The Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 191?-19??, 1919-09-06
SPEAKERS IDEA
OF PRAYER
Blind Chaplain Called Down For
Praying for Peace and League
of Nations.

9 Washington, D. c., Sept. 4-In IL
e eyes of Speaker Gillett of the Natiol
al House of Representatives it is a
: offense for the old. blind chaplain |
pray that League of Nations ma
be formed to prevent future ''terr
BILE disasters" of similar charactel
y So, to typify the opposition of cei
' tain of the Republican party leader
to the League covenant, the Speake
reprimanded the chaplain, himself
Republican and Union soldier, VIII
lost his eyesight in battle during tn
Civil War. Despite services. for II
years under Speakers Cannon anC
Clark, the Rev. Henry N. Couder
never had his prayers interfered
with, but, when moved by the car
mage attendant upon the World War
this old soldier implored the Almighty
and said:
"We bless Thee, our Father in
Heaven, for the wise, the true, the
noble men who have witnessed the
terrible disasters a World War has
left in its wake, who are striving to
form a League of Nations to pre-
vent its recurrence in the future
Let those who object to League of
Nations visit Arlington, our National
cemeteries and those in France
where our American dead lie in abun-
dance. Let them witness the wound
ed and manned, with arms, legs, eyes
health gone; ponder these unsightly
scenes before they lift their voices
against those who would prevent such
scenes"
Representative j. Thomas Hef1in
of Alabama arose to the defense of
Dr. Couden on hearing of the episode
and held that the prayer "was exact
ly in line with the teachings of Christ
who preached the gospel of peace on
earth and good will toward men,"
"There is consolation to the blind
chaplain in the fact that One more
powerful than the speaker of this
house has said, Blessed are the peace
for they shall be called the
children of Cod" said Mr.. Heflin.
"In response to my charge that
the chaplain had been forbidden to
pray in this body for the success of
the forces fighting to prevent wal
and promote peace" said Mr.. Heflin
"the speaker is quoted as saying, i
did speak to him about it because ]
did not want any controversial mat
ters injected into prayers Gentle.
men, we talk about the liberty of the
citizen and the freedom CT the press
What VIC need now is an untrammell.
ed chaplain and the freedom ofNpray.
er."
Mr.. Heflin then quoted from the
naval bill of 1916, for which Speaker
Gillett voted, and which provided
that 1.-The President is authorized and
requested to invite, at an early
time, not later than the
close of the war in Europe, all the
Great governments in the world to
send representative to a conference
which shall be charged with the duty
of formulating for a court of arbi-
tration or other tribunal to which dis
puted questions between nations shall
be referred for adjudication and
peaceful settlement, and to consider
the question of disarmament and sub
nit their recommendation to their
governments for approval
"The chaplain of this house has
been praying in line with that vote
of Speaker Gillett's ever since 1916"
said Mr.. Helm, "and the other day
after the President had done what
the provision chat Speaker Gillett
voted for requested him to do, and
had returned with the covenant to
submit to his government for approx
al, and the chaplain, happy over the
outlook, prayed for its success, why
he is censured and humililated for
prayer out of harmony with the
changing attitude of the Speaker.''
In scrutinizing the opponents of
the League of Nations Mr.. Heflin
found among them every German
agent and every citizen of our coun-
try who was in sympathy with Ger