The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-11-29
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THANKSGIVING.

Win more ludll u illllIou LHcH u'A
der arms , at the front, on the way OF
in training camps, and with .ne coun
try in the grip of great war, the pc
culiar circumstances of the present
Thanksgiving are realized with some
sense of shock But we are in this
war and We are going to win it, and
it will BE won with an expense OF
men and money and of time also in
all probability much less than enter
into present expectations.
During the past few months this
nation has done wonderful things pa
tiently and in order. 1t has overcome
tradition established with almost
the binding force of law-that we
shall not engage in foreign cOmplica
tons or mix in European contro
versies, armed or otherwise. This rule
was broken out of necessity so plain
that its influence was practically not
observed it all. Piracy and murder
on the open sea confronted US Dand
submission of fight were the alterna-
tives presented This issue, however,
was soon lost sigh tot in the greater
one of making the world more safe
for self government. Even this has
been merged in another and still
greater issue Ala time Of peril Lin
coin said that this nation can not
live half slave and half free. Can the
world live under system of middle
age feudalism and civilization and
manhood survive is the question now
The manner in which these issues
have been understood and met is most
remarkable. A year ago we mad tAq
army of such meager proportions That
when trouble arose in Mexico it was
necessary to call state troops to
guard the border and keep the line
safe from invasion. There was more
grumbling and criticism over that cpl
sode than over all of the problems in
volved in the preparation for the
conflict over the water, involving mil
lions of men and billions of money.
The country has taken the emer
gency much in tie same manner that
France met the war at the outset, not
willingly but as matter of course
knowing it was sure to come and
knowing also that sooner or later the
German menace would break it's leash
The young men tolled off for mill
tary duty accepted the service earn
estly but without demonstration
There has been none of the enthus
iasm growing out of the pure love OF
a fight. Those at home parted with
them in the same solemn and even
religious spirit. Copperheadism ir
any of its forms has shown itself ii
few and sporadic instances.
An appropriation of billion dollar:
q year ago would have been a stagger
ing proposition, no matter what thu
circumstance or purpose. A dozen bill
liens already spent, war taxes and the
thousand things which go with en-
trance upon great undertaking have
ceased to be of more than accustomed
moment We have accepted The wal
as duty. That duty is the defense
OF self government and the continuins
right OF men and women to live theil
own lives in their own way The Ger
man menace is not European men
ace but world menace.
The war will end in the triumph O
decent and orderly liberty throughou
the world. There is no doubt abou
that. Many of the things we lool
forward to with apprehension will no
come to pass. The allies abroad hav,
greater need for our material resour
ces than for our blood, and tragedy i,
the latter sense may not come a; al
or may come sparingly.
But we will give both freely in Thu
just cause
This holiday is one for optimism
and courage. To this day we hav
done our duty, and we will do GU
duty to the end Such is the inspll
ing fact and prospect