“Joyful All Ye, Nations”

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23387, 19 December 1945, Page 4

“Joyful All Ye, Nations”

JHIS week six members of the House of Commons will broadcast carols from the 8.8. C. for the pleasure of American listeners. There is to be a reciprocal broadcast by six United Slates Congressmen which will be followed by combined singing of Good King Wenceslas. The British Parliamentarians have chosen Hark! the Herald Angels Sing as one of their offerings. There are lines in that carol which have a certain ironic appositeness in this Atomic Age: “Joyful all ye nations, rise, join the triumph of the skies.” A casual look at the contemporary world makes it seem that it would require more than the mellifluous harmonisation of well-intentioned politicians to persuade the world to arise in honest joy this Christmas. To say this does not mean that the rqign of Scrooge should be instituted upon earth, but the revolting and disastrous aftermaths of war cannot -make thoughtful people really joyful over a long stretch. All should ■ be capable of a short and stimulating celebratory sprint, but for longer journeys down an imagined path of roses and raptures seeing eyes would need to be heavily blinkered. Still, the British and American politicians who can in this season of goodwill place thoughts of weighted Loan Agreements, atomic bombs, European destitution and political unrest on an international scale behind them for the short term of a carol broadcast are to be congratulated on making this little contribution to Christmas jollity. The idea is capable of development. Ihe world might be rather happier and more reassured if Mr Bevin, Mr Byrnes and M. Molotov were able to broadcast even one carol in unison from Moscow. Pleasure on a smaller but no less welcome scale would be given in this country if Government and Opposition members of Parliament, supported by Chamber of Commerce and industrial union leaders, were able to forget their warfare and attempt a little harmonisation on the eve of Christmas. As an oak tree comes from an acorn, so might larger understanding come from a jolly few minutes in unity before a microphone. The prescription could not be guaranteed to work, but it might be worth trying.