Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 202, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 September 1918 — CONSCIENCE VS. CONVENIENCE [ARTICLE]

CONSCIENCE VS. CONVENIENCE

MUST THE GASOLINE REQUEST BE MADE A GOVERNMENT ORDER. ( Dr. Garfield, in his request that Sunday be gasolineless day, said, “IF YOU BELIEVE YOUR NEED TO USE YOUR AUTOMOBILE SUNDAY MORE THAN THE AIRPLANES OR MOTOR TRUCKS ON THE FIRING LINE NEED GASOLINE, THEN USE IT.” How many people, who drove their automobiles last Sunday, are willing to say that they BELIEVE that their mission was more important than that the allied armies be supplied with gasoline for airplanes, motor trucks and tanks with which to fight the Huns on the western front! The President of the United States did not believe that it would be right for him to use his automobile in going to church last Sunday, and he was driven to the house of worship behind a team of horses. Conscience was to be the guide in this matter. Webster defines conscience as follows: ‘‘Sense or consciousness of the moral goodness or blameworthiness of one’s own conduct, intentions, or character,'.together with a feeling of obligation to do or to belthat which is recognized as good; often with special reference to the feeling of guilt and remorse for ill-doing. Hence a faculty, power, or principle, conceived to decdie as to the moral quality of one’s own thoughts or acts, enjoining what is good.” Did the men who drove away Sunday in an automobile to go fishing think that they were putting gasoline to better use than if the same gasoline had been used by an army truck to take' up supplies to the soldiers who are engaged in their life dnd death struggle with the armies of the kaiser?

The sentiment in this community that this request for gasolineless Sundays be observed is a good one and the motive back of the banner floated in this city was genuinely patriotic. Administrator Garfield’s request should be obeyed, and if it is there will be very few automobiles used here on Sunday. If the conscience of the people is right this request will not have to be made a drastic government order. We should be volunteers arid not have to be conscripted in the support of the needs of the nation. If the use of gasoline is made a government order there will be no parties given deferred classification. This is a- far-reaching matter. In it not only the use of gasoline but many other war materials are to be saved for the benefit of the army. The rubber wasted in the tires used on automobiles for non-essential or pleasure riding cannot be used on army automobiles, trucks or tanks. AH other parts of the automobile that are not put to good use are in just that far depriving the army of the materials so much needed. Conscience, if not abnormal and distorted, would, not only dictate the non-use of the automobile on Sunday but would lessen the amount of unnecessary pleasure motoring which is going on constantly. If we are to win the war we must have the true patriotic spirit, and we should not try to evade the urgent request of those who must know that there is a good and sufficient reason for the request being made. Undoubtedly the patriotic people of this city, like those of most other parts of the country, will insist that those who refuse to comply with the request of the National Fuel Administrator in the matter of gasolineless Sundays shall be placed in the class with the slacker where they belong. It is our first great paramount duty to win the war. Anything that does not contribute to this important end should by ho means be tolerated.

No sacrifice of convenience or pleasure that we, who are still here in this blessed Country, away from the scenes of the awful war, can be made that will in any degree match the heroic sacrifice being made by our soldiers. Let’s be true to them, true to our government and true to our own conscience. If you continue to be a slacker in this matter public disapproval -Will be forthcoming and you may expect that it will be expressed in no uncertain terms.