The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-11-23
Some Problems to Be Solved

To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
l read with much interest your editorial
this morning with reference TO Mary
Adair and her million acre Texas farm
and the $52,0O0,0O0 dividend of the dis
solved Standard Oil company. | have
long been of the opinion that the polIt-
cal and social Ills of the people of this
country are not superficial and to be REM
edied by patchwork such as reducing
the tariff and busting the trusts. but
that they are fundamental, and that
nothing short OF a complete oyerturning
of some Of the long cherished ideas which
bear upon the relations Of the peoples OF
this and other countries to each other
Will accomplish any results that will sat
isfy or give justice to the gerat majority
OF the citizens whom some people are
pleased to designate as the masses"
James j. Hill OF the Great Northern
railroad is quoted as saying that the
people OF this country must change their
ways of living or we will soon face a
revolution. Woodrow Wilson Is quoted
as saying that he is not afraid OF the
revolution II 1t comes, but this all de-
ponds upon whether 1t is a peaceable over
turning of our polltcal foundations or
whether the repeated warnings will go
unheeded so long as to precipitate such a
sanguinary revolution as the French pe0-
pie suffered
It IL to me an unbearable and intoera
BILE situation that in free" country SO
rich in natural resources and SO full OF all
other kinds of wealth that so large per-
centage of our people should find 1t go
hard to obtain even the bare necessities
of life namely, place to live, clothes
TO wear and plenty to eat is It right, is
1t wise, that ofew should have so much
that Il Is entirely past their appreciation
or use and really constitutes menace
to their moral well beng, while 80 many
millions suffer for food and clothing? We
applaud the charitably inclined and prop
erly so, but is not the taking OF charity
necessarily degrading to free people?
What the common people want, and
predict are going to have, peaceably, II
possible. is not sop thrown to them by
the rich and powerful as one would toss
a bone to a hungry dog, but full, free
and equal right and privilege TO work
and toll, and what Is more still, to enjoy
the largest measure of the fruits thereof.
To bring this about l predict that two
great fundamental changes will be neces-
sary: First, that all the land shall be
owned as are the air, the water. the
roads the streets and the sidewalks:
that is. by the people for their untram-
melled use without regard to their po-
ltical or financial standing. Second, the
complete abolition of the custom of
charging interest on money loaned or on
any other kind of debt or obligation.
The custom of charging interest was in
troduced into common use only as far
back as the Reformation, and Is con-
demned in the strongest terms by the
law In the Old Testament. Other
changes, too, will have to be made, such
as the complete ownership OF all public
service corporations as the postoffice de-
partment now Is, the introduction of more
direct forms OF democratic government;
such as the initiative and the privilege
of summarily "unelecting" public officials
who are recreant to the trusts imposed
upon them by the people.
TO my mind. II these questions are
solved peaceaby, the responsibility for
their wise. safe and peaceable solution
rests most heavily upon two classes,
namely. the powerful politicians and the
powerful rich.
God grant that they above all others
may set their minds and hearts assidu-
ously to the solution of these questions
and that BY their efforts We may avert a
calamity that seems to be oScrhangipe
our nation. Respectfully,
ARLIE BARBER.
Birmingham, November %, 1912.