Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 61 Part 2.djvu/95

 PROCLAMATIONS-DEC. 9, 31, 1946 BILL OF RIGHTS DAY, 1946 December 9,1946 [No. 27131 BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION Designation of Dec. 15, 1946, as Bill of Rights Day. 60 stat. 229. WHEREAS December 15, 1946, marks the one hundred and fifty-fifth anniversary of the adoption of the Bill of Rights; and WHEREAS that covenant, which was written into our Constitution by the first ten amendments, guarantees to the American people freedom of religion, freedom of speech and assembly, and freedom to petition for the redress of grievances; and WHEREAS the preservation of these inestimable privileges can be guaranteed only by courage, determination, and unremitting vigilance; and WHEREAS it is fitting that we should set aside a day for solemn contemplation of our liberties and of the recent world-wide battle to protect them from annihilation: NOW, THEREFORE, I, HARRY S. TRUMAN, President of the United States of America, pursuant to a joint resolution of the Con- gress approved May 29, 1946, do hereby designate December 15, 1946, as Bill of Rights Day. And I call upon the officials of the Govern- ment to display the flag of the United States on all Government buildings on that day; and urge the people of the United States to observe the day with appropriate ceremonies and prayer at their homes, in schools, and in places of congregation and of worship. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States of America to be affixed. DONE at the City of Washington this 9t h day of December in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and forty-six, and of the [SEAL] Independence of the United States of America the one hundred and seventy-first. By the President DEAN ACHESON Acting Secretary of State HARRY S TRUMAN CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES OF WORLD WAR II December 31, 1946 [No. 27141 Proclamation of ces- sation of hostilities of World War IL BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION With God's help this nation and our allies, through sacrifice and devotion, courage and perseverance, wrung final and unconditional surrender from our enemies. Thereafter, we, together with the other United Nations, set about building a world in which justice shall replace force. With spirit, through faith, with a determination that there shall be no more wars of aggression calculated to enslave the peoples of the world and destroy their civilization, and with the guidance of Almighty Providence great gains have been made in translating military victory into permanent peace. Although a state of war still exists, it is at this time possible to declare, and I find it to be in the public interest to declare, that hostilities have terminated. NOW, THEREFORE, I, HARRY S. TRUMAN, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the cessation of hostilities of World War II, effective twelve o'clock noon, December 31, 1946. [61 STAT. 1048

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