Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 309, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 December 1919 — A SOLEMN CHRISTMAS. [ARTICLE]

A SOLEMN CHRISTMAS.

Judge Anderson’s message of justice and mercy to the misguided Kansas miners seems like a solitary note of hope and solace in a worldwide chorus of wrath and gloom. Wherever we turn the earth looks out upon a Christmas morning of doubt, deprivation, despair. From across the sea are wafted a myriad voices of wretchedness, famine, bloodshed, revolution, beggary, violence. Thrones are occupied by regicides, millions await starvation, bankruptcy threatens every treasury of Europe and the end of the gsoat war turns out to have been only the beginning of others. , . t The mental condition of the American people is one of universal and almost unrelieved unrest, suspicion, malice. The army is torn by feuds and the navy over the controversy medals. Labor is not only incensed against capital, but against its own divided membership. World peace is frustrated by venomous battle of personal and partisan ambitions. The storm of bitter hostility and unreasoning detraction, running into incredible extremes of almost criminal accusation, has already broken over 'the heads of men engaged in the most delicate and difficult tasks, like President Wilson and Attorney General Palmer, but promises soon to hamper the usefulness of such heroes and splendid citizens as Leonard Wood, Herbert? Hoover, General Pershing, Elihu Hoot, Mr. Taft and others. Apparently there is to be no limit to this obsession of wrath and envy which the great war or some obscure cause seems to have let loose upon humanity. It is a time when men and women of self-control and responsible leadership ought to speak in moderation and act with restraint. Never before was the Christmas spirit so sorely needed in the land. A political campaign is coming on, and without some abatement of the violence with which men are assailing one another, no seltrespecting person will wish to enter the souldestroying struggle. The first duty, obviously, is to make peace throughout the world with the treaty and the league in some form. On that foundation some superstructure of justice and reason may be erected here in our social, industrial and economic systems. Until this can be done, th£ Christmas message is almost a mockery.—lndianapolis Star.