Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-10-31
RIaHrING THE DRoNas.

4 very astute person who believes ne
knows exactly what TO do and how
20 do il said TO me on yesterday: NO
body should rise up TO reform anything
i'm church or state, unless they have
a remedy TO offer for the evil"' Ut
sounded plausible at first, but my mind
went back quickly 10 the American Rev
olution in 1874. There was no remedy
in sight when the Colonies were order
ed TO pay a considerable part of The
expense of European wars and they re-
fused to do il. There was no remedy
in sight and worse than all, there was
no army to show a protest against such
heavy taxation by the mother country.
But the wrong was present and the
Colonies did agitate and we know that
protest was succeeded by agitation and
agitation by results, until the American
army was crowned with final victory
at Yorktown, when CORVALLIS surrend-
cred. If this astute wise man had
said every wrong should be riGhted
and all protests against. wrongdoing
should receive attention in the interests
of truth and justice, he would have
understood that a protest is always,
needed before a remedy will suggest
itself.
This declaration grew out of a dis
cussion of our church affairs and was
a disclaimer against any mention OF
criticism until such time as a trap
could be sprung and we could catch the
people who were in authority before
they had intimation of a revolt against
old systems, which had outworn them
selves and needed to be abandoned. 1t
is n powerful axiom that tersely de-
clares. Salvation. comes through suf-
fering.' Reformers always suffer. They
are attacked in reputation and SANDER
ed by indirection until the agitation
becomes strong and sufficient TO sug-
gest and apply a remedy. But the
remedy is perforce the last thing that
looms up and no remedy can be sue
cessfully applied until the disease is
plainly located.
There are things going on in church
and state today that are deprecated.
Plenty of people are whispering and are
agreed that something should be done,
etc: but il needs backbone to rise up
and make a motion to revise and re-
buke and look around for cooperation
and agreement and later comes the
remedy. If one never could be allowed
to criticize until remdey was in sight
there would be no remedy offered. The
pull would be too steep.
POOR BELGIUM NOBLE CHARITY.
An illuminating article in the Sat
urday Evening Post of October Il
throws a searchlight upon conditions in
Belgium, after more than two full years
of war, and the occupation of that
country by German military forces.
Doubtless many of the Semi-Weekly
readers have read this article, but l
am satisfied that il will be an eye
opener 10 very many others. 1t is the
story of a commission for relief of
Belgians and northern France, inside
the German lines. For two solid years
this commission has been doing the
largest business in the history of the
world. namely the feeding of seven and
a half millions of a once opulent and
welI-to-do people, who would now be
starving without the aid and succor of
this &C. r. b." which is under the
direction Of the American, Spanish and
Dutch ministers to Belgium.
The business is mainly in charge OF
a capabIe and active Californian, Mr..
Herbert Hoover. He is a mining en-
gineer by profession, but he has given
I'D superintendence Of his own large
business 10 save these Belgians from
actual starvation. The Germans took
over all the food supplies Of Belgium
and did not propose to relinquish. any
part of them TO the suffering inhab-
itants Of that unhappy land. An urgent
appeal was MADE ana the Ohlted Sldles'
Canada and New Zealand and Australia
and Englishmen in England donated
funds. The supplies are gathered in the
harbor of Rotterdam in Holland and
passed BY canal boats into Belgium.
Every month three hundred millions of
bushels Of wheat are passed along that
route The bread baked from that
wheat keeps the people Of Belgium
from actual starvation. There are
three and half millions Of these peo-
pie absolutely dependent on charity.
The other half have some money and
they buy at cost price so long as their
money holds out. 1t is the greatest
exhibition Of philanthropy the world
ever saw. And II must go on. until this
a wfuI war comes to an end