The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1917-11-22

giving lay. All along the line
behind the battle front where
the French and British are
hammering back the invading Germans,
and General Pershing's boys are begin
ming to 'go to IT." ali up and down
their lines Of communication; at all
their trimming camps; at their naval
bases and depots; wherever there are
Americans In uniform-there Uncle
Sans boys will be eating turkey and
cranberry sauce. and listening to SER
mons by their chaplains on the last
Thursday Of November this year.
France has never before been In
close touch with this, the most char
acteristically American Of all our hol-
days. OF course their Christmas, their
Easter, their New Years Day, and
their various church festivals, GORE
spond to our own. They have an ade-
quate understanding even of our
Fourth Of July, for It is close akin to
their own Fourteenth of July, the an
niversary Of the fall of the BastIle end
the dawn Of real liberty In France.
But Thanksgiving Day has always
been Uncle Sans own private and per-
sonal feast day, In which nobody else
had a part. 1t had its origin In no
great international, nor even national,
event. At first 1t was not really Amer
lean In scope, but was confined to the
rev hundreds Of religious enthusiasts
who fixed day Of public devotion and
thanksgiving for deliverance from In
dams and cold and hunger.
Even the materials for the feast were
indigenous to America. Despite his
name, which would seem to indicate
an oriental origin, the turkey is ma
tive OF America, and was unknown in
the domain Of the sultan until import
ed there. The potato, which plays a
minor but very important part at the
feast, though later adopted by Ire
land, was discovered In America. So
was corn, which in one of Its many
forms usually makes a part of the
meal. And even the tobacco which
follows the meal In most homes, was
not known outside of America until
Sir Walter Raleigh and his compeers
took 1t back to England.
Further, the American manner of
celebrating this most American of all
days has never been of nature to
call the attention of other nations, or
Of their citizens visiting here. On this
day Of all days the American has been
wont to retire from public gaze, to
, refrain from any great public demon.
stration, and to give thanks in his own
way and eat the meal In the privacy of
his own family. The. only notable
seeming exception to this is the insti
triton called the Thanksgiving Day
gmes Of the college football teams
But this is no real exception. The
games themselves are always amateur
affairs, primarily for the students
themselves. and after the game every
student who can possibly get home
goes into retirement with his family
for the great and solemn feast.
This year war has brought change
Young Americans to the number of 90
O00-or Is 1t 30O,0O0S Nobody knows
or Is permitted to say If he does know
ARE In France, 5000 miles from the
family circle and the accustomed tur
key. Most Americans had little hope
that the day could be observed at the
front. but General Pershing thought
otherwise.
'The boys shall have their Thanks
giving Day." said the general.
That was all, but 1t was enough. II
showed that the general had though
1t all out beforehand, and that turkeys
and cranberry sauce and all the "fix
ms" for the feast, had been provided
months before. Without doubt there
will be football games, for many of the
country's famous gridiron stars are
wearing the khaki. And Uncle Sam'l
boys will sit down to their Thanksgiy
ing Day feast, their bodies in France
but their spirits In the old home cir
Gle, with those whom they have gont
forth to defend.
And France-what Of her? 1t Is hel
FIRST experience with the Yankee hol
iday. But It will ut her case exactly
Thanksgiving Day had Its origin In ths
religious spirit Of gratitude Tor deliy
erancs from very real and pressing
danger. France today Is full Of thai
Same spirit Of thankfulness. for thu
presence of those clean-limbed, square.
jawsd. clear-eyed young Americans 4
he guarantee that France WIN b d