The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-08-15
sands of growing birds scheduled for

the holiday market.
 Samuel A. Franklin, Jr., of Cov- entry, former president of the Rhode Island Turkey Growers Association, believed change of date might throw Thanksgiving into warm weather and adversely affect the final fatening and preparation of birds for market"
 Governor William H. Vanderbilt said there appears to be some com- mon sense" in the plan but intend- ed ito study the law more fully be- fore deciding what to do" about his own Thanksgiving proclamation.
 William s. Cherry, head of Cherry and Webb department store, doubt ed that such 8 change would in- crease Christmas shopping. However, President Mortimer l.. Burbank of the Outlet Company, another de- partment store, believed the change might help little" in increasing Christmas shopping.
 Birthplace of Day
 Plymouth, Mass, Aug. IS - U.P0 The birthplace of the nations Thanksgiving observance today pro- tested President Roosevelt's plan to proclaim the November holiday a week earlier than usual this year.
 Chairman James Frasier of the selectmen said he would place the matter before the board officially" at the next meeting because we here in Plymouth consider the day sacred.
 Plymouth and Thanksgiving are practically synonymous" he said, land merchants or no merchants, I can't see any reason for changing the observance from the traditional last Thursday in November"
 Meanwhile, the towns various his- torical and antiquarian societies were expected to voice similar dis approval.
 Return To Pilgrim Mode
 Boston, August IS. - (UP) - A return to the Pilgrim manner of determining the date of Thanksgiv- ing, rather than arbitrarily chang ing the date, was suggested today by Gleason L. Archer, counsellor gen eral of the Society of Mayflower Descendants.
 "If we are going to change the date of Thanksgiving at all," said Archer, ''let us determine when all the crops are harvested and then set the day when we will offer our thanks for good fortune"
 Archer, Colonial history author ity and dean of Suffolk Law School, said he was speaking for himself and not for the society. However, he believed that the society would take up the matter at its triennial con- gress at Plymouth next month.
 "The early settlers at Plymouth observed Thanksgiving after the corn was harvested in October. Since Lincoln's time it has been tradi- tional to observe 1t the last Thurs day in November.
 Lets make 1t more traditional by observing 1t when our forefathers did"
 New England Opposed
 Boston, August IS. (UP) = Three New England governors to- day assailed President Roosevelt's shifting of Thanksgiving date and a fourth governor planned to get the peoples reaction before taking a stand.
 Massachusetts Governor Leverett Saltonstall - T shall hesitate @ long time before I make any change ,. to move Thanksgiving forward a week seems to be to be more up- setting than advantageous"
 Maine's Governor Lewis O. Bar rows - "This is the most foolish of all the foolish things ever proposed by the President. Maine will stay as it is and I guess the rest of New England will refuse to be regimented on its holidays"
 Vermont's Governor George D. Aiken "If the President thinks the two holidays are too near to- gether, it's a wonder he didn't change Christmas. We aren't very quick to change here in Vermont unless 1t means real progress. l don't see what can be gained by shifting Thanksgiving Day."
 Rhode Islands Governor William H. Vanderbilt There appears to be some common sense in the plan, but I intend to study the law more fully and see what the people think before deciding what to do."