The Detroit times., 1916-09-20
"A Fallen Reporter Gets
Up and Assigns Himself
To Swat His Arch Enemy!

The city editor of The Times needed
m additional reporter.
A man who had done good work on
another newspaper was recommended TO
him, but with this word:
@He is good reporter; gets the news,
writes good, clean, understandable copy,
hut he Is booze-fighter."
'Tll give him a chance" said the city
0dItor and he sent for the man.
he was employed with the understand
y ~ that "boozing" on the job would not
- tolerated, and that he would be out of
! job the first time he broke the rule.
He worked five days.
H win take no more assignments from
\ ~ city editor of The Times-at least,
1 ~ the present.
For the present, at least, he will take
onG1gnments from no city editor, because
\ III writer has assigned HIMSELF.
H has gotten upon his feet, looked his
cnomy squarely in the face and issued
~ dsfy and his challenge.
Ihs duel is on.
y few days following his dismissal
Ann the Times staff, the city editor re-
soivsd from the reporter the following
po4s:
\ An sending you the enclosed In the hope thai
Suu can use II. am not trying to get back my
5ob. because know that deserve nothing at
your hands.
Booze has lost me my Job and my wife and my
home. II has practically ruined me. and now
IN going to do everything in my power to ruin
toose.
This was the inclusure:
Nero was powerful
Caesar was powerful.
Jesus was powerful.
But I am more powerful than they
Nero and Caesar had the power TO destroy and
exercised It. but where they destroyed thou
sands. have destroyed millions.
Jesus had the power to save, and exercised it
but his power has waned, and now am more
powerful than He. for once I get wholly
n my clutch. not even God Himself save
him.
Men, yes, and even women, girls and unbeard-
"a youths turn away from God for me.
At nrst they come to me smilingly. their eyes
Cleaning with the light OF sweet anticipation
am 30 insidious In exercising my power that
hey fail to recognize and appreciate the men
ace that they are inviting into their lives and
hearts.
For months. and even years. they play with
ne or think they do. but. matter OF fact
really am playing with them.
Yet 90 crafty am /, so sly, so smooth In my
work. that they, the poor boobs never suspect
my potency until have them In my grip and
begin to throttle them.
Soon they are everlastingly within my power,
but oftimes. even then, they do not realize f.
n II not until the light of ambition has died
81 from within their eyes; II is not until they
have brought sorrow and anguish into their
4 1enss; II is not until they have lost Job after
3nbs that they begin to appreciate the hold /
! have upon them.
Than they struggle. and night and battle: they
eurse. and swear and denounce me: they rail.
end rant and repent.
Jney oeg forgiveness from the beloved wife
thsy have beaten: from the gray-haired mother
whose heart they have broken: from the dear
children whom they have abused and caused to
% hungry.
They even turn to God and pray and beseech
and supplicatc,
Some, more imbued with strength than others
throw on my influence temporarily, imagine
they have conquered me and succeed in making
new start
Others point at them the finger Of approval
~ commendation. and congratulate them fol
having reformed.
Bahi I laugh In my sleeve and bide my time
~ know ~ well ss they know that soon thel
Nh - baek within my clutches; that soon the,