544 State Papers and Addresses

Amid the threats of disturbance to our own security; among the annoyances
and upheavals in some of our industries and businesses, caused by the Nation's
efforts to prepare for its adequate defense; faced with uncertainty for the
future in our individual, as well as our collective lives, if we might feel tempted
to question our right to be thankful at this time, we need but address ourselves
for a moment to contemplation of what has happened and what is going on at
this very moment in other once-free nations, to bring home to us a full realiza-
tion of our present fortunate state.

Could we, for instance, picture ourselves and our families working fever-
ishly by day, and possibly losing our sleep a good part of the night, as are the
people of England; could we realize the desperation with which they are pre-
paring to ward off any attack that may be launched upon their homeland, then
certainly we should be able to offer up our Thanksgiving with true appreciation.

Or, painting an even more tragic picture, could we visualize this Country
occupied by despotic invaders; our every possession torn from us; many of our
' leaders executed or in exile; our familes separated from us or among the miss-
ing; could we know what it means to be forbidden to speak, to read, to as-
semble, even to worship as we will, then, indeed, I am sure, every one of us
would feel an overpowering sense of gratitude to the Almighty, who has pre-
served us from such a dire fate.

Thanksgiving Day, 1941, finds us still in the fullest possession of every one
of those rights and freedoms, those opportunities which America has always
offered its citizens. If we decide tomorrow morning to go to Philadelphia for
a football game, or to another State for Thanksgiving Day with relatives or
friends, there is no one to say to us "Nay, " there is no one to question our
coming and going. Not only are we free in body and mind, but our people are
enjoying the highest standard of living of any people among the earth.

It is good, indeed, that we have, at Thanksgiving and at various times
throughout the year, occasion to reflect upon the blessings that are ours. All
too much in the past have we failed to do just this, with the result that, en-
joying all the privileges that are ours, we have come to take them for granted
as possessions that must always be ours.

How false is such an assumption has been evidenced many times over in the
events that have taken place since Hitler first began his mad onslaught. Two
years ago freedom was not a peculiar possession of the American people, or of
the English-speaking people throughout the world, but it was enjoyed by many
millions throughout Europe and Asia. Today, these same millions know that
freedom can be lost, because they have lost it. Whereas they, too, once were
free to go and come, to assemble and to speak as they would, today their every
action is closely watched and regulated, their individual freedom is no more,
their individual and national future is one of despair....

In a Nation which was forged in the white heat of passion for the
rights of individual citizens, the choice of sides in the greatest of all wars
cannot be escaped. Whether or not we finally enter upon the field of combat
with material weapons, we must hold fast to the principles of individual liberty
of thought and of conscience to which we have been committed since first we