■ I ■ -» - ' * * * ■ ■ -- - ■■ - .. — . ■ ■■ I .. I ..■ ... I
Governments of Many Nations Changed
As Liberating Armies Advanced in 1944
CommonPeopleGet
Chance to Establish
Democratic States
Governmental changes that
shared world importance with
the war news marked the year
1944. Iceland became a repub
lic; five Soviet Socialist repub
lics again took their places in
the U. S. S. R.; four Nazi
shackled countries were liber
ated; and three Axis satellites
deserted. A year-end bulletin
from the National Geographic
society reviews these momen
tous events.
On June 17 Iceland became a
modem republic. On that day the
Althing—an 11-centuries-old legisla
tive body sometimes called the
“Grandmother of Parliaments”—
elected the nation's former regent,
Sveinn Bjornsson, president. In a
national election held in May the
people had voted to dissolve their
union with Denmark.
First settled in 874 and organized
as a republic 56 years later, Iceland
was independent until 1263 when it
joined with Norway. Both Iceland
and Norway came under Danish
rule in 1381. Norway was sepa
rated from Denmark by cession to
Sweden in 1814, and the two coun
tries formed a union which lasted
until 1905 when the union was end
ed by mutual agreement. Iceland
ers had long agitated for independ
ence, but it was not realized until
1918. Iceland was then recognized
as a separate kingdom with unlim
ited sovereignty.
Germany tried in prewar years to
get control of this strategic North
Atlantic island by establishing com
mercial routes. British forces were
stationed on the island shortly after
the beginning of World War II. They
were replaced in 1941 by American
units.
D — __A_o n n
Re-enter U.S.S.R.
Five other republics, 1,500 miles
or more to the east, resumed their
prewar status. Estonia, Latvia and
Lithuania, freed from Nazi occupa
• tion, again became a part of the
Soviet Union as Estonian, Latvian,
and Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Re
publics. All three had first entered
. the Union in 1940.
I The Karelo-Finnish Republic, far
ther to the north, was the fourth to
be added to the Soviet family. It
also had first entered the Union in
1940. Its border city of Viipuri
guards the western approach to the
city of Leningrad. Russia’s new
Arctic port of Pecheng (Petsamo),
acquired from Finland in Septem
ber, extended Russian boundaries
westward to Norway.
The fifth state restored to Russia
in 1914 is the Moldavian Soviet So
cialist Republic, a slice of territory
lying between the Ukrainian Repub
lic and Romania. Once known as
Bessarabia, this area has experi
enced a round of governmental
changes. Before World War I it was
Russian ground; from 1918 to 1940
it belong to Romania. It was
turned back to Russia in 1940 and
set up as a republic of the Union,
only to be reoccupied by Romania
the next year.
To four German dominated na
tions — France, Belgium, Luxem
bourg and Greece—freedom came
toward the close of the year.
France, whose liberation was her
alded by Allied landings on the Nor
mandy coast, June 6, was almost
completely free by the middle of
September.
General Charles de Gaulle’s Com
mittee of National Liberation was
recognized on October 23 by the U.
S. state department as the de facto
government of France. On Septem
ber 21 President Roosevelt appoint
Gen. Charles De Gaulle, head of the provisional government of
France, reviews the 1944 Armistice day parade in Paris, flanked by Win
ston Churchill and Anthony Eden of Great Britain. France was formally
invited to become a member of the European Advisory committee by
the British statesmen.
Record-Breaking Dams Are Constructed During the Year
The Kentucky dam, on the Ieu
nessee river near Paducah, became
the 21st dam in operation under
the Tennessee Valley authority. Its
184-mile reservoir, longest In TVA.
provides 4H million acre-feet of wa
ter storage space, which would be
enough to absorb two feet of Mis
sissippi river flood crest at Cairo.
Illinois Nearing completion is Fon
< tana, largest and highest dam in
I the eastern United Stales, on the
Little Tennessee river in North Car- j
ouna u is me oniy orner iva aam
now under construction.
Biggest rolled-flil earthen dam in
the world is the Denison (Texas)
dam on the Red river, completed
early in the year by army engi
neers. Its 127.000-acre lake backs
80 miles up the Red river to Gaines
ville, Texas, and 60 miles up the
Washita river to Ravia, Okla. To
save Oklahoma's Cumberland oil
Held, the Washita was detoured by
construction of 4Vi miles of dikes.
The president of the newly established Icelandic republic, Sveinn
Bjornsson, addresses the nation by radio on June 17, 1944, the day the
island dissolved its union with Denmark.
ed Jefferson Caffery, former United
States ambassador to Brazil, as am
bassador to the French government
now established in Paris. On Ar
mistice day France was formally in
vited to become a full-fledged mem
ber of the European advisory com
mission meeting in London.
Belgium’s Regent.
Belgium, whose national liberation
released its own governing agencies,
immediately took steps to restore
its prewar standing. In the ab
I
Crown Prince Umberto was named
Prince Lieutenant General of the
Realm of Italy by his father, King
Victor Emanuel, who abdicated
when Allied troops entered the capi
tal In June, 1944.
sence of King Leopold III, held in
Germany, 41 - year - old Prince
Charles, brother of the king, be
came “Regent of the Realm," to act
until the king returns.
In September, the tiny Duchy of
Luxembourg, neighbor of France,
Belgium and Germany, celebrated
its freedom from four years of Nazi
tyranny.
Allied fighting men landing in
Greece in October helped Greek pa
triots to oust the Germans. Internal
political problems had divided the
people into factions, some opposing
the return of the monarchy. The
cabinet decided to inform King
George II, in London, that resump
tion of his powers was conditioned
on popular will.
Late in the year, Netherlanders
saw the beginning of the Allied at
tempt to smash the western anchor
of the German defense system, pre
lude to liberation. From the south
west Pacific came more good news
—for the first time in more than
four years the nation’s flag flew over
Hollandia in Netherlands New
Guinea.
Axis-satellites Finland, Romania
and Bulgaria broke their ties with
the Nazi government, and moved
toward agreements with the Allied
powers.
Shifts in Italy
King Victor Emanuel III stepped
aside in favor of his 39-year-old son,
Umberto, designated "Prince Lieu
tenant General of the Realm.” Pre
mier Ivanoe Bonomi and his Italian
cabinet contributed a novelty when
they took office in June. They did
not take the customary oath to the
crown; instead they pledged them
selves to fulfill their duties accord
ing to the constitution. The United
States resumed diplomatic relations
with Italy in October when Alexan
der G. Kirk was named ambassa
dor. On November 10 the presiden
cy of the Allied Commission for It
aly was transferred from military
to civilian direction.
me neagnng repuDiic or Syria,
liberated from the Vichy-French in
1941, added to its territory the in
dependent mountain-kingdom of Je
bel Druz. Its people, dwellers in
southern Syria, voted to yield their
administrative and financial inde
pendence, and merge the manage
ment of their affairs with the gov
ernment of Syria. President Roose
velt appointed George Wadsworth
minister to the republics of Syria
and Lebanon.
Closer bonds between the United
States and its African protege Li
beria were assured by the Decem
ber, 1943, treaty, the provisions of
which were made public on October
30, 1944. The treaty stipulates that
all naval, military and air installa
tion* will be supervised by the U. S.
Significant changes took place in
1944 in the New world. Argentina
abolished all political parties and
instituted strict censorship of the
press. The tiny Atlantic island of
Bermuda modernized some of its
ancient laws. For the first time in
the three centuries of its history
women were given the same voting
privileges as men.
Philippines to Be Free.
Events in the Pacific area were
highlighted by the return to the
Philippines of President Sergio Os
mena and his cabinet with the in
vasion forces of Gen. Douglas Mac
Arthur. The presence of the offi
cial was only suggestive of the re
sumption of authority on home soil,
for it was understood that island af
fairs will continue to be adminis
tered from Washington.
The future status of the Philip
pines was defined in two resolu
tions adopted by the U S. congress,
and signed by President Roosevelt
on June 30. These resolutions grant
independence to the islands as soon
as the Japs are ejected, and pro
vide for defense by the construction
of United States military and naval
bases.
voinuiiua o vjisi power ana irri
gation program moved forward as
the last concrete was poured on
Shasta, second highest dam in the
world (500 feet). Water from the
Friant dam in the San Joaquin val
ley began on June 4 to pour through
the new Madera canal.
Army engineers completed the
concrete Norfork dam on the North
Fork river in Arkansas, to supply
power and control floods in northern
Arkansas and southern Missouri.
When the
New Year
Will Arrive
Among U. S.
Fighting
Men
the
World Over
Many churches of America, of all denominations, will keep their doora
open Sunday and Monday in order that relatives and friends of American
fighting men and women throughout the world may offer New
Year’s prayers at the time their loved ones are welcoming In the New
Year, no matter where they will be. These services are in addition to
regular watch night services.
When 1945 reaches New York City In a blare of noise or a silence
of prayer, it will already be early Monday evening Just east of Australia
in the Chatham Islands. Meanwhile, at Honolulu the clock will register
6:30 p. m. Sunday. The New Year is born on the lonely Chatham islands,
414 miles southeast of New Zealand, and races westward at 1,000 miles
an hour. About 200 shepherds and fishermen, augmented with troops
in the Chatham group, will celebrate the New Year by ringing the church
bell on Hanson island. The international date line, near these isles, was
set by the British admiralty and runs near the 180th meridian of longitude.
Bells Over the World Will Herald
In a New Year of Promised Peace
For Centuries the Old Year Has Died to Tolling
Of Bells—With Hope for Better Times.
"Never forget the cheerful and cordial
observance of New Year’s Day.”
—George Washington.
Since early ages, the sound of
stone, of hollow resonant wood, and
of all the metals that came out of
the earth, fashioned as a means by
which man could make his gods
hear him, have also been used to
announce peace and the turning
point toward better things of life.
The first bells were fashioned by
primitive man of wood. Prior to
this time the "click stone," some
times called the first bell, was a
resonant stone suspended by a thong
and struck with a stick or another
stone to give the ringing effect.
The first church bell was erected
by Paulimus, bishop of Nola, in the
city of Campania. Italy, in about
400 A. D. Early bells were bap
tized. In Switzerland a curious tra
dition Is that all baptized bells take
a trip to Rome every year during
Passion weeks and get back in time
to be rung on Easter morning.
"All they thunder here are harmless!
For these bells have been annointed
And baptized with holy water.
They defy our utmost power."
The science of music of bells has
been recognized in some of the lead
ing music institutions of the world.
M Kamiel Lefevre is carillonneur of
the Riverside church In New York
City where the chief of carillons, by
size and scope, were installed. He
has started a movement for the wide
development of carillon music, be
lieving they could be made an ele
ment in promoting human accord
and genuine sympathy among the
many racial groups in America.
Just when bells were first used to
announce the end of the old year and
the start of the new is not known.
Long before the clock had found its
way to the tower, they had been
used to announce time, often united
with the observance of the canonical
hours. By this usage a monastery
became timemarket to the neigh
borhood.
I-—-1
RING OUT, WILD BELLS
Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light;
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.
Ring out the old, ring in the new.
Ring, happy bells, across the snow;
The year is going, let hips go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.
Ring out the grief that saps the mind
For those that here weseenomore;
Ring out the feud of rich and poor.
Ring in redress to all mankind.
Ring out a slowly dying cause.
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life.
With sweeter manners, purer laws.
Ring out false pride in place and
blood,
The civic slander and the spite;
Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.
Ring out old shapes of foul disease.
Ring out the narrowing lust of
gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old.
Ring in the thousand years of peace.
Ring in the valiant man and free
The larger heart, the kindlier
hand;
Ring out the darkness of the land.
Ring in the Christ that is to be.
-LORD TENNYSON.
Variety of Uses for Old Greeting Cards
uon I inrow away me uirisuiias
and New Year’s cards you have re
ceived. Almost every church and
philanthropic society has a commit
tee which collects greeting cards
and sends them to Institutions, hos
pitals and organisations that put
your greeting card to good use. If
you take the trouble to distribute in
some such fashion the greeting
cards you have saved, you'll earn
the satisfaction of sharing with oth
ers the Joy the cards brought you.
me nexi ume you wrap a girt ror
someone, glance through the greet
ing cards you have saved and pick
out one with a colorful or appro
priate picture on it. Cat the pic
ture out neatly, glue or paste it on
your gift wrapping. That's all there
Is to it and you’ll be amazed to find
you’ve transformed a plain package
Into something original and charm
ing. Fancy gift wrappings are now
scarce and seldom found on the mar
ket
——»
SEfTIlSG CIRCLE PATTERNS
Neat and Wearable House Frock
Tailored Brother and Sister Sets
House Frock
\\7ONDERFULLY simple to fit
—easy to wear and launder—
this button-front house frock will
make you look crisp and neat for
home-front tasks.
• • •
Pattern No. 1977 comes In stzes 34, 36,
38 , 40. 42. 44. 46 and 48. Size 36 requires
4',i yards of 35 or 39-inch material;
yards rickrack to trim.
For Tots
IJROTHER and sister set the lit
tie folks will want to wear of
ten. Sister’s pert pleated skirt and
brother’s trousers both have sus
Baking soda is one of the best
known agents for cleaning glass
ware.
—•—
If heavy furniture must be
moved and there is no second per
son to help, this is a satisfactory
way to do it. There is little lifting,
and there will be no scratches on
the floor. Lift furniture onto an
old rag rug or sack. Then pull
it over to where you want it to be.
—•—
Clean your brick hearth by first
scrubbing with a stiff brush and
hot soapy water. Rinse clean and
wipe dry. Let stand a day and
then coat with boiled linseed oil.
A steam bath will usually bring
velvet back to its original texture.
— •—
It is easier to wash a large
amount of slightly soiled clothes
than a few very dirty ones.
—•—
Glue a bright piece of linoleum
over the old worn top of a card
table.
Coffee grounds make a good
sweeping compound for use in the
basement.
—•—
When shaking a small throw
rug, hold by the sides. If held by
the ends, the weight of the
rug pulls the threads apart.
—•—
Use a large oiled silk bowl cover
for an emergency shower cap.
—•—
When washing walls, start at
the bottom, instead of at the top;
then if you spill any of the
cleaning fluid on the wall it will
not spot, as otherwise.
' . —
penders! Either boy or girl can
wear the neatly tailored blouse,
with long or short sleeves.
• • •
Pattern No. 1250 comes in sizes 3, 3, 4,
5 and 6 years. Size 3. blouse, short
sleeves, requires l*i yards of 35 or 33>
inch material; skirt, yards; pants,
1 yard.
Due to an unusually large demand and
current war conditions, slightly more time
is required in lining orders for a few of
the most popular pattern numbers.
Send your order to:
SEWING C IRCLE PATTERN DEPT.
530 South Wells St. Chicago
Enclose 25 cents in coins for each '
pattern desired.
Pattern No.Size.
Name.
Address.
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at first ^
C-666
Cold Preparations as directed •
\
Low Moods Aro Offton
Rotated To Constipation
Yea, depressed states and constipa
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combination of 10 vegetable ingredi
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Uncoated or candy coated, their no
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Caution: Take only as directed.
NS TO-NIGHT/ TOMOBBOW AUtIGHT
Att-VEGETABIE LAXATIVE
I I
(ONE WORD SUGGESTION^
I FOR ACID INDIGESTION- |
.w <i\n .A ' ■
• n .
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get relief from nasal congestion fast, the famous Menth ala turn way.
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At the same time, it soothes cold-inflamed membranes—stimulates
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surface circulation, help lessen congestion in sore, cough-wracked
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MENTHOLATUM
