The Washington times., 1920-05-14

Good for Pessimists.
Ashamed OF Killing.
What Is Morality7
please Tie Me Up."
By ARTHUR BRISBANE
Copyright. iyfe)

by ARTHUR BRISBANE
Copyright SisJ
! All chances to be grateful are
welcome. In this country we do
not see Woodrow Wilson in the
mountains, with Hiram johnson or
some other competitor tighten
Ing a military net around him."
In some ways we are better off
! than Mexico, let us be grateful
ffor that.
n Cotton Mather assured the
Puritans that their happiness in
heaven would be much increased
by looking down and watching the
writings and horrible sufferings
OF the damned. We have changed,
and do not feel that the smell Of
burning flesh would add much to
the delights Of heaven, as we are
now constituted. But a short SYM
pathetic look into Mexico may help
the pessimist.
Mrs. Cantine asks permission to
see her son die in the electric
chair. The refusal of the authori-
ties is encouraging. The Govern
ment power that kills, thus indors-
ing killing, is not exactly proud
OF its work, apparently.
That means progress.
Red Indians, capturing a mother
and son, would compel the mother
to look on while the son was tor
tured. They were proud of their
work. The history Of La Sale
tells of parento compelled to wit
} ness torture of their children and
Of young warrior eaten by his
tormenetors after enduring tor
ture with wonderful fortitude.
We have made progress, but we
still do kill, by hanging and by
electricity, in the name of justice.
Murderers and lynchers have
therefore highest authority for
belief that, under certain circum-
stances, killing is the right thing.
What constitutes moral charac-
teri" You know the Turkish lady
working in the rose fields who
modestly covers her face with
thin skirt, her only garment, when
the hated Giaour passes. You
know the Orinoco lady, mentioned
by Herbert Spencer, who hesi-
tates not at all to go out of her
hut stark naked, but would feel
ashamed to go out without being
painted.
Now you read of Marie Baco
and her child, and Mr.. Karl Heide-
mann, father of the child, who has
the child and won't let Marie
Paco take it.
The story is complicated, but
short. Karl Heidemann told his
wife all about it, and then she
forgave him. He has the baby.
The mother, who wants the child,
screamed and tainted when told
she couldn't have it.
The learned judge says the most
important thing for child is
moral atmosphere. The child, a
few lsmths old, goes to the father.
We talk about double stand
ard of morals" When it comes
to court decision we discover
that the interesting morality that
surrounds a man who has con-
fessed to his wife and been for
given is not shared by the poor
woman, mother Of the child, who
was willing to take the burden
upon herself.
1t was arranged, however, for
the mother to see the child occa-
sionally. That should help. Per-
haps the forgiven husband could
arrange to take in the mother as
cook and make everybody happy,
including the baby, which might
prefer its own mother to moral at
mosphere or a forgiven father.
The American Woolen Company
learned about 100 per cent last
year"
One branch of Standard Oil an
nounces that last year it earned
fifteen million dollars moro than
the year before. 1t has earned in
profits two hundred millions in the
last seven years. To celebrate the
good news that company increases
the price of gasoline.
Such items of financial news
make 1t quite clear that no profit
will be enough as long as the pub
lie tolerates taking more. Sooner
or later the public must regulate
the, power to tax without represen-
t6(I6n.
J Certain men, feeling an insane
fit coming, go to the police station
and say, please lock me up"
They wish to be protected against
themselves.
Some profiteers, not satisfied with
two HI adred millions profit in
seven :, ars on one small company,
mot satisfied with making in 1919
ilfteen millions more than in 1918,
|should appear at the Department of
Justice saying: please tie me up
somehow. ! want to be protected
against myself, before | kill the
goose that lays the golden egg, or
before the goose turns wild and
suppresses me. have a wonder