The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-11-28
A Day for Thanks.

On this day. when by ancient Gus
tom and under official proclamation
the people OF the United States give
thanks tn Divine Providence for the
blessings vouchsafed to them In the
passing year. our thoughts will nat
urally and inevitably turn to our de-
liverance and the deliverance Of the
world from the blight Of war. with
Its suffering among the soldiers, its
perils on the seas and Its anxieties
In the thousands of homes whose men
went forth to protect their country
from the barbarism that menaced all
mankind. In that struggle right has
triumphed over might and our lib
erty has been made secure.
A year ago we looked, forward to
the possibility of a military contest
prolonged for years; the knowledge
that II has ended, and ended In glorl-
Gus triumph for the arms of right
eousness. may obscure In our minds
certain factors that contributed to the
victory that has been won.
America has been singularly fortu-
nate In the advantages 1t has en-
5oyed In the last year. The harvests
have been abundant no calamity has
impaired the productivity Of our soil.
Upon the crops depended the outcome
Of the war In greater measure than
most of us realized. Had 1918 been
q year of shortage, had our store
Of provisions been less ample, suffer
Ing might have become acute among
the civilians IN ullled countries. The
effect Of this on the armies would
have been disastrous. But our crops
did not fail. and we were able out of
our abundance to mitigate the lot of
those whose fate was linked insepa-
rably with ours.
The severe weather Of the winter of
191T-1S imposed no widespread or en-.
during injury upon us. The affllction
Of disease that brought sorrow to
many thousands of homes has passed
It's most destructive stage. The In
convenlences growing out of fulfil
ment Of our obligation to feed other
peoples have constituted no real hard
ship and have been easily borne.
There has been a splendid exhibition
Of the unity Of purpose that constl-
tutes our national strength, a unity
the existence of which was frequently
denied In the past, but which Gun.
not now be questioned.
We may properly give thanks be-
cause the restrictions necessarily i'm
posed to facilitate the conduct of the
war In no wise impaired the political
independence Of the American cleo
torate. And their willing submission
to essential emergency measures did
not weaken in any way the fibre Of
their political habit.
High among those things for which
we should give thanks to-day is the
vindlcation of our system Of govern.
ment and the political institutions we
have erected to render potent the will
Of a free nation. 1t has been proved
that the most complete freedom com.
patible with orderly administration
under the rule Of laws enacted by the
Representatives Of the people does not
rob the body polite OF the power tC
act In emergency, to arm itself for
the public defence or to strike with
decision and force for the public well
being. The Government, conducted
in accordance with the Constitution
utilizing the authority with which II
has heen clothed, has proved equal Il
the heaviest tasks. The correctness
OF the philosophy on which II rests
the practicabillty OF the machinery
adopted to achieve It's objects and the
solidity Of Its institutions have beer
demonstrated under the strain of q
terrible conflict, and for this Ameri
cans have another cause for sincere
thanksgiving.