FESTIVE SEASON.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19813, 28 December 1929, Page 13

FESTIVE SEASON.

DIFFICULTIES OVERCOME. CELEBRATIONS AT LITTLE AMERICA. r ßy Evssell Owes—CopTriehri-rt i"> ** New York Times loapjc; una frt Louis "Post-Dispatch."j TE L EOS APH COFS RIGHT.) (Received December 2:th. <V>5 p.m.) BAY OF WHALES, December 2(5. Finding some way to celebrate Christmas is difficult. We have used up most things which might b:nc ser\c-d as presents; even cigarettes have run low, and the man who'scorned cigarettes and stowed them awav in his bunk and had forgotten them is the centre of concerted attack, but George had premised to do his best with the last of the chickens. He did, and we did cneu unto the mince pie and ice-cream. We had

a Christmas tree made of wire trunk and limbs wrapped with cotton and topped with Commander Byrd's new starred flag of his raak. There was a pound of candy for each man. Although it was impossible to provide real presents, more amusement was probably obtained bv the presentation of some ridiculous articles picked up about the camp, accompanied by various jests at the expense of those who received them. Taffy Davies was Santa Claus, and his most effective efforts were a few verses such as this one, which was directed at the cook when he received his present of rawhide:— "Use one ounce of chicken to each pair of pups If they pop out of the dishes just serve 'em in cups, And if we're out of mutton this glad Christmas tide, I'll season and serve 'em some tender rawhide." [All Eights {or Publication reserved through out the World—Wireless to "Sew York Times." NO SIGNS IN RUSSIA. THE ANTI-RELIGIOUS CAMPAIGN. (Received December 27th, S.oo p.m.) LONDON, December 26. The Moscow correspondent of the "Manchester Guardian" reports that there were no external signs of Christmas celebrations. The prohibition of the sale of Christmas trees and decorations was strictly enforced and Christmas was declared a day on which the workers should contribute wages to a special fund for the industrialisation of. Russia. Anti-religious propaganda was strenuously disseminated. An energetic campaign is in progress to melt down church bells. The Atheists' Union has calculated that 333,000 tons of bell metal are available. The Press states that two thousand churches have been closed since the revolution and the movement has been* accelerated. All theatres have been instructed to stage anti-religious plays, including the dramatisation of Sinclair Lewis's novel "Elmer Gantry."