Milford chronicle., 1923-11-16
THANKSGIVING DAY
IS SET BY COOLIDGE
President Issues PrOcIamatiOn---He
Points To Harding's Death And
Japan's Tragedy.
NOVEMBER 20 SET APART

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/ Day proclamation, issued from the
White House, calls to mind that the
year has brought to the American
people two tragic expe=iences-th
death of President Harding and the
Japanese earthquake-but says that
such experiences serve to test and re-
fine men and nations.
The proclamation follows:
"By the President of the United
States of America:
"A procl Amation:
"Che American people from their
earliest days, have observed the wise
custom Of acknowledging each year
the bounty with which Divine Provi-
dence has favored them. In the begin
nings this acknowledgement was
voluntary return of thanks by the
community for the fruitfulness of The
harvest.
Though our mode of life has great
ly changed, this custom has always
survived. 1t has made Thanksgiving
Day not only one of the Oldest but one
of the most characteristic observances
of our country. On that day, in home
and church, in family and in public
gatherings, the whole Nation has for
generations paid the tribute due from
grateful hearts for blessings bestowed.
Balance Good and Evil
"To center our thought in this way
upon the favor which we have been
shown has been altogether wise and
desirable. 1t has given opportunity
Justly to balance the good and the evil
,s.,aar .1 II hot
we have never failed to find reason
for being grateful to God for gen
erous preponderance of the good. Even
in the least propitious times, broad
contemplation of our whole position
has never failed to disclose overwhel-
ing reasons for thankfulness. Thus
viewing our situation, we have
found warrant for a more hopeful and
confident attitude toward the future.
"In this current year we now ap-
proach the time which has been ac-
cepted by custom as most fitting for
the calm survey of our estate and the
return of thanks. We shall the more
keenly realize our good fortune if we
will, in deep sincerity, give to it due
thought and more especially if we will
compare it with that of any other COM
munity in the world.
"The year has brought to our peo-
pie two tragic experiences which have
deeply affected them. One was the
death of our beloved President Hard
ing, which has been mourned wherev-
er there is a realization of the worth
of high ideals, noble purpose and I'M
selfish service carried even to the end
Cd
the Nation to a less captious and more
charitable attitude. 1t sobered the
whole thought Of the country.
Japanese Earthquake
"a little later came the unparalleled
disaster to the friendly people of ia
pan. This called forth from the people
of the United States a demonstration
of deep and humane feeling. 1t was
wrought into the substance of good
works. 1t created new evidences of our
international friendship which is a
guarantee of world peace. 1t replenish-
ed the charitable impulse of the coun-
try.
'By experiences such as these, men
and nations are tested and refined. We
have been blessed with much Of ma
terial prosperity. We shall be better
able to appreciate it if we remember
the privations others have suffered,
and we shall be the more worthy Of
it if we use it for their relief.
eve will do well then to render
thanks for the good that has come to
us. and show by our actions that we
have become stronger, wiser and truer
by the chastenings which have been
imposed upon us. We will thus pre-
pare ourselves for the part we must
have in a world which forever needs
the full measure of service. We have
been a most favored people. We ought
to be a most generous people. We
have been most blessed people. We
ought to be most thankful people.
On November 30
wherefore, I, Calvin Coolidge,
President of the United States, do
hereby fix and designate Thursday, the
twenty-ninth day of November, as
THANKSGIVING Day, and recommend its
general observance throughout the
land, It is urged that the people
gather in their homes and their usual
places of worship, give expression to
their gratitude for the benefits and
blessings that gracious providence
has bestowed upon them, and seek the
guidance of Almighty God that they
may deserve a continuance of His
favor.
an witness whereof I have here
unto set my hand and caused to be
affixed the Great Seal of the United
States.
ozone at the City of Washington,
this fifth day of November, in the year
of our Lord 1923, and of the independ-
ence of the United States the one hun
dred and forty-eighth.
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