The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923, January 01, 1921, Page 12, Image 12
;. vTCJP?PliPrt The Commoner VOL. 21, NO. X 12 s t America Leading To ward "Dry" World Sclonco has joinod hands with tho church in a worUVwido prohibition movomont, and among thirty nations roprosontcd at tho re cent mooting in Washington of, tho International Congress against alcoholism John Barleycorn was condemned by moralist, doctor, and scien tist alike. Tho conforonco, which moets every two yoars, is composed of scientists, and it was from tho physical standpoint that tbo effect of alcohol was principally discussed and con demned. With sentiment unanimous that al cohol must bo banned from pole to polo, the dologates generally declared that tho rest of the world lookod to tho Unitod Statos to load in the movomont. It is only another example of tho authority wiolded by tho richest and most poworful nation in tho world, says Tho Chris tian Century (Disciples), which warns us that "Amorica has a responsibility to God in tno way of world leadership which is only dimly perceived at this time, but which will grow cloaror with tho passing of time." Interviews and platform statements revealed, according to press dispatches, that prohibition has al ready gone furthor in many countries than tho average American suspocts. Scotland is now testing a form of "local option." England, it 'was explained, will bo forced to prohibition soon as a measure for food conservation, which was one joi tho prime reasons for re strictions placed on tho sale of alcohol' dur ing tho war. In Holland some form of local OTltion is SOOn to bo enacted. Frimnfi linn tjbannod absinthe, and temperance workers are trying to stop the manufacture and sale of '11 distilled liquors, and are said to be likely jte succeed. In Italy plans are afoot to convert ;tho grapes of tho hillsides into food products in stead of wino. There was no delegate from Germany, buta Swiss representative said that German boor has no more "kick" now than the "near" product of America. Three of the provinces of Mexico are under prohibition. Provincial legislation as practically outlawed tho liquor trafflo in Canada, 'including New foundland, though Canada still remains a source of supply for her southern neighbor. Uruguay has a law which provides for tem perance instruction in the public schools, and in other parts of South America the labor-unions are roportod to have gone over to prohibition In several instances, and in one place to have refused to unload ships which contained liquor. The King of Denmark has signed prohibition laws for Iceland and Greenland' and offers to do the same for Denmark. The Cuban dele gate said iat his country had no alcoholic troubles, and, perhaps considering the fendnoss vhich some Americans display for Havana, airaod that Cuba had been misrepresented in this respect. Reports from Scandinavia were ,sald to be encouraging to prohibitionists. In many areas in New Zealand, Australia, and Ceylon "no-license" has been secured by means of local veto, and "throughout India there is a general feeling that under further measures of Home Rule prohibition will be al most universal." The W. C. T. U. is doing a "very successful work" in Japan. One of the great facts which the congress revealed, says Rev. Ferdinand C. Iglehart, who reported the conference for The Christian Herald, "is that Europe is moving against alcohol from the scientific and the economic side almost entirely " It was of striking moment that u"w. ; "Men of science from some of the finest universities o Europe came with their argu ments; physicians of renown told of their !x porimonts in the laboratories and hosnitaL with a terrific indictment against alcohS as the murderer of mind and body. Statesmen members of parliaments, came to tell wha? an SfJ to well-organized society aS what difficulties they meet in securing and en forcing laws against it. There was not a minister of the Gospel among the foreign dele gates with nerhans nnn , "i:,a a01e -ernwe Proachr has been the leader of the 'alcohol movement from the beginning 'Father Mathew, the founders of the prohibUi?on party, the organizers of the Anti-SalooT League nearly all of them were ministers, and Frances Wlllard organized tho Woman's Christian Temperance Union from a religious motive, and held most of her meetings In tho Christian churches. .... ,:,.., - "There was no disposition on tho part of tho American Christian to criticizo tho action of the European leaders for using the scientific and oconomic arguments mainly for the destruction of tho liquor traffic, for God is in science and GoJ is in economy, and wo welcome our friends who assail the demand from the economic and scientific side. It must not be forgotten that the preachers and Christian people did not make much headway r.gainst alcohol till the scientists and scholars gave them the results of their experiments as weapons to be used against John Barleycorn." Literary Digest. NO SECRECY AS TO MANDATES In assuming the right to place the seal of se crecy on tho termB of the mandates over the for mer Gorman colonies, the Council of tho League invites severe criticism. Even though its powers in the matter were beyond question, the policy that it has adopted would be both unwiso and inexpedient. It is a position from which it must soon realize that for urgent reasons it should re treat with the best grace possible. In establishing the system under which man datories on behalf of the League are to be in trusted with colonies and territories that had been German possessions, certain duties are as signed to the council. There is required from the mandatory in every case an annual report, and a permanent commission is to examine the annual reports of the mandatories and advise the coun cil on all matters relating to the observance of the mandates. But nowhere is the assembly, which includes all members of the League, fore closed from knowledge or consideration of the terms of the mandates or their observance. That js a condition that the cohncll by its own action has rashly undertaken to enforce at Geneva. It would seem to be clearly provided in the cove nant that the assembly is to be consulted In re gard to the terms of the mandates, for it is ex pressly laid down that "the degree of authority, control or administration to be exercised by the mandatory shall, if not previously agreed upon, by the members of the League, be,explicitly de fined in each case by tho council. It is by no means an occasion for merely strict or literal interpretation of the phrasing of the covenant. In any event, the territories adminis tered by mandatories are held in trust under the League, and the council is merely the agent of the League. It not only exceeds its powers in its rule of secrecy, but, aside from encroaching upon the prerogatives of the assembly, representing all the members of the League, it subjects itself to suspicion by its decree of secrecy. . The assembly is wholly right in demanding information as to the terms of the mandates. New York "World. RELIGION DECLARED BASIS OF BUSINESS Three thousand persons, the large majority of whom were men, last night crowded into the Metropolitan Opera House to hear Roger W. Babson, noted statistician and business expert, tell them just how to make good in their vari ous lines of work. Instead of the clear-cut, concise business tenets of the accepted schdol that they expected to have served them, those present heard an earnest, heart-to-heart talk that bordered closely on a sermon, with religion as its fundamental basis. But, judging by the number of notebooks and busily writing pencils to be seen among tho audience, Mr. Babson's hearers were just as well pleased as if they had received what they ex pected. According to statistics, Mr. Babson declared more than 80 per cent of all the men who go Into business ultimately fail. "My study of the matter," he added, "leads me to believe that the fundamental reason for this is because of their lack of religion. There are six essentials to business success indus ry integrity intelligence", initiative, intensity and inspiration and these can be developed and retained only by the religious man. vei0Dea and "The great need of the hour is not more steamships or schools or . anks, but more re- i? X?h ? fm(m WJS are willins t0 ma onward as 'Christian soldiers marching to war At a luncheon at tho Bellevuo-Stratford, Mr Babson told members of the City ciuh , Ph!!?j,nf radAes EmPlyers' association, the Philadelphia Association of Credit Men aid the Sales Managers' Association that business can best be brought back to normal by the aid bt a financial wringer. -r "Conditions in business can bo returned to normal within three yoars," he aald, ;"f f the water is put through a wringer and allowed to dry out in natural manner; It probably wiU-bo the mission of the Republican party now. in power to apply the wringer." ' Somo forecasts made by Mr. Babson were: "There will be marked declines in coaliron and building materials. ; - "Money rat$s will be lower next year, "Bonds can be safely bought now as a prof itable investment. " ' "Unskilled labor will soon bo getting. $3- or $4 instead of $5. "Natural deflation will mean a Democratic victory in .1924. "All factors point to prosperity in 1921, while all markets point to depression. Philadelphia Inquirer, Dec. 1920.. HARDING HAS WORLD UNION PLAN j Following is copyrighted staff correspondence by Clinton W. Gilbert to the Philadelphia Pub lic Ledger, from Marion, Ohio, under date of December 18: , "President-elect Harding has his own plan for the association of nations and the conferences here consist of his submitting this plan to his visitors, listening to their criticism and sugges tions and winning their approval if possible. This he made clear in his talk with the newspaper correspondents yesterday afternoon. "The Harding plan is a little more favorabla to the pro-leaguers than to the bitter-enders. This was apparent from. the President-elect's re mark when, after he had said that Colonel Wil liam Jennings Bryan had, on his visit here yes-, terday, approved it, some one reminded him that Senator Fall, who is an irreconcilable, had also approved it. Mr. Harding responded: 'Colonel Bryan would naturally be more favorable to my proposal than would Senator Fall r "Mr. Bryan is a strong pro-leaguer. He made his position clear earlier in the day when he iaid" that he had originally advocated the acceptance of the league covenant without reservations, al though ho had been from the first opposed to Article X. He did so, he declared, because he believed that the most important thing to do was to enter he league. Changes in the cove nant could be made afterward. Then it became apparent that the Senate vould not accept the covenant without reservations. He made his Jackson Day plea that President Wilson should yield and agree with the Senate upon reservations." AS A TALE THAT IS TOLD Soon the "investigation" of the Shipping Board scandal will be hushed up and forgotten. Other sensational episodes will be crowded upon the boards to take the attention of the people, and only here and there will any one hear the stories of the way the "patriots" conducted the confidence game during the "Great War " But before the reports are quite gone from the columns of the daily papers everybody should be given the privilege of reading another of Arthur Brisbane's inimitable comments upon the merry tale. Clip it from the paper today and keep it for your children to read the net fine war is called "to make the world safe for democracy." He says: "When a thing is ABSOULTELY comnlete rnv.haVVh adl?Are' though yu may notaP prove. The rattlesnakee needs to bite only once- Q, scorpion allows her young to feed ? ler lSin? body' Th0 tarantula stings the ?J5 bU!?b!ei bGe Iight back of braipark! kill you with a look. They are all wonderfullv i , . - Ppr instance: An iron hinge was lacking nJA eJgntAUfcs. Was b0 " A blacksmith screwed it in-place ; f tecnanpW'tt'r, faff. 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