The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1922-11-14
DOROTHY WALT0NS
HAVE GOOD MEETING
THANKSGIVING AND ARMS
TICE DAY OBSEDVED. GOOD
PAPER BY MRS. M'COLLUM.

The Dorothy Walton chapter was
delightfully."- entertained on Thursday
by Mrs. Kenneth Worthy at her beau
tiful home on Lee street. After the
business session a most interesting
program was given embracing the OBJ
servance of both Thanksgiving day
and Armistice day. The program was
as follows: The First Thanksgiving
Day." by Miss inertia Hill This was
followed by a reading, In Flanders
Fields" and then a paper of exception
al merit, written by Mrs. K. Z. Nc
Collum, was read, the subject being
Another Great Thanksgiving Day"
which is submitted to The Dawson
News for publication. 1t follows:
Another Great Thanksgiving Day.
The beautiful hymn of thanksgiving
which has been ringing down the cen
turtles in our land of the free and the
brave was not written upon our soil
alone. 1t is impossible for it to be OF
| local origin 1t was composed by the
/ human soul when it first sat down and
pondered over the wonderful love and
| care of God, and the song has since
been singing in the heart of every
person who has the power OF mind
that is capable of a deep, or sweet
or sad thought This slumbering
hymn only broke out in 1921, when
the first thanksgiving was observed at
Plymouth; there must have been III
that Mayhower company some heart
of man or woman which did not con-
ceal the true deep feeling, but express
ed itself in a thankful song and prayer
to God, when that soul said: Let us
have a great autumn feast and after
that tell to each other and tell to God
our hearts gratitude for the prosperi-
ty which has come into our hearts
and lives"
1t has long been the custom in the
United States each autumn to return
thanks to God for the manifestations
of his love towards us. But since No
vember II, 1918, there has been an
other, a special and moving cause for
JOY. On that day God gave the world
peace there was not only cessation
of arms, relief from the strain and
tragedy of war, but the armlstiCe OF
the worlds war was a great triumph
of right.
To fully understand the significance
of an event of history it is essential
that we look into its past, consider the
present and calculate its future. Then
let us go back to 1918 and investigate
the causes that led to the Inauguration
of the armistice. Our new thanksglv-
ing day, 1918, will ever be emphasiz-
ed in history, for it was in that year
that the worlds war reached its climax
and came to its heroic close. 1t was
the time when America rescued civil
ization from destruction. From June
until November the reversal OF the
wave OF world wide battle was stu
pendous The allies swept back the
entire German army from July until
November, and kept. them retiring at
an ever increasing speed until the ar
mistice. Between these dates wonder
full history was written. Bulgaria went
down, Turkey fell, Argonne was
stormed (this was Americas greatest
battle), America captured the Sedan
line, Germany became a republic, the
final drive was made and then the ar
mistice The surrender OF Germany
was not as complete as that OF her
partners in crime. She laid down her
arms only when the allies promised
that their peace demands should be
based upon President Wilson's four
teen points These articles had been
accepted by the allied governments on
January g. 1918. Just here we cannot
make clear what these points are, but
their summary is Justice to all the
fighting people is the only basis on
which the United States will sheathe
the sword which she has so unwilling
y drawn"
When the allied governments &C
cepted these points their cause was a
worlds cause and this had given to-
Europe a new heart and courage, and
Wilson became the leader and spokes-
man of the first league of nations. 10
prevent all probability OF Germany
promising to obey and then refusing
the armistice the allies insisted on
such an armistice as would acknowl-
edge their complete military victory
and would leave Germany completely
disarmed, unable to renew the attack.
The armistice was a one-sided affair,
the Germans were to ask for cessation
of arms and then accept terms such
as would deprive her OF all military
and naval strength. Germany, after
being informed that an armistice would
be considered Immediately got into
communication with French headquar-
tiers and arranged a conference. Their
deputation Of ten men headed by
Erzherger, secretary OF state, reached
Foch's quarters, a French outpost on
the LaChappelle road, Nov. 9th.
On having the armistice terms pre-
sented to them, they were amazed at
the severity OF the terms and held OFT
two days. In this time there was great
tumult in Germany, as the allied
troops continued successful dives in
Germany. The German commission
ers fearing greater disaster and reallz-
ing the inevitable Signed the armistice
November 18th at p. m. 1t was ar
ranged that the terms were to go INTO
effect six hours after the signing OF
the document So war. ceased on the
18th day of the 18th month, 1918. And
a new and, let us trust, a better day
was born among men.
America will ever be proud OF her
part of her achievement of 1918. But
let us not be blind, let us not msread
our real part in the war. We have the
IL