THE PRESIDENCY: Thanksgiving

Whereas, it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits and humbly to implore His protection and favor. . . . -Now, therefore, I do recommend . . . that we may all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks—for His kind care and protection of the people of this country—for the signal and manifold, mercies and the favorable interposition of His providence—for the great degree of tranquillity, . union and plenty which we have enjoyed—for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed. . . . And also that we may unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions. . . .

Such was the first Thanksgiving Day proclamation by the first President of the U. S. issued in New York City Oct. 3, 1789. Last week just before his departure for California President Hoover used its full text as the body of what he feared might be his own last Thanksgiving Day proclamation from the White House. Instead of casting about for current items for which to be thankful the President reissued the 143-year-old document because “this year marks the two hundredth anniversary of the birth of George Washington, the Father of Our Country.”

¶ Last summer President Hoover accepted the resignation of John North Willys as U. S. Ambassador to Poland so that Mr. Willys might return to his Ohio automobile business. Last week as Mr. Willys’ successor at Warsaw the President appointed the best-mannered, best-dressed man in the U. S. diplomatic corps—Ferdinand Lammot Belin, 51, of Scranton, Pa. Ambassador Belin is a brother of Alice Belin du Pont, wife of Democrat Pierre Samuel du Pont. His diplomatic service began as a private secretary at the Peking Legation in 1917. Later he served at Constantinople and Paris. Recalled from the London Embassy in 1930 he was made chief of the State Department’s Division of International Conferences & Protocol, with which went the job of social arbiter at the White House. Resigning last year, he returned to private business, his Georgetown home, his garden with seven terraces.

¶ “I extend my hearty felicitations on this memorable occasion.” President Hoover cabled President Arias on the twenty-ninth anniversary of the Republic of Panama. The “memorable occasion”: Nov. 2, 1903—U. S. S. Nashville arrives at Colon; Nov. 3—Panama revolts from Colombia, declares its independence; Nov. 4—the revolutionary leader exclaims: “President Roosevelt has made good! Long live President Roosevelt! Long live the American Government!” Nov. 6—the U. S. recognizes the Panama Government; Nov. 18—the U. S. and Panama sign a canal treaty; Jan. 27, 1914— President Wilson opens the Panama Canal; April 20, 1921—the U. S. agrees to pay Colombia a $25,000,000 indemnity.