The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-07-27
INsTRut.TING THE high COURT

London dockstrlkers have been going about
offering fervent public prayers to God request
ing that He strike Lord Davenport dead.
The incident illustrates the peculiar phe-
romenon Of human confidence in It's own opn-
ion. The dockstrlkers doubt concede that
there In a ruling Deity who holds the lives of
men. both great aud small in the hollow of
His hand.
On no other hypothesis can their prayer be
justified
Vet. if they so believe. think of the supreme
egotism which their prayer discovers
In the great majority of instances they are
men, women and children out OF a Job, de-
pendent for support upon iobless men. They
have elected to quit work, because they do not
like the wages which LORD Devonport pays, or
the stipulations that he makes with those enter
ing his service Thereupon, they settle the
relationship OF Lord Davenport with Nature
tell God that He has forgotten to attend to
His business. and call for thunderbot to do
for Lord Davenport,
In other words these doekstrikers not only
assume that they have the personal right TO
tie up shipping. to paralyze the trade OF far
countries. to demoralize business, and take
jobs away from men in far chimes who know
rothing OF their grievances.-but they con
sider themselves to be the proper advisers of
Divinity The logical conclusion deducibe
from prayer for d mans death cannot be
escaped. 1t is that the suppcants consider
that God Is forgetful of His duties. The con
cluslon that hangs on such a deduction is that,
somehow, there has been a mistake in the
selection of Deities. We wonder how many
minutes the world would last if the power of
life and death should suddenly be given to
dockhands Presidential candidates. and the
numerous tribe Of peopl6 who, for one or the
other reason consider salvation dependent
the cutting of their neighbors' throats.
We know less about Lord Devonport than
we do about the one town drunkard that Rich
mond affords and him we avoid Neverthe-
less the law of general averages would make
him kindly old gentleman, whose check is
good at the bank. but who. despite such
drawback. is overlooking with goodly impulses.
We have no idea that the Lord IN question is
any other than kindly, simple sentimental
to be compelled to look at suffering OF any
sort. II IL quite evident that, 10 the dock
strikers. he is Devil with forked tail We
venture TO say that all who know him would
be utterly shocked to realize that so militant
reputation had been put on mild man.
All in all We glad to know that Lord
heyonport still lives aud that the petition to
the High Court asking for his capital punish
meut remains unanswered Lest we be sub
ieeted to criticism we would not for moment
suggest that Lord Deyonport is not a tyrant-
Intentionally or other wise-or that the dock
strikers are not entirely right in preferrng to
starve than work for him.
Al he same time the prayers seem To us
materially 10 have cleared the case. God does
not have decision day and press bureau to
disseminate Ills decisions, but we arrive uti-
mately at the effect of them, just the same.
II We were doing syllabus of the disposal
o. this latest appeal think we should Let
T. 20 with Petition dismissed Cause re-
maHded