Evening star., 1942-01-01

time since the last war enoeo, ne
greeted the arrival of the New
Year in a sane, solemn and sensible
way. He rang a bell or two, and
lifted a drink or two, just for Old
Times sake, but he didn't care
much about it. His thoughts were
not on having a good time for him
self, but on the thought that in
1912 his country will have, perhaps,
the gravest days in its history. and
that he, the average American,
wanted to be ready to help, even II
the call came early on New Year
day. a time normally reserved for
trying the ten thousand and one
hangover nostrums suggested by
loving friends.
NY statement that Americans OBJ
served the passing of the Old Year
and the coming of the New in COM
parative quiet is based on what
happened here in New Orleans.
New Orleans is q good yardstick
with which to measure New Year
eve celebrations throughout the
country. This Is town where fun
and frivolity maintain permanent
residence. This is a town. like San
Francisco and New York, where
abandon is part Of the civic motto.
n 4
If folk are quiet and earnest IN
New Orleans on holiday, you may
rest assured that folk In wilkes
Barre, Butte, Phoenix. and way
points are, too. And the New Or
leans folk were. Nothing depressing,
mind YOU No mourning was worn.
No one went around sowing wet
blankets, so to speak, but there was
a feeling in the air. feeling that
for the time being. going through
the motions of making merry was
quite enough.
The German mind, the italian
mind, and the japanese mind, per-
haps will overlook the significance
of America taking New Year eve in
stride. The chances are the Axis
powers will place no importance
whatsoever on the fact that the
citizens Of this country deliberately
and willingly put aside boisterous
merriment as l941 dropped into the
mists and handed the baton Of Time
to 1912.
But it's awfully important.
This country hates to give up its
fun.
No nation on earth ever liked to
raise-well, what shall we say
hell?-as much as this one does.
! The New Year Day headache.
hangover and jitters were brought
to full flower by the citizens of this
country. Other nations did their
best to create a national migraine.
but their best was a poor second
to the American aching head.
We took a pride in feeling the
worst on New Year Day. From Key
West to the Far West. and up and
down the seaboard and through the
plains of the Middle West. this
country gave midnight Of New Year
eve the full and complete treat
ment.
We made more noise, stayed up
later, and had more fun, than the
citizens Of any other country.
But not this New Year eve.
Wake, Guam, Pearl Harbor,
Singapore. Hong Kong. They were
on our minds.
So were the thoughts of what
lay ahead in 1912. There must be
revenge for the Marines who held
out to the last; the ships that went
to the bottom; the planes that had
to fight against impossible odds.
There must be production-produc.
ton that will make it possible to
avenge Manila. There must be bonds
bought and taxes paid to pay for
the production. There must be men,
women and children, standing side
by side, with but one purpose
victory for our country.
There was but one real New Year
resolution made by Americans last
night. The old ones about smoking
drinking. and saving money were
forgotten. This New Year eve found
us pledging that to the best of our
abilities we would act and think Al
Americans before us did when the
country was in peril.
A Happy New Year to you all, and
isn't it nice to know that the head.
aches we missed today eventually
will belong to the Axis?
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