Evening journal., 1919-04-05
WAR Brings Duties
TO ENDEAVORERS
Dr.. Polling Says Soldiers
Set Example in Moral
ldealism
MEN NOT OPPOSED
TO PROHIBITION

Christian Endeavor Societies Of this
city held a spring rally at Second Bap-
tist Church last night. The speaker
was Dr. Daniel A. Polling, associate
president Of the United Society OF
Christian Endeavor. who spoke Of
New Phases Of Christian Endeavor
Work" He painted a word picture Of
the success Of the Allied Armies and
added in part:
The call of the crisis is the call TO
Christian Endeavor, for in the trenches
Of France and in the camps at home and
on the ships Of the sea more than 200
900 OF the young men OF our movement
served and sacrificed.
Our leaders In France did not con-
quer the vices that society has battled
against from the first organized begin
nings Of civilization; but, If the Amer
lean Expedtionary Forces did not set
an example in moral idealism to Ameri-
can civilian life, then walked through
France with my eyes closed and my
ears stopped.
General Pershing and those who are
in authority with him in France de-
serve, not only a resolution Of inquiry
or censure, but a vote Of confidence,
with the assurance Of our cooperation
and support.
''The American soldier Is the worthy
inherltor Of the finest traditions OF
American arms, a credit to her who
bore him, an honor 10 the nation he
represents, and the last and best hope
that civilization will not fail in her
struggle to establish the might of
right.
''What was the spirit of the trench
es? II was the spirit Of rare COM
radeship. / never saw a man injure
another man up there, or seek 10.
QuaTels? Sure. And personal encoun-
ters now and then. but these are few
and far between. There are little time
and strength for them, of course, and
there are few opportunities; but, when
they do happen, they are differences Of
words that do not have two mianings
and Of nsts that come through the
open.
Il have seen a man carry, in addi-
ton to his own kit, the entire equip
ment OF another man who was suffer
ing from gas. Three miles and half,
under the severest conditions of open
ing spring, through mud-fllled trench
es, he walked with his double load,
helping a man he had never seen be-
fore.
"What is the spirit Of the trenches? ?
It is the spirit Of service that has no
points. One night a
shrek Of agony came ringing back to
our line from a listening post in No
Mans Land. A chaplain was up-a
Roman Catholic. He crawled down the
shallow communicating-tre to the
wounded soldier, found him with
foot smashed by a grenade, unconscious
and bleeding 10 death. He stanched
the flow Of blood as best he could, and
somehow got the man back. And then,
after the stretcher party had carried
the casualty to the dressing station,
and while they waited for the ambu-l
lance, he prayed with the lad. A few
days later he said to me, 1 didn't think
a Catholics prayer would hurt a
boy And Il was Protestant
padre, we are told. who ministered to |
the dying Major Redmond on a battle |
leld of Flanders"
DR.. Polling expressed himself as being !
gratifled by the action Of the |
Peace Conference in including in its 1
outline of basic principles for the /
league Of Nations specific recognition |
# the necessity for prohibiting the /
rafflc in intoxicating liquors among the
dependent races. He stated that re-
,orts Of the general disapproval Of the
passing Of the prohibition amendment.
m the part Of the soldier overseas. and
4 his keen resentment, were untrue.
Ie said:
"The American in France, as to his
deals and his present convictions, is
-ery much as the American in the Unit
d States. It was my privilege to an
lounce national prohibition, In the
'alais de Glace, to several thousand en-
isted men and scores Of officers; later
o similar groups throughout France
nd the occupied portions Of Germany.
The simple statement. with the reasons
or the action, elected a practically !
unanimous expression Of approval. The
ne man who voices his disapproval OF
Iational prohibition, or the groups OF
nen that do so. from the decks Of re-
urning transports make more noise
han the thousands that remain silent"
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