Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1943-11-18

AS we approach Thanksgiving
AADay and the end of our second
year at war 1 often wonder
whether the people of this great
country are fully aware of our
position in the war-torn world
/ wonder whether we, as indi-
viduals, appreciate the abun-
dance of rationed food, supplies
and services rather than com.
plain of slight denials.
It is amazing to compare the
things we have after two years
of war with the
Wartime strict rationing
Thanksgiving in other coun-
Season tries. We were
frigh tie d at
first about the discontinuance of
automobile sale and manufacture
and yet there are millions of
automobiles still on the roads.
We were frightened still more
when we learned about the scar
city of tires and gasoline. The
first rationing of gasoline found
that the average person could
drive his machine just about as
much as was necessary (and
more). The rationing of fuel oil
was about the hardest blow we
have yet experienced and still
there has been mighty small
percentage of homes where actual
suffering developed.
Food rationing and gasoline
rationing have caused so little
sacrifice that cases are rare
where any actual hardships have
resulted. In short there seems
to be little doubt now that we
can carry on without imposing
great denials on the populace.
And it is this condition which
should give US all reason to pom
der the reasons why. It's true
that in our democratic way we
find many flaws and more faults.
Without fault-fnding we would
lose our spirit of democracy. But
in any attempt to evaluate fairly
our position in war as against
our position at peace we cannot
escape the conclusion that at
war, in many instances, we have
more than other nations enjoy in
peacetime. That's because we
are blessed with a great abun-
dance of natural resources and
with an agricultural development
capable of feeding a great part
Of the world, if need be. That's
the reason we have been consid-
cred by the dictators to be
among the ''HAVES" and there
fore must be conquered. Because
Of our wealth and enjoyment of
such a high standard Of living
these same dictators assumed
that we had become fat, lazy and
Indifferent. They figured that the
men of America
Rationing, had lost that
Taxes, spirit whic h
Sacrifices, made of this ma
ton one of the
worlds greatest in so short
period. They figured that our
isolationist loud speakers ex-
pressed the feeling and convic-
ton Of the majority of our peo-
pie. In short, they figured that
this great country with its great
wealth and development would
prove easy prey. If they hadn't
figured so Hitler would never
have urged Japan to attack us
and certainly the little Yellow
fellows would never have at
tackled Pearl Harbor. Hitler
has already lived to regret his
error and the Japs are absorb
ing only the early stages of the
punishment to be melted out TO
them.
The point that want to make,
however, is that it is onl!
through the unified and deep con-
Viction of our general population
that we have been able to prove
that America is still capable of
showing the same fighting spirit
which gained US our freedom and
which has been directed as well
IL peace as to war. It is only
through the love we have Of
these possessions that as individ-
uals, as families, as local groups
and as nation we are able to
present to the world a picture
which any nation or group Of