This is Our New Year's Resolution

We have a fine reputation with our customers; with the various City and County home building authoritiesl with the various Federal agencies that have to do with home financing and insuring, and it is our definite New Year's resolution to continue to merit that reputation.

Have you heard about the American flyer in Korea who wrote home and said: "The evenings here are sure dull. We eat supper, play a rubber of gin rurlm/r do a cross-word puzzlb, drop a hundred tons of bombs on the Reds, and go right to bed. Yes, it sure is dull."

We often wish we had the philosophy of an old colored man we used to know. He had more than his share of the trials and tribulations of life, yet he was always cheerful, always smiling, always hoping for the best. Someone asked him one day how come he was always that way, and he said: "Well, Cap'n, I'll tell you how come. I jes' learned l'ong ergo to cooperate wif*de*in1vitable."

The late Ramsay MacDonald, Premier of Great Britain, was making a speech one time on the possibility of creating a lasting peace in this world. A critic interrupted him to say: "The desire for peace does not necessarily insure it." "Quite true," said MacDonald, "Neither does the desire for food satisfy your.hunger; but at least it gets you started toward a restaurant." ***

The old Sergeant said to the squad of rookies: ..Men, bars are things that if you stay out from them and don't rest your elbows too often on them, you might some day get some on your shoulders." ***

, Benjarfiin Taylor \,erote; "It is the mark of superior minds to disagree and yet be friendb." If that's the measuring stick of superior minds, then it looks like very, very few superior minds have appeared in American politics since the oldest man now living can remember.

Ambrose Bierce is credited with the oft-repeated remark that "a rabbit's foot may bring YOU lucl but look what it brought the rabbit." fle was purloining the thought of the guy who said that praising the early bird for catching the worm might be all right from one viewpoint, but where does the worm come in? But, as the Two Black Crows used.to say over the radio: 'Yn: cares about that?"

During the worst part of World War Two in the Pacific, Admiral "Bull" Halsey was widely quoted as saying that if there was anything left of Tokyo when he got ttrere, he'd burn it down. But, the war over, we, as a Christian nation, got real busy building it up instead.

Whenever we hear or read the words of some militant politician lashing out against those who are brave enough to differ with him in opinion, and witness the intolerance of his self-righteousness, we are remindcd of itc philoeophy of thc ferocious Danton, leader of the Frcnch Revolution, who cried out in a public addreris to the Convention:'Be my brother, or I1l kill you !" +t*

We sorta like tte thinking of the fellow who is quotcd al sayrng that he isn't half as much worricd about what thc future has in store for him, as he irs about what the storc has in future for him. And also the liitcst defnition of a race horse bookie; a man who can run a fortune into a shocstring for you.

The best way to keep from feeling remorseful as yorl stand at the.graveside of a dear fricn4 is to start a lot earlier doing the things you wish you had.

One of th.e most enticing picturcs in American political history is that of Thomas Jefferson and John Adant debating between themselves who should writc the Dcclantion of Independence. A[ ottrers had becn srirninetcrl. t1 was between these two, and Jefferson stoutly Eaintained that Adams must do the job. Finally Adams declarcd: 'I won't do it! You must! Therc are ttrec rcaaons. First, you are a Virginian, and Virginia must tale the lead in thi& Second, I am unpopular pcrsonallS and you are the opposite. And third, YOU CANqI'RITE TEN TIUES BET. TER THAN I CAN!" Tbat settled the debate, and Jefferson wrote it.

What a coincidence that ttese two mcn who did moet to give us our fndependence on the Fourth of July and to made thit date immortd, Thomas Jcfferson and John Adams, both died on the Fourth of July. As Adams dic4 his last thought was of Jefrerson, and he was hcard to say with his last breath: "Thomas Jefferson still survivcs t" But the fact is that Jefrerson had been dead en hour or so before. And his last words wcre: "It is thc Fourth of July!"

Jofferson was perhaps tte bcst-mannered of dl famous Americans. He agreed with Ben Franklin whose motto was: "Never contradict anyone." Rich or poor, pcasant or prince, they all liked Jefferson. I{e was truly a gerrtleman in every meaning of that big word. He was gentle, afrable, genid, and courteousto every one of high or low degree. Nthough ' he lived in times when personal animoaities ran riot and quarrels were the order of the day, he was untouched by his surroundings of such character. IIe never had an altcrcation or personal misunderstanding with anyone. He was never challenged in any personal way. He never entercd into public debates. He wrote: "Neycr entcr into dirpute or