Consolation, August 23, 1939
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Contents
A Mighty Catholic in the “Pit” (2) 3
Railroads and Steamships 9
Rocky Mountain States 10
False Patriotism 10
More About Cotton Picking 10
Public Utilities 11
The New Government 12
At Eventide—The Last House 12
Common-sense Teacher 16
Counsel by J. F. Rutherford 17
Peace 17
Russia Ready for War 18
The Press
The Case of Daisy Waller 19
Under the Totalitarian Flag 20
The Catholic International 20
The War Industry 25
“Reverend” Scholl’s Benediction 25
Protestantism 26
South America 27
British Comment 28
Big Business 28
Isolation 28
Hesitating Parsons 29
Blasphemy and Begging 30
Ohio and Kentucky 31
Opulent Martin’s Ferry 31
Cheerful News from Harlan County 31
Published every other Wednesday by
WATCHTOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY, INC.
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Editor Clayton J. Woodworth
Business Manager Nathan H. Knorr
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Appetizers
Wholesale Order
The young man had been looking through a collection of valentine cards. Yet he seemed uncertain as to what he should buy.
“Here’s a lovely sentiment,” said the clerk, helpfully. “To the only girl I ever loved.”
“Splendid,” he cried, “I’ll take six of those, please.”—Labor.
Youngster Talked Too Much
The burglar had made a big haul when a voice behind him said, “Hands up!” He turned to find himself facing the owner of the house, who was holding a revolver. Just as the burglar was about to surrender his loot he heard a thin voice pipe up: “Daddy, what are you doing with my water pistol?”—Tit-Bits.
SOS
Little Bobby came into the house at noon looking distressed.
“Mummy,” he said, “is it true that an apple a day keeps the doctor away?”
“Yes, dear,” replied his mother. “Why?”
“Well, I’ve kept ten doctors away this morning, but I’m afraid one will have to come this afternoon!”—Labor.
Same Big Idea
A German and a Swiss fell into conversation.
The German said: “I’m told that Switzerland has an admiral! How can that be when you haven’t a navy or a coast or an empire?”
The Swiss replied: “Well, you in Germany have a Minister of Justice, haven’t you?”—The Star.
Outwitted!
Page: The chariot awaits without, muhlord.
Muhlord: Without what?
Page: Without the door, muhlord—also without horses, without gas and without a steering wheel.
Muhlord: Gadzooks, thou varlet. Get thee hence! henceforth! Forthwith!! Without!!! Outside!!!!
Next!
What do you do here for a living in summer?
Floridian (to Northerner): We skin alligators in summer and Northerners in the winter, and we have just about finished with the alligators.
CONSOLATION
“And in His name shall the nations hope.”—Matthew 12:21, A. R. V.
Volume XX Brooklyn, N. Y., Wednesday, August 23, 1939 Number 520
A Mighty Catholic in the “Pit” (In Three Parts—Part 2)
In the issue of this magazine next preceding this number were published the facts relative to the wickedness of a high judicial official who was tried and unanimously convicted of selling his high office for money; also a promise to submit an interview from one against whom that high official and other high Catholics conspired. This writer asked Judge Rutherford certain questions, which questions, and his answers thereto, are set out below and speak for themselves.
THE slimy trail of the Hierarchy is as devious as a twisting serpent. They falsely charge men with crimes which were never committed, and then point to such malicious and unfounded charges as evidence against the ones framed. Read in this and in the succeeding issue of Consolation how the agents of Rome railroaded Judge Rutherford and seven other Christians to jail on trumped-up accusations; how they now point to such wicked imprisonment of the righteous which they maneuvered and howl vociferously about their own patriotism. At the same time their presses are UNIVERSALLY AND CONSPICUOUSLY SILENT about the fine patriotic service rendered by the Departments of Investigation and Justice in convicting MARTIN T. MANTON, and thus RIDING THE BENCH OF A CRIMINAL the like of which has not been known in the 150 years of America’s existence! If you know the Hierarchy you know why their presses are silent about this conviction, and you are right! MARTIN T. MANTON is a high official in the ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH organization.
Learn from this series of articles how the Roman Catholic Hierarchy praises to the heights felons like Manton while condemning the innocent who tell the truth. Learn what “patriotism” means in Catholic usage. Can an anti-Catholic be patriotic? Can a criminal be unpatriotic if he is a distinguished Catholic? Keep this issue and the ones preceding and following of Consolation and read this searching exposure of Catholic conspiracy and intrigue in which convict Manton had a prominent part.
INTERVIEW FOR CONSOLATION
QUESTION: May the public have from you a statement of the facts relating to the conspiracy of the Roman Catholic Hierarchy and other religionists to destroy you and the work of Jehovah’s witnesses during the World War?
ANSWER: That would require a lengthy statement, but I will give you a brief review of the salient facts. At the outbreak of the World War, in 1914, I was in Europe, and remained there for about two months on a lecture tour throughout Scandinavia and England. The clergy of England were supporting the war, and from their pulpits the following phrase was often used by a preacher, addressed to the young men of the vicinity: “You must go to war; but marry and breed before you go!”
When I returned to America I found that most of the clergymen were urging the United States to get into the war. Contrary to their course of action, William Jennings Bryan, who was at that time Secretary of State under President Wilson, was making a tour of the country urging the United States to stay out of the war.
of the war. Mr. Bryan resigned as Secretary of State when the United States entered the war.
During the years 1915 and 1916 and subsequently I gave many public addresses throughout the United States and Canada stressing the prophecy uttered by Jesus concerning the end of the world. (Matthew the 24th chapter) I pointed out that the events then coming to pass showed that the end of Satan's uninterrupted rule over the nations of earth came in 1914 and that the war and things accompanying it were strong evidence in fulfillment of the prophecy uttered by Jesus. I cited many scriptures to prove that the world war, as stated by Jesus, was “the beginning of sorrows” upon the nations of earth and that those sorrows would continue until the final end at Armageddon. I stressed the command of the Lord Jesus, that the time had arrived when “this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations”.—Matthew 24:14.
A few clergymen in England, early in 1918, had issued a manifesto calling attention to the fact that the World War and accompanying events were in fulfillment of the prophecy of Jesus above quoted, concerning the end of the world. There were no Catholic clergymen and no other religionists in America obeying the commandment of the Lord by calling attention to this important prophecy.
On the contrary, the clergymen of the United States and of Canada were preaching the same old stuff they had been telling the people for years, and adding thereto that now the nations must go to war, to “make the world safe for democracy”.
I emphasized this fact: that if clergymen believed the Lord Jesus Christ, and did represent Him they should obey His commandment; and obeying it they must be telling the people what the war meant and that this was evidence of the end of Satan's organization and that soon Armageddon would follow; and that they should tell the people that God's kingdom is the only hope of the world and urge them to prepare for the final end.
I further emphasized the fact that if these men could not preach the truth as commanded by the Lord Jesus Christ, then they should cease claiming themselves to be representatives of God and Christ on the earth, and take a position squarely on the other side, so that the people would not be deceived by their conduct and by their words.
My lectures along this line greatly angered the clergymen. In Canada and in the United States the clergymen organized a campaign of abuse against me and against our Society. I challenged them to an open discussion of the matter, that the people might hear the facts. Finally the clergymen of southern California signed a paper agreeing to select a man to represent them in a debate with me. The debate was held in Los Angeles upon four successive evenings. That fanned the fires of hatred of the clergymen against me more than ever.
In 1917 the United States went into war. The clergymen were advocating that the United States go to war. Congress passed the conscription act, or what is better known as the Selective Draft Act, which provided that men who because of religious beliefs could not conscientiously engage in war might be exempted.
I was asked by many young men in the country as to what course they should take in this regard. In every instance my advice was to this effect, given to young men who requested it, to wit: ‘If you cannot conscientiously engage in war, Section 3 of the Selective Draft Act makes provision for you to file application for exemption. You should register and file your application for exemption, setting forth the reason, and the draft board will pass on your application.’ I never did more than to advise them to take advantage of the act of Congress. I always insisted that every citizen should obey the law of the land as long as that law was not in conflict with God's law.
On many of the draft boards a clergyman sat as a member of the board, and the applications of these young men setting forth their claims to believe in God and Christ's kingdom and that they could not conscientiously engage in war greatly angered the clergy, and the fire of hatred continued to increase against our Society.
Then a definite conspiracy came to light; and the purpose of that conspiracy was to devise ways and means to destroy our work of proclaiming the truth of God's Word throughout the land, because the truth exposed the duplicity and hypocrisy of the clergymen and showed that they were not representing God and Christ's kingdom.
In furthering that conspiracy a large number of clergymen held a conference in Philadelphia, Pa., in 1917, and at that conference appointed a committee to visit Washington and insist on a revision of the Selective Draft Act and the Espionage Law. That committee called on the Department of Justice. At that time John Lord O’Brian, of Buffalo, was a member of the Department of Justice at Washington, and at the instance of the clergymen he was selected to prepare an amendment to the Espionage Law and have it introduced in the Senate. The amendment provided that all offenses committed in violation of the Espionage Law should be tried by a military court and the penalty inflicted should be death. That bill did not pass, for reasons hereinafter stated.
General Bell was in command of an army encamped on Long Island, New York. He was a real diplomat, as many will testify who knew the general. He came to visit at my office and spent several hours with me. At that time a number of men connected with the WATCH TOWER BIBLE & TRACT SOCIETY had been called for military service and were then at the camp under the command of General Bell. All of these were conscientious objectors and had asked to be exempted from military service.
On the occasion mentioned General Bell used his most persuasive methods in his effort to induce me to give these young men instructions to take whatever service he might assign them to take, whether across the sea or otherwise. My answer to the general was this, in substance: “Every man must decide for himself what he will do; the responsibility is on him, and him alone; he knows what his conscience dictates to him, and it would be very wrong for me to attempt to induce any young man to violate his conscience; I cannot, therefore, tell these young men what they must do.”
The general stated to me that he needed a letter from me, and insisted that I write a letter to those young men that he could take to them and read, telling them what to do. I declined to do this. Then he said: “Well, can’t you give me some kind of a letter?” Finally I wrote a letter stating, in substance, this to these young men, to wit: “Each one of you must decide for himself whether he wishes to engage in active military service or not. Do what you consider to be your duty and what is right in the sight of Almighty God.”
That letter was not satisfactory to the general, but really piqued him very much. A few days afterwards W. E. Van Amburgh and myself visited General Bell at his camp on Long Island. His aide-de-camp was present in his office; and on that occasion the general, in the presence of his officer, Brother Van Amburgh and myself, repeated to me the fact of the conference of the many clergymen which was held at Philadelphia and which I have just mentioned.
He then told me more about that conference than I had learned before. He told me that the clergymen had selected John Lord O’Brian to present the matter to the Senate; that this resulted in the introduction of a bill to have all cases against the Espionage Law tried before a court martial, a military court, and the punishment death. The bill, when it came to the attention of President Wilson, was stopped, because Wilson would not permit it to be passed.
The general at that time showed considerable heat. Before him on his desk lay a package of papers, and with his index finger he tapped these and, directing his speech to me, with real feeling said: “That bill did not pass, because Wilson prevented it; but we know how to get you, and we are going to do it!” To that statement I replied: “General, you will know where to find me.”
At this time I call attention to the fact that Pastor Russell in his lifetime had written much about Revelation and Ezekiel’s prophecy. After his death, George Fisher and C. J. Woodworth were selected to compile those writings and put them in the form of a book, which was called “The Seventh Volume”. They did this work; I did not write anything whatsoever in that book, and the only thing I had to do with it was that I signed a contract on behalf of the Society to have it published. That book, also called “The Finished Mystery”, was issued on the 17th of July, 1917, and had a very wide circulation in different parts of the country. In February, 1918, that book was banned in Canada, and this action was taken by the Canadian government at the instance of the clergymen, as the press reports at that time showed.
On February 12, 1918, the public press contained the following dispatch from Ottawa, Canada: “The Secretary of State, under the press censorship regulations, has issued warrants forbidding the possession in Canada of a number of publications, amongst which is the book published by the International Bible Students Association, entitled ‘Studies in the Scriptures—The Finished Mystery’, generally known as the posthumous publication of Pastor Russell”.
The very next day after that order forbidding the circulation of The Finished Mystery was issued, the books of account of the WATCH TOWER BIBLE & TRACT SOCIETY, at 17 Hicks St., Brooklyn, were seized by the department of secret service at Washington and carried away for examination. The circumstances show that action was being taken by the Canadian and the United States government at the same time and the clergymen were backing it up, really urging it to be done. The secular press throughout the country called special attention to what had been done in Canada and in America.
Winnipeg papers had previously announced that certain clergymen had denounced these publications from their pulpits and stated that the attention of the Attorney General had been called to the matter. Later, the Winnipeg Tribune, after mentioning the order issued by the public censor, said, “The banned publications are alleged to contain seditious and anti-war statements. Excerpts from one of the recent issues of the ‘Bible Students Monthly’ were denounced from the pulpit a few weeks ago by Rev. Charles G. Patterson, Pastor of St. Stephen’s Church. Afterward Attorney General Johnson sent to Rev. Patterson for a copy of the publication. The censor’s order is believed to be the direct result.”
As further evidence of the nature of this conspiracy, and who the backers of it were, note the following press dispatch of March 5, 1919, which reviewed the case long after and was widely published throughout the nation: “Unduly harsh sentences imposed on a number of persons convicted during the war emergency for violating the espionage act. . . Acted on today, officials of the department of justice said prisoners had been victims of war-time passion or prejudice. . .”
“ASK CLEMENCY FOR EIGHT”
“Thousands of letters have been received by the department of justice, asking executive clemency for J. F. Rutherford, head of the International Bible Students Association, and seven associates now serving sentences in the Atlanta federal prison on charges of disloyalty growing out of publication of the ‘Finished Mystery’, a Bible handbook. These cases were appealed by the convicted men from the federal district court in Brooklyn, and are pending in the appellate court. Officials indicated that no action would be taken in their cases until the appellate court had rendered a decision.”
Before the imprisonment of myself and the others, in a public address at Atlanta, Ga., which is quoted by the Atlanta Constitution of Monday, April 8, 1918, I pointed out the cause of this determined effort to get us out of the way, and said: “Unable to answer the convincing argument that the world has ended and that millions now on earth will never die, and that wonderful blessings will follow to the people after the war, and moved by the spirit of jealousy, the clergy have instituted a systematic persecution of us. We have been charged with circulating ‘Hun propaganda’ and being disloyal to the government of the United States. Such charges are base and foul, without a semblance of truth. . . . We are not against the war. I have never uttered a sentence to the discredit of the government. I have always held that the government has the authority to declare war and to draft its citizens, and I have only gone to the extent of giving legal advice as to the right of Christians or conscientious objectors to claim exemption or classification under Section 3 of the Selective Draft Act.”
Returning now to the seizure of the publications. Some time was spent in examining all the books and papers seized, and nothing detrimental was found. Everything we had done here was open and aboveboard. However, some things were seized upon as an excuse to charge us with wrongdoing. Within a short time thereafter a member of the secret service department known as the Intelligence Bureau, a man named Converse, began a systematic visit to my office. He would call and ask a few questions, then retire, and return the next day and do the same thing. Converse time and again intimated that the government was after me. I was certain that there was a real motive back of these daily visits and that it was to entrap me if possible.
To flee the country when likely to be charged with a crime is always evidence of guilt that may be offered to prove guilt. I am certain that the secret service bureau was endeavoring to frighten me in order to induce me to flee, thus to secure evidence to put before a jury and to secure, if possible, my conviction.
Converse continued to hammer away with this undeniable purpose. On the last occasion of his visit he asked me this question: “The government wants to know where you are going to be the next two weeks.” I replied: “If I were to come into your office and put that question to you, you would tell me to go somewhere, wouldn’t you?” He responded with feeling: “Then you want me to tell the government to go to hell.” I answered: “I did not say that, but if you wish to construe my language that way, why, take it that way.”
Then he put this question to me: “The government wants to know what is your itinerary for the next two weeks.” I replied: “My itinerary is published in The Watch Tower.” He requested a copy, and I said: “No, I can’t give you a copy; you can have one for five cents if you go down to 17 Hicks St. and buy it.”
Further addressing Mr. Converse, I added: “Converse, I am getting tired of your visits here. There is no reason for you to come. I have answered all your questions. Now you leave this office, and don’t you ever show your face in here again unless you come with a warrant for my arrest. And if you do come without that I’ll throw you out on your face. Get out.” He left.
A few days thereafter, agreeable to my itinerary, I was in Washington, D.C., to deliver a lecture on the subject, “The World Has Ended.” So far as our office had been informed, no one knew at what hotel I was going to stop. I went to the Raleigh hotel. Evidently I was being shadowed, because I had not been in my room five minutes when my telephone rang and a gentleman announced that he wished to see me. On inquiry as to who he was he said: “I am Judge Harris of Oklahoma.” I said: “All right, come up, Judge.”
He came to my room, and after a brief conversation he gave me some information which apparently he had from some other source. I had never seen him before, and knew of no reason why he should have any interest in me.
He said to me this: “You are going to be arrested in a few days, and I just want to give you a tip.” I construed that as another effort to frighten me and get me to flee. I went to the opera house and delivered the speech that I had been advertised to deliver and took the next train for New York.
In a few days thereafter the United States marshal appeared at my office with a warrant for my arrest and also that of seven or eight others named in the warrant as to be arrested, charged with a violation of the Espionage Law. The indictment was based chiefly upon a publication of one paragraph of The Finished Mystery, not one letter of which I ever wrote or had anything to do with. That paragraph is, to wit: “Nowhere in the New Testament is Patriotism (a narrow-minded hatred of other peoples) encouraged. Everywhere and always murder in its every form is forbidden; and yet, under the guise of Patriotism the civil governments of earth demand of peace-loving men the sacrifice of themselves and their loved ones and the butchery of their fellows, and hail it as a duty demanded by the laws of heaven.”
We appeared in court, entered our plea of “not guilty,” and our counsel filed a motion in the case covering some legal points. The attorneys of the case went into chambers with Judge Howe, who had been selected to try the case, and on that occasion Howe briefly announced: “I propose to give these men all that is coming to them.”
The United States assistant district attorney Butler, a dyed-in-the-wool Catholic, was assigned to prosecute us. Assisting him was Judge Oeland, hired as special counsel, and no doubt hired by the conspirators, even though the government paid the bill. The trial began, and lasted over a period of days, and during that time I frequently saw in company with Judge Oeland and the assistant district attorney Catholic priests conferring with them and advising them what to do. How they knew about what should be done was strange to me; for they were not acquainted with any of us. That is to say, it might seem strange; but I knew the purpose was to carry out their conspiracy to destroy us if possible.
Our trial progressed and diverse and numerous prejudicial errors were committed. I recall one thing in particular. A note written by Jack London concerning war had been published some time before the United States got into war, and with that publication I had not the slightest bit to do; yet that was admitted in evidence as my sentiments and the sentiments of my fellow defendants. Time and again the trial judge showed his heat and conviction of our “guilt”, and thus influenced the jury; and this is further shown by the final instructions of the court.
The case was tried during great excitement; the German army was advancing on Paris, and the papers carried full accounts thereof; bands were in the streets, marching about the courthouse where we were being tried; and great crowds were in the streets. Under this setting and in the excitement it was easy to prejudice the people in general against us. Notwithstanding all this, however, the jury hesitated a long while before rendering a verdict. Finally Judge Howe sent word in to them that they must bring in a verdict of “Guilty”, as one of the jurors afterwards stated to us. They did bring in a verdict of “Guilty”, and a sentence of 80 years was imposed upon us. We were denied bail, and immediately put in prison.
We were incarcerated in the Raymond Street jail, Brooklyn, where we remained for seven days, and then removed to Long Island City, where we were kept in jail until we were taken to the Federal Penitentiary.
In the meantime our attorneys made application before the United States Court of Appeals for bail. Martin T. Manton, the chief justice, assigned the hearing of this bail application to himself, although the application had been made to Judge Ward. Upon hearing the application Manton denied bail without assigning any reason whatsoever.
When we reached the Atlanta penitentiary it was quite evident that the officers had been advised as to what kind of men we were, because they seemed to know all about us. We were warned that we were not to do any preaching while in the prison. A short time after this, however, a Sunday school was organized at the instance of the deputy warden, and each one of the prisoners was free to attend or not, as he liked.
Our little party of eight attended and started a class of our own, and within a short time almost all the Sunday school attendants joined our class, to the number of about one hundred in all, and they heard the truth while we were in the prison.
Referring now to our conviction: You will note the press reports that the clergy felicitated one another and patted one another on the back, and said to one another, after the verdict of “guilty” was brought in and the sentence imposed: “Now we are through with that pestiferous crowd of Russellites.” They soon had to change their tune. After the case had been heard on appeal, and reversed, I went to every city in the United States of any consequence and put an advertisement in the leading papers covering an entire page to this effect: “SENTENCED TO 80 YEARS IN PRISON AT THE INSTANCE OF THE CLERGY. COME AND HEAR THE REASON WHY.” And my lectures over a period of two years thereafter burned them up; and their anger has increased ever since.
Manton, acting with the other Catholic conspirators, did his best to keep us in prison, as the court record will show.
There are many other interesting points that I might call attention to, but these are the principal ones, and you can get other facts from the court record and other parties.
Note the following from the files of the Clerk of Court dated July 12, 1918:
UNITED STATES CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS
Second Circuit
Joseph F. Rutherford, et al. [and others]
v.
United States,
Defendant in Error
A motion having been made before the undersigned as a judge of this court for an order admitting the defendants to bail pending the writ of error herein;
Upon consideration thereof it is
ORDERED that said motion be and hereby is denied.
[signed] MANTON, C. J.
Thereafter application was made by attorneys for defendants to the United States Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis. Upon his order another application was made to the Circuit Court of Appeals of New York. After nine months from the time of incarceration in prison the defendants were admitted to bail, ten thousand dollars each. This order was made March 21, 1919. On March 29, 1919, the defendants were released from prison. A short time thereafter the case was heard on appeal, and the judgment was reversed, defendants discharged, and in due time the case was dismissed entirely by the United States District Attorney upon order of the Attorney General, and all the defendants were therefore automatically fully restored to citizenship and were never at any time convicts within the meaning of the law.
Although the Court Records show these facts, the Catholic press for more than twenty years has maliciously, deliberately, dubbed Judge Rutherford as an ex-convict, knowing at the time that they are lying. At the same time they have carried on a campaign of vilification against him and have failed to answer anything charged against them with reference to their religious racket. Contrast that with the fact that the highest man on the United States Court of Appeals is convicted of a most malicious and wicked crime and the same Catholic press is ABSOLUTELY SILENT about it even to this day.
In view of this malicious effort on the part of the clergy to convict and incarcerate in prison and destroy men of entire innocence, and because those men were preaching the gospel of God’s kingdom, the truth, which exposes the duplicity of the clergymen, the readers will be keenly interested in the appeal of this case, the hearing of it, and the opinion rendered by the Court, and particularly in the fact that a majority of the judges found that the defendants were not guilty as convicted and Manton still insisted that they should be kept in prison. This will appear in the next issue.—Elton Groves.
Railroads and Steamships
Want a Job on the Railroad?
◆ There was a time when any young man could get a job on a railroad and confidently look forward to promotion. That time is past. Today the railroads are employing fewer men than they did twenty years ago, and soon they will be employing fewer still. Moreover, the fast trains have been speeded up until there are fewer Pullman jobs. Buses and airplanes have cut the heart out of the railroad business.
Acoustics Save the Normandie
◆ The claim is made that an expert on acoustics saved the $50,000,000 steamer Normandie from the junk heap. The vessel vibrated so that it made the passengers sick and the boat became unpopular. The expert, S. K. Wolf, made five trips across, testing every part of the ship, and finally found that by increasing the blades from four to five in the ship’s propellers 80 percent of the vibration was stopped.
Ten Fruitless Trips Around the World
◆ In the autumn of 1938 the Finnish owner of ten sailing vessels sent them all the way to Australia to get cargoes of wheat for the European market, only to find the market so shrunk that it was expected the vessels would either have to return to Europe empty or lie over for a full year to obtain a cargo.
Queen Mary Is Queen Indeed
◆ The Queen Mary is queen indeed of the Atlantic, having covered the 2,938 miles from Ambrose to Bishops Light in 3 days 20 hours 42 minutes, and now holding the record in both directions. Westward record, 66 minutes longer.
Close Spacing of Fast Trains
◆ A television device now makes possible the close spacing of swift trains. The transmitter broadcasts an electrical wave down one rail of the track. If there is a train ahead, the wave travels up one of its wheels on the same rail of the track, then through the axle, and finally returns through the other rail to the transmitting train where a pencil beam of electrons moving across a scale makes visible figures corresponding to the distance and speed of the train ahead.
Steam-Electric Locomotive
◆ Two years were spent by the General Electric Company and the Union Pacific Railroad Company in designing and building a steam-electric engine which will be expected to haul a 12-car Pullman train between Chicago and the Pacific Coast without asking for a pusher anywhere. The grades are up to 2.2 percent, and the temperatures vary from 40 degrees below zero to 115 degrees above, on the U.P. lines.
Fast Time in the West
◆ The Santa Fe makes the 789.3 miles between Chicago and Dodge City, Kansas, in 725 minutes, which figures out at 65.3 miles per hour. The Union Pacific makes the 893 miles from Chicago to Sidney, Nebraska, in 745 minutes, or 71.92 miles per hour.
Fins of the New Mauretania
◆ The new Mauretania, built for comfort and economy, not for speed, carries two long anti-rolling fins stretching almost from bow to stern.
Rocky Mountain States
False Patriotism
Arizona wishes to teach its children to be patriotic. Therefore allegedly patriotic groups in the state arrange for the passage of a law which denies any education to any child who refuses to salute the American flag. Recently four Arizona children whose parents belong to a religious sect which bans such salutes were expelled from an Arizona school on the basis of this law.
We submit that this is not patriotic and is certainly not education for patriotism.
No evidence has appeared that these children are not patriotic. There is, however, ample evidence that these children and all Arizona children are being carefully trained in a false idea of what constitutes patriotism. It would appear that Arizona children are being taught that forms and gestures constitute patriotism.
It appears that these children who have been thrown out of school have been told in actions which speak far louder than words that patriotism is a vicious, coercive and anti-religious doctrine which denies them their democratic rights to individual freedom.
It is not by making people outcasts that we can create patriots. If this country is not big enough and strong enough and fine enough to inspire that love which comes from the heart, if the only patriotism on which this nation can depend is the lip service which is forced from unwilling citizens by fear of punishment, then there is no patriotism and can be no patriotism in America. Let us root out the idea that the country should adopt the practice of tyrants and dictators who demand the form at the point of a bayonet and who forget the substance which we in America have always cherished and should continue to cherish.—The Arizona Daily Star.
Denver Has Plenty of Water
◆ After a fifty-year fight Denver at last has plenty of water. The needed additional supply is brought through the Rocky Mountains 6.3 miles in a tunnel under James Peak, and thence down South Boulder Canyon. The project cost approximately $11,000,000. The Government assisted. The use of public funds for such things is proper and beneficial all round.
More About Cotton Picking
◆ I have been in the cotton belt the most of my life (am now past 70) and have seen the time I could pick 500 pounds per day. It is a very poor picker that cannot get as much as 150 pounds, and there are many that can pick 400 pounds to 600 pounds per day. The price for picking here this year has been 75c per 100 pounds; so you see the wages are not so bad.
Sometimes the hands swell for the first three or four days and then quit. If the fingers crack we protect them with adhesive tape and they soon get well. As to the back, of course it aches. So do one’s legs, when not used to it; the same with any other part of the body at first.
You have this advantage in picking cotton which you do not have at some other jobs: you can get on your knees and rest your back and pick just as much and sometimes more that way. Men, women and children all pick during the season and make good money doing so.
—A. H. Austin, Arizona.
Lake Mead
◆ Lake Mead, created by Boulder Dam, is the greatest man-made lake on earth. It contains sufficient water to provide 5,000 gallons for every man, woman and child on the globe. It would cover the whole state of New York to the depth of a foot. The dam itself is 660 feet thick at the base, and 45 feet thick at the top. It is in a gorge so narrow that its crest is only 1,282 feet long. It is the largest structure on earth. When you visit the dam you are first taken down 44 stories in an elevator. Then you walk through the dam itself and come out at the top of the powerhouses, which are themselves 20 stories high. The dam itself is 727 feet high. It was completed in eleven days less than five years.
Mr. Hayes and the D.A.R.
◆ Frank J. Hayes, lieutenant governor of Colorado, described the Daughters of the American Revolution as “old battle-axes, barnacles and scarecrows”, “spoiled daughters of fortune” who had forgotten that they were just four generations removed from poor, hardworking farmers, small tradesmen and workers; and then the D.A.R. got good and mad at him. You bad Frank Hayes.
Public Utilities
City of Holland, Michigan
Public Ownership of Public Utilities mentions that Holland, Michigan, has water and electric public utilities worth $2,087,713, all paid for and free of debt, contributes to the city an average of $70,709 per year, sets aside $61,525 a year for depreciation, contributed $183,970 towards the construction of the Holland Hospital, and reduced rates for domestic or residential lighting from 8½ cents per kilowatt-hour to 4½ cents. In twenty years in the electric plant the amount of coal necessary to produce a kilowatt-hour of electricity was reduced from 6.51 pounds to 1.94 pounds, and the people of Holland, not some group of New York bankers, received the benefit of the economies effected.
Electricity in Tacoma
◆ Tacoma, Washington, is proud of the fact that in that fair city an electric light can be burned for nearly seventeen hours at a cost of one cent; an electric clock can run for a month at a cost of 1½ cents; a radio will entertain the average family for about 8 cents a month. An electric iron will use up 4 cents’ worth of electricity. The home refrigerator will run a month for 20 to 40 cents. An electric dishwasher will cost only 3 cents a month. The Tacoma Sunday Ledger wants easterners to read these facts and perspire. They do.
The World’s Greatest Transmission Line
◆ The world’s greatest electric light and power transmission line stretches from Boulder Dam to Los Angeles, 266 miles. This high line, carrying 287,500 volts, is draped over a series of 2,700 steel towers, each one of which is visited by a watchman every day in the year. Thirty-four patrolmen are needed to make the inspections; their trips are made by automobile, along a road specially built for the purpose.
Public Power in Tennessee
◆ The first state in the United States to have public ownership of power is Tennessee. This should make it speedily one of the busiest, most prosperous parts of the country; for it is hard to exaggerate the importance of cheap power, and there is no reason why it should not be cheap everywhere.
The Patriotic A. T. & T.
◆ Labor says that the patriotic American Telephone and Telegraph Company maintains an anti-union policy, fighting all progressive legislation, state or national; put 200,000 workers on the street during the depression, but kept on paying its president $200,000 a year, with many other huge salaries; at the same time paid 9 percent dividends and piled up a reserve fund of $800,000,000; protects underworld racketeers in the dissemination of racing and gambling information; has exorbitant rates and a lobby and propaganda organization reaching out through banks, newspapers, corporations, schools, colleges and chambers of commerce. And all of this was admitted on the witness stand by A. T. & T. men themselves.
Phone Reconstruction in New England
◆ Almost before the hurricane had passed, experienced long-distance operators had left by airplane from Buffalo, Cleveland, Philadelphia and Washington for Boston, Hartford and Providence. About the same time 596 fully equipped trucks, with their complements of four linemen apiece, were loaded on flat cars and rushed into New England from all states east of the Rocky mountains. At Chicopee Falls the main cable across the stream was broken. A new one was shot across by the Coast Guardsmen.
1c per Kilowatt-Hour in Ottawa
◆ The average rate paid for electric current in Ottawa, the capital of Canada, is less than 1c per kilowatt-hour, and the cheapest in the world. Despite this low rate, the city’s hydro-electric commission made a profit of $11,396 in the year 1938, and turned it over to the city to help pay the general running expenses of the municipality. What rate do you pay in your city? 5c? 10c?
No December Lighting Bills
◆ There were no December lighting bills sent out by the municipally owned electric lighting plants at Martin’s Ferry, Ohio; Bloomfield, Iowa; Vinton, Iowa; Denison, Iowa; Cedar Falls, Iowa; Taunton, Illinois; Metropolis, Illinois; Tecumseh, Nebraska; Sandusky, Ohio; Painesville, Ohio; and Pitcairn, Pennsylvania.
RIGHTEOUS RULER
THE NEW GOVERNMENT
Nine Witnesses in One Family
◆ On this page see Fred Bleich and family and the Kingdom School at Lutz, Fla. Of the twelve children of the family (ranging in age from 2 to 20 years) the five youngest are the only ones not in Kingdom service. See the eight phonographs. The nine who are publishers average better than 38 hours each, monthly.
At Eventide — The Last House
◆ There are many experiences in the daily life of a publisher of Jehovah’s kingdom. Going about from house to house, a true follower of Christ Jesus meets with anger and smiles, hatred and love, interest and indifference, but when the day is over he will find that day spent in the service of the Most High replete with joy, the kind of joy only the Lord’s own can and do have. One such experience was my privilege to have, one that brought tears to my eyes, and I am sure that all who love Jehovah will likewise share with me in praising the name of the One who knows how to make His own happy.
After working my territory for fully five hours on a hot and sultry day with no response but opposition and indifference, I finally approached the last house in the block, preparatory to moving on to another “milder” zone. A young girl answered the bell and, after reading the testimony card, firmly refused to call her mother to the door. After a minute of friendly coaxing which got us nowhere, her mother, noting her delay at the door, presented herself and demanded an explanation of my mission there. Immediately I presented the phonograph, offering to play a disc in explanation. The offer was accepted and I was invited in.
Nine witnesses in one family
After playing the two discs “Jehovah” and “Riches”, I presented the literature, but seemingly did not stir up enough interest in her, so I left a booklet free and prepared to depart. At this point the lady said to me: “I have a sick father here in the house who is bedridden at this time. He is more interested than I in these matters. Being that he has been so despondent today, would you be so kind as to play a disc for him in his presence?” I replied that it would be a real pleasure to do so. I accompanied her to her father’s bedroom, which was purposely dimly lighted. After the preliminaries, salutations, etc., I received a half-hearted consent to play one disc. I selected “Jehovah”, playing that through without any comment from the old gentleman, and quickly putting on the disc “Riches” and continuing. Everything went on quietly until the part was reached announcing the book Riches. As if shocked by an electric current, the old man sat upright in bed and barely whispered: “Is it true? Can it be true? Riches! Has Jehovah answered me?” Settling back on his pillow he searched me with eager eyes until the disc was finished. Immediately it was over he began to question me with a quivering voice. “Tell me, who are you? Did Jehovah send you? He must have, as only today, yes, this morning, I prayed that He might send me that book. Have you it with you? Tell me, man. Speak!” Something choking-like was in my throat, and tears welling rapidly in my eyes. I managed somehow to speak, asking him to explain as to his knowledge of the existence of the book Riches. His reply was that fully a year had passed since he was presented with a radio folder describing the book. That was in Paraná, a state adjacent to São Paulo. He was unable at the time to contribute for a copy, and later lost the folder, and consequently the branch office address. From that time on he was constantly on the lookout for one of Jehovah’s witnesses and praying to Jehovah daily that he might procure a copy. That very morning he had stated to his daughter: “If only I had that book Riches, I would be satisfied.” Well, he has it. He’s happy, I’m happy, and all who love Jehovah, His King and His Kingdom that read this will be happy, too.—A. P. Andrade, Brazil.
Carencro, La., priest and officials greet and jail Jehovah’s Kingdom publishers.
Carencro priest orders police to shut off light and air, true Inquisition style, as shown, but habeas corpus proceedings make his jackass collar set him off perfectly.
Carencro religionists do it again, and the decent people of town try to find out why.
The Jackass of Carencro
Most readers of Consolation are also readers of The Watchtower; quite probably, and such will have seen the story “Phonograph Plays in Youngsville (La.) Court” which appears on the last page of the issue of August 15, 1939. That story concludes as follows:
In just one little town, Carencro, we were put in jail three times. They took everything away from us, even our Bible. And then the priest had all our windows boarded up so that we could not witness to the people through the bars.
America still has laws, lawyers and judges, and so it took but a little while for Attorney Herman L. Midlo to get the prisoners out on a writ of habeas corpus, and to exhibit the priest to his community as the perfect jackass which his collar proclaims him to be. In some other places the jackass fraternity is awakening, or at least stirring slightly in its sleep. Thus, in its issue of June 25, 1939, Our Sunday Visitor, organ of the Roman Catholic bishop, J. Noll, admitted on its front page the self-evident truth that—
Rutherford should be refuted. We’d be much wiser to devote our time to answering the arguments. Deprive your enemies of free speech, and your enemies will some day deprive you of your rights. Certainly Rutherford is making capital of Catholic attempts to have him silenced. Fortunately we seem to have given up our misguided efforts along those lines, but there is still a bitter aftertaste from the previous mistakes. We can prove our claims as supporters of liberty only by helping protect the liberty even of those with whom we disagree.
Bishop Noll should bestow his labors on the priestly jackass of Carencro, and do it right away, before the story gets out of how he fell down on his Inquisition job. But maybe the bishop is depressed by the fact that the word Carencro means a place where buzzards assemble, and he may sometime have seen and smelled buzzards feeding on the body of a dead jackass. A sniff of the original Carencro diet is very thought-provoking.
The Birth of a Company
◆ Three months ago our group of five publishers arrived in Douglas, Arizona, to bring the Kingdom message to the people of this town of 10,000 population. There was no good-will interest on the file, and no company organization. We parked our trailers at the edge of town and began witnessing. We wrote down the street and number of houses where no one was at home, and later called again to insure a thorough witness. Witnessing first in the residence district, we were soon spending our evenings making back-calls on people of good will. New subscriptions were obtained, and we found people who were hungry for the truth. Next the business district received the witness, literature was placed, and new subscriptions obtained here. The virgin territory was all gone, all having been visited at least once.
At this point opposition showed up. “I cannot take any of those books,” replied one woman, “because I have taken an oath giving my word of honor—and I never break my word—that I would not read any of those books. Our priest asked us to take this oath and I have done so. I wish you good luck, though.”
M. F. McCue, secretary of the Chamber of Commerce (guess his church), sent statements to the Douglas Daily Dispatch and a number of “news” items were printed. (Clippings enclosed) Branded as “Public Nuisance No. 1 in this city” we were falsely accused of being “specially obnoxious, almost forcing their way into the homes and remaining for hours”. Other false statements were made and we were charged with being “pests” and “religious fanatics”. As a sample of how “true” these “news” items were, note this: It was not until we were through witnessing in the town that the items were published, and it was stated that then “the secretary of the Chamber of Commerce is receiving dozens of phone calls daily”. Copper cards were then printed, and issued to householders, warning peddlers not to knock unless they had a permit in writing from the Chamber of Commerce.
One man, a Baptist, heard the speeches “Warning” and “Face the Facts” in his home, was well pleased with them, and said, “What have you done to get this before the public? It is truth! Next time you come back I will have all my friends from the Baptist church here, the preacher, and the elders, and the deacons.” When we came back, his friends were not there; and he was a different man. Confronted with choosing between the truth and his friends, this man chose his “friends”. “Protestant” clergy chimed in with the opposition and became opposers. “When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers. Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit.” (Psalm 50:18,19) As a result, some of the common people were led to believe that Jehovah’s witnesses were undesirable and had left town—destination unknown. Some said, “I hear that they have been kicked out of town.” Apparently the opposition had succeeded in driving out Jehovah’s witnesses, and the opponents were jubilant. Perhaps it added to their joys to know that Arizona has a swastika sign on all state highway markers, and this year is celebrating the 400th anniversary of the arrival of Fray Marcos de Niza, a Catholic priest who it is claimed was the first white man to tread Arizona’s soil; who in 1539 came to Arizona, “for the glory of God and the King of Spain.”
Twelve listeners to the Kingdom message in Dixie
However much to the dislike of opponents, the story does not end here. A key meeting was held under the direction of the zone servant. Counter-activities were planned. Some of the people of good will of the town who did not approve such highhanded actions wrote letters to the local paper, and they were published. “Fascism or Freedom” was the subject of a public meeting held in the Odd Fellows hall in Douglas. On Saturday evening the day before the meeting an information march was held.
Peddler Nuisance Is Not Abated; Problem Studied
M. F. McCue, secretary of the chamber of commerce, reports the need for drastic action of some sort to halt the aggravation of peddlers disturbing the tranquility of both the residence district and the business district. He states he is receiving dozens of phone calls daily after the residents complain about the peddlers who come to their doors.
The chamber is having copper cards printed to be distributed to the housewives peddling peddlers not to know unless they have been approved by the chamber of commerce. Douglas has an old ordinance aimed at peddling, but evidence is that it provides a peddler must secure a license from the police if he sells and delivers merchandise. The chances are that the peddlers for merchandise do not, and that the peddlers’ license fee which is high enough to discourage the average peddler.
A new chaperoning of this nuisance has been the cause of public complaint, recently. Both times residents of the and fruit business houses have made complaints, the representatives of what is described as a “new religion” have been calling and have been especially obnoxious, almost forcing their way into homes and demanding for hours.
Chief of Police Percy Bowden is making every effort to co-operate with the chamber of commerce and is polite but says resident has “full backing of the law in refusing to permit anyone to enter his home. The warning cards will be distributed very shortly after which, it is indicated by additional measures that may be necessary will be undertaken.”
Douglas, Ariz., Dispatch, Jan. 5, 1939.
Sanitarian Acts To Remove Group After Complaint
Secretary M. F. McCue of the chamber of commerce was jubilant yesterday over the success of the latest effort the drive to rid the city of house-to-house canvassers, branded by public nuisance No. 1 in this city.
Last week McCue conferred with City Sanitarian T. K. Ryan about the possible health menace of one group, said to be religious fanatics, who have been complained against by dozens of residents. This group has been inviting house-to-house, the residence district and business district. At least one of their number was suffering from active tuberculosis.
The city sanitarian made an investigation with the result the party has departed for an unknown destination. McCue said yesterday he would carry forward the drive for some permanent end thorough of the peddlers and solicitors until something definite has been accomplished to abate the nuisance further.
Douglas, Ariz., Dispatch, Jan. 7, 1939.
Peddler Nuisance Grows Serious As Action Demanded
M. F. McCue of the chamber of commerce calls attention some drastic steps must be taken to rid Douglas of a nuisance created by peddlers and religious fanatics who are driving residents almost frantic by calling at their homes and insistently demanding their hearing.
McCue said the volume of calls to complain to the chamber of commerce has been so rapidly increasing in the last few days that he was forced to appeal not only to Chief of Police Percy Bowden, but to City Sanitarian Theodore Ryan on and the chamber secretary said he had information at least one group of “fanatics” which very persistently be termed health menace due to their having conditions and the physical condition of some of the group. He laid this section of the case before Sanitarian Ryan in the hope he could act.
There are a good many legal avenues the situation. A peddler must have a license from the city. If he sells and delivers at the same time. Chief of Police Bowden asks the co-operation of the residents and warns all some of these who have been harassed by the peddlers will likely switch from one of them, and then appear and testify against the seller. The particular nuisance can be eliminated quickly. Reporting to the police suits objects of same of the small bills. The officers take the offenders into custody. Whatever and control of religion and they can do anything the police will do. However, that the accusation against these is scarcity in one home and the trial of the accused to be held hours to answer the door to the peddler. Prosecution for trespass might be a result in all cases where the door-to-door canvassers are obstinate and rude as they have been declared to be. In a number of the complaints coming to the chamber of commerce,
Douglas, Ariz., Dispatch, Jan. 10, 1939.
Warning Notices To Halt Nuisance Are Being Issued
Copper colored notices to be tacked on entrances both to residences and business establishments to warn away, the peddlers and magazine subscription solicitors, were being distributed to local calls for their use at the chamber of commerce yesterday. The signs were devised in an effort to reduce the public nuisance of traveling salesmen of every variety. Complaints against these door-to-door peddlers have grown extremely bitter in recent weeks.
The wording on the signs is: “All requests for donations, advertising, subscriptions, orders for merchandise, etc., must be rejected; and approved in writing by the Douglas Chamber of Commerce and alone before any consideration will be given. Please save your time and ours by cooperating.”
The thought behind this little card is that if the householder or the housewife will tack it up on the door the peddler can have no legitimate excuse for attempting to enter unless he has a letter from the Douglas Chamber of Commerce approving his proposition. Such letters, according to the present statement of the chamber and the community will be as scarce as hen’s teeth.
Douglas, Ariz., Dispatch, Jan. 13, 1939
Letters To The Editor
General Delivery,
Douglas, Ariz.,
Jan. 18, 1939.
The Douglas Daily Dispatch,
Douglas, Ariz.
Dear Editor:
In your issue of January 6, and 9, you published a rather scorching report on a group camped at the 15th street and H. A. (Mexican) crossing, or as some of the other have said “tuberculos.” The reason, why, these folks are there is for house. The above statements are untrue. They convey a false impression to the people of Douglas. So in the interests of truth you will kindly publish this letter.
I am a retired businessman and for the last few years have spent all my time and much of my money in preaching the gospel of God’s kingdom as commanded by the Lord Jesus dearly. Jeremiah 22:10, and I came here to spend a vacation and to tell the good people here about God’s kingdom.
I regret the statement that I forced my way into any home because a real Christian would not do so. That statement is quite untrue. Jesus says in Matt. 24:14, “This gospel of the kingdom must be preached in all the world as a witness unto all the nations, and then shall the end come.” In Isaiah 61:1 and 2, it is commanded, “Preach good tidings unto the meek.” In Romans 10:12-15, Paul says “How shall they call upon God.” The apostle Paul said: “from house to house.” As is stated in Acts 20:20.
I have not got tuberculosis and neither has any of our group. I wonder where you got authority to say we had. I think the chamber have. This is untrue. We have been in the Douglas territory a long period in this vicinity, and I expect to come back many times if I can. The complaint which Jehovah’s witnesses are bringing to the people is not the production of any man, but is in accordance with the Almighty God as stated in His word, the Bible. The necessity of the Kingdom of Jehovah. It directs to make this town look like a London fog would do well to start now that he has not disrupted. Read Matthew 24 and see what God has stated in Christ. 24:15. “The battle is God’s.”
Yours truly,
OTTO KJORKLEIN
Douglas, Ariz.,
Jan. 1, 1939.
To The Editor of The Douglas Dispatch:
Dear Sir:
For five years residing the area in The Douglas public school, people of religious cult that are observing the people.
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