The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1939-09-01
Bruckmts Washington Digest
President Hits Top in Precedent
Breaking in Thanksgiving Change
Stirs Up More Comment Than Any Statement Ever
Emanating From Chief Executive; Element of I'm.
certainty Injected Is What Makes 1t Harmful
BY WILLIAM BRUCKART
wNU Service, National Press Bldg, Washington, D. c.

repetition here. The remark re-
called that King George, on his re-
cent visit to North America, reset
his birthday so that 1t could be cell
ebrated while he was in Canada
that being prerogative of king
and emperor. The question was then
propounded whether our President
contemplated a flexible holiday
schedule that would permit celebra-
ton OF events whenever the White
House thought national morale was
low.
There is more to that remark than
just laugh. Behind the thought is
an indication of fear that all of
our people are being regimented,
told when to shout or when to weep,
when to work and when to play,
what to eat and what to wear and
not to think, but to obey. OF course,
it is an exaggerated viewpoint; it
is not so exaggerated, however, that
it is not possible of attainment. It
is to be remembered that the peo-
pie Of Russia, and then of Italy
and then Of Germany have gone
through that very stage. It was a
step which they took, and disregard
ed as unimportant. It led directly
to the conditions under which those
people now live and have their be-
ing, regimented all, controlled, beat
en- down, living life of fear.
Now, lest I be misunderstood, I
hasten to say that I believe there
was no such thoughts as those in
Mr.. Roosevelts mind. I believe his
action was taken because of his
ever-present urge to make changes.
There are many persons who hold
that it was another move by the
President designed to keep people
from thinking of their troubles, to
help them forget the terrible strug-
giles through which we have been,
and are, passing.
Take a Look at Practical
Side of the Situation
Again, as to the practical side
and the results flowing from the
breaking Of another precedent:
Let us consider first the 1itho-
graphing and printing industry of
the. country. There are thousands
upon thousands of other businesses
that use the product of the Gthog-
rapher and the printer. Consider
the calendar that hangs on your
wall. 1t will show November 80 as
the Day Of Thanksgiving. The an
nual bill for calendars, paid for by
industry and by each of us who
buys a calendar, exceeds 500, 000,-
600. The calendars are not useless,
of course, but the fact that the "cal-
endar is wrong" has some indie
scribable effect upon me.
Take the transportation industry.
Officials begin planning many
months ahead for tours, special
rates, excursions. Public events and
ceremonies have been scheduled.
Each ties in with some other-sched-
uled for Thanksgiving day when
Thanksgiving day was to be Novem-
Der 80. The printing industry has
done it's job for most Of those things
ahead even of today. What a mess
that is going to bel
Many editorials have been writ
ten, many interviews given out, con-
corning the effect Of the new
Thanksgiving date on the college
football industry" for college foot
ball receipts run into millions of dol
lars every year. Through all of the
years, traditional games-the big
games-the peak of the season-has
been the Thanksgiving day game for
hundreds of colleges. But If Thurs
day, November 30, is just another
Thursday, what about the "gate"
Of those games?
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