Evening star., 1941-11-23
Collections Panama Canal Zone Constitute Family Museum
Just
Between
Yourselves
BY Philip II. Love-
Junior Star Editor.

What did Thanksgiving mean to
you?
To Betty. who hates school, 1t
meant the beginning of a grand
four day holiday. For Pete. who
is a rabid football fan. it was the
thrilling occasion of the biggest
game Of the season. To Fatso, who
loves to- eat, 1t was joyous day
of unrestricted stufflng. And for
Laura, who would rather loaf than
eat. 1t represented a wonderful op-
portunity to be just as lazy as she
would really like to be every other
day.
But Thanksgiving held no such
meanings for the hardy little band
of Pilgrims who celebrated it for
the first time on American soil in
1921. To these courageous and God
fearing men and wonderland their
sons and daughters, too, of course
it was a day of genuine thanks
giving. After suffering many hard
ships they had at last harvested
their first crops and they wanted
to give thanks to the Almighty for
His help.
The Thanksgiving Of 1923 was
different. There had been a severe
drought and the crops over which
the colonists had labored so hard
seemed doomed. A day Of fasting
and prayer was set aside. during
which God was asked to send rain
to insure an adequate harvest. In
the midst of the prayers rain came
and the day of sorrowful petitioning
was changed to one of joyful
thanksgiving.
I can hear Betty and Pete and
I'm not a Pilgrim says Betty.
Il don't have as much reason to be
thankful as people had in the old
days when there was so much hard
ship. - ."
I've always had plenty to eat
and good. comfortable home"
Pete argues. Il don't have to worry
about harvests and droughts and
things ~
1--WE always have turkey" Fatso
boasts. Turkey and stuffin' and
all the other trimmin's.
Thank goodness I didn't live in
Pilgrim days" Laura puts in. Think
of how hard those poor people must
have had to work. -"
But Betty and Pete and Fatso
and Laura, in their conceptions Of
Thanksgiving, are as wrong as
seventh-grade arithmetic problem
worked by fourth-grade pupil.
Thanksgiving ought to have as
much religious significance today
as it had in the days of the Pill
grims. Betty ought 10 be thankful
that she and her family have never
had to endure the hardships that
the Pilgrims faced so courageously.
Pete ought to be thankful for
plenty to eat and good. COM
Portable home" and also for the
fact that he does not have to
worry about harvests and droughts
and things Fatso ought to be
thankful that his family always
has been able to afford turkey
and stuffin' and all the other trim
Minis" Laura ought to be thankful
that she is living in a far more
comfortable world than the one
the Pilgrims knew. And all of us
ought to be thankful that We are
Americans-that no matter how
hard our individual lots, We are i'm
measurably better of in every way
than the people Of any other coun-
try we can name.
The peoples of many countries
are the virtual slaves of their con-
querors. They have nothing to be
thankful for, except that they are
still alive The peoples of other
nothing to be thankful for. except
that they have not been conquered.
Even the conquerors have little
cause for Thanksgiving. for their
victories have been bought at
terrible price, and nearly every
day brings additional indications
that, in the long run, their defeat
is as inevitable as tomorrow's SUM-
rise.
II don't see any reason to be
thankful" moaned Mrs. Blue. my
husbands wages are small and
prices have gone up. We couldn't
afford a turkey-had all we could
do to manage a chicken. Taxes
are getting sitter and Bills been
drafted. :"
Her neighbor smiled. There's
still plenty of reason to be thank
full" she said. MY husbands wages
are small, but we are still far better
off than people in other countries.
Thank the Lord we were able to
afford a nice chicken. The higher
taxes are making things harder, but
they're giving us strong Army and
Navy to keep us free. We miss
Jack since he's been drafted, but the
training will do him good and I'm
thankful he's well and happy. :"