Page 2 New Year‘s morning, 1946, found the writer and other correâ€" spondents waiting in the beautiful, panelled conference room at Paâ€" eific Army headquarters in Honolulu. We were waiting for Secretary of War Patterson. Although he didn‘t know it at the time, he was to tell us how little he knew about the human side of demobilization. We who were stranded in the Paâ€" cific at war‘s end thought we would never get home after hearâ€" ing the disheartening words of Mr. Patterson â€" a right nice man, by the way. BEGINS BLEAKLY After all, we Stars and Stripes writers figured, if the War Deâ€" partment‘s ‘No. 1 official knew nothing (comparatively) _ about speeding men back to civilian life, when would we get home? So, 1946, you started out in a discouraging way. And, generalâ€" ly speaking, you weren‘t the best year we Americans have known, But you failed in lots of other ways, 194}. s § s eue And the Atomic Bomb was a horrible weapon, yes, but you and your unpredictable people Qe\'en't to concerned about it. * USHER IN UNNECESSARY STRIKES ... _ You ushered _ in hundreds of nonsensical, crippling strikes that almost put us back a decade. You were an odd year, 1946. Your abilities were unlimitedâ€" but you dissipated them into unâ€" creative channels. % Yes, 1946, many of us came home during your days. And there were thousands of happy reunions; relieved parents; happy wives. Your editorial writers were high in their praise for‘ you. They thought you had great possibiliâ€" ties; thought you were going to bring ° peace â€" complete peace, that is, not China, Palestine and Russian troubles; thought you were trying to solve many probâ€" lems. Despite reunions, there were more divorces during your days than at any other time. You were a year with lots of conferences â€" and little action. YOU FAILED, 1946 . .. But, 1946, you disappointed us. Your record is not good. And juvenile delinquency skyâ€" rocketéd. > You were the year directly folâ€" lowing the worst year in historyâ€" yet a state of emergency exisited during your 365 days. _ Let‘s Take a Look W HITT N. SCHULTZ ROESSLER‘S EXCLUSIVE CLEANERS 1545 S. St. Johns H. P. every one of you for a year filled to ‘the brim with good cheer, : prosperity and health. (Bpecial to The Highland Park Press) Flying in safety after a stormy 12â€"month journey, 1947 promises to be a big year for all Americans and we extend our heartiest wishes to By COCKTAIL LOUNGES . .. CWelcome the NEW YEAR And we, the people living during your time, can be just as ashamed of our record as you should be of yours. NO HOMES; We had plenty of money and time for race . tracks, . cocktail lounges and other idle spending. But we had little time and monâ€" ey to build homes for the men who saved our country, « You were a year, 1946, when we couldn‘t make up _ our _ minds whether to be one world or not. We vacillated. ‘ We staggered. No, 1946, you didn‘t know where you were going â€" and you didn‘t seem to care. So, 1946, you‘re getting ready to leave. That‘s okay with us. We hope 1947 is a saner, finer, brighter year. It can‘ be. It must be. ‘ OPTIMISTIC OUTLOOK . . You were not a year that saw crowded churches and empty crimâ€" inal courts. You were a year, 1946, that the historians should almost write off as a flop. Yes, you had redeeming factors, Who doesn‘t ? At times you tried hard to imâ€" proveâ€"but then there would be speeches and more speeches, But no action. And you who claimed the imâ€" posing title (or maybe not), ‘"The Second Year of the Atomic Age!" SECOND YEAR OF ATOMIC AGE ... By birth and belief the writer is a confirmed optimist. I know that if ‘we Americans put our minds to it we can be a wonderâ€" ful nation â€" spiritually, mentally, morally as well as scientifically; the nation we should and must be if we are to survive. We must get Christianity into our every living hour, _‘ 3 We must do "right" â€" and if you don‘t know what "right" is, then it‘s time for you to leave this world. f We insisted on putting first That‘s for sure. If we begin trusting more in our Spiritual Leader, and let Him do the planning, there will be harâ€" mony in our lives. And harmony brings peace of If we think a _ "good" "right" future, we‘ll have it. And peace of mind is what we all need and want. ue o. TR HIFt N. 6k............ .c mnettincmomce I think we‘ll be heading towards our goals in 1947 PARTING THOUGHT . . . Whether each day of your life shall give happiness or suffering rests with yourself.. _ _ s John Fowler Completes Course at Purdue U. John H. Fowler of Ashland PL, Highland Park, will complete the basic course in life insurance marâ€" keting at Purdue university, Laâ€" fayette, Ind., Déc. 21. Members of the class will be assigned to field work in their agencies, under uniâ€" versity supervision, until April 5, at which time they will return to Purdue campus. The entire course consists of 15 weeks of intensive study at Purdue, alternating with 87 weeks of supervised field work. John E. Cairns Based at Norfolk John E. Cairns, chief machinist‘s mate, husband of Anne C. Cairns of Vine avenue, Highland Park, is stationed at. the naval air station, Norfolk, Va. > Cairns, who entered the naval service Sept. 27, 1917, received recruit training at the U. S. Naâ€" zval Training center, Gt. Lakes. THE â€"PRESS CENNET DAVERN . BERRY DEVINE Room for 150 Yanks At Yankton College living quarters will be provided for 150 veterans who wish to enter Â¥ankton college, at Yankton, 8. D., the second semester beginning Jan. 25. Yankton is a fully mccredited, long establishe d senior college with a nationally recognized scholâ€" astic standing and is approved by the Vetetrans Administration. Ofâ€" ficials stated that despite a greatâ€" ly increased enrollment, classroom facilities were adequate to mainâ€" tain small classes, _ Construction of a new $300,000 gymnasium and fieldhouse will begin this month. In addition to a complete curâ€" riculum in liberal arts, the college offers preâ€"professional training for all major vocations, such as medicine, law, dentistry, nursing, business administration, and many others. Modern dormitories, a conservatory of music, and a strong dramatics department are other features, . Enroliment for the term was close to 500. Appliâ€" cations for admission to the sécond semester are now being accepted. Honors at IMinocis URBANA â€" CHAMPAIGN, ILL. Dec. 22.â€" Nancy Nelson of Flora PI., Highland Park, is one of 25 University of Illinois women seâ€" lected for membership in Terraâ€" pin, honorpry otganization . for swimmers, Membership in Terrapin is based upon skill in swimming and divâ€" Graduates from College ing tests conducted each year. is among the five graduates of the college of Chicago university who received their bachelor‘s degrees, last Friday. John T. Sloan, Laurel HAROLD KRUEGER PAUL RUNNFELDT BEATRICE KUCERA JOHN SALBEGO JAMES KUCERA BRUNO _ SANT! VIRGIL MERRY ANDREW SAVAGE DUILIO NICHELE CASIMER STACHEL EDNA PARSONS RALPH STARR .EARL STRANGER LEE TUuVEsoNn 4 JOAN VARNEY 378 Central Avenue _ Thursday, Dec. 26th, 1946