In Many Lands

One of the favorite subjects for school Christmas plays is a potpourri entitled "Christmas in Many Lands" and tracing Santa's journey from the Arctic wastes to the fireside of every nationality, dropping gifts indiscriminately in Belgian sabots, Persian slippers, and even Japanese clogs. The moral has something to do with the brotherhood of man, and everybody ends up singing carols.

Today we think of Belgium only in terms of Nazi oppression and brave but futile revolts; we think of Persia as a sector in the near eastern theatre of the war; and we are hardly willing to mention the Japanese in the same breath with Christmas. Of course there are always the stories about "cease firing" orders, and even fraternization on Christmas Eve, but the respite is usually a brief one.

This is hardly to suggest that peace on earth or goodwill to the Axis can or should be the stated policy of the United States Government. We are at war with fascism, and we will fight until we have defeated it completely, in war and in peace. But there is an alternative reading of the gospel: "Peace on earth to men of good will." As long as this hope exists, the men of good will can continue to work for a world in which peace is possible. And such men are only at peace when nowhere in the world is there war, or scarcity, or oppression. In this belief we can celebrate Christmas even now.