Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1917-11-14
THANKSGIVING PROCLAMATION.
President Wilson Issues ProcIama-
ton for Wartime Thanksgiving.

/ President Wilson issued on Nov.
z, his 1917 Thanksgiving proclama-
ton, calling upon the nation, even
in the midst of the sorrow and great
peril of world shaken by war, to
thank God for blessings that are
better than mere peace Of mind and
prosperity of enterprise.
The proclamation, bxlng Thurs
day, Nov. 20, as Thanksgiving day,
follows:
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 blessings and mercies to us as
a nation. That custom we can fol-
low now even in the midst of the
tragedy ola world shaken by war AID
Unreasonable disaster, in the midst
of sorrow and great peril, because
even amidst the darkness that has
gathered about us, we can see tie
great blessings God has bestowed up
on us, blessings that are better than
mere peace OF mind. prosperity and
enterprise.
We have been given the opportun-
| 1ty 10 serve mankind as we once
served ourselves in the great day OF
our Declaration of independence, by
taking up arms against tyranny
that threatened to master and de-
base men everywhere and joining
with other free peoples in demand
ing for all the nations of the world
what we then demanded and obtain
ed for ourselves In this day of the
revelation of our duty not only to
defend our own rights as nation
but to defend also the rights 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
common action has been revealed in
us. We should especially thank God
that in such circumstances, il the
midst of the greatest enterprise the
spirits of men have ever entered up
on, we have, if we but observe a rea-
sonable 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 a new and greater national
spirit in us. We shall never again be
divided or wonder what stuff 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 il his good
time liberty and security and peace
and the comradship of common JUS
| tice may be vouchsafed all the ma
tions of the earth.
Wherefore, /, Woodrow Wilson,
president of the United States of
America, do hereby designate Thurs
day, the twe1ty-ninth day Of Novem-
Der next, as a day of Thanksgiving
and prayer, and invite the people
throughout the land to cease upon
that day from their ordinary occu-
pations and in their several homes
and places of worship to render
thanks to God, the great ruler of
nations.
I'm witness whereof, have here
unto set my hand and caused the
seal of the United States to be affix-
ed.
Done in the District of Colum-
bia, this seventh day of November in,
the year of our Lord, one thousand
nine hundred seventeen, and of the
independence of the United States
the one hundred forty-second.,
WOODROW WILSON.
by the president: