Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-07-24
World Punishment,

Have you ever thought that this
world war is a punishment upon all the
peoples engaged in 1t. because Of their
wickedness? We know an intelligent
man. a student of the Bible prophets,
no is so firmly convinced Of this that
no argument can shake his faith, and
no situation has thus far developed
that 4 rot instantly applied as confirm
atory. When we say to him:
But. isn't it rather rough or the in
nocent ones involved. TO suffer as much
rs any and TO give their lives for that
which others are to blame?"
They are our children" he retorts
and the children Of other wicked gen
erations. and our sins and the sins and
foIieo Of those before US are being
VISITED upon them. AND UPON Us
EEoCGH THEM"
"Of what are we guilty?" we might
hsk ourselves as a people. OF what are
the other nations that have been drawn,
one after another, into the vortex,
Gu:lty:
"of what are we not euilty?" would
De more easily answered. The replies
IN every case are too easy and obvious.
Let us refer TO the people suffering first
and rost-Belgium. Can the world
forget the Belgian rubber traffic hor-
rors In Africa That is only one in
d.ctmen.
OF what IS America guilty that she
should be punished Oh, Lord, This
boasting wasting. unreasonably spend
er Of human energy and peace and
happiness and life. How we haze
idiotic defiance Of moral or physical or
spiritual good. How we have tolerated,
winked at. even participated in and
silently accepted our "rake-of' from,
the most damnable evils
And we have done these things
knowingly. brazenly, shamelessly, in a
spirit Of getting away with it" before
Almighty God,
"Of what are we guilty." Lord for
give US our unblushing hypocrisy. In
this very hour--a time when we are
sending the flower of young America I
manhood to almost certain destruction
our government, our law making bod
les. our business and our social fibre
reek with greed and lust, with plot and
counter plot for personal gain and sell
fish ends, regardless Of where the suf-
fering falls on fellow man.
Even now, with a God-fearing fight
for better things in our Congress, evil
businesses are perfecting their devilish
plans to exploit the honor. happiness
and blood Of peoples who can be de-
ceived.
Can we believe that our Department,
of Commerce should escape war, or
some other brand of hell for it's recent
perfdious recommendation to American
patent medicine interests that they Gull
tivate China? China, the 100000, o0C
children $50 far as Western swindles
ere concerned) that has not yet recov-
cred from the effects of the opium hab-
il that Western civilization foisted
upon her, is now to be eploited by
consumption cures" and other concoc-
tons of unprincipled advertisers. The
National Association for the Study and
Prevention of tuberculosis maintain
that the Information and advice on this
Special Consular Report No. rs prac-
tically places branch of the United
States government on record as pro-
noting a traffic that has been con-
demned as an evil by every reputable
medical or public health body in the
country. both official and unofficial
This is Of particular moment to anti
tuberculosis workers in view Of the
fact that the sale Of alleged "consump
ton cures" constitutes one of the most
tragic phases of the patent medicine
traffic. The National Association es-
Inmates that not less than $20,000,000
is invested in the business of manufac-
turing and exploiting fake cures for
tuberculosis and that the annual in
come from these concerns and individ
uals is $4,000, 900. About third of
this amount is spent for advertising
leaving a profit Of slo.ooo,ooo year
which is characterized by the Associa-
ton as blood money" taken from ig-
norant consumptives. There are over
500 OF these So called fake tuberculosis
remedies listed. No drug or specific
cure for this disease has yet been
found. It is declared: but. il discovered