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The Commoner
VOL. 18, NO. 5
German Americans
On another page will bo found an editorial
from tho San Antonio Express on the attitude
of German Americana. It la a deserved tribute
to tho loyalty of the great mass of those who,
though born In tho Fatherland and attached by
tics of blood to thoso who follow tho flag of tho
kalaor, aro ready to give both their money and
their Bona to support freedom.
Tho test of their devotion to their adopted
homo has been tho more severe because they
aro supporting not only tho United States but
our Allies, whom thoy were free to condemn be
foro our nation entered tho conflict. ,
Thoy were quite naturally slow to believe that
this war was a dellberato assault upon tho
world's peace and a menace to the democratic
Idea of government. Russia's withdrawal from
tho war, doplorablo as it was, has served to ex
Pobo tho ambitious plana of tho emperor and
his military advisors. It completely refutes the
ploa that ho mado In tho beginning when he
Indignantly denied that ho began the war or
wanted tho war.
Tho Gorman Americans now understand that
thoy aro fighting for freedom for their relatives
In Gormany as Veil as for liberty hero when
thoy bravely face tho shells of the enemy on
tho western front. Tho hyphen has been melted
In tho fervent heat of war, and those who form
erly used it aro proving their loyalty to a gov
ernment of tho people, by the people and for
tho pooplo.
IHIEWMHY CONTROL
WELCOME TO THE RECORD
On another page will be found an editorial
from the Fort Worth Record, now under tho
control of W. H. Bagley, a brother-in-law of
Secretary Daniels.
Tho Commoner extends a cordial welcome to
Tho Record under its new management. There
is room for a great, progressive democratic
nowspapor in northern Texas and Bagley, ably
aided by Editor Fitzgerald, is capable of ren
dering a largo .service to tho party. He appears
on tho scone at an opportune time, when Texas
Is breaking loose from the liquor interests and
joining tho prohibition states. Success to The
Reconl- W. J. BRYAN.
ROOST THE RED CROSS
Tho Red Cross drive begins on May onth
and everybody should bo prepared to go" the
limit in financing this organization. It not only
takes care of the soldiers' comfort while they
are In the ranks, but it cares for the boys w en
In tho hospitals. It not only devotes its funds
for tho proper equipment of hospitals but I?
uses them for the purpose of building up hope
n the bosoms of tho Belgians and French -made
homeless by the great German thrusts Y
money won't bo wasted in the hands of the Rod
Cross; It wlll.bo too busy working oven to talk!
GOING AFTER THE PROFITEERS
"Washington, May 3 Profiteering r.ntrn.
imprisonment tor ton "C s "roviLV ,00 r
W. J. BRYAN.
000
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THE ANGELUS UJV bxuupxi
0
When Mr. Bryan first announced his deter
mination to fight the liquor interests of Ne
braska to a finish, in 1910, he gave as one rea
son that tho brewers had secured a political
control In his party that made it impossible for .
progressive democrats to enact the legislation
thoy had pledged the people. The fact that a
democratic governor and a democratic senate
that owed their election to the endorsement re
ceived from tho German-American alliance, the
political organization of the brewers, prevented
Nebraska sentiment in favor of prohibition
from finding expression in ratificaton of tho
national prohibitory amendment, indicates that
his promises w.ere well taken and that his work
la still unfinished.
By F. Woodruff.
There's a little town about 60 miles'
south of Birmingham, on the Louisville
& Nashville, called Verbena.
The town is well named.
It is redolent of the old-fashioned
southern flower. It -is peopled by simple
farmer folk. Some substantial citizens
of Montgomery keep summer homes
there.
There are few sounds about the place.
An occasional mule team rattles down a
red-clay road drawing an empty wagon
to the general stores, or bumps pleas
antly back toward the Chilton county
hills. Occasionally a gentle wind causes
'the leaves of the oak trees that shade
the town to sigh one of those sighs of
content that men breathe after a good
meal or. a good sermon, or a well-
rendered piece of music.
It's as peaceful a place as can be found
in Alabama or any other place. It
might well have been modeled after
Goldsmith's "Sweet Auburn."
But there's a new sound there now.
It is the Angelus of Strife. '
It calls the people of Verbena not only
to worship but to deeds.
Every afternoon at 6 o'clock the bell
of the Verbena church rings. It contin-
ues to ring for two minutes, and while ,.-
its brazen song is lifted the people of
Verbena stand and pray. .
With heads uncovered and bowed,
each man, each woman, each child, each
saint, and each sinner repeat these
words:
"God bless our President, our soldiers,
and the nation, and guide them on to
victory."
When the sound begins, the observance
of its call is universal. Men halt in the
street; wagons are pulled up on the
road; women rise from their knitting
or pause in their cookery for they have
early suppers in Verbena the plowman
halts his work, and each repeats the
prayer.
Verbena calls it "The Prayer of the
Bell," and it is said that men who have
never been known to pray before answer
its call dutifully. From a Birmingham,
Ala, paper.
THE REAL PUNCH AND JUDY SHOW
Did you ever in your youth see a Punch and
Judy show? It is an amusing sight the two
wooden figures quarreling and fighting at the
top of a screen, but one loses interest when he
learns that it is the same voice that speaks
through both.
Tho liquor interests are today carrying on a
Punch and Judy show on a large scale. They
have one group of politicians shouting, "Don't
disturb interstate commerce" that was the ar
gument used against the Webb-Kenyon law that
enlarged the power of the state to deal with the
saloon while another group of politicians greet
the national prohibition amendment with the
protest, "You are invading the rights of the
states."
It is the same voice that speaks through both
groups the voice of the brewery. But if the
friends of the amendment will only stand guard
a few months longer and secure twentymive
dry legislatures, the "shouting and tumult" will
cease the voice will be gone.
W. J. BRYAN.
POLITICAL CAMOUFLAGE
A democratic governor in Nebraska refused
to submit the ratification of the national pro
hibitory amendment to the legislature on the
ground that the democratic state senate would
vote it down. Later the democratic state sen
ate refused to consider the ratification question
because it said tho governor had not iucSrf
n " call. This was a bit of camunale
that deceived no one, and puts up to the dem!
ocratic voters of Nebraska a very distinnf Va
emphatic duty at the coming JSa?? eS
The Issue in Nebraska
There is one very important local issue in
Nebraska this year namely, ratification of tho
prohibition amendment. A wet democratic gov
ernor and a wet democratic majority in the
state senate have brought humiliation upon the
party and the state. They denied to Nebraska
tho privilege of being state number 12 on the
Roll of Hon'or. The disgrace must be wiped out.
The democrats have a chance to do their part
at the coming prmary. A friend of ratification
should be brought out for every office from the
goyernor down, so that the democratic voters
will have a chance to put themselves on record
in favor of prohibition in state and nation.
Now is the time for young men who have the
courage of their convictions. If the older men
are afraid, let the young men dare to test the
sentiment of their party. The. democratic party
in Nebraska has been terrorized by the liquor
interests, but the grip of the brewery has been
broken the party is free. No time is to be lost.
Announcements should be made at once, and
the campaign should be begun to restore the
party to public confidence. W. J. BRYAN.
SEVENTEEN MILLION PURCHASERS
The cneering news comes from Washington
that the purchasers of the third - liberty loan
number seventeen million as against five million
purchasers of the first loan and ten millions of
the second. This is most gratifying. Nothing
is more sure to impress the kaiser with the
hopelessness of his cause tha4 to know that ALL
the American people stand behind 'the govern
ment and are ready to furnish the money neces
sary to win the war.
SUGGESTIONS FOR STUDENTS
Patriotism is love of country defined in terms
of national service.' fv'"
v
No one "can have too, much educa
tion if he uses it to help -society $ "but even a
little education is more than, .enough if it sep
arate; one in sympathy from his fellow men.
It takes many books to train, the. mind but
one book, the Bible, is sufficient to train the
heart, and the heart controls the mind.
. Eloquence is the art of telling what you know
in such away that people wiil believe that you
mean what you say.
SIGN THE PLEDGE
God did not make alcohol necessary to body,
mind or soul; on the contrary, it is a poison
and a menace to the physical, mental and moral
man. t
God never made a human heing so strong
that he could begin the use of intoxicants with
certainty that he would not become a victim
to the ' habit. Every drunkard has passed
through a period of confidence wlien he boasted
that he could drink when he wanted to and
l.eave it alone when he wanted to, but has fallen.
The only safety lies in total abstinence. The
pledge is both a source of strength to those who
sign it, and an example to others
W. J. BRYAN.
A FOOLISH FORECAST
A crepe hanger who writes for Life, one of
our favorite journals, draws a melancholy pic
ture of the club of the future, in which opium
smoking, hasheesh, morphine and other violent
J?;ri?tties oC dope haVG taken the place of wine
bibbllng and beer guzzling, now common in
many clubs in regions where personal liberty
continues triumphant. All these dire things to
Derail, of course, because prohibition is spread
ing itself across the continent. A fool forecast,
of course, and unlikely to cause alarm among
well-balanced people. Since the law is more
severe against drug fiends than it is against the
alcoholic artists, a club given over to such hi
!S.i?Ku?uld,8tand a fat chance. It is true that
. Kblt0n ls a bit hard on many clubs, re
fi ? many ambers spending their even
ings at- home occasionally, but the idea that it
s going to encourage free and unlimited traffic
of? i narcotics i3 t0 silly to scare anybody.
V V -
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" jii.y x imes.