Imperial Valley press., 1945-05-08
TRUMAN Halls VICTORY
A Day Of Thanksgiving and Prayer

This is day of thanksgiving and prayer
With the end of in Europe, the human heart is
filled to overflowng. Slaughter of our men in service
to end in that terrible heater. Bestality
of the Germans murderous barbarism beyond imagina
tOn is throtted. No will the German blood
thirst continue to kill and MAIN the of this and
our allied nations. No more will it murder and MAIN
in cold blood its prisoners, it's people of differing
political viewpoint those beings of different racial orr
gin, the captves OF Russia and Belgium and Holland
and France.
No will the false preachments of German Might
Right threaten the civilization Of the world, and
will the danger of German World domination
hang like threatening cloud the heads of cviliza-
tion No must wage battles opposite sides
of the world but may concentrate our might upon
throttng the dragon of TIE west easing the burdens
of forces in the Pacific which valantly have
pliShed so much
For all this thankful.
Some will be thankful for lesser things varying in
size from the hope of seeing returning men,
to the much less important prospect of gradual return
to the future day version of the American Way OF Liv
ing
AS we express our thankfulness for all Of this and
more, we find much for which to pray.
The price of this victory was high, indeed 1t is
variously estimated between 20 and 40 million human
lives Of all Just how many American lives dead
missing and wounded has not been tailed
We thank all these for giving of life and health that
free world may continue its tortuous, cropping way
toward higher civilization in which such honcausts
can occur again.
Toward that end we must pledge ourselves and pray
for un-wavering sincerity and determination towards
travel. 1t will call for the utmost in wisdom and
its accomplishment. This road will not be easy to
guidance. For that also must pray.
Europe remains shambles 1t is devastated area
both in material things in selfsustaning economies in
pitical patterns 1t is and long will continue to be
vast hospital of nations and human beings whose pat
tents must be cared for operated upon and nursed back
to health. The enormity of this task compare in
size only with the enormity of drowning German mill
tarsm. We should pray for strength to persist in
ergy and intelligence in such vast assignment.
We are justified in praying for properly charted
path through the puzzled patterns of hate and right
which will prevail in Europe On the one hand is hate
of the German dominated and German devastated coun
tries such Russia for Germany and all things and
people German. Vengeance is terrible force On the
other hand is the knowledge that hate and vengeance
breed nothing but We shall need divine
guidance in treating with tE1 vanquished foe.
Adjustment back to peaceful ways here in this
try will be painful. 1t will call for fine balance be-
tween wishful thinking and practical ACCESSIBILITY and
between unreasoning seshness and voluntary and in
voluntary cooperation. 1t may demand greater
wisdom than that which has guided in making war,
because Peace in the Pacific finally shall
be beset and by the forces of fatigue
action and reduced fervor
1t is fitting and proper that, on We Day, ponder
all it's many meanings, give thanks for much make
high resolves and pray for the wisdom and
strength to forward to bigger and better things
PAUL JENKINS