The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-11-08
OF THANKS
IS PROCLAIMED
BY PRESIDENT
Will Be Observed Given In
Midst Of Sorrow And
Peril of War"
POINTS OUT REASONS
FOR THANKSGIVING
Some Blessings Greater
Than Mere Peace of
Mind and Prosperity
CBy Associated Press.)

Washington, Nov. 8.-President
Wilson issued last night his 1917
Thanksgiving proclamation. calling
on the nation. even in the midst Of
| the sorrow and great peril Of a world
shaken by war, to thank God for
blessings that are better than mere
peace Of mind and prosperity Of en-
| terprise.
The proclamation, fixing Thursday,
Nov. 20, as Thanksgiving day. fol-
lows:
Thanksgiving day, 1917"
by the President Of the United
States Of America.
| "A proclamation.
1T has long been the honored GUS
tom of our people to turn in the
fruitful autumn of the year in praise
and Thanksgiving to Almighty God
for his many blessings and mercies
to us as a nation. That custom we
can follow now. even in the midst
of the tragedy of a world shaken by
war and Unreasonable disaster. in
the midst OF sorrow and great peril
because even amidst the darkness
that has gathered about us. we can
see the great blessings God has be-
slowed upon us, blessings that are
better than mere peace of mind and
prosperity of enterprise.
Opportunity to Serve.
I'VE have been given the oppor-
tunity to serve mankind as we once
served ourselves in the great day Of
our Declaration Of Independence. by
taking up arms against a tyranny
that threatened to master and de-
base men everywhere and joining
with other free peoples in demanding
for all the nations OF the world what
we then demanded and obtained for
ourselves. In this day of the reVela-
ton of our duty, not only to defend
our own rights as a nation but to
defend also the right of free men
throughout the world, there has been
vouchsafed us in full and inspiring
measure, the resolution and spirit Of
united action. We have been brought
to one mind and purpose. A new
vigor OF common counsel and COM
mon action has been revealed in us.
We should especially thank God that
in such circumstances, in the midst
of the greatest enterprise the spirits
of men have ever entered upon, we
have If we but observe a reasonable
and practicable economy, abundance
with which to supply the needs Of
those associated with us, as we'll as
our own. A new light shines about
us. The great duties of a day awaken
new and greater national spirit in
us. We shall never again be divided
or wonder what stun we are made
of.
"And while we render thanks for
these things, let us pray Almighty
God that in all humbleness OF spirit
we may look always to Him for
guidance, that we may be kept con-
slant in the spirit and purpose Of
service; that by His grace our minds
may be directed and our hands
strengthened; and that in his good
time liberty and security and peace
and the comradeship Of a common
justice may be vouchsafed all the
nations of the earth.
Wherefore, ], Woodrow Wilson,
President of the United States Of
America, do hereby designate Thurs
day, the twenty ninth day of NOvem-
Der. next. as a day OF thanksgiving
and prayer. and invite the Deople
throughout the land to cease on that
day from their ordinary occupations
and in their several homes and places
of worship to render thanks to God,
the great ruler of nations.
an witness whereof, / have here
unto set my hand and caused the
seal of the United States to be af-
fixed.
Done in the District of Columbia,
this seventh day OF November, in the
year of Our Lord 1917 and of the
independence of the United States Of
America, the one hundred and forty
second.
WOODROW WILSON,
by the President:
ROBERT LANSING,
Secretary of State"