MALACAÑANG PALACE
Manila

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

Proclamation No. 342

DESIGNATING THURSDAY, THE 24TH OF NOVEMBER, 1938, AS A DAY OF NATIONAL THANKSGIVING

For the information and careful consideration of the people of the Philippines, I hereby publish the following proclamation of the President of the United States setting aside in accordance with custom, Thursday, November twenty-fourth, nineteen hundred and thirty-eight, as a day of general thanksgiving:

"BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

"A PROCLAMATION

"THANKSGIVING DAY—1938

"I, Franklin D. Roosevelt, President of the United States of America, do hereby designate Thursday, the twenty-fourth of November, 1938, as a day of general thanksgiving.

"Our fathers set aside such a day as they hewed a nation from the primeval forest. The observance was consecrated when George Washington issued a Thanksgiving proclamation in the first year of his presidency. Abraham Lincoln set apart ‘a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens.’

"Thus from our earliest recorded history, Americans have thanked God for their blessings. In our deepest natures, in our very souls, and, like all mankind since the earliest origin of mankind, turn to God in time of trouble and in time of happiness. ‘In God we trust.’

"For the blessings which have been ours during the present year we have ample cause to be thankful.

"Our lands have yielded a goodly harvest, and the toiler in shop and mill receives a more just return for his labor.

"We have cherished and preserved our democracy.

"We have lived in peace and understanding with our neighbors and have seen the world escape the impending disaster of a general war.

"In the time of our fortune it is fitting that we offer prayers for unfortunate people in other lands who are in dire distress at this our thanksgiving season.

"Let us remember them in our families and our churches when, on the day appointed, we offer our thanks to Almighty God. May we by our way of living merit the continuance of His goodness.

"In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and cause the seal of the United States of America to be affixed.

"Done at the City of Washington this nineteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and thirty-eight, and of the independence of the United States of America the one hundred and sixty-third.

"FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT

By the President:

"CORDELL HULL
"Secretary of the State

In line with the proclamation above quoted, I do hereby proclaim Thursday, the twenty-fourth day of November, nineteen hundred and thirty-eight, as a day of thanksgiving in the Philippines. The Filipino people are fortunate in having completed successfully one more year under the Commonwealth without the country having suffered from any disaster or calamity of widespread proportion and with peace, order, and well-being prevalent everywhere. I, therefore call upon all the inhabitants of the Philippines to turn their thoughts and actions on this day towards Almighty

God offer a prayer of thanks to Him for the bountiful blessings that have been vouchsafed to us during the past year. May God in His infinite goodness continue to shower His infinite goodness continue to shower Hus blessings not only on our people but also on the poor and unfortunate people in other lands.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the Commonwealth of the Philippines to be affixed.

Done at the City of Manila, this twenty-second day of November, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and thirty-eight, and of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, the fourth.

MANUEL L. QUEZON
President of the Philippines

By the President:

JORGE B. VARGAS
Secretary to the President


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