The Mena weekly star., 1918-05-23
JUDGE BITTERLY
 DENOUNCES DIVINE
William !. Driver of Mississippi County Severely Scores Minister Who Is Acquitted on Charge of
 Being Disloyal.

V1iNtt AAof AAA tAAA NAANAAe court here yesterday morning the Rev A. Gardner of the Stanford settle
 ment, this county, was arraigned be- fore Judge w. J. Driver on charge of disturbing the peace. Many com plaints have been made to the county officers regarding the attitude of Gardner, who, it is alleged, has at tempted to prevent enlistment in the army and support of the government financially and otherwise by process of moral responsibility talks" in which he pointed out the crime of murder as the unforgiveablG sin, and likened the legitimate act of gov ernment in declaring war to the de- prayed brute who for lust or gain stabs another in the dark. He is al- legged to have taken the position that the act of killing even in war is un- pardonable murder.
 In the trial here yesterday witness es were apparently weak kneed and uncertain They had heard the ser mons of Gardner and knew Gardner was opposed to war, but they could not swear they had been disturbed
 Judge Driver, upon the conclusion of the testimony, which did not result in convicting Gardner, made the fol- lowing remarks:
 ''I am surprised and humiliated and deeply pained,' said Judge Driver, "to find that the sacred alters of religion are being used for the propagation for such eontemptable and vigorous form of reasoning. In Mississippi county and all other counties of north eastern Arkansas l have found that these men of God have been ready constantly to respond to every call made upon them and their time and means when such calls are for patri- otic or moral purposes. They have asked me repeatedly and with great emphasis to use more time than had been allotted me in speeches for the Red Cross, the r. M. c. A., and kin dred organizations, the influence of which blend into the common cause, war. Therefore, when hear that in Greene county, in detached portion of this community, that a man who should be a leader and whose work should be an inspiration to others; when I find that this degraded, mis- guieded, villainous viper; this scape- grace and reprobate who now stands before me, has been using the pulpit as a means of melting opposition to the direct mandates of the govern ment under which his relatives live and enjoy the liberties and blessings of democracy; when I am told that community will permit spreading of this gsngrenous doctrine; when I am convinced that Al Gardner has been pointing the finger of criticism at the White House and has failed to lend his whole-hearted support to the Red Cross and the angels of mercy who 1 are today pressing cold cloths against the feverish lips of wounded American soldiers on the battlefelds of France; when l find that this mans influence has been directed in channels that give aid and comfort to the enemy, and if repeated in Berlin would cause smile of satisfaction to lay upon the lips of von Hindenburg and the de- monical Hohenzollerns; when thing like this is brought to my attention and realize that the holy principles for which we are fighting are being shredded and ground into dust by this hair-brained defendant and his kind; when I realize that these things are true, l feel an almost irresistitable desire to call down the wrath of the gods on his head or to inquire why a supposedly decent and law abiding community has permitted his poison ous footprints to desecrate even the sands of the highway. This man is discharged because of the apparent efforts of his neighbors and friends to shield him in his traitorous and reasonable attitude
 ''I wish it were within my power to impose sentence to fit the crime. But since this power is not within my hands. want him taken from my sight as quickly as possible. Have him to leave the courtroom. Get him away with the least possible delay. Mir. Sheriff l command that you clear this court room of his presence and do it saf a,sea u