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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (March 1, 1922)
Jtt"VMT TT jft TjT71'' "J '' "l" --i(rtWir"" 4taf MHr The Commoner MARCH, 1922 11 nt God ho is merely a machine. He has a body which can do certain physical work for society; hut a man's body is as useless as a brute's body wcent when under intelligent direction. Man ran be more destructive than a, brute if he has 110 conscience to restrain him. The mind can llrect the body so that its energies will be era n oyed along usefdl lines-, provided the (mind itself is under spiritual control, and that brings us back to faith in 5od. Tpon belief in God rest all the uplifting in fluences in life consciousness of responsibility; comfort in the assurance of God's presence; pray er through which the heart is opendo" to divine suggestions; and the future life vlth its rewards and punishments. When man's hold upon God Is loosened he falls, and there is no bottom to the pit into which he plunges. Last week's Talk dealt with the sins of sensualism in which Israel was steeped today we have the secret of Israel's downfall it began in the ignoring of God. Is it possible for a nation like the United States to fall? Yes, it is possible for any nation to fall if it forgets God. Some argue that because a nation is composed of individuals it must, like the individual, have birth, infancy, maturity, and then decline and death. This is not only a gloomy philosophy, but a false philosophy. While those living today are in control, the nation is composed of generations rather than individuals. As one generation passes off the stage another appears. Death, therefore, Is not. necessary; continual progress sis possible. As there is no reason why any future generation should be weaker or worse than, this, there is no reason why this nation should be any weaker or worse than it is now. On the contrary, in a Government like ours, which belongs to the people and which repre sents the virtue, intelligence and patriotism of the people, the Government ought to grow bet ter and better, provided the people improve in virtue, intelligence and patriotism. Our nation is improving; within 15 years it has brought the Government nearer to the people by the pop ular election of Senators; it has made taxation more equitable by the levying of an income tax; it has abolished the legalized saloon, and it has called woman's conscience to the aid 6f man's judgment in the conduct of the Government. We have many problems to solve, but we will solve them wrongs to right, but we will right them. Our Nation is now leading the world toward peace and international justice. Why? Because it trusts God, the author of virtue, the instruc tor in intelligence and the source of the altru ism that makes patriotism possible. Our Na tion is aiding the world as no other nation ever did. Its ideals are drawn from the B.ible; its measure of greatness- is Christ's measure it serves the world. "Righteousness exalteth. a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people." BRITAIN GIVES EGYPT WHAT IRELAND WON Special Washington correspondence to the Phildelphia Public Ledger by Frederic W. Will, under date of March 3, says: Not essentially to grant "independence" to Egypt, but to but tress the quaking walls of the British Empire is regarded in Washington as the real motive of the termination of the British protectorate over the land of the Pharaoh. Viewed in that light American and Foreign diplomats pronounce the action just taken by the Lloyd George govern ment as historic and far reaching in character. What Ireland has won, Egypt has now achieved and India is no.t likely much longer to be denied. That, in Washington's opinion is what Great Britain's decision means. It is, in other words, less a gesture of generosity than a shrewd meas ure of self-preservation. Virtually all of the burning questions cf Eu ropean and Asiaticpolitics are wrapped up with the Egyptian situation. In the Near East the spectre of more war between Greece and Turkey, "with its incalculable possibilities of 'embroiling greater powers, again terrifies the chancellories of Europe. The menace is a direct outgrowth r T,hat Monanimedan India considers the "per ay of David Lloyd George. The dominating Portion of India which is Islamic and acknowl edges the spiritual sovereignty of the Caliphate, or Turkish Empire, has not forgiven, and will not forgive, the British prime-minister for agree ing in the treaty of Sevres, after the World War, jo assign Thrace to Greece. Indians declare l'iey possess a solemn promise from the British government that such "home-lands" of Turkey would not bet severed from the Islamic realm. Jireat Britain is not in position Jo undo the weaty of Sevres and Jceep her .promiso to her ihnUIndiaS wFTSu01 Mammedan subjects Tmiio? Gr lnabI1Ity to do so, as Mr. SaEtrl ence pubfic??0 at the WaBhlngtoS oonfSl against British dominatioTinIn9diaP f 1CVU Thus some authorities feel that tho British government with its invincible genius for com HvbI with0 iSS89, the MahommetoSS ii -A ?syptian independence." Tho peo ple of Egypt, like, tho Islamic population of KtlJiT1 '? th? CttP". even though VhP an,?ol,f l!orB fought under allied banners in SSt.Kts.J'SS, Turka ' "" Whether the termination of the British r.ro tectorate over Egypt originally intended as a war mnvnilre' a?di 8 nfltlflecl t0 the United Spates Government in 19$ will appease either the Egyptians or their Indian coreligionists!, remains to be seen. Near Eastern authorities in Wash ington consulted by tho writer today Wore in clined to be skeptical. They declaro the declara tion made by Lloyd George in the House of Com mons on Tuesday bestows anything but "sov ereignity" or "independence" upon Egypt By reserving to "British discretion" the defense of the Suez Canal; the protection of Egypt against all foreign aggression or interference, direct or Indirect, and the protection of Egypt's foreign interests and foreign minorities Near Eastern diplomats say the British retain an exceedingly firm grip on Egypt. The scheme at the time it was proposed by tho Milner commission and re Dected by the British Cabinet was likened to the Piatt amendment whereby the United States re tains certain jurisdiction over the foreign and defense affairs of Cuba. The relations between the United States and. Cuba, of course, are not approximately either as delicate or as extensive as those which prevail between the British Empire and Egypt. British authorities here do not conceal the ne cessity of a strong British hand over Egypt's foreign relations and 'particularly over the Suez Canal. That celebrated waterway, bequeathed to Queen Victoria by her adoring Disraeli as tho most priceless achievement of his premiership, is as vital to tho integrity of the British empire as the Panama Canal is vital to tho national se curity of the United States. Cut the Suez and you sever Britian's imperial jugular vein. Place it unrestrictedly at the disposal of a vengeful Egypt ready perhaps some day to ally itself with an aggrieved Turkey and a sullen India and Britain would take the first step, as many of her sons think in the direction of imperial sui cide. That is why David Lloyd George has determ ined to "watch his step" on the Nile. Tho thorn of Ireland having been removed from the Brit ish side, as the wily Welshman of Downing street thinks, Egynt for itself and for the im measurable possibilities dormant India is next to be pacified. If the Egyptians accept the pipe of peaco London has offered Cairo, there can be little doubt India next will be asked to smoke -from the same briar the Englishman's favor ite instrument. The spirit of self-determination is abroad through George V's globe gird ling domains. Statesmen' of vision in London know it cannot long be suppressed. That is why the Prince of Wales celebrated the wedding of hjs sister Princess Mary, in far-off Bengal in stead of pompfilled Westminister Abbey. Copy right, 1922, by Public Ledger Company. DEMOCRATIC HOPES W. J. Bryan says that it will be a Democratic year and that the country will elect a Democratic house of representatives in the fall. He may be right, although he ought not to be. There is a tradition and a political habit which support his prediction, but the habit can be overturned by a fight, which the Republicans are probably will ing to make. ' Election sometimes go on judgment and sometimes on sentiment, and they may go on sentiment in just such off year elections as will be had this fall. When people are out of pa tience and out of sorts they vote against what- GVIf they do not like the conditions in which they find themselves, they vote their discontent. A vote against the dominant party is a way of saying tba the voter does not like the relation between his income and outgo. He is hard up and hi is an anti. He is against whatever is be cause his contact with it is not profitable and Wll change his vote to change his luck. The United States is a land of milk and honey ine umaui oi world, but there f.TStftal o 'employment, wages have is a great B u , einff reduced, rents have been Je purchafer does not give full 3!t hf'reaSsTment which has brought A' lower prices, taxes have not boon brought down- porceptibly, and tho farmer's pockotbook Is flat. Those are bad signs for tho dominant party, J, and it does not matter how much responsibility 1 it attached to tho party in control before or how ; many causes of stagnation aro unavoidable or 1 beyond reach of romodyV Tho head to throw tho brick at is the hoad of a congressman of tho dominant party. Tho administration can point to a good record ') and to plans undertaken in good faith and sound judgment to make corrections. The budget rd- ' form and tho economieu introduced will cut out t tho waste of government and will bo reflected v in taxation. Tho happy and contontod republic is ono in which tho voters pay out littlo and tako in much, but such republics cannot havo oxpen- sivo wars. We did havo an oxponsivo war and ; aro paying for it, but we'll acquit tho Ropubli- i can party of responsibility for tho fashion in' . which the war bills were run up. T Wo also will credit tho .Republican adminis tration with averting another" war bill. That '. achievement is a, big ono, appreciated most by people who reallzo how forbidding wero the con ditions developing in tho Pacific and how they , were heading into anothor war. Tho Washing ton conference has given tho country a guaranty of peace, and it also has permitted tho world- ' to get off tho stilts of armament. This achievement will appeal to thinking poo- pie as tho greatest which could have been ex pected of an administration in its first year. Tho axlministration is pledged to such relief as can bo given the farmers, and undoubtedly is in earnest about it. It would bo foolish political ly to bo otherwiso. Tho administration also is pledged to such constructive work as the St. Lawrenco seaway, which is for tho stimulation of tho midwest. Conditions as they stand are probably adverse, as Mr. Bryan says, to the party ii control, but they aro not beyond analysis and bettorment. At this stage it would be bad to divide congress and take tho house away from tho party which is en- , deavoring to get the country back in shape. Th Republican party ought to bo continued in au- , thority and responsibility, and oven discontented voters may see that a vote of discontent is not so good as ono of reason. Chicago Tribuno. SAYS REFORMERS LUCKY NOW NOT TO. HANG , , ., (From Jefferson Co., Wis., Uniou.) ' '" We have to admire a man for being n gooi sport even if he is on the wrong side, according to our personal belief. Here is a letter from Wil liam Jennings Bryan In response to the hot roast we gave him last week. Villa Serena, Miami, Fla Feb. 1, 1922. Mr. H. L. Hoard, Fort Atkinson, Wis. My Dear Mr. Hoard: Thanks for clipping sent. The criticism is mild compared with som that I receive. To be forgotten after two hun dred years is much better than to be hung now. They used to hang reformers, now they simply defeat them for office or make rudo remarks about them a welcome improvement. Very truly yours, W. J. BRYAN. The coal operators say that before they can . reduce the cost of fuel to tho consumer there must be a reduction in tho wages paid minors. When it is considered that the average price of coal to the domestic consumer is now around $12 to $14 a ton and that the miner himself ' gets only a fraction of that amount, it would seem that it would be fairer to hunt out some economies elsewhere along tho line before hit ting at the minor. We venture to say that If the miner did the work for nothing, there would be many cases where the consumer would never find it out. Every time a citizen rises to remark that taxes ought to be reduced, somebody retorts that economy must be managed with care Jest it weaken the government's capacity for necessary . service. Just as in the old clays it was unsafe ' to trust the amendment of the tariff law to any body but its friends, now the theory is that the job of cutting down the expenses of government should be placed in the hands of those who cause the expense. The movement of tho wets to secure the priv- , ilege of getting a mild tipple in the form of ' light wines and beers is not heralded as an ef fort to get the saloon back, again. In fact, they,,- strenuously deny it. It might not be a bad I idea, however, to inquire what name, it is pco-.. posed to call the places where it will be,.sold?.. A ,f M t. it .2tl tA Ji . CH H ,; J&iSiAftWaW M' u