The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-11-26
THANKSGIVING Day

Three hundred and ten years ago a little group Of
impoverished, but courageous, men and women gave
thanks to their God that they had store of corn
which would enable them to live until another of
summer brought more food
They thankful that they had the right to wor-
ship as they pleased, to be free from the crushing
power of monarchiaI tyranny which had ruled their
lives upon another continent.
Because they had a faith for which they were ready
to suffer and die, they had journeyed to wilder
ness, of whose dangers and menaces they knew but
little, in order to maintain that faith.
They believed that freedom from oppression was
their only decentralization found in fight from
power
Life was resolved into its simplest terms of food
clothing and shelter.
Their first year had given them but scant sup
ply of food and clothing The shelter was primitive
They had known hunger.
So Thanksgiving came when they knew that the
winter would deaths in their little circle be-
cause of lack of food.
Eacn year this nation celebrates this custom and
it has become season of satisfaction and of joly.
The religious part of the picture has faded somewhat
There has been of celebration with extra foods
games, entertainment.
This year it should be day of examination not
spent in search for causes of thankfuness but in
journey of discovery into the facts of life and what
may be needed to preserve the priceless liberty for
which the Puritans sacrificed so much.
To the jobless there may the thought
that came to the Puritans-that this year there will
be food enough for all and that, through high-pres
charity appeals, enough funds have been COL
lected to for those who, as willing to work as
were men of 300 years ago, can find work and
longer have the open forest haven.
To the nation at large will come the thought that
food supplies are plentiful too plentiful say of
the statesmen who attempt to place the cause of
unemployment on "overproduction."
But the spectacle of condition in this land where
very many would be compelled to accept the products
of anothers toll or die never haunted the dreams of
the first founders of this day. In that day there was
a democracy of the material things of life that
united them in a solid front against any common
enemies.
They shared what they had in spirit of brother
hood, not under the compusion of fear
It is a far journey from primitive hut in a for
est to great apartment houses from the cry of wolf
to the music of a radio, from horseback to airplane
from the yoke of to the super power plant which
moves whiring machines that toss out so rapidly all
the necessities and comforts of life.
But there has been no destruction Of the great
truth that all the material things of life but the
buwark for faith the bulwark for desire of liberty
Can liberty endure if many refused the
right to earn their own living, to be able to pro-
claim their equality?
If you have job today, it might be we'll to ask
yourself if the right to job should not be safe
guarded. If there is enough thought by enough men
and women on the subject, next year may a hap
pier Thanksgiving
Just as those others conquered the harness of
nature men will finally make conquests of the cav
ems of greed-and be really and truly free.