The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-11-07
By WILLIAM T. ELLIS.

BIZ WILLIAM T. ELLIS
Back Of the armed conflict that is
writing these present days In letters
Of red on history's calendar, mes an
older, vaster struggle, OF winch, II may
be. the present strife is but a Phase:
mean the world war on benaiI OF
idealism and the betterment of men
This struggle is almost as OLD as tne
human race, AMI it has steadily grown
more acute, until now IN our own tlIne
it has come to something approHmat-
ing crisis
The effort to 1ift the human race up
to its highest possibilities is, in its
essence, what the Apostle Paul caHeo
a contest between the flesh and the
spirit 1t is material values set IN ar
ray over against moral values In otn-
er phrasing, it may be called force
versus truth. ncre important than
any questions involved in the battles
raging in Europe is the victory in this
supreme struggle
UnouesrionabIy, there is rapidly de-
yeIoping a common world mind, which
is bearing witness everywhere for the
things of idealis:h. Civilization To-Day
conEotes human values Man-Wortn
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 current
publication, whether it be daily
newspaper with its report or a COM
mercfaI convention, or magazine
with an elaborate racial treat1se,
which does not accept as binding this
new world mind concerning mans wei
fare. Politics and religion today are
both attuned to the note of social
service.
Picking Out the Big Foe.
There is something Davidlike and
heroic in the way in which modern So
ciety is seeking out the most formida-
BILE foes Throughout civilization the
common agreement IS that humanity
has no worse enemy than intoxicating
liquor Humanitarians, sociologists,
scientists, business efficiency experts,
reformers, and ehurchmen are all
agreed upon this Each points fin
ger of accusation at John Barleycorn-
Almost amazing is the prevalent
conviction that the abolition of the
liquor traffic is approaching. Drinkers
and saloonkeepers freely substantiate
it, Some talk of this temperance era
as il it were Il definite and concrete
something. Il sort of bogie-man lurking
just around the corner Certainly the
sentiment especially as registered at
the ballot box, is making steady prog
ress the land over
The abolition of the use OF intox1-
cants in the United States navy was
staggering blow to the liquor business
When Russia came to face crisis in
of alcoholic liquor, and already the
newspaper correspondents are report
ing that the effects are so apparent
and beneficial upon the people, that
there is a likelihood of the prohibition
being made permanent when the war is
over.
After all, when stripped of it's Access
series and phra seology, what is it that
men are asked to give up, by the aboli-
ton of the use of strong drink? They
sacrifice no high moral principle, no
precious heritage of truth or power or
manhood; merely a minor personal in
diligence is at stake. of which the best
that can be said is that it is pleasant
to the taste. and temporarily cheering
to the spirit.
Over against this habit. which no
reasonable person claims to be neces-
sary to health or happiness. is ranged
the vast sum of human welfare which
has been adversely affected by the use
of intoxicants- Long ere the present
time, the use Of liquors would have
disappeared were it not for the busf-
ness interests involved. 1t is not the
appetite of the drinker so much as the
avarice Of the seller that stands in the
way of a land free from the curse OF
intoxicants-
Twentieth Century Knights Grant
Despite the war in Europe. the days
heroes are not military Our latest
songs and pictures and poems are not
in SIorification of war. No heroes are
emerging from the battlefield to arouse
world wide enthusiasm.
Quite the contrary. The settled con-
victim of civilization is that the heroes
OF the twentieth century are construc-
tive servants Of their fellow men. The
doctor risking his life to discover dis
ease germs. and the reformer Drawing
the depravcd legions of evil. and the
nurse caring for the suffering-these
fill our modern conception OF what is
greatness
Building From the Bottom Up.
Rail as we may at Temperance
fanatics and cry "fmpracticar' at
them until we are hoarse, we cannot
escape the truth that they have shown
a victorious strategy in laying siege
the Sunday schools recognition of
Worlds Temperance Sunday. 1t is of
a piece with the four temperance les
sons a year, which. taught to more
than a score of million youth. i'm
press upon them in their plastic state
OF mind the tremendous importance
Of abstinence from strong drink More
than that, this Sunday school temper
ance propaganda associates temper
ance with religion. linking it up with
the deepest impulses and inhibitions Of
character; for the Sunday school
teaches temperance on the basis of
the Bible.
Anybody who attempts to divorce
the history of the progress of the
Temperance reform from the Sunday
schools effectiveness therein would
be voted an ignoramus. The Sunday
school has put moral propulsion be-
hind temperance. 1t has promoted an
acute intelligence and a strong con-
viction upon the subject. The aver
age boy mad girl today can give rea-
sons for his or her hostility to strong
drink.
This means nothing less than the
ultimate drying up OF the springs OF
the liquor business, if we were will
ing to wait SO long for the consum-
nation of this reform. A word OF
L.. do6 *