Gladewater Daily Mirror (Gladewater, Tex.), Vol. 4, No. 134, Ed. 1 Wednesday, December 24, 1952 Page: 11 of 25
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Gregg County Area Newspaper Collection and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Lee Public Library.
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1 he warmth of the Christmas spirit is
rejected in the cherished friendships we
have made over the years. Attain to our
many friends we extend our sinccrcst
wishes of good health and happiness
for the Vuletide and the New Y’car.
EAST TEXAS PLUMBING CO
LONGVIEW. TEXAS
mm
FROM ALL OF US TO ALL OF YOU
BOSTON. (U.R)—Tritium, a prod-
uct of the Oak Ridge atomic re-
actor, is being used by two Bos-
ton scientists to make a constant
light.
Radioactive tritium is incorpor-
ated into stilbene, a crystalline
substance, and processed chemi-
cally to form a solid crystal.
Irving A. Berstein and Earle
Farmer, the scientists, said the tri.-
tium constantly gives off beta rays
which causes the stilbene to fluo-
resce.
The light though visible to the
naked eye, primarily will be used
by astronomers and scientists en-
gaged in optical research.
The first wheat crop was har-
vested in Mexico in 1559 from j
grain planted by a servant of;
Hernando Cortez.
It's a
Busy Season
like Santa Claus, Long Distance telephone
lines will be mighty busy on the Christmas
week-end.
Friends and relatives all over the country
will want to exchange greetings. Moat of
these calls will go through promptly...hut
there will he some delays, particularly on
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*53 Christmas Card
"CHRISTMAS Till" (top) Is title of
12,000 prize-winning water color
by Anton Refrcgler (bottom),
which topped 3,fl#H entries from
35 countries in the international
Hallmark Art Award competition.
The artist says It depicts “the tree
of life” and is symbolic of
"Cbrlstmaf time and peace on
earth.” The 4C-year-old painter Is
from Woodstock. N. Y. He also
did the famed San Francisco post
office murals. (International/
c hope that you will enjoy this C.hristmas
surrounded by all the things dearest to
your heart. And may the New Year
bring to you all the success and happiness
that make for a rich and meaningful life
KERNS
BETTER BREAD
Baked by REDFERN BROTHERS
Longview, Texas
..iii**** •>* ■
. . -u, Aj"
_____, ,»
Vmac Eight
• Li lade water Daily Mirror Wednesday, December 24, 1952
Christmas Tree Custom 101 Years
Old la 11. S.-Clevelond Was First
By SANFORD MARKEY
CLEVELAND.—The extra touch
of beauty surrounding your Christ-
mas tree fills year is an anniver-
sary glow; the 101th anniversary
of the introduction of the first
tree as a truly American custom.
There were some Christmas
trees in homes in this country prior
to December, 1851. But those were
in a handful of homes of immi-
grants who had brought with them
from Germany the cherished Old
World custom of a tree.
It was not until December of
1851, that a Cleveland pastor, the
nev. Heinrich Christian Schwan
of Zion church, placed in his
church a Christmas tree as a re-
minder of the season’s spirit of
his childhood days in Hanover,
Germany.
Installation of the tree, believed
to be the first ever recorded in a
church in this country, brought a
mixed reaction from the pastor's
congregation. Many indicated it
was a cheerful idea; others tagged
it as heathenish.
Perhaps even more than his con-
gregation, the good pastor wanted
to impress and secure the approval
of a fellow churchman, the Rev.
Edwin Canfield who. along with
each member of his small congre-
* gatlon, was American born and
bred.
REVEREND CANFIELD knew,
of the argument flying in Zion
church, and he told his fellow pas-
tor that if evidence could be pro-
vided showing the tree was a thor-
oughly Christian custom, then per-
haps, he, too. would light a tree.
Reverend Schwan accepted the
challenge and during the following
11 months traced the history of
how the custom was first recorded
in Strasburg in 1605; of how it
swept into Germany, and was then
transported to the Scandinavian
countries by the early 1800’s.
I Princess Helene of Mecklenburg
I was credited with introducing the
I use of Christmas trees in Fiance
\ in 1840. Prince Albert, husband of
Queen Victoria, brought the prac-
! tice into England when he left his
i native Germany.
i There is the old legend, too, that
Martin Luther, wandering through
the forest one Christmas Eve was
moved by the night sky lighted up
by millions of stars. Returning
home, he set up a tree and lighted
, it with candles for his children as
j an image of the starry heaven
from where Christmas came down.
There were other legends, too,
| that have passed down through
j the years, but like the Luther
story, there is no definite proof;
I only the spirit that prevailed.
When Christmas of 1852 neared,
7. /Y-
<^incefie isles
Midst the many greetings that will come
to you this Christmas, we want j\
you to include our wishes for a
joyous Holiday and a Rich
and Happy New Year.
McWilliams
GLADEWATER
Pastor Canfield, feeling hie neigh-
bor had scored his point, sent
Pastor Schwan a tree, signifying
he approved of the custom.
FROM THAT modest start 101
years ago, the practice has swept
into universal acceptance with
even greater hope that Pastor
Schwan ever dreamed possible. In
1911, for example, a New York
City artist, whose name has been
lost to history, recalled the lonely
Christmas Eve he had spent in
strange and cold cities.
He thought it would be wonder-
ful if New York City had a “com-
munity Christmas tree” so that
lonely persons could gather round
on Christmas Eve and sing the
songs of cheer.
He established an “annonymous
bank account to purchase a com-
munity tree.” The idea caught fire,
ancLon Christmas Eve, 1912, in
Maffison Square park, p 60-foot
balsam fir, lighted with 3,000 can-
dles, was dedicated as a “Com-
munity Christmas Tree” with more
than 20,000 persons on hand to
sing the songs of cheer and holi-
ness.
In 1924, President Calvin Coo-
lidgc dedicated the National Com-
munity Christmas Tree on White
House grounds. In California, in
the General Grant National Park,
a 267-foot high sequoia; that is
more than 5,000 years old, has
been designated ns the “Nation's
Christmas Tree”—a living spirit
that is Christmas.
INDUSTRY, too. has joined in
the expression of Yuletide joy. In
1925, at the headquarters of its
lamp division at Nela Park, Cleve-
land. General Electric company
lighted a mammoth Christmas
tree in what is believed to have
been the first venture of its kind
by industry.
The custom has since grown to
where last year more than 500,-
900 persons visited the 85-acre
Nela Park to sec the 17th annual
display of Christmas lights and
trees.
The warmth and brotherhood of
the custom that was kindled in
the little Cleveland church. 101
vears ago. has been transmitted
back to the Old World. This vear,
manv European cities, as well as
communities in Japan and Aus-
tralia. will light “community trees”
or “trees of light.” a practice that
began in the New World and that
stands as a spiritual link for all
mankind.
The European grebe is one of
the weirdest creatures in bird-
dom. Short-winger, long-toed and
tailless, he can swim, fly or dive
with blinding speed; he can do a
love dance on the water for his
mate and. he can even swallow
his own features.
At leasj seven billion acres of
the earth’s surface are forested.
COMINFORM, STYMIED IN EUROPE,
MAY SWITCH ACTIVITY TCT ASIA
By F. K. WU
Central I’rtnn Cw respondent
HUNG KOMI Activities ot the
Moscow • sponsored Cominform
which is functioning none too well
in Europe may lie switched to
China «nd Southeast Asia in the
neai future, as Liu Shao-clu, chief
secretary ot the Peiping Politburo
and vice chairman ot the Central
People's government, is taking in-
structions in Moscow to transfer
this outfit to the Orient.
Accompanying Vice Chairman
Liu Shao-chi in his Moscow mis-
sion, according to the freeman
local Chinese bi-weekly paper, are
Vice Foreign Minister Wang Ctua-
hsiang, (Jen. Yao Sou-shih, deputy
army chlet ot stall and second sec-
retary ot the Politburo, and a host
of experts in Fifth Column as well
as cloak and dagger activities.
The Cominform has lost much
ot its usefulness owing to its (all-
ure to crush Pitolsm in Yugoslavia
and to undermine the Marshall
Plan for Europe, said this well In-
formed newspaper. However, the
success of the Cominform, this
publication pointed out. lies in the
declarations of Communist leaders
in Italy. France, Britain and other
countries saying that in the event
of Russian •'liberation” ot their
homelands the Communists in those
countries would ri. e in support of
the so-called liberators.
* * *
CHAIRMAN MAO PSE-TI NC. I
of the Central People s government j
announced as eaily as 1948 that if
Soviet Russia were involved in a
war with a thihl power, the Chi-
nese Communist army would tight
side by side with the Russian
forces. Because of Mao's loyally
to and enthusiasm for the Soviet
cause. Chinese observers specu-
lated that Premier Joseph Stalin
may have chosen Peiping as one of
the important points for the ao Ivt-
ttes of the Cominform after its re-
organization and expansion in
Southeast Asia
For some time Chinese press dis-
patches favorable to Taiwan said
Cominform schools have been set
up in Mukden. Peiping. Hankow
and Canton for the training of fifth
columnists and saboteurs for serv-
ice in Indo-China. Sum. Burma.
Malaya. Philippines India.—dA. etc
Liu Shao-chi
The school in Canton situated on
the campus of the Southern uni-
versity has just turned out some
one hundred agents who were also
given "front" naming as fortune
tellers and herbalists (practitioners
ot Chinese medicine I Phis group
includes young ar.il good-looking
women w hose assignment is to mix
up with foreign armed force per-
sonnel or act as auxiliaries of their
male operatives.
Po envelop the Chinese people
in the proper atmosphere prepaia
lory tor complete Soviet control ot
the country, the Peiping regime
proclaimed eaily November ns the
Month of Chinese-Soviet Friend-
ship" as carried out by the many
Chinese Soviet Friendship associa-
tions throughout the country to
glorify the "35 years of great
Soviet achievements ”
« • «
A M O N <1 I II F. “ACHIEVE-
MENTS" has been the "consistent
support given to the Chinese Com-
munists ' climaxing in their
present control of China. In
then fervor and flattery for Rus-
sia. the Chinese Reds unwittingly
confessed that Moscow backed up
their elToits to pull down the na-
tional government and that Chi-
nese Communist leaders are mere
puppets of the Soviet Union.
The Chinese people are urged to
adopt Ruaaian science, culture. In-
dustry, social and economic pat-
terns, thoughts and actions. In
other words Chinese are required,
contrary to their traits and in-
stincts. to think, behave and act
like Russians
As junior partner of the Krem-
lin in the merry game of world
revolution, the Peiping regime is
adjusting Important changes with
a view to strengthening and ex-
panding war efforts.
A reliable source said that the
agrarian reform will come to a
“vlctunous" conclusion early m
1953. as actually if has failed to
bring about an increase of agri-
cultural produce and economic bet-
terment to the peasants. Neverthe-
less. the government is insistent
that thu peasants turn out greater
production In view 6f its commit-
ments In Korea and Indo-Chlna as
well as preparation for fresh Inva-
sion elsewhere.
• • •
A NEW FIVE-YEAR PUN
under consideration by Russian ad-
visers will be announced also in
the spring, so that more strategic
railroads, highways and heavy in-
dustries will be built. Details ot
this plan arc kept as top secrets
to the outside world.
Finally the anti-corruption cam-
paign. which is a racket to extort
the rich in the big cities and which
yielded an equivalent of about U S
$2'ii billion during the first sever
months of this year, will be ex
tended to the wealthy people in th<
•smaller towns and rural areas, sni<
the same source.
As the foregoing sum has tx-ci
paid to Soviet Russia in return for
the supply of arms, planes, tanks
submarines, machine tools and con
sumer goods, more money will lx
required from the countryside.
The squeeze will begin in tat*
spring 1953 after the present brlsl
season when merchants, farmer:
and small time Industrialists wii
be able to make some m o n e y
Refugees from Communist China
however, said the peop'c on th<
mainland are thoroughly diagustei
and greatly Impoverished Iv th<
heavy taxation and the pro-Pus
sinn propaganda, but there ::
nothing they can do about It li
present.
Barnacles On Spot
In College Lab
BEAUFORT, N. C. <U.R>—Barna-
cles, the annoying crustaceans
that look like miniature acorns
but -do great damage in the ship-
ping industry, arc undergoing a
scientific third degree in the Duke
University marine laboratory here.
Barnacles “volunteer" for the
study by attaching themselves to
plastic panels hung beneath the
laboratory bout dock. The attached
barnacles then are placed in spe-
cial food solutions in the labora-
tory.
Barnacles "glue" themselves to
ships and must be removed by dry-
docking and scruoinc. a process
which costs minions oi dollars an-
nually. Duke scientists hope to
save shipowners some money by
finding out more about what
makes barnacles "moult" their
shells and chemical changes dur-
ing moulting.
At this immortal hour, all hu-
man hate, pride, greed, lust should
bow and declare Christ’s power,
and the reign of Truth und Life
divine suoui-r make man’s being
pure and blest.
—Mary Baker Eddy
Chinchilla fur is worth ubout
three times its weight in gold on
the present market in the United
i States. :
Atomic Product Sheds
Constant Light
Albatrosses and condors remain Rudders on ships navigating
nestlings for a period of six | livers of Portugal aie longer than
months. the vessels themselves.
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Gladewater Daily Mirror (Gladewater, Tex.), Vol. 4, No. 134, Ed. 1 Wednesday, December 24, 1952, newspaper, December 24, 1952; Gladewater, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1021357/m1/11/?q=%22~1~1~1%22~1: accessed August 15, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Lee Public Library.