Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1918-02-08
POLITICS IN WAR TIME.

The Scriptures say in Mark, third
chapter, twenty-fifth verse: "lf
house be divided against itself, that
house cannot stand" and it occurs to
us that if all we read in the press
relative to the political controversies
taking place in Washington be true
there is a division there which cannot
produce good results, and may do
much harm.
20 conduct great matters and never
commit a fault is beyond the power
of human nature. But when men
whom we elect to represent the peo-
ple and to look after the we'll being
of the nation, spend so much time IN
calling each other blatant blather-
sixties, making all manner of accusa-
tions and indulging in heated argu-
ments that end in nothing, it does
not seem as though they were put
ting forth their best endeavors to
successfully conduct the great mat
ters with which the nation is con-
fronted to the best of their ability.
1t is easy to raise objections to
another mans oration, but to produce
a better one in its place is a work of
extreme difficulty. This is the posi-
ton we are in, but nevertheless it is
fact that the American people are
becoming impatient with these cOndi-
tions, while our nation is being torn
with grief and bathed in tears as
they see our noble and brave young
men marching away to the trenches,
that are Uttered with filth and
drenched with blood all of them to
suffer and some never to return. We
are doing all this that our nation and
our allies may be free from auto
cracy, despotism and the lust of con-
quest, while the paid representatives
of the people, in whose hands the
destiny Of the nation and the lives Of
these young men are placed sit in
splendor and luxury and enjoy all
the comforts of life, while they
struggle for political supremacy and
their own advancement.
In Corinthians, thirteenth chapter
and first verse we read: Though |
speak with the tongues Of men and
Of angels, and have not charity, ! am
as sounding brass or a tinkling Gym
bal" So it is with those who, though
they speak with tongues of men and
shout patriotism, yet fail by their
actions to prove their sincerity. Men,
no matter what their position, who
are not broad-minded and charitable
enough to carry out our policies, re-
gardless of their connection with
other organizations or political par
ties without crossing wires show no
patriotism, and are unworthy of po-
sitions of trust, responsibility or
authority.
Few men have the natural strength
to honor a friends success without
envying him, and as President Will
son, and the men who he has ap-
pointed to assist him in conducting
the affairs of the nation are making
a success of their great undertak-
ing it is envy that has created so
much political discord.
"For himself doth man work evil
in working evils for another" If
these evils would stop with those
who stoOp to such methods there
would be no great harm done, but
unfortunately one mans wickedness
may easily become all mems curse.
We do not criticise the govern
ment, but it does seem to US that the
minds Of some Of our statesmen, like
the pupil of the human eye, contract
more and more as the stronger be-
comes the light to which they are
exposed.