The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1945-11-25
Thanksgiving; 1916
Ru ROBERT r. MULLER

BY hODGh1 H. MOAA1A1Ab
Historians century hence may look upon
this Thanksgiving season, 1945. as revealing
moment in the American epoch For here is
people dominant in air and sea, unchallenged
on land, keeper of the atom, yet people
not very sure Of themselves.
Here are 40 million humans doubly thank
full for military success. Yet mere are people
chary about laying their weapons aside.-
The historian will see at this period the flow
erinp of an industrial society, master of the
art of gathering materials and speeding them
through fabrication and assembly in mass
quantities. But he will also see society that
has not demonstrated an ability to level cycles
of production and consumption. Particularly
this society has not yet evolved harmonious
ways for adjusting balance between supply and
demand in labor.
Here in. this land as the historian will note,
flies flag, symbol OF freedom OF conscience,
speech, person. and of all those precious lib
critics we bundle under the name democracy.
Yet, though the body Of the law is good, he
may see it too much honored in the breach
Still, the historian, with that pleasant and
tolerant detachment that century can bring
may look upon our present griefs as only
growing pains-for he will note there is little
argument as to detectives. All want peace,
prosperity, full employment. All cherish civil
liberties, and speak of the essential brother
hood of man. The tunnult is not about ends;
it is about ways and means.
The historians eyes m y sweep back to
our American beginnings, to the Pilgrims
whose own peculiar holiday was this time for
giving thanks to the "Giver Of every good and
perfect gift' And the differences between the
Pilgrims of 1921 and the Americans Of 1945
may not seem very great century hence
Our scholars are, laudably, reading and pond
ering the writings of the Pilgrim leaders them
selves, and are discovering that the farmers.
weavers, maids, and servants of the May
flower we're very human folk.
Prototype of the Pilgrims, the first truly
great American, and the least known, was
William Bradford. He became Governor Of
Plymouth within four months after the landing,
when 49, and for three decades, in office and
out, largely directed the unfolding drama. We
haven't the least description Of Bradford. We
don't know his height, his weight or hue Of
his eyes and hair. But we do know the color
of his mind. That, of course, is all that is inn
portant. And e know this rather well, for
priced in the American heritage Is book he
wrote, ''Of Plymouth Plantation
There is n main clue to understanding
Bradford. The young men lately OF the fox
holes, or of small RATS adrift for such time
they believed they "heard the angels sing
anyone who in extremity has turned to Omni
potence for help, can understand William
BRADFORD. FOr ne QO1nlnanC TACT ABOUT MIN
was that he believed in the goodness of God
and the efficacy of prayer.
The Pilgrims political society began, Of
course, with the famous Mayflower Compact.
1t was simply an agreement that they would
share the effort, and the gain, and accept
majority rule. Thus it comes very close to
the dictionary definition of rule by the
people, except for women and the economic
ally underprivileged.
The Pilgrims began their economic society
with sort of communism They had COM
munal fields and were supposed to farm them
and share equally. 1t didn't work. The lazy
ones shirked and so strife grew. Bradford call
ed them together and explained that the colony
would never prosper unless its members were
given a stake. Was American private enter
prise thus foreshadowed?
Milltarily, the Pilgrims INDUCED in consider
able saber rafting The foreign policy was
to negotiate treaties of friendship with their
|neighbors, sign and seal them deliberately
and with many protestatons. At the same time
however, they continued Consumption and
| trained young men for defense.
| The historian hundred years hence will
doubtless discern the continuity, or parallels,
far more accurately than we can. Only this
we know: In their fundamental approach,
these forbears were right. Their story, though
myth-grown, is cherished When we are in
trouble We remember it, and this remem-
brance influences the pattern of our approach
and colors our national design. Christian
Science Monitor K