The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1937-11-25
Thanksgiving
What have we to be thankful for?

TO De IOr, more IudIl any Quiet
people on the face of the earth.
First of all, we should be thankful that
we live in a land of liberty. Slowly the
wheels of reaction are grinding away nearly
everywhere the hard-won human liberties
for which men fought and died during ten
centuries of history. In most of Europe, in
all of Asia, liberty has already disappeared
and man has been thrown back into medic
val slavery-political and economic and So
cial slavery. But we remain free. For that
we are thankful.
Secondly, we are at peace with all the
world. In Europe, it is nip and tuck wheth-
er there will be a war or not. All the agen-
cies of peace have failed and each country
is impoverishing itself and it's citizens in
vast armament race.
In Asia, China and Japan are already
at war, and thousands have already lost their
lives. And it is feared that when the ground
is frozen in Siberia and Manchuria this win
ter, Russia may join in this horrible holo-
cauSt. But we are at peace with all the
world. For that we are thankful.
Thirdly, we have not been visited by
revolution-that childish, futile method of
trying to remake the world overnight. We
have witnessed the spectacle of brother
slaughtering brother in Spain for no good
cause. We see in Poland, Rumania, North
China and many other countries, innocent
men and women suffering the terrors of pre-
sent or prospective civil war and revolution.
We do not solve our problems that way No
matter how we differ, we adhere to the bal
lot as sounder weapon than the machine
gun or poison gas. And for that we are
thankful .-.
Fourthly, we have come through great
economic catastrophe with less suffering
than might have been anticipated. Some
how, we have found way to increased pro-
ductlon and increased work and better pay.
Somehow we are again becoming prosper
GUS and cheerful people. For that we are
thankful
Filthy, we are passing through per-
lod in our national history when there are
great and emphatic differences of opinion.
Men no longer are willing to abide by tradi-
tional conceptions of government which not
SO long ago no one even questioned. Yet in
all this quarrel over form and procedure, our
Constitution survives, democratic institu-
tlons remain intact and our flag flies over
land of freedom. For that we are thankful
Only those who never loved this land
can see it's future through gloomy spect-
acles. Much that happens here-our in
crease IN crime, for instance, or our increase
! in labor strife-is discouraging. But when
| one stands as on mountain top, and looks
down upon all the world, this still remains
the most comfortable, the most pleasant
land in which man and his family can live.
1t is no Utopia. It's imperfections are
glarlngly real. But there is no better.
And yet, knowing our imperfections, we
do not rest content that with us life is more
free, more comfortable than with other men.
We envisage life better and nobler, life
OF decreased physical and spiritual pain, a
fri,
and in which the spirit of God will free all
men from the poisons of vicious and vacu-
GUS living. For that vision, Oh Lord, we are
Thankfully George E. Sokolsky in This
| Week.
HERE is A NEW IDEA FOR THOSE
| of us who dread spring housekeeping: COM
bine it with the Christmas spirit. Why wait
until spring? Why not make festive oc-
casion of the wedding out and sharing of
our disable surplus possessions? Things
which have ceased to be useful to us, things
we are tired of, could begin life all over
again under our neighbours Christmas tree.
Why not do it now, and make housekeeping
a joyful generous, friendly act?
This movement could be made to echo
through every community in the United
States. 1t would help to draw communities
| together, whether large or small; it would
make them conscious of the needs of those
who have too little, and it would offer the
chance for a real community Christmas.
Ministers would surely be glad to announce
| this campaign from their pulpits; local radio
stations and newspapers would gladly give
information about it. In many communities
firemen have for years generously helped
similar campaigns. Merchants, Boy Scouts,
Girl Scouts, would surely be helpful volun-
teers in the work of collecting the gifts
On Christmas morning some attics
would be emptier, but some bare homes
would be better furnished. Moths might
have less food this winter, but many human
beings would be warmer.
i Here seems to me an idea which would
be both far-reaching and good fun. Surely
Americans have the organization, common
sense and good will to carry it out success
fully.
Christmas is the time of year when we
ought to remember how much more blessed
4 it is to give than it is to keep!-Eleanor
Roosevelt.
AN INTERESTING PAMPHLET HAS