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"THE UNION COUNTY PAPER EVERYBODY READS IT." -THE UNION COUNTY PAPER EVERYBODY NEEDS IT." e Monroe jo PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS VOL. 23. No. 17. MONROE, N. C, TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 1917. $1.50 PER SAR CASH. 11 K V A ONLY FOR UNSELFISH PUR POSE CAN WE WAGE WAR DR. rOTF.AT DECLARES THAT SCRIPTURE LY WAUilANT IT But It Most Be Clearly From No Sel fish Motives Whatever ami Our Hearts Should Bo Thoroughly Searched Remarkable AdtlreM on the Accumulation and Use of Wealth An Undesirable Citisen Is One Who Will Get All He Can Out of the Community and Do Noth ing For It In 1 let urn. Participation In the war by Ameri ca can be justified only after we have assured ourselves that we have no Belfish, vainglorious or mercenary In terest In It. declared Dr. E. M. Poteat, president of Furman University, Greenville. S. C. Sunday night in a sermon on the attitude of Christi anity to war. Dr. Poteat delivered three sermons or addresses in the Baptist church Sunday and they were all entirely out of the usual order. In the morning he discussed the re lation of pastor and people, at four o'clock the religious motive In busi ness, and at night the relation of the teaching of Christianity to war. The series made a fine presentation of Dr. Poteat's philosophy of life, ser vice and Christianity. While all were interesting, by far the most timely and important was the address on war. The speaker said that Christianity was on trial to day as never before and unless It could deliver an opinion which would clarify the situation In the world to day it must surrender the intellectual leadership of the time. Is the use of forc9 ever Justifiable? There seems to be contradictions In the scriptures and in the words of Christ himself. Dr. Poteat quoted many of these ex pressions and drew the final conclu sion that war could not be justified unless it were purged of every selflsn consideration. He seemed to think that the use of force could never be justified by the Individual nor by the State if the State were christian. But this nation Is not christian. It Is composed of average people, some of them christians, some Indifferent, and some antl-christlan. In that case it seems that rather than let the mon strous ideas that Germany stands for prevail In the world It would be bet ter to fight provided always that we have searched our hearts and found that there is no reason of mere na- tional pride, no commercialism, no vanity, no revenge, and nothing less than a mere determination to stand with our strength against evil for the sake of service to the world. His con-. elusions were very much like those advanced in an editorial in The Jour nal a few Issues back on the war. Pence or the Sword. In the fifth chapter of Matthew Christ said "Blessed are the peace makers for they shall be called the children of God." Yet In the tenth chapter he said "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth; I came not to send peace but a sword." In Matthew fifth we read: "Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth but I say unto you, That ye resist not evil, but whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheek, turn to him the other also." Christ meant that he would set up a standard which would divide men. the good would be on one side and the bad on the other, and they would be at war. And the idea of a future punishment Is a continuation of this idea of division in the next world Now, shall we go to war because the Germans have Injured us take an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth? Not if we are christian. War Is an Inheritance from bar baric times and peace is the goal of progress. No one can think of war as an ultimate end or a consideration of society. Peace must be the goal War is the sum of all iniquities. It abolishes the moral law and oblit erates all moral distinction. We know that we shall not He, yet war Justifies lying. We know that It is wrong to kill, yet war's first consideration is to kill. We know that it is wrong to ' steal, yet war glorifies stealing. War loosens all the elements of human passion and carries out all wicked ness with the cunning of the most trained Intellects. War is by all means the sum of all iniquities. ' Can It Ever Be Right? Christianity alone can answer that question. It will not do for na tlonallsm to answer it, because na tionalism Is made up of selfishness and pride that begets revenge. It will not do for commercialism and dollars to answer it because they are selfish. Pacifists even may not an swer it. Certainly militarists cannot answer It. Even congress, bursting with national pride, cannot answer It. All selfish use of force is wrong, but unselfish use of force is necessary, We can make sure that we are not going to use force for any of these selfish purposes. Germany has set up a standard that Is libelous and damnable. It must have been born in hell, for the other place Is made up differently. Shall the lie of Ger man militarism and ruthlessness make captive and enslave the human race? It shall not, and It must not "I have two sons, one of whom Is preparing to go to China as a mis sionary- it nas come to me tnai iney mar render more service to humanity now by dying than by living, for If German Intrigue should prevail, wt must confess that Jesus died In vain, The law of love must yet prevail ov er the earth." The Danger la Prosperity. In the afternoon Dr. Poteat talk ed to men only, the purpose lag to bring to their attention the true relation of religion and business. The sum of his discourse was that busi ness will be a grand enterprise when once the right motive for It Is es tablished the motive of service. He began by comparing the deprivation of the south after the war and the present prosperity to other periods In history, showing that tha greatest danger to religion and morals comes along with an Increase In material prosperity. "I have never seen chris tian faith break under adversity, but It Is new a question If we will go the way of other nations now that a great prosperity has come upon us, ' de clared the speaker with great em phasis. You say that "my hand and my power has gotten this wealth anc I will do what I please with It." Yes and you will go to hell with It. too. for you certainly cannot carry it to heaven. Every nation that has perish ed has fallen after a period of great prosperity. It Is because the human heart is made dead and stolid toward God when wealth is worshiped. The Division of Labor. Christ instituted two great divis ions of labor. One was the preachers whose principal business was to study and interpret and preach the scrip tures. The other was commercial pursuits. Both are divine callings when used aright. It is just as much a call to serve God in business a it Is to serve him in preaching. What right have you to demand that the preacher give his life to service of the community while you spend yours In piling up a private fortune? No body gave you that right, you Just took it. A business man can prove that he is a christian by the way he conducts his business and the motive upon which he bases it, and the uses he puts bis profits to. The Undesirable Citisen. If we haven't brains enough to make business anything but business then human rights will go on being consumed by business as tinder Is by blaze. Business must be changed to a service basis. That man Is an un desirable citizen who uses a com munlty to build up a business for himself and will do nothing for the community in return. Out west they have a way of applying the steam roller to such fellows, when a man moves Into a community the other citizens call upon him and Invite htm to take part in community enterprise and welfare. It he refuses they wait a few months and try him agatn. Then If be still refuses to do his part they begin calling upon him and ex plaining what an undesirable citizen is. Then if he persists In living his selfish life they give him strong hints that it is best for him to move on And they keep giving these hints till he does move on. So many men haven't got brains enough to see anything except their own business. With many men the danger begins when they begin to pile up a surplus. How many times do you hear It said of a man that the more he gets the harder it becomes to get anything out of him? The pow er to make money seems to carry with it an Inability to give It away. This Is true till the man finds a new motive for business. One rich man said that the moro he had the meaner he felt. Father Davis on Preaching For Money. Here the speaker told of a remark that he had attributed to another preacher named Davis. He said that while he had told the story from Maine to Texas, he never knew till he got to Monroe who the man Davis was, but found that It was Rev. Ed tuond Davis, whose son, Rev. A. C Davis, was In the audience Sunday Father DavlB had a contempt for the man who preached for money but rec ognized that the preacher must live He used to say that If he had the money of Vanderbllt he would divide it in two piles. He would go all over America and buy every preacher that he could. He would ask each one how much he would take to quit preaching and never preach another sermon, and would buy off every one he could and pay them to quit out of one pile of his money. Then he would take the other pile and pension every preacher that he could not buy off and tell him to go ahead with his preaching. Getting the Higher Motive. How are you men In Monroe going to get this higher motive? Say "I've got to do belter business this year than ever before. I've got to Improve my method, my product and the way 1 use my interest. The kingdom of God and its world-wide Interest call me and drive me on. Here Is a need ed hospital, here is needed better school buildings, here Is needed some other Improvement In community en terprise, and yonder In the world the missions call me." Then you will be getting on the higher plain and bus! ness will be a joy. Remember that all that you can hold in your cold dead hand Is what you have given away. Alexander the Great conquer ed the world but before he died he left Instructions to have his hands thrust through his shroud so that it could be seen that he had gone out of the world empty handed. Baltimore Peace Meeting Broken Up. Baltimore, April 1. A mass-meet ing held here tonight under the aus pices of the American League Against Militarism, ended la a not A' coun ter demonstration was organised oa the pavement of the Academy of Mu sic, la which Dr. David Starr Jordan was speaking. Finally the erowd took the matter Into Its ewa hands and. led by some mllttisraea, broke Into the theatre aad maree4 dewa the aisles, war tag a large Asaerteaa I. President Wilson Declares for War with Germany Says There Can be with a Government that is Irre sponsible to the People. Congress Met Yesterday and War Resolution Has Been Introduced And Held Up Till Tomorrow Wants Half Million Men at Onre and More as Needs Require Champ Clark Wan Reelected Speak er But Foreign Relations Com mittee Hah Not Yet Been Selected. Congress met at noon yesterday and at eight o'clock last night Mr. Wilson made his address asking for a declaration that war exists. A resolution to that effect was Intro duced last night and went over till this morning. When Congress met at noon today, Tuesday, Senator La- Follette objected to the Immediate passage of the resolution end wants to - make a speech on It It went over till tomorrow, pending the speech and the selection of a foreign relations committee by the house. Both houses meet tomorrow at ten o'clock. There Is no doubt that the resolution declaring that a state of war exists will be passed In the course of a few hours. In the mean time the government is going on with Its preparations. The president's address was sent In full to Germany by a German official news agency for publication In that country. The text also went to Eng land and a summary of its contents was sent around the world to other nations. To carry on an effective warfar against the German Government which be characterized as a "natural foe to liberty," the President rec ommended: "Utmost practical co-operation in counsel and action with the govern ments already at war with Germany. "Extension of liberal financial credits to those governments so that the resources of America may be ad ded so far as possible to theirs. "Organization and mobilization of all the material resources of the country. Full equipment of the navy, par ticularly for means of dealing with submarine warfare. "An army of at least 500,000 men, based on the principle of universal liability to service, and the authoriza tion of additional Increments of 500, 000 each as they are needed or can be handled in training. "Ralslmr necessary money for the United States government so far as possible without borrowing and on the basis of equitable taxation." All preparations, the President urged, should be made in Fuch way as not to check the flow of war supplies to the nations already In the field against Germany. Co-operation Besought Measures to accomplish all these ends, the President told congress, would be presented with the best thought of the executive departments which will be charged with the con duct of the war, and be besought con sideration for them In that light. President W llson's appearance be fore congress was marked by a scene of the greatest enthusiasm ever shown since he began the practice of delivering his addresses in person. Crowds on the outside of the capltol cheered him frantically as he enter ed and as he left. Congress roared cheer after cheer In an outburst of patriotic enthusiasm. From the galleries the only mem bers who appeared not be be joining In the demonstration were some mem bers of the group which the Presi dent branded as "wilful men" who by preventing a vote on the armed neutrality bill, had made the "great government of the United States con temptible." Chief Justice White was among those who cheered loudly, and there was no division of spirit be tween Republicans and Democrats. Referring only briefly n h totelo Referring only briefly to the long diplomatic correspondence with Ger many in his effort to bring her back to the bounds of the laws of human ity and nations, the President launch ed Into his denunciation of the course of the German government which he declared had forced the United States to become a belligerent. "No Common Wrongs. "The wrongs against which we now arm ourselves." he said, "are no common wrongs; they cut to the very roots of human life." Disclaiming any quarrel with the German people and anything but a reeling of friendship and sympathy for them, the President declared their government had not acted upon their Impulses In entering the war, nor with their previous knowledge of ap proval. "It was a war." he said, "deter mined aaea as wars used to be deter mined toa la the old unhappy days when pie were nowhere consulted by their rolsri and wars were pro voked aad waged la the Interest of dynast er of little groups of am bttteal m who were accustomed to ruse last MIowmea as pawas and Heel I MaM Vera I Us Prasldeat re no Permanent Peace ferred to plots against the United States. "One of the things that has served to convlce us that the rrussian au tocracy was not and never could be our friend Is that from the very out set of the present war it has filled our unsuspecting communities and even our offices of government with spies and set criminal Intrigues every where afoot against our National un ity of council, our peace within and without, our Industries and our com merce. It was evident, the President said, that the spies were here even be fore the war began. That the Ger man government means to stir up enemies at the very doors of the United States was eloquently proved he said, by the revelation of the plot to embroil Japan and Mexico in war with the United States. "We are accepting this challenge of hostile purposes," said the President, "because we know that in such a government following such methods we can never have a friend; and that In the presence of its organized power always lying In wait to accomplish we know not what purpose, there can be no assured security for the Demo cratic government of the world." Foe To Liberty. The "whole force of the nation" if necessary, the President declared would be spent against "this natural foe to liberty" and to "check its pre tensions to power." Toward Germany's Allies, the President said, the United States was taking no action at this time, be cause they were not engaged in war fare against Americans on the seas. The United States, he said, was moving only against "an irresponsible government which has thrown aside all considerations of humanity and ot right and Is running amuck." The President expressed his confi dence in the loyalty of naturalized citizens, and declared that If disloy alty did lift its head, it would be only from 4'a lawless and malignant few" and sternly would be suppressed. With a renewed declaration that the nation must unselfishly act only for freedom, peace and humanity, the President left the question with con gre88. While the president was speaking, word of the torpedoing without warn ing of the American Bteamer Aztec, the first American armed ship to be attacked in the barred zone, was passed from mouth to mouth, but the President did not know of it until he had finished. CLARK RE-ELECTED SPEAKER Democrats Organized the House By Aid of Independents War Resolu tion Inf. roil need Immediately After President Spoke. At noon yesterday when congress met at the call of the President Champ Clark was immediately re elected speaker, by the aid of the In dependents and the Democrats com pletely organized the House. Mr. Clark received 217 votes and Mr Mann, Republican, received 205. At 8 o'clock President Wilson ad dressed both Houses and advised that Congress declare that a state of wa with Germany existed. Immediately after his speech the following was in troduced in each House: "Joint resolution declaring that a state of war exists between the Im perial German Government and the Government and people of the Unit ed States, and making a provision to prosecute the war: "Whereas, The rceent acts of the Imperial Government are acts of war against the Government and people of the United States; "Resolved, By the Senate and House of Represenatitves of the Unit ed States of America In Congress as sembled, that the state of war be tween the United States and the Im perial German government, which has thus been thrust upon the United States, is hereby formally declared; and, "That the President be and he is hereby, authorized and directed to take immediate steps not only to put the country in a thorough state of defense, but also to exert all of Its power and employ all of Its resources to carry on war against the Imperial Government and to bring the conflict to a successful termination." Pomerene Attacked Stone. Newport News, Va., April I. Sen tor Atlee Pomerene of Ohio, In an address this afternoon at a patriotic demonstration, created a mild sen sation by attacking Senator Stone of Missouri, and his associates In the filibuster against the armed merchant ship bill. Senator Pomerene outlined the causes leading up to the present crisis and declared that there was nothing left for the United States to do but to declare war on Oermany. He de plored the fact that the country had delayed so long In Its declaration for liberty on the high seas and justice la the world courts, closing by blam ing the filibuster for some of the de lay. He mentioned Stone's name la his remarks, referring te the other lllsnstert as his auettaUs. Senator Ixxlge is no Pacifist But Seems Right Much of Fistist. Washington, April 2. A personal encounter between Senator Lodge of Massachusetts and Alexander Bann wart of Dorchester, Mass.. In which the senator knocked his opponent down, occurred today in the corridors of the capltol. Bannwart, with the Rev. Paul Har- tis of Drake, of Christ church, Dor chester, and several men and women of a pacifist delegation, called Sena tor Lodge to the door of his com mittee room and asked him to vote against a declaration of war with Germany. Senator Lodge replied that If President Wilson asked for such declaration he certainly would sup port it. "That Is cowardice," retorted one of the group. "National degeneracy is worse than cowardice," replied the Massachusetts senator. "You are a coward." "You are a liar," retorted Sena tor Lodge. Bannwart advanced and struck the senator, who then, despite his 60 odd years, launched a blow that sent Bannwart sprawling on the hard tiles of the corridor. Bannwart and several of his friends were taken in charge by the capltol police. AMERICAN ARMED SHIP SUNK News Came Almost as the President Was Speakli.B' Armed With Two Guns mid First Armed Ship to Sail. The American steamship Aztec, first armed merchant vessel to sail from a port on this side of the At lantic, was sunk Sunday night by a German submarine off an island near Brest, France. The cable message from the American consul at Brest that brought the news of the ship's sinking to her owners, the Oriental Navigation Company, gave no inkling of the fate of the crew. An Associat ed Press dispatch from Paris said, however, that while some of the men aboard the Aztec were rescued a num ber of them were missing and prob ably had perished. A French patrol boat picked up nineteen of the crew. The Aztec, under command of Captain Walter O'Brien, was manned by a crew of thirty-nine. Seventeen of this number, including the captain, were American citizens. The vessel was armed with two five-Inch guns, one forward and one aft, manned by naval gunners under command of "a warrant nfflcer. The fear was expressed by the owners that the gunners on the Aztec had no chance to show their skill. The Aztec, a slow-moving frclKhter of 3,727 gross tons, steamed from New York for Harve March 18 with a full cargo of foodstuffs and general supplies, valued at more than $500, 000. She was due at Harve tomor row and was problably less than one hundred milss of that port when tor pedoed. Miss Rankin, the First Woman Mem ber of Congress Honored. Washington, April 2. Representa tive Jeaunette Rankin of Montana, first woman member of congress, took her seat In the house today af ter an elaborate prelude of cere monies In which woman suffragists predominated. The principal ceremony was a breakfast for "the Honorable Jean nette Rankin cf Montana" under the audioes of suffragists of nil factions. Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, presi dent of the National American Wo man Suffrage Association, sat at Miss Rankin's right and at her left was Miss Alice Paul, chairman cf the Na tional Woman's parly. "The day of our deliverance Is at hand," was the keynote of Mrs. Calt's speech. Miss Rankin, In reply, made the longest speech she has delivered since she arrived In the capltol. Miss Rankin's entrance into the house was signalized by uproarious cheering and applause. Every mem ber and everybody In the crowded gallarles rose as, accompanied by Representative Evans of Montana, she walked to a seat in the rear cen ter of the hall. She carried one or the Bcores of bouquets which came to her office today. She did not wear a hat and was attired simply In a dark dress. A laborer makes a bargain for the price of his work, but a lawyer sizes up your pile and charges accordingly. SPARKS FROM DR. POTEAT. Christianity alone can answer the question whether It is right for us to enter the war, and it answers that we must divest our- selves of every selfish motive. The man who uses a com- muniry to build up a business and gives nothing back for com- munity service Is an undesirable citizen. All that yon enn hold In your cold dead hand is that which you have given away. War is the sum of all human iniquities, !ecause It abrogate " the moral law and puts human Intelligence to the service of devilish enterprises. The more some men get the harder it is to get anything out of them. If we haven't sense enough to make business anything but business then human rights will go on being consumed by busl- ness as Under is consumed by flame, The nse.of force for eelflsh purposes en never be Jastliled. PREPARATIONS FOR WAR Four Billion Dollar to Be Needed First Year Would Cost Thousand Ifcilliir a Year to Maintain FjM'h of One Million Men. Washington, April 1. Four blllloa dollars will be spent by Uncle Sana during the first year this country Is at war should It prove Impossible to avert hostilities between the United! States and Germany. This estimate is based on the sup position that men may finally have to be Fent to the European battlefield. If men are not sent, nearly $ 1.000. 000.000 will be taken off this esti mate. Urged on by the big business men connected with the advisory council for national defense, the war and navy departments it is understood, have completed estimates of cost which they will probably submit to congress within the next week and which are drawn to cover all tho emergencies that a year at war may develop. Roughly speaking, these estimates are as follows: For the raising, equipping and maintenance, for a period of one year, at a cost of ll.uou per man, an army of 1.038.000 men. This will cost $1,038,000,000. For projectiles, ammunition for small and large guns, remounts for cavalry and replacing small guns. $500,000,000. For fortifications, heavy ordnance and implements of war such as trenching machinery, aeroplanes, mo tor lorries, etc., $500,000,000. For the purchase, building and chartering of transports to cary an army across the Atlantic, $800,000, 000. For brlngisg the navy up to its full capacity In yards and present en listment. $1,000,000,000. This presents a total of $3,S38,- 000,000. If four per cent bonds are Issued for this sum, a., will probably be the case, the Interest for one year will amount to $153,520,000. which, ad ded to the principal, will bring a grand total of $3,991,520,000. which will probably grow Into a full $4. 000,000,000 before the first year of war Is ended. Will Supply. The opinion appears to be growing rapidly among members of congress and certain men connected with the actual work of preparation for war, that our first Job will be to furnish money, food and war material to the alltes-and that for at least six months we will not have to contemplate send ing men. In the first place It would take at least six months to train an army for warfare ns it Is now being waged in Europe. In the sveond ploe, there is no certainty that the allies want' American men at this time. England wants food and France wants money and food. Russia wants money, althnughEngland appears to have been able sj far to finance Rus sia. The problem, therefore, according to military experts. Is one involving the furnishing of food and materials and of furnishing the ships to deliv er those supplies and naval vessels to convoy th? supply fleets. Happily the navy Is lu good con dition new. It has been brought up to the mark only during the past two months and thn by almost superhu man efforts, not only on the part of naval men but on the part of the busi ness men cn th'.' industrial committee of the national council of defense. In fact, the creation of tho nation al council for defense has turned out to be the masterstroke of the Wilson administration. It has given the United States a cohesive, resource ful and powerful working unit that could never have been developed by men already in the government ser vice. Stars and Stripes Now Flouting Over the Irgln Islands. Thomas, Virgin Islands, March 31. The transfer of the Virgin Islands from Danish rule to the United States took place simultaneously on the three Islands at 4 o'clock this after noon. Commander Pollock, the rank ing American officer of the Islands, officiated at St. Thomas, while the commander of the cruiser Olympic acted in a similar capacity at St. Croix. Officers and marines of the cruiser Hancock and the Danish cruiser Valkyrln formed guards of honor fronting on the military bar ricks at St. Thomas, where the cere monies were witnessed by members of the local legislature, officials, consuls and a large concourse of peo ple. Commander Pollock landed front the cruiser Hancock under a salute of 15 guns and proceeded to the offi cers barracks where the transfer Protocol was signed whereupon the Danish Governor proclaimed the transfer and the Danish flag was lowered amid salutes and the singing; of the Danish anthem. Commander Pollock then proclaim ed the cession and the American flag was hoisted accompanied by salutes and the singing of the American an them. After proyers by the Moravian Bishop Greider, and the Bishop of Forto Rico. Commander Pollock an nounced himself Governor of the Virgin Islands of the United States of America. There were no demonstra tions, but many In the crowd wept during the profound and Impressive silence that followed the hoisting of the American flag. "What have automobiles got to do with life insurance?" "If you own a car." replied the) solicitor, "the nremlum is less, for there Isn't the danger of being run ever by one." Life.
The Monroe Journal (Monroe, N.C.)
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April 3, 1917, edition 1
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