Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1934-11-29
GETTING D6wN 10
GRASS TACkS"
THANKSGIVING

Inc fllSfunS, Wnen they c6leDral
FED that first Thanksgiving. may not
have had a great deal to be thankful
for in comparison with what folks
have today. but they were thankful
and they expressed their thanks In
more than mere words. Having seen
hardly more than the fringe OF their
new country, and having undergone
more than ordinary h%ardships In
clearing land to plant, and having
made a crop under real difficulties,
and having been narrowed by hostile
Indians, those who passed through
these hardships and came to the har-
vest were truly grateful.
Take a minds eye view of those
simple folk, then take a look at your
own surroundings right here in Sher-
idan county today. There is hardly
a man, woman or child in this entire
territory but can be thankful for at
least some one thing during the past
twelve months. True, these twelve
months-yes, and more-have been
trying months of distraction, dis
appointment and failure. There has
been a long period of depression,
circumvented by n crop failure AZ
ter another, with scarcity of money
in circulation, slowing up Of the
whole commercial structure, shut
downs in industry and the manufac-
turing world, drouth which has
large section of the country and
caused heavy losses to farmers, a
vast army Of unemployed men and
women and the attendant suffering
therefrom-all that, and still there
remains much to be thankful for.
The person who has good~health is
indeed fortunate and should be truly |
thankful for it, If nothing more. The
fellow who has a Job, whether 1t be
as a common laborer at Fort Peck
dam, a night Waterman in a small
hamlet, or at the head of some large
business, and Is still receiving his
regular pay check each week should
be mighty thankful. Even though
the pay envelope does not contain as
much as it may have in former years,
it is something that thousands of
men and women have had taken
from them. The merchant who hes
Weathered the storm incident to the
business depression, has much IN
deed to be thankful for, thousands
less fortunate have closed their
doors, locking behind them bankrupt
and shattered hopes. The
man whose family has not suffered
the inroads Of disease, and still has
all his loved ones with him, has much
to be thankful for.
These, and a thousand other things
could be mentioned for which most
all of us could be thankful. Then,
one might take a look at the news
columns OF his paper and watch the
unrest in other countries. Assassfna-
tons, bloodshed. collapse OF existing
administrations, the spirit OF revolu-
ion and wal that are constantly
'laring-and then be thankful that
these United States there Is
nothing of this to disturb our people.
Then. look around and see what has
been accomplished In the years that
nave passed since that first Thanks
Follow the progress that
has been made, the real advance OF
civilization, and IL for nothing else,
one living today can be truly thank
'ul that he lives In 1934-that he
IAN have and enjoy the gifts of
and inventions OF modern
lines.
And surely for those less fortunate
Who have been deprived OF all sourc-
IS OF income to provide the necessit-
es of life, and for those who have
confronted with the possibilit-
es of losing their property through
.)urdensomeg debts which could not
possibly be paid, there should be a
rue spirit OF gratitude for a govern
nent mindful of their plight, that
las not only provided for their needs
1ut has through different loan agen-
lies made 1t possible for homes to
DO saved and property to he protect
ID through this trying period. Yes,
md after all this, II we have a true
spirit Of patriotism, we will be
OF having had some part In
his era Of reconstruction, some OPP
)ortunity to make some contrIbu~
ion, however small 1T may have
been, to the happiness and comfort
If our less fortunate neighbors. At
,er all, our difficulties could be more
our disappointments keener,
sur blessings fewer, and the world a
much less happier place In which to
work and live. Let US be thankful
for what we have.