The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-11-03
THE WAR BEHIND THE WAR.
The International Sunday School Les
son for November 3 Is Sowing and
Reaping" (WOrld's Temperance
Sunday).-Gal. 6:1-1O.
WILLIAM r. ELLIS.

pdNh vi II III III N"be a.
writing these present days in letters
Of red on history's calendar. lies an
older, vaSter struggle. of which, II
may be. the present strife is but a
phase. ! mean the world war on be-
half Of idealism and the betterment of
men. This struggle is almost as old
as n uma race, and it has steadily
grown more acute, until now in our
own time it has come to something
approximating a crisis.
The effort to lift the human race
up to it's highest possibilities is, in
its essence, what the Apostle Paul
called n contest between the flesh and
the spirit. 1t is material values set
in array over against moral values.
In other phrasing. it may be called
force versus truth. More important
than any questions involved in the
battles raging in Europe is the victory
In this supreme struggle.
Unquestionably, there is rapidly
developing a common world mind,
which is bearing witness everywhere
for the things Of idealism. CiviliZa-
ton today cOnnoteS human values.
Man-worth is seen to be real worth.
Our songs and slogans are all OF that
better day of human brotherhood and
justice. One can scarcely pick up q
current publication, whether it be a
daily newspaper with it's report Of a
commercial convention, or a magazine
with an elaborate racial treatise,
which does not accept as binding this
new world mind concerning mans
welfare. Politics and religion today
are both attuned to the note Of social
service.
Picking Out The Big Foe.
There is something David-like and
heroic in the way in which modern
society is seeking out the most formi-
dable foes. Throughout civilization
the common agreement is that hui
mainly has no worse enemy than in
toxicating liquor. Humanitarians,
s~ociologists, scientists, business-effi-
cheney experts. reformers, and
churchmen are all agreed upon this.
Each points a finger of accusation at
John BarleycOrn.
Almost amazing is the prevalent
conviction that the abolition Of the
liquor traffic is approaching. Drink
ers and saloon-keepers freely sub
stantiate it. Some talk of his tenn
perance era as if it were a definite
n concrete something, a sort OF
bogie-man lurking just around the
corner. Certainly the sentiment, es.
pecally as registered at the ballot box
is making steady progress the land
over.
The abolition of the use Of intoxi.
All III the united states navy wa
a staggering blow to the liquor bust
ness. When Russia came to face {
crisis in the present war, she pro
hibited the sale of alcoholic LIQUOR
and already the newspaper CORE
spondents are reporting that the eff
fects are so apparent and beneficial
upon the people, that there is a like
hhood Of the prohibition being mad
permanent when the war is over.
After all. when SfrinnNd NJ itO n
cessOries and p~hraseology. what is i
that men are asked to give up, b
the abolition Of h use Of stron;
drink? They sacrifice no high mora
principle. no precious heritage @
truth or power or manhood; merely
minor personal indulgence is a
stake. of which the best that can b
a is that it is pleasant to the tast.
INT temporarily cheering to tn
spirit.
Over against this habit. which n
reasonable person claims to be neces
sary to health or happiness. is range
the a sum OF human welfare whic
has been adversely affected by the us
OF i~ntoxicants. Long ere the preser
time. the use OF liquors would ha.
disappeared we're it not for the bus
ness interests involved. 1t is not tn
appetite of the drinker so much 6
the avarice of the seller that stant
III the way Oh a Ldnu Tree from tf
curse of intoxicants.
Twentieth Century Knights Errant
Despite the war in Europe, II
days heroes are not military. o,
latest songs and pictures and poem
are not in Qualification of war. \
heroes are emerging from the battl
held to arouse worldwide enthuiasI
Quite the contrary. The settl,
conviction Of civilization is that tt
heroes of the twentieth century a
constructive ~ervants of their fello
men. The doctor risking his life
discover disease germs. and the r
former Drawing the depraved legio
of evil, and the nurse caring for t
suffering-these fill our modern CO
ception OF what is greatness.
Building From The Bottom Up.
Rail as we may at ''temperan
fanatics" and cry Impractical