- ages come from all parts of the world to be stamped and mailed again by “Mrs. Santa Claus,” other- ase known as Postmistress Juani S. Tucker. The post office was es- tablished June 27, 1892. Offices at Christmas, Ky., and Christmas, Ariz. bave been abandoned. application of a foreign power for an air base. It is their ideal location for an air base that makes the Aland Islands one of the Scandinavia’'s hot spots today. Situated between Sweden and Finland, they're almost as im- portant to Scandinavia as Gib- raltar is to Great Britain. And they’re not fortified! They belonged to Russia when Finland was Russian. When Fin- land broke away, the islands Franco-British war pot. Public sentiment, they say, has changed in Scandinavia sincegshe success- fully kept out of tle last war— and, incidentally, laid part of the foundation for her present pros- perity. Nowadays, observers aver, the countries aré permeated with such a strong pro-Franco-British and violent anti-Nazi sentiment that it would be easy for British propagandists to swing them in- to the allies’ camp. were neutralized, but. Sweden; Scandinavia held aloof during the islands. The huddle on defense is but tand Finland -are working’ out the recent big war scare. But she | plans for a common defense of admits it’s going .to be much more difficult to keep out of the “next” war. DOMINATE MONTH OF TRAVEL NEWS (iy Aaeorinted Pemasy By VOLTA TORREY In 3 days, 19 hours and 8 min- utes last July, Howard Hughes & Co. flew ‘round the world. But July's jolliest punket was the comic-strip-style, surprise sky- solo of Douglas “California Here I Come” Corrigan from New York to Dublin. Hughes had the best available assistance and equipment; Corrigan sneaked to glory in a jaloppy. The world’s feet itched: Eng- land’s king and queen went to Paris, made the Union Jack and the Tri-Color “seem as one flag” to British War Minister Hore- Belisha, et al. A_ piggy-back plane flew photos of the French frolic to America. Viscount Runciman was ordered to Czecho- slovakia to check central Eu- rope’s cancer. Thirty-two coun- tries’ delegates met at Evian to see where refugees could go. And President Roosevelt went from coast to coast—attending Gettys- burg’s 75th and the Northwest Territory's 150th anniversary ceremonies, reviewing the fleet at San Francisco, and beaming blessings on candidates whom his foes called “rubber stamps.” Music Maestro, Please Postmaster General Farley urged voters not to “unhorse” their chief. Republican Chair- man Hamilton said grass would be growing in the streets but for the tramping feet of 13,000,000 people looking for work. And hillibillies went to town and elected their plump, dimpled, po- litical maestro, W. Lee O'Daniel, governor of Texas Dixie, “Economic Problem No. clamored for freight-rate re- vision. ICC decided eastern railroads could charge coach pas- sengers more. Dr. Arthur Mor- gan, TVA's ousted kingpin, sued for his pay. Elmer F. Andrews became wage-hour chief. Anti- trust charges were filed against movie-makers. Liberals dis- cussed group-health projects. the Maytag strike and the civil liber- ties inquiry. Conservatives cuss- ed NLRB and Jimmy Roosevelt's insurance income. And third- term talk was on the upbeat. The Nationals won the All-Star ball game. Japan surrendered the 1940 Olympics Headlined Names Count and Countess Haugwitz- Reventlow’s sensational squabble was publicized and they subse- quently were separated. Simone Simon’s secretary, Sandra Mar- tin, convicted of forgery, was or- dered to lock her lips and throw the kay away. Sinclair Lewis acted in a “straw hat” theater. Rumania’s Queen Marie, Jus- tice Benjamin Cardozo and Sam- uel Insull died in July. But no notable got more attention than did John Warde, 26, a little man who got out on a ledge 17 stories above the sidewalks of New York and smoked cigarettes there for 11 hours before hurtling into oblivion. Trouble, Trouble New Mexico’s Gov. Clyde Tins- ley passed most of the summer hunting folks, and after one long search the bodies of Medill Mc- Cormick, newspaper heir, and his companion on a mountain-climb were found. Grim, too, was the item from Portugal about fire- men who put some boys in a building and set it afire to dem- onstrate rescue methods—10 lads died. Palestine Jews fought Arabs the way American frontiersmen ‘battled Indians. Photos showed Roman rulers proving their fit- ness by hopping through fiery hoops, and Italy’s press began baiting Jews. France agreed to share control of Alexandretta (a 10,000-square-mile state in Syria) with Turkey. And Bolivia and Paraguy assented to arbitration of their century-old Gran Chaco frontier feud. Tichester Badger Feast ILCHESTER, ENGLAND. — One of the strangest surviving Christmas customs is the Ilchester badger feast, started by poachers in Nor- man times. Soon before the feast the village lads catch a badger, kill and dress it On Christmas eve it is strung on a spit over a huge fire in the inn. When it is ready the par- ty attacks it with fingets—no cut- lery is allowed. Singing and toast- ing accompany the feast, which tracts practically all the village: and nearby farmers. WOULD COMMUNICATE KANSAS CITY, Mo.—The fol- lowir advertisement appeared recently in a newspaper in this city “Lady who ran over pigs, Highway 40, wishes to communi- cate with owner.” THE KEY WEST CITIZEN World’s Oldest, Simplest Musica! Instrument Wa ith) NIN} BELLS OF CHRISTMAS . The houses can be dismantled in Is Universal Yuletide Symbol Each nation has its individual symbols of Christmas: In less than 100,000 (capable, how-; England there is the Yule log, in’ France the candles and in Holland the wooden shoe. But throughout the entire world there is one universal symbo! This is strange because bi , the bells of Christmas. ells were not associated with the church until at least 400 A. D. when Paulinus, 'an Italian bishop, installed them in his church. Some bell authorities | claim that Pope Sabinianus | gave us the first church bells in 604. The custom has grown until there is perhaps no use of church bells so widely known | in Christian countries as the ringing of chimes to hergld the advent of the birth of Christ. From huge cathedrals to tiny country churches, from the fro- zen arctic to the sunny tropics, the bells peal forth each Christmas sea- son an old, old story of “‘Peace on Earth, Good Will to Men.” * America’s very national existence is wrapped up in the priceless Lib- erty bell at Philadelphia, and cer- tainly no one can say that bell mu- sic isn’t the most democratic music in the world. In recent years the ancient bell | has “grown up”’ into the carillon, a highly sensitive instrument on | hi which Christmas carols seem to find their most perfect expression. There are now more than 209 of these instruments, 30 of them in the Unit- ed States. Similar to the carillon, but differing in the number of bells, tuning and arrangement of key- board, are chimes. Some of the finest chimes hang in English ca- thedrals and spread the Christmas message each December. A chapter in the history of bells may be found in the story of al- most any creed or culture. First known in the East, they were used by aboriginal people as ornaments. They came down through Grecian days and called Ren the forums, later summoning ear! Christians to worship. In the Mid- dle ages they called pe guided the far-away Napoleon loved bells so dearly he would not destroy them, while Hen. ry VIII took fiendish delight in de- stroying them. Bells have made people laugh and ery, have stirred them to a and ‘The University of Chicago chapel ef America’s most beautifel cariliens, the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Inset, Kamicl LeFevere, lulled them to sleep. Bells‘are the simplest, yet the most compelling musieal instrument in the world and | it is Mtt!ng that they should toll the universal message of Christmas, of | Men.” RIGHT—LDok singing tower and bird sanctuary at Mountain Lakes, Fia., sald to be the mrst ideally conceived and located carillon in the country. It rings each Christmas day. , | ABOY) | tory later to becom: “Peace on Earth, Good Will to | ‘Mrs. A. 8. C. Forbes tests the tone of a replica of a Cali- fornia mission bell, which were among the first church bells in the terri- United States. Beigian musician whe was brought to the ‘nited States to play it. This carillon, too, rings out the story of Christmas each year. ‘FORT WAYNE FIGHTS SLUM PROBLEM ' PAGE SEVEN < BY BUILDING $2.50 A WEEK HOMES (By Associated Prens) FORT WAYNE, Dec. 24.—With new houses that rent for $2.50 a week, built on lots acquired for $1 each, the Fort Wayne Hous- ing Authority hopes to do away with slums. The first houses are up—and occupied. Work is being hurried on others. If the first project of 50 dwellings meet no serious ob- stables, a second project of 150 units will be started. The houses are brand new, pre- fabricated by WPA workers in a low-rent factory. The sections are trucked to the sites, where other WPA workers erect them. The WPA figures each house costs about $1,300, ot which $900 is for materials. Labor makes up most of the balance. Sites for these houses are ac- quired from owners of vacant lots and lots containing old shacks. The owners have heen paying taxes for years, while waiting for a chance to dispose of the lots. Fort Wayne’s Housing Author- agrees to pay all costs of title search and transfer. Also it promises to reconvey the lot to the original owner for $1 any time he finds a better use for it 24 hours and moved to another site. Each house is designed for a family of four. One room, 20x12 feet, serves as living room, din- ing room and kifchen. Besides this there are a bathroom and two bedrooms. The city housing authority, which holds title to the homes, is tax-exempt, is non-profit, and pos: 'S powers of eminent do- main. It gets its running expen- ses from the city and is in es- sence an agency of the city. Sanitary Homes Wanted The idea was born in the spring of 1936 when the state planning board joined in a campaign to provide better and more sanitary homes for unfortunate families. The first step was to enlist the aid of Purdue University in ex- perimenting with a prefabricated, low-cost house. When Purdue’s model dwelling was ready, it was erected in an Indianapolis slum area. Last May, William B. F. Hall, chair- man of the Fort Wayne Housing Authority, asked the FHA in Washington if Fort Wayne could build houses like the Purdue model in its slum-clearance pro- gram, In that query Hall attributed to “sub-standard housing condi- tions” much of Fort Wayne's re- lief costs, rent relief and munici- pal aid to the homeless. He said a large share of the city’s public health costs and its bill for food, fuel and clothing of relief clients was traceable to poor housing. His contention was that the re- lief group needed shelter for a maximum of $12 a month—with- out electric stoves, fancy kitchen cabinets and other gadgets Plan Was Accepted The FHA liked his idea. It put two men to work to see what could be developed. One was Frank Watson, who had helped design Purdue’s modet low-cost house, the other J. Stanley Young. Between them, they worked out the plans for the simple but attractive Fort Wayne house. Construction is as simple as the house’s design. For the floor a 4-inch concrete slaf “floats” on a gravel fill. To this floor are se- cured 35 phenol-resin bonded ply-wood panels of jglentical size to supply exterior walls and par- titions. After WPA workers erect the houses, electricians, _ painters, roofers and plumbers add the finishing touches. The rent-collecting job is as- sumed by the Associated Chari- ties of Fort Wayne, but manage- ment of the properties is kept by the housing authority. Hall says it may be possible to reduce the rents from $2.50 to $2 weekly after 200 of the houses are erected and occupied. BUSINESS MAN WHO RETIRED AT 40 NOW ENGINEFRING RELIEF PROGRAM (ite Ananciated Presa) CLEVELAND, Dec. 24.—-Many men dream of making a fortune and retiring in their forties. Fred William Ramsey did it— and then acquired the biggest job of his career. As director of welfare here, he’s fighting now to keep the city’s poor from going hungry His money from the state is run- ning low—and he won't be able to have more until the legisla- ture meets in January. Eliven years ago Ramsey was sitting on top of his own pretty good-sized world as president of a $10,000,000 metal products con- cern He had started at 14 as a stock- room bo: Successively, he was office boy, timekeeper, salesm and purchasing agent. Then pres- ident With that, Ramsey decided he had made enough money. But instead of retiring to a country estate, at 42, he plunged into so- cial service work In Cleveland’s Blue Book During these past 10 years, Ramsey has been Cleveland's chief money-raiser. He has serv- ed most of tho: sats as chair- man of the C munity Fund. For a while he was General Sec retary of the YMCA's National Council Three years ago, Ramsey (who i listed in leveland’s Blue Book, a who's who of the social elite) became director of welfare in the city, genera considered a thankless job. He says “I took the job purely on a service basis. I felt I had to have something to do, and thi seemed worth-while.” At this job he ran smack into crisis last spring when relicf money from the state ran out Santa Won't Miss ‘Farthest North’ U. S. Community s MINN. — Young: is isolated community are ident Santa Claus won't 88 them by this Christmas. Pen- you see, is St. Nicholas’ frst »p in the United States, and the farthest north point in the nation. The bewhiskered gentleman aban- dons his reindeer before he reaches each ir, because the deep snow us hampers even those sturdy steeds. He travels by ski-equipped sirplane, flown to the ted village twice each week Warroad «’s only other visitor fn the Pete. a trapper by island in the Helen Arnold, twenty- its business isn’t very rushing—even at Caristmas time. Cries of “We want food” were heard in Cleveland; 30,000 fami- lies became dependent on his ability to find relief for them. Ran Out of State Funds He combed the relief rolis to find the neediest cases, and kept the relief machinery functioning on a and-to-mouth basis until new state money was obtained When his administrative relief workers went unpaid, he dug down into his own pocket. He sums up his economic philosophy For many years to come, and perhaps permanently, millions of our unemployed must look.to.the Federal! government for © their work. “We all live in the hope that a new industrial era will dawn in some new device which everyone will want and need an era such as the internal combustion en gine brought “Pre-fabricated house bring it, or possibly tel Then again perhaps there « no solution without a world economic adjustment and an ternational short working w« Northern Outposts Await Planes With Christmas Parcels EDMONDTON, ALBERTA A most forgotten by mill - dian and American Cr brants are residents of far-f posts of the Canadian territories, Each year they ‘ ward to a merry Ch weather is good and 5 by plane in time for celebration. Christmas express and usually reach Adka northwest of Edmor before Christmas. Ar r place is Coppermine, 1.100 north of Edmonton on Cor guif. Pilot Marlowe Kennedy r: the trip to that out % Radium on Great B ake. But even though Christrnas pro- visions don’t come through by air- plane, residents of the arctic waste- lands sre brought to civilization's very door each Yuletide through the magic of radio Commanity Christmas Trees In many American co’ unities “civie” Christmas trees are erected each December in the main square or street and the town's Yule ac- tivities center there. Many com- munities also string colored lights along the streets during the season to secentuate the holiday spirit. Usually the lighting of the commu- nity tree or the special street lights fs accompanied by a ceremony in- augurating the Christmas shopping season. Lights are removed immer diately after New Year's Day. " Pren arns industry tion will not tolera back to its old “abuses’