Just as in 1943, there is hope

It was 1943. The front page of the Greybull Standard had stories of servicemen home on leave, and a sad story about a Capt. Kizzire who had led a bombing expedition in Japanese territory in the South Pacific and was forced to abandon his plane in enemy territory. He was reported missing in action, but hopes were high that he might still be alive. Other front page stories were of local men home on leave or those who had just enlisted and left for basic training.
Times were hard. Ration books (not inflation) ruled our shopping, not just for sugar, but for coffee, gasoline, car and tractor tires and numerous other everyday items we currently take for granted.
But the front page also featured a hopeful, thoughtful Christmas message from Axel Lilja, owner and editor of the Greybull Standard.
In so many ways, Mr. Lilja’s words speak of the conditions in our world today. And his words are as true today as they were in 1943.
It was titled, simply, “There is Hope:”
“Our own community, like the rest of the world, has been shaken by the thunder of guns. This thunder echoes in our cars as we once more celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace.
“Yes, this newspaper sees no irony in the scars of war and the message of hope that is Christmas.
“For it is the everlasting hope of Christmas that makes it such a vital force in our lives. That hopeful, never-ending period of ‘Peace on Earth.’
“While it is true that the columns of this paper since last Christmas have been dominated by the war lords on our normal way of living, we know that the peace-loving ‘little people’ are the citizens of this community and other communities like it. And it was for these same ‘little’ people that Christ came into this world 1,943 years ago.
“So Christmas belongs to them and not to those who plunge the world into darkness.
“Let this true spirit of Christmas dominate your thinking and you can say to all your friends as we now say to you...A Merry Christmas.”