Evening Republican, Volume 59, Number 124, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 June 1917 — ASSISTS PEOPLE TO FORGET [ARTICLE]

ASSISTS PEOPLE TO FORGET

In Times of Gloom and Depression Populace Crave Diversion to Break Monotony. -

Someone has opened a discussion as to what effect actual war would have upon baseball interest In the U. S. A., says New York Tribune. The affirmative and the negative here each have good arguments. War news and war interest would, of course, far outshadow any sporting news or sporting interest, and in that way have a depressing effect. On the other side of the hill, the populace in times of gloom and depression always has seemed to crave some diversion to break the monotony of constant anxiety. As proof of this last statement, ‘Toronto and Montreal last season in the International league had very good seasons despite the fact that Canada has been head high into this war since the start. Sport in time of war is nothing like as important a matter as it is in time of peace. But it still has its uses as a diversion —as a section of the program that is cast in lighter vein. For that reason sport will not be shelved by any means. No nation, even in war times, is going into sackcloth and ashes unless it is being crushed or pressed to the limit. Those not actually engaged will stick to old habits of diversion, just as one in time of trouble craves tobacco more than at any other period of his life.