Montana labor news., 1944-11-16
MANKIND CHEERS
ITSELF DURING
HOLIDAY SEASON

Toward the tail-end Of the year it is
curious how the holidays increase. It is
as though mankind would cheer itseli
against the sombre Novembers and the
drear DEFENDERS by a bit Of handmade
jolity and good cheer. Pagan people
evidently had that notion, too, for when
the days grew short and the sun seemed
to have trouble in making a comeback.
they went out on a ten-day bender which
the Romans called the "Saturnalia" in
honor Of the older Of the gods, Saturn.
In this Christian era we have taken some
of those old feasts into a more restrained
celebration and have added a few, born
Of our own American history.
We began November with a holiday
Election Day-and there's no denying it
was properly celebrated. Those who ia
vored Roosevelt and his way Of running
the nations affairs, at home and abroad
made a gala event of it-as can be no
ticed in the reluctant daily press with
its figures that deny every argument it
has been putting up for the past three
months. Following that came Armistice
Day, the 18th, a solemn reminder OF
the failure to consolidate the gains of
the last war and the lethal result Of
that in the present fearful struggle. 1t
is safe to say that here will be no Armis-
ice this time. The order is out for "un-
conditional surrender for that is the
only way by which the free people may
hope to win any permanent peace or pro-
tect the coming generation from another
slaughter. 50 Armistice Day becomes a
stop sign on the road to future catas-
trophe and few will fail to recognize
that. It is one thing to gain the peace.
It is more o voluntary affair-the Gus
petuate that peace. Victory alone is not
enough. History is full of victories that
only brought on more wars. The only
victory worth while is the conquest OF
the world by peace. That is the obiec
tive Of the American people as they so
surely showed in their votes November z.
Next in November comes Thanksgiving
Day. That is strictly an American in
stitution. The nearest approach to it
anywhere else is the British Harvest
Home" festival. But that is not a ma
tional act, in that the government does
not call upon the people to celebrate it.
It is more a voluntary affairt-he Gus
tom Of centuries. In our land the Presi-
dent calls upon the nation to return
thanks to the Divine Being for the bless
ings which have come in the year just
ending. It is mainly a thanksgiving for
the food and fibre which are the prod
ucts Of the soil. It recognizes that with
out favorable climatic conditions there
might be hunger instead of plenty n
that these conditions are ruled by a
Supreme Being, who gives or wlthholds
the rain and sunshine according to the
counsel Of His will"
This Thanksgiving may not be as
happy as some we have known. In
many a home there is the shadow OF
death-some son who has died in Europe
or in far off Asia that we might live in
freedom. There may be a shortage OF
the Thanksgiving bird. but when we
know that the men on the front lines are
getting millions of dinners whose chief
item is American turkey, we can do with
less ard that most c%heerfully. Indeed
we can give thanks that those fighters
of ours can have the best and put up
with utility beef" with a glad heart
That is better than the finest fare that
could grace our tables.