Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 February 1919 — It Was When the Prodigal Was “Broke” That He “Came to Himself” , [ARTICLE]

It Was When the Prodigal Was “Broke” That He “Came to Himself” ,

By the REV. GEORGE E. VOSBURG

It is to be Irdpcd the work at tire peace conference will be short, share and to the'point, free ambiguity. That it will settle territorial boundaries and the question of the colonies and fix indemnities and adjourn, .leaving an ample military force in Germany to see to it that the terms of the ]>v;:ce are complied with. This conference is not a place for speechmaking or Utopian propaganda. The delegates meet there for business purposes onlv. They are not there to settle the business of the world for all time to come. They must leave something to future generations and incidentally to the Almighty. The best preventive ,of future wars at thisjjtime is the sight of a nanon bidng inado to foot Iter war bills. To pay just and righteous indemnities for all her unrighteous'despoliation of other nations. Let the nations see that war is nor only hell but bad business that leads, to bankruptcy. Remember we are dealing with a nation without a conscience" and* whose entire social edifice is reared on a substructure of economic interests. Money is the only key that fits the lock of the German problem. She is long on cash and short oil conscience. It was when the prodigal was ‘‘broke” that he “came'to himself” and returned in penitence. People easily forget treaties, but taxes jog the memory.. Years from now, when the passion of the hour has passed tod Germany has had time to eat and inwardly digest softie of the crop of her own sowing, and incidentally, let us hope, to repent and “to bring forth fruit meet for repentanCe”—then it will be time for the nations to meet at The Hague and talk about a league of nations, but not until then.