Evening star., 1942-12-24
Most German Families
To Have YuIe Trees,
But Toys Are Rare
Even Neutral Switzerland
Dores Not Relax BIockout
For Christmas Eve
BY PAUL GHALI,
Foreien Correspondent to The Star and
Chicago Daily News

fUISlEn correspondent 10 Inc otar ana
ChicaEo Daily News
BERN, Dec. 24.-ChristmaS-th
fourth of this merciless War-comes
this year to Europe completely de-
void of anything like the Christmas
spirit and stripped of most of the
earthly goods normally considered
indispensable to the traditional fes-
tivities.
AS a prelude to the celebrations
OF the birth of Jesus Christ, Europe
has heard the impassioned voices of
DR.. Joseph Goebbels and his Italian
counterpart spurring their country
men on to intensified. .hatred.
Along Frances cold. bleak roads
long conveys of Jews make their
tragic, despairing way toward the
unknown destination" where Nazi
forced labor is the mildest fate
awaiting them While throughout the
rest of vaSsalized Europe their
brethren suffer unspeakable horrors
in ghettOS and concentration camps.
Hundreds of thousands of politi-
cal prisoners lie wasting away in
Gestapo prisons for no greater crime
than their inability to share the
views Of Europe's Nazi masters. In
increasing numbers, refugees flee to
the few hospitable humane coun-
tries left on this continent-Small
cases in the wilderness of sorrow.
Civilians spend sleepless nights in
afraid shelters while their homes
are pounded to pieces On the icy
wind-swept Steppes of Russia and
the arid deserts of Africa millions Of
men seek one anOther'S death.
Germans Cut Yule Trees.
Scarcely a family in the belligerent
countries is without its absentees.
Many will never be complete again.
And yet Europe tonight still thinks
of Christmas.
In Germany, despite the labor
shortage, Christmas trees again have
been cut and few families will be
without one. What to put on and
under them is the great problem
Children's toys fashioned of metals
are no longer available and last
years wooden substitutes have al
most completely disappeared.
Even books are raritieS preciouSlv
guarded by booksellers for their best
customers. So scarce are goods that
the usual opening of the shops the
Sunday before Christmas was this
year forbidden for the first time by
the Reich's Labor Minister.
Particularly for children, this
Christmas will be full of diSappoint-
ments. But their mothers are doing
their best. Old, discarded toys are
being taken out of drawers and
attics and exchanged for others.
Where this is impossible, mothers
are sacrificing their own precious
possessions to shield their youngsters
as far as possible from the sorrows
and deprivations Of this war. For
the past fortnight the newspapers
have been filled with advertisements
offering jewels, silverware and type
WRITER'S in exchange for toys, cam
eras, games and shoes.
Extra Rations Allotted.
At least the Germans won't sit
tonight before completely empty
tables, Supplementary rations have
been accorded them for this week
by the Reich authorities. Further
more, soldiers coming back on leave
but there won't be many-will
bring as a Christmas present from
Der Fuehrer parcel "delicates-
SEN including that precious rarity,
a piece Of country butter.
But none in Europe tonight can
forget the plight of those others
whose tables will be empty-the
Greeks, Poles, Dutch, Czechs and
Norwegians and even the once
favored French. In Poland today
a pair OF boots costs as much as a
villa used to; geese and turkeys
fetch 300 zlotys each, once the
monthly salary of a worker. In
Greece a loaf of bread will soon
cost the former price of a whole
vineyard.
Hard-hit France has devoted
Christmas week to national relief"
Everywhere tomorrow collections
will be made for the homeless, pris-
oners and suffering children.
Tonight the closing hour of all
restaurants has been brought for
ward TO II o'clock-the once famous
French "reyeillon" will be nothing
more than q sad memory. Maybe
however, this Christmas will intro
duce the French to a new delicacy-
rats.
Prof. TannOn, a high authority of
the French Medical Academy. re-
Gently declared that he had eaten
rats and found them tastier than
hares. His declaration has been
given wide publicity
The children of France also must
suffer this year Tin and lead SOL
diers belong TO the past, toy armies
having been demobiliZed, too. Even
French dolls-the pride OF Frances
toy shops-are less elegantly dressed
owing to textile restrictions.
Supposed concessions only serve
10 bring home Europe's pathetic
fate
Tomorrow, for example, has been
oecreed meat day in Germany. But
what should the hausfrau serve? In
France-the land Of yineEards-a
extra liter Of wine has been allowed
for Christmas and the French will
get four instead Of two packets of
cigarettes for the last 10 days OF
the year.
Even here in neutral Switzerland
the Christmas atmosphere is unlike
that Of previous years, Books and
toys still abound. Windows glitter
with festive decorations and goods,
but for the first time since the war
the blackout won't be lifted tonight
The Swiss air of neutrality has been
too often violated lately, and the
authorities doubt whether even the
sanctity Of Christmas night will see
temporary lulI IN the intensified
IuthleSSpPSS Of this W2r Only