The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1915-11-05
PRESIDENTS Thanksgiving
PROCLAMATION TO NATION
Thursday, November rs. Day Set, and
1--WE Have Had Peace While Europe
Has War;" Says President

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Thursday in a proclamation designat,
ing Thursday, November Is, aa
Thanksgiving day, called attention to
the fact that the United States has
been at peace while most of Europe
has been at war.
1--WE have been able to assert our
rights and the rights of mankind with
out breach of friendship with the great
nations with whom we have had to
DEAL" said the president.
The text follows:
"It has long been the honored Gus
tom of our people to turn in the fruit
full autumn of the year its praise and
thanksgiving to Almighty God for His
many blessings and mercies to us as
nation. The year that is now draw
ing to close since we last observed
our day of national thanksgiving has
been, while a year of discipline be-
cause Of the mighty forces of war and
Of changes which have disturbed the
world, also year Of special blessings
for us.
Another year of peace has been
vouchsafed us; another year in which
not only to take thought Of our duty
to ourselves and to mankind but also
to adjust ourselves to the many re-
sponsibilities thrust upon us by war
which involved almost the whole Of
Europe. We have been able to assert
our rights and the rights of mankind
without breach Of friendship with the
great nations with whom we have had
to deal and, while we have asserted
rights, we have been able to perform
duties and exercise privileges of sue
cor and helpfulness which should
serve to demonstrate our desire to
make the offices of friendship the
means of truly disinterested and un-
selfish service.
"Our ability to serve all who could
avail themselves of our services in the
midst of crises has been increased by
a gracious providence, by more and
more abundant crops, Our ample finan-
cial resources have enabled us to
steady the markets of the world and
facilitate necessary movements Of
commerce which the war might other
wise have rendered impossible, and
our people have come more and more
to a sober realization of the part they
have been called upon to play in
time when all the world is shaken by
unparalleled distresses and disasters.
1.-THE extraordinary circumstances of
such time have done much to quick.
en- our national consciousness and
deepen and confirm orr confidence in
the principles Of peace and freedom
by which we have always sought to be
guided. Out Of darkness and perplexi-
ties have come firmer counsels of pol
icy and clearer perceptions of the es-
sential welfare of the nation. We
have prospered while other people
were at war, but our prosperity has
been Vouchsafed us, we believe, only
that we might the better perform the
functions which war rendered impos-
sible for them to perform.
Now, therefore, l, Woodrow Viii
son, president of the United States of
America, do hereby designate Thurs.
day, November Is, next, as a day of
thanksgiving and prayer, and invite
the people throughout the land to
cease from, their Wonted occupations
and in the several homes and places of
worship render thanks to Almighty
God.
In witness whereof I have hereunto
set my hand and caused the seal of
the United States to be affixed.
Done at the city of Washington,
this, the goth day of October, in the
year Of our Lord one thousand nine
hundred and fifteen and of the indie
pendence of the United States Of
America, one hundred and fortieth.
by the president. Robert Lansing,
Secretary OF State.
Woodrow Wilson"