Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-03-28
IGNORING THE MASTER.
League of Nations Must Not Usurp
Supreme Authority.

League of Nations Must Not Usurp
Supreme Authority.
It is not a religious organ, but one
of those journals that might be sup
posed to devote itself entirely to ma
terial interests trade paper
which calls attention to "a very SER
ious omission in the platform Of the
league of nations as cabled from
Paris" Nowhere in the platform,
nor, so far as reported, in the pro-
ceedings that led up to its promulga-
tion," says the American Lumberman
(Chicago), "is to be found any Off.
cial or public recognition of the fact,
generally accepted by civilized hu-
manity, of the existence of a Supreme
Being who rules the destinies of ma
tions, nor any petition for divine
guidance in the most momentous cri-
sis in the history of the world" The
American Lumberman asks if this is
a "trifling omission" and If ut Is mere
bigotry to refer to it?" 1t ventures
to affirm that Americans who are
familiar with their country's history
will not so regret 1t.
1.-THE founders of this republic re-
corded in the Declaration Of Inde-
pendence their firm reliance upon the
protection of Divine Providence
This sentiment was reiterated by
Lincoln in his immortal address at
Gettysburg as well as in other ad-
dresses and state papers, and has been
reaffirmed by every president from
Washington to Wilson. During the
darkest period Of the Civil war the
motto In God We Trust was ordered
stamped upon our silver coinage, by
act of congress- When, few years
ago, it was proposed to drop this
motto from the coinage the suggestion
aroused such a tidal wave Of protest
that it was Immediately abandoned.
There is no reason to believe that
American sentiment has changed In
this regard since then. Our national
anthem likewise declares In God We
trust and the national hymn 'Ameri-
ca expresses the Identical thought In
the verse beginning Our Fathers God,
to thee, author of liberty :. ; Are
these sentiments, woven into the very
fiber of the nation. mere pious platitu-
des, or do they express the real heart
beat of America? The American
Lumberman is certain that the latter
is true.
Man proposes, but God disposes,'
and unless the league Of nations takes
into account-not alone in words, but
in spirit-the fact of God, it Is fore
doomed to failure, just as every pre-
vious plan and scheme of men to in
sure permanent peace has broken
down under the pressure of national
ambition, hatred or avarice-traits
that have not yet been banished from
the world. There must be something
more potent than bayonets or battle
ships, needful as both are under pres
ent world conditions, as the ultimate
authority. Back Of the citizen Is the
state-using the term in its broad
sense-and back of the state is, or will
be, the league Of nations. Back of the
LEAGUE must be God, If it is to endure.
"Are these idle words on subject
of little consequence? Listen to the
Bolshevik creed as recently stated by
one Wicks, head of the so-called So
Wet in Portland, Ore. Your demo-
cracy,' said he, is a lie; your liberty
is a lie; your God is lie.' One of the
principal tenets of anarchy, Bolshe-
vism, and every other such cancerous
growth upon the body polite Is and
always has been reputation Of any
responsibility to Supreme Being.
"The brotherhood of man, without
recognition and acceptance. of the
Fatherhood of God, is a dangerous de-
lusion. This is having abundant proof
in Russia to-day, where God has been
officially abolished by the Bolsheviki,
who are eyemplifying their ideas OF
the brotherhood of man by gouging
out the eyes Of helpless captives and
committing every excess that fends
incarnate can devise. Disarmament Is
no guaranty of lasting peace. AS
George Bernard Shaw has well said
recently: If the will to fight con-
tinues, the means will always be forth
coming
More than any other nation, Amer
lea is sponsor for the league of ma
tions 1t Is born Of the same spirit
of high idealism that actuated the
American soldiers who died at
Chateau -Thierry and the Argonne.
America has earned the right to de-
mand, and should demand, through
her representatives at Paris, that In
the final draft of the constitution OF
the league the omission that has been
here discussed shall be supplied. If the
sentiment "In God We Trust is good
enough to stamp upon our coinage 1t
is good enough to appear, in suitable
phraseology, in that epitome Oh the
aspirations of humanity.
"The tumult and the shouting dies.
The captains and the kinds depart;
Still stands thine ancient sacrifice,
A humble and a contrite heart.
Lord God of Hosts, be with us YET,
Lest we forget-lest we forget!
oonceerIoN oE GRAIN