The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-12-26
Short Meter Christmas

ILL oIhioo 10 w aso sS~o'
he heart Of youth is the place to SOW It's seeds, whether
hey be or the birth OF a saviour or of the existence OF
Santa Claus. OF the one will grow the striving Tor the
crfcct life. out OF the other the spirit OF mellow cheer
hey are both good influences. The one has been the
ornerstonc of Christian civilization. Of our morals. our
Enlightenment, Of our democratic institutions. 1t has
ladc men brothcrly. At this time Of the year the good
,nuencc OF the Santa faith joins with this brotherliness
81 a kindly expression in cheerful benevolencc to tho
is fortunate. Every good fellow takes on tho spirit
nd personality Of the old saint to do the work Of Christ.
tow true this Is was demonstrated in the celebrations
iyen tho children Of Bismarck at the auditorium. the
Ions den and the q. r. cafe the last two days. There
Is q blend OF the Christ.spirit and Of the Santa-sptrtt
what ~transpired there. The scenes were such as to
yoke the emotions Of the older folks who were PRIVILEGED
D look on. At the auditorium. 100 children were made
b feel happy that there was such q time as Christmas:
i the Christmas afternoon dinners at the q. r.. IS boys
!. nd about 60 girls were given the dinners of their lives.
pllowed by a light-of-hand and Punch and Judy per-
Drmance. It all was q very wonderful time for those
no served the youngsters.
1t brought the sponsors Of the entertainments, the
FITS and the dinners face to face with the need Of such
bod fellowship in the city. for in 1t all was the evidence
aaat there Is all too much neediness and privation among
se less fortunate Of the city. In part this may be due
= some shiftiessness among parents. but. whatever the
Jause, 1t is the children who suffer. That Is why this
andly benevoence should be in the harness at all times
lady to serve where the suffering Of children Is to be
alsed.
. As said before in reference to the temporary activity
sc the Christmas spirit. now that the Christmas shop
Ting and gift giving is all over. and the spirit Of gener-
nrjity is about to return to its won.ed subsistence for an
refer SO weeks. it might be q good thing to take a look
our annual custom Of providing Christmas gifts for
Gee unfortunate.
Ito begin with. It's a fine custom. We're a ~prcsperci,s
vriuntrv, but there are a great many people who never
arave enough money to make a holiday out Of Christmas.
CO, In every city III the land. the people who arc better
swa...uated get together to fix them up. They give them
sod. clothing. fuel. toys, trinkets and SO on. and the I'M
wthse back Of 1t all is very fine.
pr And yct-dld It ever occur to you that there's some
tunniing wrong with the whole se.-up?
1--WE dig down into our pockets to provide Christmas
Maecr for those who arc less fortunate than ourselves
icald Their We very promptly forget all about them
mar an entire year.
AT Christmas time we can't stand it to think that
thithin a mile Of us there are men and women who arcnt
Netting enough to eat, children who can't have q doctor
reshen they're sick. whole families that so skiddirg along
pnass.om day to day on the ragged edge Of nothing. SO
s'ne get busy and do something about 1t.
hatBut We won't bother our heads about 1t again until
-e next Christmas comes along. We leave that to the
!: 1lvation Army and the Red Cross. They give in sub
ance but not in the spirit which marks Christmas
generosity.
urenThese people that we've helped this Christmas will
have to get along the best they can between times.
NJ + they s.arve or freeze. or II their children are miserable
cause Of undernourislment or bad health, It will be
st too bad. We won't even hear about It. and II VIC
81 we won't listen very hard.
:. Not until next Christmas. Then well get busy again.
Nmsell give fairly literally. then. and we'll be rewarded
~ that warm glow Of self -approval that comes when
,hic. think we've done something noble.
TO be sure. In this world it's every man for himself.
,,ccxx..e seem to be pretty well satisfied that we're not our
keepers. And. surely. we're not individually
[ayf
Tor Sucn Things as UNEMPLOYMENT.
issrrsBut our attitude is funny. just the same.
IanAt Christmas time the very thought Of poverty bothcrs
It makes US uneasy even to know that it exists. But
II.nlee33rng the rest Of the year We accep. poverty as part Of
!oo!e natural order Of existence.
day poverty will be abolished from the earth
,ssrfit that day won't come until we stop being indifferent
II for so weeks out OF every year.
osSsat will come when we worry about It al year long as
I Itch as we do now in the last two weeks of December.
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