The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-11-08
CALLS ON NATION
TO GIVE THANKS
Pres. Wilson Issues Thanksgiving Proc
Iamation, Telling American People
They Have Been Given OPP
portunity to Serve
Mankind.

Washington, D. C., Nov. S.--Presideni
Wilson issued last night his 1917 Thanks
giving proclamation, calling upon the ma
ton. even in the midst of the sorrow and
great peril of a world shaken by war, tc
thank God for blessings that are better
than mere peace of mind and prosperity
of enterprise.
The proclamation fixing Thursday, No.
vember 30, as Thanksgiving day, follows;
Thanksgiving, 1910.
BY the President of the United States
of America,
A proclamation:
"It has long been the honored custom
of our people to turn in the fruitful au-
tumn of the year in praise and thanks
giving 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 world shak
en- by war and immcasurable 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 bestowed upon
us, blessings that ere better than mere
peace of mind and prosperity Of enter
prise.
I'VE have been given the opportunity
to serve mankind as we once served our
selves of independence, by taking up
arms against tyranny that threatened
to master and debase men everywhere
and joining with other free peoples in de-
manding for all the nations of the
world what we then demanded and OBJ
tanned for ourselves. In this day of
the revelation of our duty not only to
defend our own rights as a nation but
to defend also the rights of free men
throughout the world, there has been
us in full and inspiring meas
ure the resolution and spirit of united
action. We have been brought TO one
mind and purpose A new vgor of com
mon counsel and common action has been |
revealed in us. We should especially |
hank Ged that in such circumstances, |
IN the midst Of the greatest enterprise
he spirits of men have ever entered upon, |
We have, if we observe a reasonable and |
practicable economy, abundance with
which TO supply the needs of those as
iociated with US as well as our own. A
lew light shines about us The great
luties of a new day awakens a new
md greater national spirit in us We
hall never again be divided or wonder
What stuff we are made of.
"And while we render thanks for
hese things let us pray Almighty God
hat in all humbleness of spirit we may
ook always to Him for guidance; that
We may be kept by His grace; our minds
nav be directed and our hands strength
ned; and that in His good time liberty I
nd security and peace and the comrade- !
hip of a common justice may be vouch /
afed all the nations of the earth
Wherefore, /, Woodrow Wilson, pres Il
lent of the United States of America,
o hereby designate Thursday. the oath i
ay of November next as a day of
thanksgiving and prayer, and invite the
eople throughout the land 10 cease upon {
rat day from their ordinary occupations |
nd in their several homes and places OF /
orship to render thanks to God, the
reat Ruler of nations. .
'In witness whereof, I have hereunto :
It my and hand caused the seal of the
nited States to be affixed.
Done in the District of Columbia this Z
venth day of November in the year of
ur Lord. one thousand nine hundred and
venteen, and Of the independence of the
nited States of America the one hun.
ed and forty second.
tSigned Woodrow Wilson.
iv the president, r.
Robert Lansing. .
Secretary of state a