Golden Age, August 27, 1924
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C6ntents of the Golden Age
Labor and Economics
A DIGEST OF WORLD NEWS
The Labor World
Finance—Commerce—Transportation
Transportation Innovations
MONEY
Political—Domestic and Foreign
Federal Government Problems
Anarchy in “Little Rhoda” ....
New York’s “Garden Party"
Canada, Mexico, Haiti. Colombia
Chile, Great Britain, Spain
France, Germany
THE SITUATION IN ENGLAND
WOODROW WILSON, DECEASED
REPORTS FROM FOREIGN CORRESPONDENTS..... .
Agriculture and Husbandry
PAPERING THE GROUND FOB LARGER CROPS
Home and Health
CAREY THE BODY WELL .
RADIO-ACTIVE WATER ...............
Travel and Miscellany
White Indians from Darien
Northern Lands Growing Warmer
Violent Storms in the United States ........ 743
Religion and Philosophy
Hell Removed from the Apostles’ Creed ....... 743
Bible Burning in-Brazil ......
MISSIONARY EFFORT IN the MOUNTAINS OF KENTUCKY . . . 756 POLITICAL WEATHER CLOUD8 FORECAST THB KINGDOM . . . 758
WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
EARTH'S NEW RULEBS
AM I MY BROTHER’S KEEFER?
STUDIES IN “THE HARP OF GOD"..........~. 767
PublUbod every other Wednesday at 18 Concord Street, Brooklyn. N. Y„ U. 3. A^ by WOODWORTH, HUDGINGS A MARTIN
Copartnen and Proprietor! lidrui: II Coneord Street, Brooklyn, V. T-, U. 8. A. CLAXTON J. WOODWORTH . . . Editor ROBERT J. MARTIN . Bnaiaoae Manana WM. F. HUDGINGS . . Sofy and Treaa.
Fm cam a Con—81.00 a Xbab Maxb Rsxrmircsa to TBB OOLDBif iOS Fobkm Omen; Britifk.....34 Craven Terrace, Lancaster Gate, London W. Z
Canadian......... 38-40 Irwin Avenue, Toronto, Ontario
Awfreloriaa ....... 480 Conine Street, Melbourne, Australia Soot* 4/riean......8 Lelle Street, Capo Town, South Africa
JBntarad aa second riser mattar at Brooklyn. N, I, under the Act of March 3, 1ST*
ahe Golden Age
Brvaklnu N.Y., Wadaaaday. August 27, 1924
NnikrlS
A Digest of World News
George R. Lunn, Lieutenant Governor of New
York, declared recently at a convention of • their liberty, the Retail Credit Men’s National Association that seventy percent of American business men are economic illiterates. “The trouble with
them," he said, “is that they do not study the fundamental laws of economics." He said that “certain groups appear to think that legislative bodies can overcome the fundamental laws of economics", but this he explained is an impossibility. “Two-thirds of the laws on the state and national statute books should be wiped out; for no man can read the laws that are introduced in the state and national legislative bodies, even if he devoted twenty-four hours a day to it."
A novel way of smuggling narcotics into this country was discovered lately when $2,000,000 worth of drugs were found hidden away in the handles of scrub-brushes that were shipped in crates from Germany, the ostensible destination being Trinidad, West Indies. In the handles of these brushes were found 500 pounds of opium, 800 ounces of cocaine, 1,600 ounces of morphine, and over 2,000 ounces of other drugs.
A school for sub-normal girls near Los Angeles, California, was recently burned to the ground. In this fire twenty-four girls, eight to fourteen years of age, lost their lives. When firemen got to the building they found the doors and windows locked and barred; and only by the breaking through of the windows, were any of the girls saved. One of the inmates, fourteen years of age, set the building on fire purposely to destroy it in order that the girls might be freed and permitted to have a good time such as children in other places were having. She had no intention of injuring an^ one; neither did she think of any of the inmates being destroyed. She probably thought that the girls
were prisoners, and had a desire to give them
The Labor World .
ii'V'OU’VE heard of England’s patriotic ex-
-*• hibition at Wembley planned to boom the British Empire and arouse British patriotism," says an editorial The loyalty of America to her own labor industries, and the big-heartedness and magnanimity of Americans in general, may be seen in another remark made by the same editor. He says: “The great Everett Cotton Mills of Lawrence, Mass., have dosed—‘No demand for. colored cotton goods'. And England is shipping millions of yards of colored cotton cloth to this country. The stores discover that goods sell more ^adily when ‘Made in England’.’’ Also, “in England, if you buy goods not ‘British-made,’ you are looked upon with contempt. Here, if you insist on buying goods not American-made, you are considered fashionable."
The Ohio coal-mining districts are in extremely bad condition, for the reason that freight rates are so high that it is impossible to ship the coal any distance, and this restricts the output of the 440 mines to local consumption.
The lull in industry continues. Production wanes, and more people are out of employment Iron and steel output shows a marked decrease, which indicates a slowing up of building contracts. Carload shipments of all classes of freight, except grain and livestock, are less than a year ago. Wholesale trade generally has decreased. The textile, metal, automobile, and leather industries are slumping the worst There is a less acreage of growing crops than formerly. Money rates, have declined materially to quicken the pulse of industry, but the tendency is downward.
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It is said that Wall Street is reaching out to . assume control of the nation's bread supply through the ownership of the retail baking business. And as a result, the retail bakers may be driven out of business, according to reports which come from Louisville, Ky., where a convention of the Retail Bakers' Association has been held.
Transportation Innovation
EFFORTS are being made to make the Mississippi River a navigable stream for freight traffic to St. PauL By putting many spurdams along the banks of the upper Mississippi, it is thought that a depth of six feet at low water stage may he maintained. Already $33,000,000 have been spent. By this method the engineers who have worked on the project are hoping to straitjacket the river and hold it within the t limited confines. Henry Ford is building a $10,000,000 structure at the head of navigation, which will be used as a great distributing plant for the Northwest; and a considerable amount of this business will be carried on by steamboats.
There is a disposition on the part of some railroads to electrify their systems. The C. M. & St. P. has many miles of electrification over the Rocky Mountains. The Ney Haven road has now abolished steam locomotives entirely from their system between New York city and Hartford. The Pennsylvania line is planning to complete electrification from New York to Philadelphia, and then to extend the electric motive power to Washington and to Pittsburgh. There is a new type of high power electric locomotives that is giving entire satisfaction; and when once the electrification has been installed, the operation of the trains is done at much less cost.
June 23rd, Lieutenant Russell L. Maughan flew in his twelve-cylinder Curtiss plane from New York city to San Francisco between suns, leaving at 4 o’clock a. nu, and arriving at 9:44 p. na, having made five stops en route. This 'was the Lieutenant’s third attempt, but the first successful one. The weather was good, and his machine worked perfectly. Aside from one short spell of nausea the flier had no difficulties to encounter. Considerable of the distance was covered in faster than two-miles-a-minute time.
A postal airplane service from New York to the Pacific coast has been started. The 3,000 miles are covered in thirty-six hours (two days and a night), with about fourteen stops, where mail is delivered and taken on. The airplane postage rate is about twelve times that of the regular rate.
Federal Government Problems
THE Federal Government believes in good roads. In 1925 $75,000,000 will be expended for the purpose of constructing, maintaining, and putting in good condition the highways in every state in the Union. A specific sum has been allotted to each state. It is also proposed by the Government to keep a closer inspection of railroad locomotives in order to keep railroad transportation up to a high level of efficiency. There has been a laxity along this line, but it will be remedied.
For the fiscal year ending June 30th, the nation has decreased its indebtedness a little over a billion dollars. The national indebtedness now is only $21,339,979,477. It is predicted that th* Government's income for the year will be $500,- * 000,000 in excess of the real requirements. This surplus is pointed to as a great “triumph of the Republican Party." We hope that this information is not campaign propaganda. The appre-priations made by the last Congress were near the $4,000,000,000 mark. We would like to see an itemized statement showing where every cent goes. A tax survey has been made which shows that fifty-five billion dollars worth of property in the United States is tax exempt, of which thirty-four billions are in Federal, State, and Local government securities. This fifty-five trillion dollars worth of property represents about one-sixth of the total valuation.
The Government has brought suit against fifty oil companies for monopoly in price control. Most of the fifty companies are the Standard Oil Companies of the several states. The Standard Oil trust is supposed to have been dissolved in 1911.
The recent robbery of sixty bags of mail in Chicago, which was systematized and worked out with such precision, has awakened the Federal Government to the fact that the mail service has its thieves. A thoroughgoing housecleaning is now in order. But they should be careful to get the right men. Irving Greenwald is doing time in the Atlanta penitentiary, being sent up for seven and one-half years for forging and passing postal money orders with which he had nothing to do. The bogus money orders kept showing up; and finally the right man was captured, and confessed to the forgery of the entire lot. Mr. Greenwald, who had been positively identified by the buncoed merchants, will now get his release. The real forger is Richard Barry, who not only has confessed but likewise Jias been positively identified. Mr. Greenwald never testified in his own behalf; for, it is said, the Canadian authorities were wanting hin£ and he preferred not to have his identity disclosed.
Anarchy in “Little Rhoda*’
IN Rhode Island, the smallest state in the Union, has been staged the biggest riot that has ever taken place in an American legislative body. The disturbance was caused by Senator Sherman’s calling the Senate to order for the purpose, it is thought, to pass the annual ap-priation bill and other important legislation and then to adjourn the Senate. Under the rules, Senator Sherman could preside only in the absence of the Lieutenant Governor; and just as the session started, the Lieutenant Governor entered the chamber. A point of order was raised, but the reading clerk began to call the roll. One senator pushed the reading clerk away from his desk. The two men grappled, and in a short while there was a general mix-up. There were screams from women and cheers from partisans, while word was being sent to Governor Flynn that a riot was in progress. High Sheriff Andrews got into the fray. The Governor himself entered, mounted the rostrum, and cautioned the audience against disorder. Spectators heckled Secretary of State Sprague and the reading clerk. Police reserves from every part of the city arrived at the State House. Additional deputy sheriffs arrived and filled the Senate lobby. An attempt at adjournment'was frustrated by the Republicans; and the Democratic minority engaged in a filibuster, determining to sit tight' until the next morning.
The Rhode Island Senate ship of state has long been stranded upon the rocks of deadlock. A poison-gas bomb was exploded in the Senate chamber, and at least two senators had to take to their beds. Twenty-two Republican members stayed away, and the Democrats were hampered by the absence of a quorum. Later, fifteen Republicans were arrested by High Sheriff Andrews, when they refused to resume their seats at the request of the Lieutenant Governor. The Republican State Central Committeeman announced that he had advised the Republican senators to leave the State to escape probable violence. Charges and counter charges were made against the various members; and it was reported that thugs and gunmen were circulating among Senate spectators to the peril of the Republicans and with the connivance of Democrats. The Lieutenant Governor declared from the rostrum that High Sheriff Andrews -was guilty of malfeasance in permitting the arrested Republicans to leave his custody. Governor Flynn, a Democrat, assailed High Sheriff An- -drews for disobeying the Lieutenant Governor and fostering a spirit of lawlessness.
The gas bomb was examined, and was declared to have been skillfully filled with liquid bromide. High Sheriff Andrews is unable to . locate the missing Senators, and a doctor haa bobbed up who certified that they were not well enough to attend the Senate sessions. If a search is to be made for the absentees, it will be necessary for the official to have additional appropriations, which cannot be made; for no business can be transacted without a quorum. At last ' accounts, it was declared unwise for any of the Republican members to return to the State. The Republican State Central Committeeman, Mr. Pelkey, said:
“This is an honest-to-goodness fight against mob rale and mob violence. We are not going to give in until we are assured that the Republican Senators will not have their lives endangered.”
The anarchy existing in the Rhode Island legislative body still persists. The law-makers are fugitives from the Rhode Island laws, as they are in hiding in Rutland, Massachusetts, whence comes the word that they are prepared to remain there until the present legislature goes out, January 1st They are taking precautions to foil efforts to kidnap them and carry them back forcibly to Providence. Meantime the sun still shines in Rhode Island, the rain falls, the grass grows, the trains still move, and the dairymen continue to deliver the milk to the babies. So why the fuss? Why not glory in the fact that at least one legislative mill has ceased to grind its silage I Twenty-one Republican senators have signed a report to the public, giving their reasons for not convening with the legislative body, and making grave charges against
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the Lieutenant Governor, who is the presiding officer of the Senate. They charge him with violating almost every parliamentary procedure, with using coercive measures inimical even to the interests of the health -of the senators in order to domineer, intimidate and otherwise bulldoze them into submission to his wishes.
IVew Fork's “Garden Party’*
IN THE Democratic convention at Madison
Square Garden emotionalism, sentimentalism, a general lapse of rationalism, and a little reason went to make up the sum total of the stock in trade. The newspapers colored the proceedings according to their party affiliations, but were somewhat handicapped in their discoloring proclivities by reason of the radio. Millions who listened to the proceedings via the radio received their first mental glimpse of the horseplay and the wirepulling of the politicians. The convention differed materially from the ’hard-boiled, made-to-order routine of the Cleveland convention of Republicans. Life was injected into the convention by the Ku Klux Klan and League of Nations issues. .
The platform makes an effdrt to face the troubles the United States is up against. It reads well; and if it could be lived up to and enforced without friction, no doubt it would bring some relief. But we must remember that before any good thing can become lawful it needs must go through the red-tape labyrinths of blocs, amendments, and resolutions, accompanied with explosions of oratory from party machine-guns, each clique, clan, or division of the country pulling for its individual interests, with the people finally getting just what big business deigns to allow them. We think well of the plank which submits the League of Nar tions proposition to a referendum; for this means that the people will get the opportunity to express their choice. This plank was adopted in the face of a great effort made by Newton T. Baker to pledge the Democratic party for the League.
Mr. Baker appealed to sentimentalism. Pleading with tears himself, he brought tears to the eyes of many. He said that Mr. Wilson, the deceased ex-president, was speaking through him; that he was Wilson’s voice. This was clearly an effort made to hypnotize his audience; but when it came to voting, the delegates came out of the trance and buried the League proposition a thousand fathoms deep—where it belonged. The Klan plank lost by the narrow margin of 4.35 votes, the credit being partly due to the appeal of the Democratic war-horse, W. J. Bryan. The radio announcer said that in the beginning of his talk Mr. Bryan received a lot of booze. This sounded extremely strange of the man with the grape-juice reputation; but the announcer was spelling his boos with an “s’* instead of a "z." This margin of 4.35 votes leaves it possible for the Democratic party to maintain its solidarity—at least for the present
The candidacy of Governor Smith brought out the question as to whether a Catholic can be elected president of the United States. Most of the daily-newspapers are decidedly pro-Catholic; the galleries at Madison Square Garden were pro-Catholic; and the announcers over the radio made the effort to appear neutral. The best possible way to find out whether a Catholic can be elected president is to try it once! ’
JfieeeUoiteous Zfema
THE Farmer-Labor-Progressive Convention held in St Paul succeeding in forming a Third Party with Duncan MacDonald of Springfield, HL, candidate for president and William Brouck of Sedro Woolley, Wash., for Vice President It was hoped that Senator LaFollette would be the standard-bearer of this party, but Mr. LaFollette refused to permit his name to be used in connection with it It is not likely that this party will cut much of a swath in this present campaign.
Now for something toothsome! In one week fifty-five thousand cases of strawberries were shipped from Benton Harbor, Michigan, to Chicago, which is said to be the largest shipment on record from Benton Harbor. •
The Lutheran Augustana Synod has removed “hell” from the Apostles’ Creed and substituted “hades.” Hell, say they, means a place of punishment; and “hades" means, according to their findings, the realm of the dead. Hereafter they will have Christ “descending into hades" instead of helL If "hell" is the English translation of “hades,” what difference does it make! We are glad that the old idea associated with hell also ' is in disrepute with our Lutheran friends.
Richard O. Marsh, the explorer, has returned to the United States with three white Indians,
Awn.-rr.m4 . - Th, QOLDEN AQE Ta
brought from the jungles of Darien. These white Indians have golden hair, hazel eyes, and white tender skin, and have heads measuring from fifteen to twenty percent larger than the average white man’s and are well proportioned. These scientists who claim man sprang from monkeyhood are rushing into print, denying the possibility of finding any such specimens of humanity. It wilj be wonderful if they succeed in fooling the tape-line as they have the evolutionist
The winter in Newfoundland was one of the mildest of which there is any record. Very little arctic field ice has drifted south this year. The International Ice Patrol at Halifax reports that the temperature of the sea covering 35,000 square miles at the Grand Banks of Newfoundland was seven degrees warmer than normal this spring. Similar conditions were found in other north Atlantic waters. Some unknown . physical causes are raising the temperature of vast areas of water in the north; and this no doubt will have an appreciable influence upon the climatic condition of the northern hemisphere.
Many violent storms have visited different parts of the United States within the last three months. Hail storms, cloud bursts, excessive heat waves, and unusually high winds have played havoc with growing crops, destroyed buildings, washed away concrete bridges, interfered with transportation, killed many people, and destroyed millions of dollars worth of property. The worst storms were in Tennessee, Minnesota, South Dakota, and Ohio. At Lorain over sixty . are dead, 7,000 are homeless, and property loss reaches $25,000,000. At Cleveland, Sandusky, Port Clinton, Akron, Alliance, and Youngstown are many dead and much property loss. Six cottages were blown down at Cedar Point; some automobiles with their occupants were swept into the lake. Pittsburgh, Pa., and Buffalo, N. Y., were in the path of the storm iff its waning strength.
Canada
CANADA is fortunately situated in having great water-power resources within a short distance of her most important industrial centers. She is also fortunate in having statesmen who realize the values of these water-power resources to the people. As a consequence Canada, with only about seven percent of the population of the United States, has more than thirty percent of the amount of hydro-electric horse-power. In the United States there is a development of ninety-five hydro-electric horse-power per thousand inhabitants; while in Canada there is a hydro-electric development of 350 horse-power for each one thousand inhabitants.
But this is not alL In Canada, this hydro-electric power belongs to the people and constitutes a wonderful asset; while in the United States of course all the hydro-electric power, like everything else in the country, belongs to the great corporations. These corporations in the recent past have manifested extraordinary interest in cooperating with the Secretary of the Interior and other officials at Washington in disposing of the assets of the American people. The effect of the Canadian policy is to enrich the common people; the effect of the American policy is to rob them.
Mexico
THE relations between Mexico and Britain are seriously strained, so much so in fact that the Mexican Government has expelled the British agent, Mr. Herbert 'Cummins, from Mexico City. But conditions throughout the country are quiet, and the future seems reasonably secure. As a result the Mexican army has been reduced by 35,000 men, leaving a total armed force of 60,000 men.
Haiti
AITI has made an endeavor fo secure, through one of the bodies connected with
the League of Nations, a protest against the continued presence of American marines in Haiti. The United States has several times announced its intention of recalling these marines as soon as a dependable government is established in Haiti. .
Colombia .
GENTS of the Colombian Government in New York city are planning the organiza
tion of two airplanes routes between North and South American. One of these routes will be from New York via New Orleans and the western shores of the Gulf of Mexico, through Mexico and Central America to the west coast of
South America.; while the other route will be down the Atlantic Seaboard to Cuba and thence around the eastern end of the Caribbean Sea, up the Orinoco Biver and down the Amazon to Brazil and "the Parana to Argentina. By this route the largest distance between islands is only seventy-five miles. If this plan succeeds, it will make a marked difference in the mail service between North and South America .
Brazil
DESPATCHES tell of the burning of Bibles at Olibeira, ~RrR7.il- This is a narrow-minded piece of business that cannot do the Bible burners any good, but can only harm their cause. It is no more intelligent and no more effective than the burning of Pastor Russell’s “Studies in the Scriptures,” which has many times occurred in the United States at the command of so-called Protestant Evangelists. The only ef-- feet was to make the common people study the books. Probably the effect in Brazil will be to get some people to study the Bible who otherwise would not have done so.
Chile
P.sBsmKErr Allesxndbi in opening the new session of Congress has announced his intention of sending a message to the Chilean Congress requesting a separation of church and state.
Europe -
A MAP of the air routes of Europe shows that there are lines already established from London to the most important points in France, Switzerland, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Germany, Poland, Esthonia, Latvia, Russia, Hungary, Jugoslavia, Roumania, and Turkey. In addition, lines are soon to be started that will include Ireland, Scotland, Norway, Sweden, Italy, Greece, Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Asia Minor. A line is already operating from Southern France through Spain to Morocco and Algiers. Other lines are projected to Portugal, Corsica, and Sardinia.
It will be seen from this how .infinitely far ahead of the United States Europe is in the matter of aerial travel. The air tickets from London to Berlin cost $36, and the trip takes eight hours; while the tickets by rail and water
routes cost $27, and the trip requires twenty-four hours. Five aerial routes to various points radiate from Paris,- six from Brussels, five from Prague, five from Warsaw, and four from Berlin. .
Great Britain
ENGLAND, one of the most daring and ferocious land-grabbing governmentr^in tho world, is experiencing a softening of the heart. ’ In the past she has been noted for piracy and robbery in helping herself to great chunks of territory to which she had no right She stilled her conscience, presumably, with the thought that it was better for the people of different colors and different languages to be controlled and governed by the superior white Englishspeaking people. In harmony with a. prewar promise made by Britain to Italy because the latter joined the Entente, Enland. has now relinquished her hold on Jubaland. It is also-said' that England upon different occasions has made the offer to restore Gibraltar to Spain, bat that each of these offers was turned down by the Madrid Government It is said that today Spain bitterly regrets the rejection of these offers^ The offer will probably not be repeated so long as Spain is in her present frame of mind, .and we may not be able now to discern the wisdom, of England in turning back Jubaland to Italy.
Spain
THE Dictator of Spain, General Primo de Rivera, is a man of seventy-two titles. When the King of Spain introduced the Dictator to the Kling of Italy, Alfonso said to Emmanuel: “Here is my Mussolini.” It is even true. Rivera is a second edition of Mussolini, but is said to be an inferior copy. Rivera has referred to Mussolini as a master of energy and patriotism, and states that when he parted with the Italian Dictator he not only shook hands with Mussolini, but gave him a heart-to-heart embrace. It is to laugh.
Among the educational institutions of Spain that have been suppressed as unnecessary by De Rivera, the Spanish Dictator, are the General Education Commission, the Nurses7 Training Schools, the School for Agriculture, the Institute for Applied Mechanics, the Department of Geographic and Geological Topography, and the Industrial University for-Applied Art and Crafts. Thousands of students have thus been deprived of the opportunity of gaining an education. The Spanish Dictator seems to have concluded that brains are a detriment to the Spanish people. How much longer the Spanish people will submit to being dominated by the present combination of force and hypocrisy is hard to foretell
Franc*
FRANCE is trying to get under headway with a new president She now has a Protestant president; and the government is in charge of a radical Socialist by the name of Herriot, who is now the Prime Minister. A new cabinet has been formed, which will endeavor to take the iron teeth out of the laws and regulations put in motion by Poincare. As a good start Herriot has opened the Ruhr to seven thousand Germans who were exiled by Poincare. Efforts will be made to reduce the tension existing between France and Germany, also to make a reduction in the army and to bring about a general easing up of the feverish conditions that are irritating the French republic. There will also.be an effort to bring about more friendly relations with England ; for Herriot has had a personal interview with MacDonald, the British Premier, for the purpose of having a better understanding of what must be done to pacify, if possible, the whole of Europe. It is intimated that there will be an evacuation of the Ruhr, but not until after favorable action is taken on the Dawes report However, one cannot tell one day what will transpire the next.
Edward Herriot has announced that the Trench Embassy to the Vatican will be withdrawn. It is certainly a remarkable turn of affairs that leaves Protestant Britain with an Embassy at the Vatican and the Catholic France without one. - .
A French newspaper correspondent, referring to the visit of the French Prime Minister to the British Prime Minister and to the apparent success of the visit, has made the statement that "both Premiers are full of confidence that-the difficulties with which they are faced can be solved. If ever there was a chance of bringing back peace to Europe, it may well be this chance, and perhaps it is the last.”
The French Government has decided to recognize the Soviet Government of Russia. Thus we have the interesting spectacle of practically the whole world recognizing the Soviet Government, except the United States Government, which will have nothing to do with it. If it seems wise for Britain and France and Italy to make some kind of trading arrangement with Russia, wo are unable to see why it would not be equally wise for the United States to do the same.
It is expected that between 4^000 and 5,000 German children will spend their summer in France, this being apart of the plan of the working people in France to show their sympathy for the poor of Germany.
Gtnuatg
A WRITER in the New York America* states that the Communistic vote in Germany, which was 589,000 in 1920, was 3,746^571 in the last Reichstag election. This indicates the swift plunge of Germany into Communism. The number of Communistic deputies has increased from three to sixty-two. This writer shows that the evident reason for this is that the net income of the average German is now calculated to bo almost exactly one-half of what it was before the war; while his cost of living is almost exactly twice as high. In other Words, the average German today can live only one-fourth as well as he did before the war. If these figures ara true, it would seem, in a world which has been made safe for democracy, that it is almost enough to drive any people into desperate experiments in government The claim is persistently made that one of the fundamental principles of Communism is the seizure of present governments by riot
It is said that a revolt in Germany at the present time is impossible. This statement is probably based upon a large membership in the “Republic Defence League,” which is supposed to balance the power of the Communists and to neutralize the spirit of rebellion that is smoldering beneath the surface.
Evidently the Dawes Plan for pacifying the enemies of Germany is not altogether satisfactory to Germany; a prominent naval official has made the statement that industrial Germany "cannot be horsewhipped into making the payments demanded by the Dawes report; not at least until the Versailles Treaty is thoroughly observed and recognized everywhere.”
. The Situation in England
TODAY in Great Britain we are witnessing the greatest change in government that has ever taken place in the history of the country. A party which has never before been in office now forms the administration, and what has occurred may properly be looked upon as a bloodless revolution. Many have said that the Labor Party is not capable of governing the country; but in view of recent events thi* opinion seems to have been modified, and the cry of “Fair Play” has taken its place. The attitude of the older parties seems truly to be:
“Things are in ■ bad way; we have not been able to put them right The country is in a mesa With our unemployment, house shortage, and trade depression we bid fair to more serious trouble. Why not let the Labor Party, which has for so long criticized us while in opposition, have a term of government and realize more fully the magnitude of these problems ?”
Still others, of the older school, say: "If the Socialist Party is allowed to control the affairs of our nation, the country will go to the dogs.”
The evidence before us today tells very plainly that in all countries of the world previous parties have failed to govern their respective countries successfully; L e., with a.view to the happiness of their subjects. Surely the only true proof as to whether a government is successful or not must be found in the homes of the people. If prosperity rules in a country, and if happiness, contentment, peace and love are the ruling factors in the lives of the people, then the government securing this has been successful. Who shall quarrel with us, then, when we say that on the basis of the past 6,000 years of government by men and parties of men, the Labor or Socialist Party, even if it had a working majority in the House of Commons, will fail to achieve the success indicated? We write this well knowing that the Labor Party is the only one directly aiming at the betterment of the masses.
In the Labor Party are men of outstanding character and ability, men who have not been afraid to stand for their convictions, and even to suffer imprisonment for faithfulness to their principles. -Many are rough diamonds; some are extreme in their views. The true Socialist, however, the genuine one, is striving after an ideal, is self -sacrificing, with honest desire to uplift his fellowmen and to make them happy. To him
By James Aitken (London) .
his politics is his religion. But let it be clear that however sincere and honest a man or a party may be, they cannot adequately deal with the human heart, which is, in the last analysis, the real seat of the trouble. Divine intervention, and that only, can solve the world-problem of today.
The most momentous event in the world’s history is the establishing of God’s kingdom among men. Yet today one general class is opposed to this reign of equity. This class embraces all who love not the Golden Rule; but instead of loving others as themselves these are willing to see them crushed, oppressed, and denied the reasonable rewards and comforts of toil, in order that they may divert themselves in luxury. When the Lord’s kingdom is mentioned, they smile and have fear for the mentality of the .kingdom messenger. When a Labor Administration is imminent they see red flags and Bolsheviks in their sleep. “The country [which means themselves] is going to the dogs [which means the other fellow—the outsider].” They see their stocks, shares, and ill-gotten gains taken from them in taxation to pay the price of a war they fomented, which was fought for them and their commercial interests—a war which meant the death of thousands of splendid young men, and which left thousands more in a living tomb of starvation and misery. It is this class which is opposed to the kingdom, and which realizes that if such a kingdom as the Bible foretells were set up, then society would be leveled, and “they alone would eat who labor.”
Truly did Burns write: “Man’s inhumanity to man makes countless thousands mourn.” But the poet seems to have had a glimpse of something better when he concluded: “This partial view of humankind is surely not the last . .” It is not strange, then, under such conditions that we have Socialists in dur midst, who readily grasp the fundamental principles of righteousness, recognizing man’s common brotherhood, eUi, as some of their writings so beautifully show. With the light of the dawning new day now shining, and the education and enlightenment it involves, comes a keen realization that, things are not as they should be, that there is something very wrong in a world where the natural resources and wealth are more than sufficient for the well-being.and happiness of alL
TM
On Tuesday, January 15th, 1923, the Bang of the greatest empire on earth delivered a speech to his “Lords and Members of the House of Commons.” This speech was a forced one, dictated by the Prime Minister, the leader of a defeated party, and delivered before what has been called "the Mother of Parliaments.” In the House of Lords the scene was brilliant—surpassed only by the coronation of a king or a pope; princes, dukes and peers in their best Sunday clothes, and their ladies lavishly dressed and bedecked with jewels of rare value, were assembled, together with a number of "the faithful Commons,” Foreign Ambassadors and Representatives. The King spoke for twenty minutes and touched on various problems. He commenced : "My Lords and Members of the House of Commons: My relations with Foreign Powers continue to be friendly”; and a little later on he says: “You will also be asked to assist in providing work in the ship-building industry *by the immediate construction of cruisers and auxiliary craft in anticipation of the Naval Program.” It is significant that Mr. Jack Jones, an ardent admirer of the Upper Chamber, did not add: "Peace, perfect peace, in this dark world of sin.” His Majesty concluded with the words, “And I pray that the blessing of Almighty God may rest upon your deliberations.”
The different clauses of the speech are vague; and it certainly would avail nothing to criticize them here. But one thing we would impress; viz., that here the King of the Greatest Empire on earth, speaking before the "Mother of Parliaments,” amidst the assembled Princes, Dukes and Peers, and the lavish display of dress and jewels, delivers a speech containing 1,200 words, the longest on record, and yet a few days later, with an amendment containing only twenty-three words the whole thing becomes little more than a farce.
■ In the House of Commons the position is such that no party has the power or authority to govern the country freely; and before long another general election will result
Present Government's Aims Are Ideal
THE amendment was moved by the Labor
Party, and with -the support of the Liberal Party it brought about the downfall of the Conservative Government Now that the Labor Party is in power, it is claimed by its supporters
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that "things will change” ; and that eventually, if it is given the necessary time, it will so gov-em that the people will be happy. What is its policy! In brief we would sum up the general -policy of the Labor and Socialist Party to be one that is directed against the present unevenly balanced social and economic system; a policy which' aims at altering affairs so that every man, woman and child may have equal privileges, and may enjoy those things which the earth has to give in return for honest and reasonable toil. This program aims at a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people” as a whole and not for the privileged few. To do this, without a doubt they must alter the whole structure of present-day civilization until, as they say, all will be happy and contented and enjoy to the full "the sweets of life.” Mr. Philip Snowden, now Labor Chancellor of the Exchequer, picturing the end that the Socialist Party has in view, in his book, “The Christ That Is to Be,” page 12 says:
"And when this social ideal shall be universally accepted ... I see men freed from arduous toil by the gifts of nature being freely shared. . . . I see an industrial order where every man for a fair day’s work has a bountiful harvest, and abundant leisure when his necessary toil is done. ... I see our modem town swept away. ... I see everywhere a change come over the landscape; every meadow smiles with plenty, every valley blossoms as the rose, every hill is green with the glory of Lebanon. I see a revived art and a revived literature; I see a people healthy, happy, cultured, contented, whose health is life, full and free, whose ways-are ways of pleasantness, whose flowery paths are paths of peace.”
Mr. Snowden is to be complimented on the knowledge he has of the kingdom of God, for the above picture is none else—the very lau- -guage-is Scriptural It brings to mind the words of the late Pastor Russell in Studies ih the Scriptures, Vol. 1, page 191:
“Close your eyes for a moment to the scenes of misery and woe . . . and picture before your mental vision ths glory of a perfect earth. Not a stain of sin . .'. not a bitter thought . . . unkind look or word . . . love welling up from every heart meeting a kindred response in every other heart. ...” .
The picture is the same; but the fundamental difference between these writers is this, that whereas the Socialist says that his Utopia will be brought about by education and governmental changes “universally accepted,” the Christian says: “Yes; the people must be educated, but-
this education and these governmental changes which will have power and authority to carry will be brought about, and can be brought about out its program, being able also to deal effective-only by the inauguration of Messiah's kingdom, ly with the human heart and the wrong doer.”
Money By A. H. Kent
THERE has been no subject discussed in The Golden Age, possibly excepting hygiene, that shows a greater diversity of opinion than that of money, what it should be and how it should function. Some people believe the gold standard best; some advocate bimetallism; others a commodity dollar; still others a credit checking system; then there are those who think the Government’s fiat or decree is all that is necessary to secure paper currency. z
5 toney is a term applied to any currency used in buying or selling. Originally, gold and silver became valued because of their fineness of metaL Being very pliable and fusing at a low heat they could readily be hammered or molded into useful or ornamental articles; and so they have always continued to be in demand. The love of adornment has done much to keep the precious metals at a high ratio as compared to other products.
Free and unlimited coinage of gold keeps gold specie,, bar metal, and dust at par, while the price of ornaments is determined by the wage of the artificer and the profit of the jeweler. When gold is said to be at par it is in comparison to the securities by which it is purchased. The government stamp on a gold coin guarantees to its owner a legal amount of gold of a certain fineness. Additionally, the stamp on a silver dollar guarantees it to pass as legal tender in all amounts at its legal ratio with gold,'while bar silver varies much. The stamp on gold does not change it. It is still a product of value to be exchanged for other values. The value of gold is said to be stable because it is used as a standard by which to compare other values. When in the markets the parity of gold and other products varies, it is because of a change in the necessity or desire of those trading.
Suppose wheat or any other one product would have been made the world’s standard of value and legal tender in payment of all bills, the effect would have been the same as with gold. One person would have been short of wheat to meet his expenses. The elevator would have had wheat to loan on approved security at the legal - rate of increase; checks would have been given on the elevator; the parity between wheat and other products would have been guessed at or bargained; speculation and big profits would have gone on merrily, collecting the wealth into the hands of a few.
Or, instead of that, suppose the government would have printed on currency paper, “This is legal tender at face value in payment of all bills,” and passed them out in payment of expenses or otherwise without any guarantee or provision for their redemption, only that they w'ould be received in payment of taxes. Is there reason to believe that the parity with produet of such currency could be sustained? Would it command the confidence of people who in private transactions demand something of intrinsie value or paper secured by a value of a defined amount and kind? Should not a government trade with its people on the same sound basis?
When yen accept a fiat dollar you have no assurance that it is worth anything in return, except to pay “debts; for that is all the government guarantees. A gold certificate will not only pay your debts but is the equivalent of 25.8 grains of standard gold for each dollar it represents, and at any time can be exchanged for that amount. That is the stablizing influence of the gold standard, and is good as far as it goes.
A fiat dollar could be hoarded, loaned at interest, used in speculation, gambled with, and devoted to all the devilment that could be expected of a good honest gold dollar, provided, however, that you could find anyone who wanted it It would surely be a cheap way of paying our debts. But why not also save the paper and ink and have the government decree the debts paid? This, to the writer’s understanding, would amountto practically the same thing.
When gold bonds are used as a base for currency, and the government’s ability to pay is questioned, the currency depreciates to that amount The public are learning, and wisely so, to keep their eye on the security and not on the denomation of the paper. Our paper currency is simply a demand note secured by a value of a defined character. When the custom started of issuing such currency the way was opened to use any stable value as its basis.
CommotUty Dollar Favorably Seta
THE commodity dollar is coming into favor, and rightly so. Product is the basis of all commercial exchange; and a currency representing it, and secured by it, would be an ideal medium of exchange. There is an enormous wealth of surplus product that, if used as a base for currency, would obviate the necessity of issuing bonds or any other form of interest-bearing paper.
With standard prices based on labor cost every value in the nation could be used as a basis for paper currency; but as long as gold is used as the world’s standard for comparing other values it would be necessary to keep all currency at par therewith. This can be done by using the average labor cost of gold production as a wage basis for all production.
When all product, including gold and silver, is produced on the same labor cost basis and priced at labor cost and relative value, the soundness or stability of a paper currency based on one product would be the same as another. Whether the government passed out a currency or issued credit as a checking account, or both, on receipt of product, would be of little consequence ; in either case the product would be the security. But if, by extending the base for currency to other products besides gold and sijver the country were put on a cash basis, and the legal bank reserves were released, and speculation was eliminated, it is probable that our present volume of currency would be ample.
If Germany and other countries that are short of gold and silver on which to base their currency, would stabilize their other products on a parity with gold and use them as a^iasis for paper currency, it would release their gold and silver for international business. Rightly sthnd-ardizing the price of labor and product would cut out the landlord system, also the gambling profit system, and would release the energies of the people. If their wealth did for a time get into the hands of outsiders the people would be receiving the full product of their labor and could soon buy it back in their own right.
Institute such a system; and we will venture an opinion: There will be no more’wars “in the interest of democracy,” for two reasons; first, when wealth and influences find that they must pay the price of their folly they will say “No”; second, democracy will then have become an accomplished fact
Gold is the recognized standard of value for international trade, and it will not be wise to discontinue its use until we have found something to take its place or have established business relations among nations on the . principle of an equal exchange of values. Any trade balance must be paid in something; if not in gold or other product, then whatf
“The love of money is a root of all evil”; Le^ there is no evil but has at times been caused by the love of money. It is equally true that the generous use of money is a great blessing. Nowhere in the Bible is the proper use of money, condemned; and as far as my knowledge goes, there is no hint that its use will ever be discontinued. But that the evils arising, from the wrong use of money will be corrected, no believer in the Bible will deny.
The Bible condemns usury and increase because they cannot be practised without working injustice. Remove that principle from the workings of trade, and any system of currency secured by the value of product will work as it should. Increase could, and if allowed no doubt would, be practised the same if we had no money. We mention these things in proof of our contention that it is not the kind of money that is wrong but the way we regulate its use. The injustice in the exchange of products is in the price at which they are bartered, and any corrective measure that does not recognize this fact will be of little avail
"Is It choice whereby the Parse* Kneels before his mother's fire? In his black tent did the Tartar Choose his wandering sireT
“He alone, whoee hand La bounding Hunan power and human will, Looking through each soul’s surrounding Knows its good or ill.
Carry the Body Well From the Pathfinder
THE right rue of the body is essential to the best health. The various organs cannot function properly unless, the body receives constant care and is carried in an upright position. The commandant of the Army War College at Washington, D. C., issued the following instructions to student officers: “Stand up, sit up, stand tall, sit tall* throw the chest out, make the waist flat, stand and walk forward on the feet, and be strong and healthy.” They apply equally well to any person who desires health and good appearance.
When the head is held up, with the chin drawn in, the blood is allowed to flow freely to the brain; as a result the wits are most keen. Breathing is easier, and the blood circulation is at its best, when the body is erect* with the chest held up. A person standing straight has much better color than when the body is drooped and the abdominal organs have a better chance to work.
Both old and young should practise drawing up to their full height Draw in the chin* pull up the chest, draw in the waist, and feel the weight chiefly on the front part of the feet Feel tall and walk along as if you own the town [not proudly]; not as if you are ashamed of yourself and everything. When sitting, keep the same position as when standing. Bend the body at the hips, not at the waist line. When in bed stretch out whether lying on the back* face or side—do not buckle in the middle.
Woodrow Wilson, Deceased
WE HAVE no particular desire to magnify either the virtues or the failings of any man, especially when the man is dead; but the death of. ex-President Wilson has led some our contemporaries to such extremes of laudation over him that we feel like offering a few calm suggestions. Endeavors have been made to place him on a par with Jesus Christ.
Not only have some of the clergy, with mistaken zeal, proposed to make him one with Washington and Lincoln, but one of them went so far as to quote from Hebrews 11:38, the parenthetical statement of St. Paul in his reference to the ancient worthies of Old Testament times, saying, “Of whom the world was not worthy.” One preacher said that the ideals of the former president were so lofty that they could not be comprehended by the many, and the reason given waa “because of their dwelling in lower altitudes.”
The periodical which gives us the material for this editorial, in its laudation of the dead man seems as ambiguous in its praises as Mr. Wilson was in many of his speeches and writings. Perhaps, after all, it is the viewpoint The article starts out by saying that it is “out of the question for people to agree on the stature of a great historic figure like that of Woodrow Wilson. Passionate admirers will magnify and bitter foes will minimize that stature,” etc. And then it adds: .“AU will concede that he takes his place as one of the three greatest American immortals.” How “all will concede” to something that is “out of the question for people to agree on” is surely reasoning on a plane that is beyond us.
“Washington waa great, because he started the republic • Lincoln was great, because he saved the union; Wilson waa great, because he headed the nation during the World War, and gave the world the ideal of universal peace through international unity and unselfishness.”
We quote further, showing what ou^author means by Mr. Wilson’s unselfishness:
"Bryan resigned from the cabinet [because he and Wilson could not agree], and Wilson forced his successor, Lansing, out as well as Secretary of War Garrison, on account of radical differences. Wilson had 'a single track mind,’ as he called it; he wanted his way; he saw his course clearly; and he was convinced that everyone was wrong who did not see things as he did. ... He denounced as 'contemptible quitters' and 'pygmy-minded men’ the senators and others, of both parties, who refused to accept the League of Nations covenant which he had made. . . . When this nation refused to honor the war draft he insisted that the nation, and not he was wrong.”
It would seem from the above that Mr. Wilson was self-willed, so domineering and self-righteous that the opinion of others was not worth a whip-stitch to him. The greatness of Abraham Lincoln was in his condescension to others, his respect for the opinions and advice of his associates ; and often he traveled many miles to consult others of recognized ability.
The greatness of these two men is further shown by another sharp contrast: Lincoln was reverential, he trusted God and worshiped the Almighty, as is shown by his speeches and proclamations; while Wilson in his masterpiece, the League of Nations covenant, leaves the Almighty out of consideration, for the reason that if any one was to get the glory for establishing universal peace it was to come to him!
The Bible shows that there would be an attempt made at this time to bring in world-wide peace, without consulting the Almighty as to the ways and means by which it should be established. The Prophet says: “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed."
How was this done! Evidently in the League -• of Nations pact It was heralded as the “political expression of the kingdom of God on earth” —without consulting God or Jesus Christ
Jesus spoke a parable of himself as a nobleman going into a far country, receiving a kingdom, and. returning; and on his return the attitude of the self-willed, arrogant people is represented in their saying, “We will not have this man to reign over us.” (Luke'19:14) But it is said of the rightful Ruler of earth: “Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel”—Psalm 2:2,9.
The League of Nations was anticipated and warned against in the following: “Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces: and give ear, all ye of far [unrighteous] countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces. Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand.” But the Lord said to His people, those of the holy "or righteous nation, the true Christians: “Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid [of the things they are afraid of, but] sanctify the Lord of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. And he shall be [to you] for a sanctuary; but [to those who desire a confederacy or a league
He will be] for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel.” (Isaiah 8: 9-14) The phrase, “to both the houses of Israel,” means to the nominal Israelites after the flesh at the first advent of Christ, and the nominal Israelites after the spirit (so-called Christians) at the second advent
So infallible was Mr. Wilson that he took his opponents to task, saying, “I have seen fools resist Providence before, and I have seen their destruction, as will come upon these again—utter destruction and contempt” We will now quote the laudation following this statement from the magazine whence our information comes:
“No one could voice such a malediction aa that wnl— he felt that he was an inspired.instrument of the Almighty—and that is what Wilson believed him—Jf to be.”
The deposed Czar of Russia had an “inner” ear; the exiled Kaiser of Germany had an “inner” ear; and here is evidence that the author of the repudiated “fourteen points” had also an “inner” ear. An “inner" .ear means that the source of the inspiration comes not from the God of heaven but from the “god of this world,” whose cause he was serving in trying to reestablish the old order of things upon the rotten foundation of a withering civilization.
A domineering, overriding, self-righteous, self-wise spirit among the children of men does not come from the God of heaven. The days of plenary inspiration departed with the death of the writers of the New Testament, about nineteen hundred years ago.
Mr. Wilson sallied forth to make the world safe for- democracy. Democracy means government by the people. His idea of democracy is alleged to have been: Organize the world into a league of nations; let me be its president; and safety, sanity, and spiritual health shall be yours. That this is apparently true we quote again from those who sing his praises:
“He never for one moment believed he was wrong'-— and in that he was the ideal zealot He really believed that a majority of the American people were with him <in the league issue, as he said; and even after he had appealed to the people and been rebuffed he refused to accept the verdict”
But Mr. Wilson fooled the people with such expressions as:
“It does not make any difference what kind of minority governs yon, if it is a minority; and the thing we must do is to see to it that no minority anywhere masters the majority*
His fine epigrams lulled many thousands to sleep. His “watchful waiting” policy led many to believe he would do the watching. Hia “be neutral in thought and act” meant for everybody else to do nothing and be quiet. His “too proud to fight” was the opiate by which very . many had their senses completely dulled.
These paved the way for the war-lords to turn loose their propaganda in the 1916 election to put over the top a man who hypocritically permitted himself to be placarded upon the billboards of the nation as the savior of the men, women and children of the country, because “he kept us out of war.”
For at the same time that a committee of Wall Street financiers were formulating plans, preparing laws of espionage and secret policing * of the country, devising means by which, the war could be financed in harmony with their word of honor, which had been given to France for them to hold out a little longer and the United States would enter the war on the side of the Allies; and all of this, it is understood, was done with the knowledge and consent of Mr. Wilson.
“Peace on earth, good will to men” is not only a Christian ideal but a prophecy of a fact which will obtain under the rulership of the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ. Mr. Wilson was an idealist; this was his ideal, but with mental reservations. If peace came, he should have the glory; if the world were made safe for democracy, he should have the praise; if a league of nations covenant were made and universally adopted, God and Christ were to be left out of consideration; he himself should sit upon the pedestal of worshipful adoration and be the prince. '
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