Evening star., 1941-01-01
New Year

illc plIllul oIOly VI Ille year WHICH
ended at midnight was written in
blood and tears. Burning cities were
It's mileStOneS. The deStinieS of
seven independent nations passed
into the cruel hands of German
Warlords. Three other states we're
absorbed by Soviet Russia. Finland,
after gallant resistance, paid with
valuable territory for the privilege
Of maintaining her honor unsullied.
Later, a series of incredible victories
over Italian invaders gave modern
Greeks the right to be regarded as
comrades of their heroic ancestors
of Marathon and Salamis. China,
meanwhile, continued to defy Japan
to the amazement of friends who
had not dared to hope for further
effort in the name of freedom.
Naturally, the impact of events in
Europe and in the Orient was felt
in the Western Hemisphere. The
threat to the democratic theory of
government grew with the passing
OF each hour; and the United States,
strengthened by the experience of a
presidential election in which every
good tradition of ordered liberty
was given solemn expression, set an
example for neighboring republics
by adopting program of national
defense including conScription. A
popular determination to assist all
those countries struggling against
totalltarlan aggression was put into
words by the chosen leader of the
American people within few weeks
after he had received the mandate
of the voters to carry on" for a
third term in office.
Some sacrifices necessarily were
involved in the policies accepted by
those who refused to bow to axis
tyranny. England especially suf-
fered fearful martyrdom beginning
at midsummer when Adolf Hitler
loOSed his air armada for the de-
StructiOn of London and the devaSta-
ton Of lengthy list of lesser towns
in which thousands of courageous
men, women and children made their
homes. The dwellings of these null
titudeS were blasted from the skies,
yet the spirit of the average Briton
never Wavered After months of
bombardment the Nazi raiders still
had failed to gain the advantage
desired by their master. They did
not control the air. Neither could
they claim to govern the seas. The
losses inflicted upon merchant ship
ping were impressive, but the ulti-
mate triumph of German arms few
persons imagined could be won by
furtive submarines.
Fifteen months after the conflict
began, President Roosevelt. basing
his judgment upon the latest and
best information available, declared
his confidence that the democracies
would not be defeated. To insure
their success, he urged the develop
ment of the United States as an
arsenal for the production of weapons
and munitions to turn the scale for
liberty. So 1910 ended with the
formulation of a plan equal to the
imperative requirement of civiliza-
ton, If only it be accomplished in
terms of unquestionable fact.
An important philosophic principle
also has been demonstrated during
the year that now is dead, and
1t should be mentioned at the
moment when another calendar is
begun-namely, the resilient quality
of the human mind, the human
heart, the human soul. Mankind has
suffered frightful ordeal and even
more painful trials may lie ahead.
Yet no one SurrenderS. There is less
defeatiSt talk now than there was
before the start of the second Arma-
geddon. Because their cause is Just,
because they truly love freedom, be-
cause they want a tolerable system
of society in which their fellow
creatures are not slaves, because
under God they wish to live in peace
and share an honorable prosperity
and not exist in constant turmoil
the unSpoiled communities of this
earth enter 1941 unafraid. For that
they thank their Maker, praying to
deserve His support in their valiant
endeavor