The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-11-21

Il was not until Tie civil war. when tie national
as distinguished from the state 6f pfcvheial con.
sciousness arose. that the President issued Thars.
giving proclamation. As the provincial cohsci5us.
ness declined, 50 did the public observations 81
thanksgiving Day, 50 TINT It is observed eiefly
for family reunions II never has taken the piaee It
deserves IN the natiot, because Of weak national
consciousness but this yenr It mas Significance be-.
You'd my year in national history since the civil
war. take advantas therefore, of the invitation
point our special causes for national thanksgiyhS
at this time
The most obvious reason for thankfuness Is that
while the whole world is dt war we are III peace.
Because we did not enter The war We are enjoying
certain measure Of national prosperity, freedom
from sudden death and sickness, saved from the
passion Of hatred. But these blessings may be
bought at too high price, natiof may seek peace
for profit, witch is dshonor; It may be afraid of
sickness and wounds, which is loss Of manliness It
may be without passion because It is selfish, each
man seeking his own welfare. M
Aims! this is what is thought Of this nation by
some In every one Of the nations at war. They seem
to think that we are SO welded to the Puritan, the
ology as to shy with Jonathan Edwards:-.Th joy.
Of the saints will consist in part in looking down
from the battements Of heaven and seeing the tor
lures of the damned, from which, through no merit
OF their own, they have been saved. That any seer
has ever seen anything more terrible in the inferno
than what has been seen in this war may be ques-
toned. Before, therefore, we can assert that our
peace is not our shame but our glory we must go
beneath the obvious and ask ourselves what Is
the ideal for which this country stands. And when
1--WE do that we shall know that we have held aloof
from this conflict not because Of selfishness but
because we believe that in the providence Of God
there has been given to this nation an ideal such as
no nation in Europe has caught a gimpse Of Some
thing better even than England's sublime sense of
justice and individual freedom and lawfulness;
something finer even than Frances gallant heroism:
something nobler than Germany's marvellous eff.
cheney and perfect sacrifice for the State.
It IS because Of this ideal that have held aloof
from the war and yet have poured out money freely
for Belgium, for the Red Cross, for Serbia and for
Armenia. We have not shrunk from sickness or
wounds or death, but have given precious lives of
nurses and physicians to save others. But we have
believed that peace essential for the revelation to
ssassword at war Of the American ideal of govern
ent Of the people, by the people and for the people
Filled with that IDEAL we believe ttdt we have been
In position Judge the causes Of this great war as
Of the nations engaged in 1t can judge For the
question in which we are interested is not who
"touched the button that set in motion the ma
Schinery Of hell to destroy the bodies Of men and
women and little children That 1uesion- about
which SO much has been written, the blame being
laid on Serbia for the murder OF the Archduke; Oh
Austria for her uncompromising uitimatnm, on Rus
STA for secret mobilizaton England for hypocrit
cal diplomacy and early mobilization Of her fleet On
Germany for insulting ultimate to Russia ana
France for the violation Of the neutrality OF Luxen
burg and Belglum-we know to be a secondary:
question It is not the occasion but the cause Of the
4 war that seems to us Of vital Importance.
What then, caused the warl History, / believe,
tah1n mt in
then in 1920 whenever one OF the rival nations Judged
der Tag had come. Back of every act lily a baneful