Awake!, September 8, 1963
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Appreciating God’s Mercy
Can You Read It in the Newspaper?
Controlling the Mighty Mississippi
Most Accidents Don’t Have to Happen!
SEPTEMBER 8. 1963
THE MISSION OF THIS JOURNAL
New* source! that ore able to keep you awoke to the vital litues timet must be unfettered by censor! hip and selfish interests. "AwakeI" has no fetters. It recognizes facts, faces facts, is free ra publish facts, tt lx naf bound by political ambitions or obligations; it Is unhampered by advertisers whose toes must not be trodden on; it is unprejudiced by traditional creeds. This journal keeps itself free that if may speak freely Io you. But it does not abuse its freedom. It maintains integrity to truth.
“Awoke!'1 uses the regular news channel!, but Is not dependent on them. Its awn correspondents are on all continents, in scores of notions. From the four corners of the earth their uncensored, on-the-scenes reports come to you through these columns. This foumart viewpoint is not narrow, but is international. It is read in many notions, in many languages, by persons of all ages. Through its popes many fields of knowledge pass in review—government, commerce, religion, history, geography, science, social conditions, natural wonders—why, its coverage is as broad as the earth and as high as the heavens.
“Awake!'1 pledges itself to ngnteous principles, to exposing hidden foes □ nd subtle dangers, to championing freedom tor at|, to comforting mourners and strengthening those disheartened by the failures of a delinquent world, reflecting sure hope for the establishment of a righteous New World.
Get acquainted with “Awakef’ Keep awake by reading "Awake/"
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CONTENTS
Do You Listen ro CounseJ? 3
Appreciating God’s Mercy
Can You Head It in the Newspaper? 9
Controlling the Mighty Mississippi
Desires Increased?
Most Accidents Don’t "Have to Happen! 16
Effective Use of A wake I Articles
They Have Wings but Cannot Fly 21 I
’The Problem of Unification
in Central America
Those Dangerous Cigarettes
“Your Word Is Truth” Works That Justify and Works That Do Not
Watching the World
Volume XLIV London, England, September 8, 1953 Number 17
Do You l/STE/V to Counsel?
AN AUTOMOBILE was passing another car on a curve. A truck carrying twenty-seven tons of steel was coming from the other direction and straight toward it. A family of five was wiped out in the crash, because the counsel “No Passing—Curves Ahead" was ignored. In 1963 over 30,000 lives were taken by automobile accidents caused by those who violated the traffic laws, including speeding and driving under the influence of alcohol. This, |n spite of the fact that the government spends millions of dollars each year to counsel the citizens to respect the laws and save lives. The proverb says: “The way of the foolish one is right in his own eyes, but the one listening to counsel is wise.”—Prov. 12:15.
Do you listen to counsel? In recent years much information has been published linking lung cancer, heart ailments and other diseases that shorten the life of man, with the use of tobacco, yet the majority do not listen, and the death rate from these maladies continues to climb. The youth of the nation at home, in school and at church are constantly counseled against immorality and other crimes against society; yet, do they listen? Many do not, and much sorrow follows for all concerned.
How can you listen to counsel? Listening involves thinking while we hear or read something. A highway sign saying, “Slow Down—Dangerous Curve Ahead— No Passing,” should convey to your mind the thought of what might happen if you ignore the warning. Yes, the “way of the foolish one is right in his own eyes,” but does it save lives? When there are warning signs on machinery, household appliances, chemicals or medicines, the wise one will heed them. While one is generally not held accountable for accident damage or injury, the aftermath of accidentally injuring oneself or another or taking a life due to ignoring wise counsel can be grievous. Why not make an examination of your own habits? Do you listen to counsel?
Do you as a parent listen to counsel? When your child is disobedient, do you do what is right in your own eyes, not correcting the child, letting him get by with it or thinking that you “love" the child too much to punish him? “The one holding back his rod is hating his son, but the one loving him is he that does look for him with discipline.” (Prov. 13:24) Many parents ignore the whereabouts of their children, letting the child arrange his own itinerary, with no set work schedule or deciding by the parents as to where the child should be or what he should be doing. A Boston Municipal Court judge linked juvenile delinquency with this, saying: “Parents overindulge children and allow them to do as they please.’’ The Bible states it this way: “The rod and reproof are what give wisdom; but a boy let on the loose will be causing his mother shame.” (Prov. 29:15) Do you heed this counsel?
Counsel comes to us from numerous sources: Parents, teachers, job supervisors, friends and family, ministerial overseers and, above all, God’s written Word, the Bible. Our attitude toward listening to and profitably using such counsel has much to do with our personality. Some object or even rebel against counsel, not because of the counsel itself, but because they do not wish to be in the position of one that needs counsel. They think that it puts them in a position of inferiority or that they are being restrained. But, really, when you accept counsel you prove yourself wise. The Christian apostle Paul reminds us that “no discipline seems for the present to be joyous, but grievous- yet afterward to those who have been trained by it it yields peaceable fruit, namely, righteousness." (Heb. 12:11) So in all things the truly humble person will welcome advice and counsel, yes, even discipline.
But what if the counsel is severe? Would you throw your tools down and quit when counseled in a manner that you might think too severe? Sometimes we may think that the counsel given is exaggerated or exceeds the need. But, then, is it not better to overemphasize, especially when it involves the life and happiness of one? A small sign along the highway might tell us of a danger just as well as a large one, but when the danger is great there are often many large signs, painted varied colors, that repeat the warning. Likewise Jehovah caused his written Word to repeat the same warning many times in view of the tendency of man to ignore warnings.
The source of counsel is important too. Especially is this so in religious matters. The man Jesus on earth acknowledged his reliance on his Father in heaven. He quoted from the inspired Bible; he took counsel from its writings. He said in prayer to his God and Father: “Your word is truth.” (John 17:17) Certainly his course was a wise one. He made provision for the extending of this good counsel to many others when he sent forth his followers to teach others to “observe all the things I have commanded you.” (Matt. 28:20) How much better to go to God’s Word for guidance than to be like the foolish one who does what is right in his own eyes!
So when you next receive counsel by a public notice, a telltale sign that indicates that something is about to break loose, a warning on a bottle, a parental admonition, a husband’s loving counsel or even a stem rebuke, remember the words of the proverb: “The way of the foolish one is right in his own eyes, but the one listening to counsel is wise."—Prov. 12:15.
APPRECIA TING
GOD'S MERCY
JUSTICE is a noble quality, -We admire those who exercise it, for their dealings with others are governed by what is in harmony with truth and righteousness. But who is the person that can measure up perfectly, that never transgresses, but always does what is right? Is it not true that “we all stumble many times”? Therefore, how pleasant it is when justice is seasoned with mercy!—Jas.
3:2.
Mercy not only is "compassionate treatment of the unfortunate,” but also includes the disposition to forgive and the withholding of punishment that strict justice might require. Is it not wonderful that Jehovah God, who "is a lover of righteousness and justice,” seasons his justice with mercy? How grateful we should be that “Jehovah is merciful and gracious,” and that "he has not done to us even according to our sins; nor according to our errors has he brought upon us what we de-scrve”!_ps. 33:5; 103:8, 10.
But this subject of God’s mercy may well raise questions in the minds of some. Just how are God’s mercy and justice balanced? Can one indulge his weaknesses and count on God’s mercy in his behalf? Upon what basis does God either extend or withhold mercy?
It is essential to our everlasting welfare that we understand and appreciate God’s mercy. If we understand how it is administered, then we will know what steps to take in order to qualify for receiving it. Then, when we take those steps, we can have the grand assurance of God’s merciful forgiveness of our sins. An understanding of God’s mercy will also make it possible for us to imitate him in our dealings with others, enabling us to show mercy to others, even as God does to us.
Upon what bash h it extended? Who qualify for it?
The Wisdom of Mercy
Today there is a great deal of misunderstanding concerning mercy. Many interpret it as an evidence of weakness. They feel that others will take advantage if it is exercised. But, to the contrary, mercy that is administered wisely can instill love and devotion.
For example, it is said that when making a tour of his camp after an exhausting day of battle Napoleon found one of his sentries asieep at his post. Strict justice would have required the death penalty. But what happened? According to the story, Napoleon picked up the rifle and stood guard until the dozing sentry awoke. You can imagine how the man must have been shaken to see his illustrious general standing guard, being fully aware of the penalty for his misdemeanor. However, Napoleon relieved the soldier’s anxiety, acknowledging that he "had fought hard, and marched long." But he cautioned him, "You will be more careful another time.”
Is it not likely that this incident instilled devotion in the man for his general? And was not that the intention of the general, to make a loyal and better soldier by showing him mercy? So there must be a purpose for extending mercy. It should be a long-range view with rehabilitation as the goal. Its purpose should be to develop within the offender love, devotion and integrity. With this in mind, the one exercising mercy must take into consideration the attitude of the offender. There is a possibility that allowing his offense to go unpunished may do more harm than good.
Seasoning with Mercy
So it is important to remember that mercy seasons justice. It does not replace justice. Rather, mercy takes into consideration human imperfections, and makes justice more palatable by providing allowances for sins and shortcomings for which strict justice would require punishment However, if justice is flouted by failing to administer correction to help the offender appreciate the error of his way, such overlooking of transgressions would not be mercy; It would amount to negligence or, perhaps, sentimentality.
If, for example, a parent never punished its child, but always overlooked or forgave its misdeeds, that would not be mercy. In such a case justice would not be seasoned by "forgiveness, but would be spoiled by it. It would be like pouring the entire contents of the salt-and-pepper shakers into a meal! The meal, instead of being improved, would be ruined. And so a child can be spoiled by parents that withhold from it the "rod” of correction.—Prov. 13:24.
This does not mean that the withholding of punishment from a child is never an evidence of mercy. If there is deep sorrow and true repentance, forgiveness would be in order. In -such instances a withholding of punishment will help the child appreciate that the parent is loving and understanding and, as a result, will cause the child to do better in the future. Thus mercy would develop within the offender the refreshing fruits of love, devotion and integrity.
God’s Justice Seasoned with Mercy
In Jehovah God, “the Father of tender mercies,” the quality of justice is seasoned to perfection with mercy, “Jehovah, Jehovah, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness and truth, preserving loving-kindness for thousands, pardoning error and transgression and sin.” However, God’s mercy does not violate his justice, as the rest of the scripture shows. “But by no means will he give exemption from punishment, bringing punishment for the error of fathers upon sons and upon grandsons, upon the third generation and upon the fourth generation,”—2 Cor. 1:3; Ex. 34:6, 7; 20:5, 6.
Here we have perfect balance. Strict justice would require punishment for all of man’s sins and shortcomings, but God’s mercy intercedes. It takes into consideration man’s weaknesses and limitations, and makes allowances for them. This is not a spoiling of justice, because God never pardons “error and transgression and sin’’ unless there is a good reason for doing so. The sinner must first give evidence of sincere repentance, and only upon this basis does God season his justice with mercy. What a just and, yet, loving way to deal with his people!
With God mercy is a continuing program with a definite goal. That goal is to rehabilitate the wrongdoer, and to that end mercy is continued only to those that react with genuine appreciation at each step
of the way. By correcting these mildly, or by withholding punishment altogether, Jehovah lovingly guides them in the pathways of righteousness. However, to unrepentant ones that rebelliously reject his ■ counsel God promises that “by no means will he give exemption from punishment.”
And so, true to his Word, when the nation of Israel stubbornly turned to false worship, Jehovah punished them by allowing them to be subjugated by enemy nations. An outstanding example was when almost the entire nation was taken captive to Babylon for seventy years. This not only served to punish those wicked Israelites, but the effects of that punishment were felt upon their descendants, even “upon the third generation and upon the fourth generation.”
Everlasting Life Through Mercy
So instead of bringing Jehovah's just punishment upon ourselves, and perhaps upon our children, how much wiser it is to take the necessary steps to obtain His mercy! Due to imperfection inherited from our first parents Adam and Eve all of us alike are sinners, and strict justice would therefore require our death. (Rom. 6:23) Happily, however, Jehovah God has provided a basis for forgiving the sins of repentant mankind by giving his only-begotten Son Jesus Christ as a ransom. Concerning this provision the apostle Paul explained: “By means of him we have the release by ransom through the blood of that one, yes, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his undeserved kindness.”—Eph. 1:7; Acts 13: 38; Luke 24:47.
Truly, God’s provision of his Son constitutes the greatest single act of mercy in all history! It was not something God was obligated to do, but he did it because of his love for mankind, as the familiar scripture describes: “God loved the world [of mankind] so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, in order that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.”—John 3:16; 2 Pet. 3:13.
Think of it! Because of the intervention of God’s mercy the hope of everlasting life in a new order of righteousness is opened to all mankind. How happy we should be that God’s justice is seasoned with mercy! However, to avail ourselves of its benefits we must do something. The apostle Paul urged: “Let us, therefore, approach with freeness of speech [in prayer] to the throne of undeserved kindness, that we may obtain mercy and find undeserved kindness for help at the right time.”—Heb. 4:16.
Accepting God’s Mercy
It therefore becomes evident that to obtain mercy from God it must be sought after. One must go to Jehovah in prayer and humbly confess his sins, and, if one does, the Bible assures that he will find that God “is faithful and righteous so as to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Nor does it matter how serious our sins have been, for, if we are walking in the light, ‘the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin.’—1 John 1:9, 7.
But what if afterward one sins again? What if certain evil practices have such a hold on a person that he repeatedly lapses into them? Will God’s mercy cover such sins? God reads the heart and if he sees that a person truly abhors the sin and is sincerely trying to reform, his mercy even covers repeated lapses due to human weakness. When Peter asked how many times he should forgive a brother that sinned against him, did not Jesus say, “Not, Up to seven times, but, Up to seventy-seven timpg”? So could we not expect that Jehovah would be equally as forgiving, that he would grant forgiveness many times for the same shortcoming if each time the wrongdoer repentantly sought forgiveness? —Matt. 18:22.
COMING IN THE NEXT ISSUE
• Happiness for Those Who Suffer Afttktlan.
• How Well Do You Read?
• Blue Laws—A Cause of Contention.
• Seat Belts Save Lives.
However, none should conclude from this that one may give up and let sins and lusts of the flesh have their way, and bank on God's mercy to see him through and into the new order. Those that qualify for God’s mercy must resist sin, and, though they fall, they must recover and stand erect again. “For the righteous one may fall even seven times, and he will certainly get up,"—Prov. 24:16.
When you fall short again and ask God for mercy, what will you do? Will you go on condemning yourself, brooding over your shortcomings and suspecting that God holds them against you? Do you think that would be pleasing to God? If someone humbly asked forgiveness of you, would you desire that they continue to torment themselves over the evil they had done to you? In fact, would you not be burt that they did not trust your forgiveness, but felt you still held something against them? If you do not keep account of an injury, can you not be confident that God, who is love, also does not?—1 Cor. 13:5.
So trust in God’s mercy. Always feel free to approach his throne of undeserved kindness with your problems. But then show appreciation for his mercy by refraining from the wrong conduct of the past.
Copying God’s Mercy
Appreciation of the Father of tender mercies should move us to strive to be like him. That means thinking, speaking and acting mercifully toward our families, neighbors, friends, yes, toward all men. If we are to receive mercy, we must show it “For the one that does not practice mercy will have his judgment without mercy. Mercy exults triumphantly over judgment.” Jesus also showed the need of being merciful when he said that God forgives only those that are forgiving toward others.—Jas. 2:13; Matt. 6:14,15.
If we were judged strictly on the basis of right and wrong, none of us could stand; we all would prove unworthy of life. But happily God’s mercy enters in on our behalf to triumph over judgment and see us through. However, to receive this mercy from God we must practice it toward others. We must be like God, That does not mean to be weak and unprincipled and to overlook everything, but it means to adopt God’s view of mercy and apply it as he does. We must endeavor to become balanced as he is, never spoiling justice with an overdose of mistaken kindness, but seasoning it to just the proper degree with mercy.
Our appreciation of God’s mercy should have the effect of making us stronger and more dependable servants of his. It should move us to let others know of his merciful provision of the ransom, which opens before obedient mankind the prospects of life in a righteous new world. How happy we should be to know that Jehovah is “a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness”! A heartfelt appreciation for God’s mercy is indeed essential for everlasting life.—Ex. 34:6.
TODAY, when one is very busy, one often remarks: “Why, I hardly get time to read the newspaper!” This indicates the part newspaper reading plays in the daily life of many people. We could hardly imagine today’s world without newspapers. Some feel it is almost a catastrophe if their paper fails to come for one reason or another.
It is said there are about 30,000 newspapers, with a total circulation of some 450,000,000 copies throughout the world. In Denmark, for instance, about 180 papers are published every day, with a total circulation of 1,500,000. As there are over 1,500,000 households in the country, it means, on the average, about one newspaper for each household. And the papers are read. Studies show that each paper is read by two to four persons in Denmark. Only 2 percent of the adult population there do not read any newspaper’
It is evident, then, that a tremendous interest exists tn this news medium, a medium that can significantly affect the thinking of a large part of the world’s population. It is therefore pertinent to ask: Is the newspaper instrumental in spreading vital truths? Can you trust its information? Is its information sufficient for you? Are you right in rejecting books and other specialized magazines with the argument, “I have the newspaper; it is enough for me”? Can you really read it all in the newspaper?
What You Can Read
You can read much that is » beneficial in the newspaper.
There is domestic and local news, the opinions of different individuals on current issues. You are kept informed about prices of various things as well as opportunities for employment. There may be a hobby section, a woman’s section, a garden section, a sports section, much advertising and, of course, the entertainment material.
Yes, the paper does give much valuable Information, but you will also want to exercise care to read it the right way. To do this you should know how news is gathered and selected.
Modern means of communication, such as the telegraph, telephone, teletypewriter, and telephoto, together with modern printing presses, make it possible from the technical standpoint to render good service to the readers with news from all parts of the globe. However, the prerequisite for a good paper is still that correspondents, reporters, journalists and editors must be conscientious, accurate, careful and honest in their writing. But you cannot take it for granted that they always are. We should not think that a truth is established for all time if we can say, "It was in the paper, I read it myself." Newspapers do not always merit this confidence.
Limitations
Though the press is free from censorship in many countries, it does not mean we should overemphasize the expression “the free press.” When it comes to foreign news, the newspaper is dependent on news agencies, unless it has its own correspondent on the spot, and then it is dependent on him. The agent for a piece of news will leave his mark and personality on the report. Therefore, if you read an item from a certain country—for example, one involved in the “cold war”—you must consider whether it comes from an American news agency or from a Soviet news agency. The two agencies will tell the same piece of news in their own way. About this, Danish editor *Eigil Steinmetz writes: "However much the American agencies endeavor to be independent of the U.S. government’s policy . . . their news service must necessarily be marked by the American origin,—not colored, not twisted, only marked.” About news from South America, which is obtained in Denmark from American sources, he says that it is difficult not only for the ordinary newspaper reader to discover where the news ends and the propaganda begins, but also for a trained newsman.
Actually, few newspapers are truly independent The reader who desires to be correctly informed should be aware of the interest his newspaper has in serving a particular policy or group, such as a political party. Frequently the editorial page will enable the reader to determine what this inclination is. This can have a decided influence on the news. A paper that favors one political party over another will not be quick to criticize the party it favors, whereas events or actions no worse on the part of the opposing party will be severely attacked.
If there are no political Interests to care for, there are other interests to consider. AH papers have the readers, the public, the majority, to consider. By “the majority” we do not mean the majority of the entire nation, but the majority of the group to which the newspaper addresses itself. This majority has a peculiar influence on the press. Why so? Because the running of a newspaper is business. The paper must sell. Not that the profit from the sale is the most important source of Income, because it usually is npt. Most of the large papers live mainly by selling advertisements. But the price of an advertisement depends in large measure on the circulation of the paper. The more people who read the paper, the more income an advertisement ' ■to the paper, as the rate per line of advertising can be increased as more people are reached. That is why papers often take part in what can be called a “circulation race.” Hence, the paper must be careful not to print material that would be offensive to these advertisers and cause them to withdraw their advertisements, damaging the prime source of income for the paper.
Also, because of the necessity to build up circulation, the paper must have material that appeals to the public it seeks. Therefore it will be difficult for it to fight for ideals not favored by the majority of its readers, and frequently it is the voice of the minority that is correct The paper must also write about the things people are occupied with, and trifles are often of more interest to the majority than thorough information about world events, the big and vital issues. Many newspapers devote space to trivialities far out of proportion to their importance. This fact caused one European editor to write, prior to World War II; “While the ghost of a new world war threatens, while nations are being suppressed and open cities are ruined by air raids, interest is concentrated on the life of movie stars, sport events, princely weddings and princesses’ childbirths. The current psychological, economical, culture-historical, religious and worldpolitical revolutions pass most people unnoticed. Or they only receive a shrug. It seems as if our time has completely lost the ability to distinguish between important things and unimportant ones.”
This willingness to cater to trivialities in order to build up the number of readers explains why a superior newspaper may often have much less circulation than another in the same city which is devoted to sensational exposes of the lives of prominent people. An alert critic of the Danish press, H, B. Brecker, in his book The Newspaper—Enlightenment or Business?' very strikingly writes: “In a well-assorted variety shop there has to be something to suit every taste. It makes the trade increase! The papers need sensations! And beauty contests make sensations (how many girls have they spoiled?), so do balcony flower contests, motor car races (exhausted, drowsy car drivers racing the country as madmen!), bicycle races, walking races for waiters carrying trays with glasses and bottles, and similar insipid foolishness.”
So while it is true that the press does exercise a great influence on its readers, It is also true that the system works the opposite way because of the financial dependence of the newspaper: the readers exercise an influence on the paper. To a degree they determine what will be put in the paper, with the result that a great deal Is put in that has very little value. This is bad. However, it is worse when a newspaper also helps to affirm the readers in their errors merely because it wants to keep its circulation high.
No, the newspaper is not the all-pervasive educator of public opinion, as some idealists believe it to be. The paper talks about things people like to read about, and it often avoids things that it believes people do not want to read about, even if such information is important. It plays up to public opinion and too often voices ideas that the majority already accept. The newspaper hesitates to castigate the majority. If it castigates anybody, it is often the minority that has little or no influence on the circulation, a minority that the majority enjoy seeing the paper show up. No paper can willingly show up the majority of its readers continually, for it is this majority that buys the paper. So the very nature of the newspaper business is a decided disadvantage to the cause of truth. .
“Managed News”
In countries where the government exercises complete control over the newspapers, censoring what is written, the public rarely will get to see both sides of an issue. The news can be distorted as the government sees fit, right or wrong. Individuals reading the papers in such countries will want to exercise great caution.
In countries where there is a “free press,” where there is no outright censorship, there can be another form of press control that makes possible the slanting of news. This is called "managed news.” One example of this was recently commented on by Arthur Krock, New York Times columnist with fifty years of experience in the field: “A news management policy [in the United States] not only exists but, in the form of direct and deliberate action, has been enforced more cynically and boldly than by any previous Administration in a period when the U.S. was not in a war or without visible means of regression from the verge of war. ... In the form of indirect but equally deliberate action, the policy has been much more effective than direct action in coloring the several facets of public information, because it has been employed with subtlety and imagination for which there is no historic parallel known to me.” Concluded U.S. News and World Report of April 15, 1963: “Managing of news is a big and growing business in Government Newspapers, radio stations, TV stations, magazines and public speakers all get attention from officials whose business it is to try to manage the news. Thousands of individuals and millions of taxpayer dollars are used in this effort to guide and control the news,” Since this is so in a country that has as its foundation the freedom of the press, speech and assembly, what can happen in a country where the constitution does not guarantee such freedoms?
What You Cannot Read
If a matter is fairly well covered in a reliable newspaper, the alert reader can get a general idea of what is happening. He should, however, always keep in mind that the average paper is not truly independent and for that reason must have had certain things to consider which might make its reporting not completely objective. So one who wants to be objective and thoroughly informed on a particular subject must go to books, magazines or other papers that treat the matter as a special subject, getting a cross-section of opinion. This is especially true if the subject is controversial, as with religious issues. When it comes to true enlightenment on a subject of such Importance, you cannot read it in the newspaper, but you must go to specialized sources dealing with religious matters.
One who wants to know the truth about a minority or a case that has had bad publicity in the newspapers and toward which the general public is critical should doubt that he will learn the truth by reading the newspapers alone.
Does this mean you should stop reading newspapers? By no means. If you are an alert reader you can get much valuable information from the paper as well as enjoyment, especially if you have given attention to the way news is gathered and the group to which the paper Is Writing.
The newspaper has its proper place as a channel of information. It enables one to get a fair picture of what is going on in the world. However, it is limited because of social, economic and political pressures. Also, while it can tell you what is happening, most of the time it cannot tell you why. So you cannot be content with reading newspapers only. This would not be complete and may even give you a distorted view of events. A balanced view of newspaper reading is essential to one who is truly interested in being enlightened on world affairs. Such ones appreciate their daily newspapers, but are also aware that they cannot read it all in the newspaper. Hence, they devote only enough time to newspaper reading to acquire the information they seek, providing time for other sources of information that will balance their needs.
CONTROLLING
Control Plan
Until progressive floodcontrol measures were begun by the Mississippi River Commission, the
SNAKING its way across the I United States from north to south, the Mississippi is unquestionably the greatest river in North America. Draining two-fifths of the United States and parts of two Canadian provinces, it acts as the trunk to a vast 14,000-mile inland waterway. The prodigious volume of water that surges down it during times of heavy rain makes the controlling of this mighty river a Herculean task. Failure to keep it under control would be disastrous for many of the cities and farmlands that hug its banks.
In 1927 swollen tributaries transformed the Mississippi into a raging, uncontrolled torrent that brought devastation to 26,000 square miles of land. It caused the death of 246 humans and countless domestic and wild animals. It brought suffering to approximately 637,000 people. What the Mississippi did in that year is regarded as the greatest peacetime disaster in the history of the United States.
Spurred by the destruction caused by the Mississippi in 1927, the United States Federal Government enacted the Flood Control Act of 1928. This act committed the Government to a definite program of flood control. Its efforts were implemented by the Mississippi River Commission, which had been formed in 1879. This executive body recommends the policy and work programs for control of the river, conducts public hearings and strives to improve flood control and navigation projects. Its policies are carried out by the United States Army engineers.
building of levees was about the only effort made to control the river at flood
stage. These that average Their banks grass and in
are great mounds of earth twenty-one feet in height, are sown with Bermuda some places are reinforced
with concrete or wooden walls to prevent them from being eroded away by the water. The purpose of the levees is to heighten the banks of the river so that it will be able to contain more water without overflowing. The Mississippi’s total system of levees is 500 miles longer than the great wall of China, which stretches for 1,400 miles. But, as proved by the flood of 1927, more than just levees is needed to control that great river.
The present plan for flood control is designed to control a flood 20 percent greater than the one in 1927. This is being done by making use of reservoirs to restrain the flow in the tributaries of the Mississippi, by levees, cutoffs to speed the flow of water and lower flood stages, revetments to protect flood-control structures, and floodways that divert water from the river.
These are the principal means now being employed to control the Mississippi.
Bow the Plan Operates
Disposing of great quantities of water draining into the Mississippi is hindered by the many bends of the river as it winds its way across the countryside. The bends cause the flow of water to slow down and thus reduce the river’s ability to receive large amounts of inflowing water without rising dangerously high. Man-made cutoffs seek to overcome this problem. These are channels that’ are dug to straighten the bed of the river, eliminating many of its bends. By flowing straight across the countryside instead of meandering back and forth, the distance traveled by the river Is shortened and its flow speeded up, reducing its water level by as much as six to twelve feet. For boats traveling between the cities of Memphis and Baton Rouge, cutoffs have reduced the distance by 170 miles.
When the flow of water becomes too heavy, floodways are used to divert some of the water. Just below the town of Natchez in the State of Mississippi there are two floodways. These are capable of handling approximately one-half of the water in the Mississippi. They empty into the Atchafalaya River. If that is not enough to keep the Mississippi under control, an amount of water that is equivalent to what flows on the average over Niagara Falls can be diverted through the Bonnet Carre Spillway into Lake Ponchartrain and from there into the Gulf of Mexico.
Revetment has to do with stabilizing the banks of the river. This Is done by making use of a flexible concrete mat that is especially usedon the banks where the river curves. The concrete mat is fastened to the bank and the loose end is carried out a certain distance into the river where it is released and allowed to settle to the bottom. As' it falls it conforms to the contour of the bank and river bottom, protecting the bank from eroding water.
An important feature of controlling the Mississippi is to control the flow of water In its tributaries. A splendid example of . this work is the Yazoo Basin, which drains over 4,000 square miles of the northwest quarter of the State of Mississippi. It has four flood-control reservoirs, a system of levees, auxiliary channels, pumping plants and floodgates. Barren hills are being planted with 45 million seedling pines to create a forest covering that will help the land to absorb rainwater instead of allowing it to run off.
Each of the four reservoirs of the Yazoo Basin is located on a small river and acts as a storage place for that area; During times when there is flood danger on the Mississippi, water is held in these reservoirs until the danger has passed.
As floodwaters flow past the city of New Orleans, the people there are especially watchful because the city is so low in elevation. It requires a good floodcontrol system. Shaped like a saucer, with high ground on its outside edges and low ground in its middle, the city could be devastated by an uncontrolled river. The highest area is pext to the river, fourteen feet above sea level, and the lowest area in the middle of town is four feet below sea level. The city has a system of giant pumps to remove water. Around the city is a protective levee that runs for almost 128 miles. Further protection is given New Orleans by the Bonnet Carre Spillway to the north of the city.
Model of the River
A unique model of the Mississippi River has proved to be of incalculable value in controlling the rampages of the river. It is located on a site of 200 acres near Jack-son, Mississippi. Molded of concrete, it is strong and durable. The scale to which it was built is one inch for every 2,000 feet. The vertical dimension is one inch for a hundred feet.
Great floods on a small scale can be created in minutes and their effects studied. Efforts can then be made to strengthen places on the river that showed signs of weakness in the model. During times when the Mississippi is at flood stage, the model can duplicate the situation and reveal places where communities might be in danger. These can be given advance warning and be evacuated If necessary.
Upon the basis of the amount of rain predicted for the Mississippi and its tributaries plus the amount of water already flowing in these rivers, the United States Weather Bureau is able to forecast floods. When one appears to be in the making, it promptly issues a warning for all concerned. Knowing the level of the water in the rivers before rain begins falling is vitally important, as it can mean the difference between an accurate or an inaccurate flood forecast.
In 1962 many people expected the Mississippi to flood because of the high water being experienced on the Ohio River, which empties into the Mississippi. But due to the low stage of the Mississippi at that time, it was able to handle the floodwaters from the Ohio River without difficulty. The results could have been different if it too had been at flood stage.
Since 1928, when a diligent effort was begun to be made to .keep the mighty Mississippi under control, there has been no major failure although the river at times reached record stages. In terms of money, six dollars in benefits have been received for every dollar invested in control programs. The results from trying to control the Mississippi have been worth the cost and effort.
With public confidence in the river’s safety built up, more and more industries are locating on its banks. They are able to avail themselves of its plentiful supply of water and of low-cost water transportation. The mighty Mississippi River under control is one of America’s outstanding assets.
DESIRES INCREASED?
(X An organization called Television Advertising Representatives reports that housewives in the United States who spend many hours looking at television usually spend heavily at the food stories. On the other hand, those housewives that like television the least equal those shoppers who spend least in the grocery stores or supermarkets. Those women who spent the most on grocery items gave 55-percent more time to television than those women who spend the least at food stores. —Changing Times.
XN LESS time than it takes to read this sentence the law of averages will tick off at least three accidents in the United States. In fact, before you finish reading this article, some 400 Americans will suffer accidental injuries in what many call the safest place on earth—the home. By this time tomorrow close to 60,000 people in America will have cut, bruised, scalded, burned or poisoned themselves seriously enough to receive medical attention.
In the next ten seconds, statistically speaking, someone will be injured on the job in America, one of the most safetyconscious nations on earth. An office worker may slip, fall and hurt his back, or a piece of metal may strike the eye of a machinist who failed to put on safety glasses, or a finger may be lost to a punch press, or a chemist’s cheek will be burned by a drop of acid. Each year there are more than 3,500,000 accidental injuries in United States industry alone. Some of them are trivial, most disabling injuries are temporary, but as many as 13,500 of the mishaps are fatal. An average of 260 people get killed every week and 40 of these by machines. Ninety-five percent of them are men or boys.
This accident epidemic is not merely an American problem. The UNESCO Courier, April, 1961, called accidents the "world’s third worst killer.” Last year was a record year for accidents in Great Britain. In Britain’s building industry alone there were some. 23,300 accidental injuries.
In Canada the situation is very much the same. Among the broad categories of causes of death, accidents are considered the No. 1 killer. Some 54 deaths a year per 100,000 population are attributable to accidents, or over 9,000 deaths in all. Almost 75 percent of the accidental-death victims are males.
Men have a higher accidental death rate than women, and married persons have fewer accidental fatalities no matter what the cause or the age. Adult males in Canada under 65 years of age experience an accident-death rate of over 80 per 100,000 population, while for adult females under 65 the rate is under 20.
In the United States men have nearly twice the “talent” for getting themselves injured that women have, A Metropolitan Life Insurance survey made during the nineteen-fifties revealed that almost every type of home accident is more likely to be fatal to men, aged 15-64, than to women in the same age-group. Even with children the same holds true; more boys than girls suffer from accidental injuries.
Causes
In Great Britain and Canada the motor vehicle accidents are by far the most frequent cause of accidental death for both males and females at all ages under 65. But in the United States, where some 46,000,000 accidents occur a year, about 20,000,000 of them take place in or about the house. According to the U.S. National Safety Council, the accident toll in America for 1961 claimed 91,500 lives and brought disabling injuries to 9,300,000 Americans. Last year there "was one disabling home injury every eight seconds and an accidental death every twenty minutes. While 43,000 lives were lost because of accidents in the home and in public places last year, 41,000 people were killed in traffic accidents in the- same period. Home accidents accounted for 4,200,000 of the disabling injuries and $1,150,000,000 of the whopping $14,500,000,000 bill that accidents cost America in 1961.
Safety experts assert that the majority of these accidents did not have to happen. They say there are specific controllable causes for the occurrence of most accidents. These causes are either unsafe acts or unsafe conditions. Estimates as to the percentage of accidents caused by unsafe acts range from 75 to 90 percent. Almost 83 percent of highway accidents causing death and injury were the direct result of unsafe acts, where drivers violated the rules of the road. They either drove too fast, or were on the wrong side of the road, or they failed to yield the right of way, or were just plain reckless. In industry and around the home the situation was much the same. A man grinding or welding failed to put on his goggles, a woman carried a lit candle into a closet, a boy ran into the street without looking—all are unsafe acts.
An unsafe condition is a physical situation or a mechanical fault or defect that by its mere existence might be the “trigger” for an accident. A torn carpet or a scatter rug without a sponge-rubber pad under it, toys scattered on the floor or stairway, an unguarded machine left running, flammable liquids not properly stored—these are all unsafe conditions that can trigger an accident.
Persons most inclined to be involved in an accident are those who simply do not know the right way to do the work, or who are not convinced that their method is unsafe, or who may feel the right way is too awkward for them to follow, or who may not be mentally or physically suited for the job, or who are willing to take a chance in order to save time or money. It is usually the man who says, “It’ll never happen to me,” or the woman who feels safety precautions are Unnecessary. Children too have moments when they are more accident prone. This is when they are hungry or tired and when mothers are ill or pregnant.
Safe afr Home?
Whoever said home is a safe place is not aware of the facts of life or he was not thinking about accidents. More than 26,500 persons in the United States die accidental deaths yearly while “safe" at home. The old and the very young seem to fare rather badly in the home. People over 65 account for more than half of home accident fatalities, and nearly one out of four victims is a child less than 5 years old.
The biggest home danger is a fall. Falls cause more than two-fifths of the home deaths, fires and burns more than onefifth and all other accidents one-third. Close to 12,000 people are killed every year in the United States from this mishap. The majority of these are persons over 65 years of age. People seem to fall off or out of almost anything—windows, trees, roofs, chairs and beds, and many tumble down stairways. They are either in too much of a hurry or simply not careful enough.
Many falls in the home could be eliminated if all small rugs were made skidproof, Place sponge pads under your rugs before someone gets hurt. All spilled liquids or grease should be wiped up immediately, Practice care when stepping in and out of the bathtub or shower. Have a grab bar, installed so that you will have something to hang on to. President of the National Safety Council Howard Pyle said: "An accident statistic is a simple human tragedy multiplied to the point of indifference.” The reader may view accident statistics with indifference; after all, he may not be represented in them. But to each family that loses one of its own, the tragedy looms like a mountain of sorrow that blocks out all happiness. These statistics mean there is cause for concern and great care, for safety is everybody’s business.
People who smoke are in large part responsible for the majority of fires^nd explosions in the home. About 153,000 fires a year are started by such acts as throwing cigarette butts into the wastebaskets and smoking in bed. Nearly 200 Americans -cremate themselves in bed every year. Children playing with matches cause more than 30,000 fires annually. Other fires are started by adults poking around in dark closets with lit candles. Still others run electric cords under rugs or are not careful with dry-cleaning fluids. Any one of these acts can snuff out your life and the lives of others. They are accident hazards.
Accidents from these causes can be prevented if people simply apply a few "nevers.” NEVER smoke in bed; better yet, Never smoke. NEVER leave matches where small children can get at them. Keep matches in a covered container away from heat and beyond the reach of children, If grease in a frying pan catches fire, turn off the gas, cover the pan or throw baking soda on the burning grease. NEVER use water on burning fat or oil. These simple precautions, if heeded, will literally save thousands of lives every year.
Men often like to style themselves “Jacks-of-all-trades,” but insurance men have the accident statistics to prove that men are not that handy. Some 600,000 do-it-yourself injuries were reported last year and most of these were men. In one American city of 240,000 population, hospital emergency rooms last year treated more than 1,000 persons who injured themselves with their power mowers.
A power fiibwer is as dangerous as an electric saw. It must be handled with judgment. For safe operation clear the lawn of stones, wire and other debris before mowing. Keep children away from an operating mower. Hundreds of youngsters have been injured by flying stones and wires from a distance of even 20 feet. Do not work on the mower, adjusting it or removing foreign matter, unless the motor is stopped. Do not use an electric mower when the grass is wet. Do not smoke while fueling a gasoline mower. It is wise to store electric hedge clippers, saws and axes where small children cannot get at them. These instruments can inflict terrible slashes in an instant.
Safeguard Your Child
Accidents are the greatest of all child crippiers, even child killers. Years of research and repeated studies show that nine out of every ten of these accidents need never happen. The Department of Health, Education and Welfare in the United States reported that every year children under 15 years of age suffer nearly 16,500,-000 accidental injuries. More than 13,000,000 of these are severe enough to require a physician’s attention. Each year between 40,000 and 50,000 children are permanently maimed by avoidable accidents, and 14,000 lose their lives in accidents which, almost without exception, could have been prevented.
Summertime is the most dangerous time of all, and Saturday the most hazardous day of the week. Forty-four percent of all accidents occur between 12. noon and 5 p.m., while 26 percent occur between 6 a.m. and 11 a.m. The overactive, restless child who tends to be impulsive, the more immature child who lacks parental supervision and insists on his own way and the hostile child are the types most likely to suffer accidents. But the main offenders, says Dr. Neil F. Duncan, in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, April 15, 1958, "are the parents who leave turpentine in ‘coke’ bottles, poisonous medicines within the reach of the small child, and unlabeled bottles on the shelf.”
Approximately 600,000 child poisonings occur every year in America. Aspirin is responsible for one accidental poisoning in every five among children. The aspirin bottle on the bedside table is a great temptation to a child. Forty-one percent of the child poisonings were caused by products thoughtlessly left in the kitchen where children could get at them. Detergents, water softeners, waxes, furniture polishes, drain solvents and other toxic chemicals should be stored in high cabinets or in locked compartments.
Infants must never be left alone on anything from which they can fall. Accident studies have shown that 39 percent of al] injuries to children are the result of falls. A good many of these occur because parents fail to close gates at the top and bottom of stairs or on porches. So while these thoughts are fresh in your mind resolve to do away with all the natural booby traps you can possibly find. Make your .home s safer place for your baby and yourself.
The Present and the Future
In the National Safety Council’s 1962 Report to America it stated that progress made in industrial safety has cut work accidents by one-third in actual number since 1912 and the death rate by two-thirds; that motor vehicle fatality rates have declined drastically in relation to both the miles traveled and the number of registered vehicles. This is true despite the current increases in traffic accidents. The death rate of home accidents has also reportedly dropped 46 percent, from 28,000 fatalities in 1912, when there were 21,000,000 homes, to 26,500 home accidents in 1961 in a nation with 54,000,000 homes. The rate of accidental deaths in public places has also dropped some 70 percent. Some 30,000 Americans died in public accidents in 1912 as compared with 16,500 deaths in 1961. AH this adds up to a million lives saved since 1912!
Despite this impressive record, there is cause for vigilance. At least one safety expert has predicted recently that serious home accidents in the United States will rise to 7,000,000 a year by 1975. But even, today, there will be 28,100 people who will not be going to work tomorrow because of accidental injuries. Of these, 260 will be accidentally killed and another 355 will be permanently disabled, never to work again. In the next ten minutes a man will be disabled, maybe your man. In the same time a child will be injured seriously, maybe your child. Doesn’t this impress on your mind the need for being safety-minded? Remember, too, the bfe you save may be your very own.
WORTHWHILE
DN THE United States one of Jehovah’s witnesses in Rhode Island sent the local chief of police the Awake! issue with the article “Big Business in Crime.” She received a letter from the chief of police that said: “I have read these articles on rackets and found them very informative, and I am passing this worthwhile magazine along to other members of my command as it is my opinion that a great deal of knowledge about rackets can be acquired from these articles. Thanking you for this excellent magazine,”
HOMEWORK
A mother in Long Island, New York, relates that her sons in the sixth grade at school were chosen to be in a play extolling the United Nations, When her sons declined participation, the teacher asked them to have a parent come to school after class to explain. The mother went to see the teacher, and she reports: “I explained why Jehovah’s witnesses do not look to the U.N. to solve the problems of mankind but to the Kingdom of God. To culminate our conversation, I offered him a copy of the special Awake! 'The United Nations or the Kingdom of God?’ He readily took it, promising to read it. Imagine my joy the next morning when he told the class of the well-written material in the magazine, gave them homework on it and said he would have it placed in the school library. This he did, putting it with material on the UN.”
FOR EACH DEPARTMENT
An eighty-two-year-old Witness in North Carolina sent a copy of Awake! with the article “The Policeman’s Fight to Stay Honest" to the chief-of police. A few days later the chief of police called him on the telephone and stated he ran a good police force. The Witness assured him that he felt the same way, but thought he would like to know the problem many cities have. The chief got very friendly and asked him to call at his office and bring four or five copies of that Awake!, one for each department head. He took the magazines and spent fifteen minutes talking to the chief. He thanked the Witness for calling and bringing the magazines. He told him to come back, saying, “I am Interested in your work,”
EFFECTIVE
A Witness in North Carolina tells of a woman for whom she worked: “From time to time she mentioned to me her desire to stop smoking. When the March 8,1962, Awake! was released with the article ‘What Every Smoker Should Know,’ I was sure she needed this article. She examined it carefully one day while sitting down to dry her hair. She mentioned that it was the best article she had read concerning the problem. From that time on she has not smoked one cigarette. Now she is endeavoring to get her husband to stop smoking, so she leaves the magazine lying around, turned to the article on smoking, hoping he will read it and take the same course she did.”
SOURCE MATERIAL
In the State of Nebraska one of Jehovah’s witnesses is the secretary to a chief of police. She relates what happened when the chief of police was invited to speak before the Business Women's Club and at the Methodist church on police problems and juvenile delinquency: “The chief asked me if I would help him with his speech. I knew of one magazine where I could find the information and that was Awake! That evening I got my Index and searched for information. I had no trouble finding plenty of material, but how would I present it to the chief? I finally decided to take the magazines with the appropriate articles to the office and give them to him. I picked a certain point out that I thought would appeal to the chief, and when I gave the magazines to him, I showed him that point. I did not hand all of the magazines to him at one time. He accepted the magazines very readily and read each article, such as ‘Crime in Our Streets’ and Why People Are Fighting the Police.’
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