The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1920-01-16
LAMENTATIONS

cord is sending out set OF lamenta-
tions vastly more appealing than the
lamentations of jeremiah which have
been handed down to us from gener.
alton to generation throughout the
ages.
Among other heart-rending things
the Record says:
Willing idleness today, by rich or
poor, is crimnality.
Workers are needed as never be-
fore, and the work shirker is Stacker,
a criminal. cooperator with the
forces OF starvation and freezing.
Every man who fails to work to
his utmost in this crucial hour of
world agony and threatened revolu-
ton is helping by his inaction, to
starve and freeze millions of helpless
women and children when action is
needed to prevent chaos from engulf-
ing the world.
Before the judgment seat of just
God every soul shall some day stand
and the light of eternity shall illu-
inmate the record of everyone. On
that day shall the women and babies
who died for lack of food and fuel
point an accusing finger at you and
say, Had you worked and inspired
other to work, we would not have
died in hunger and cold?"
Yet, all the while we thought that
the Record stood for America for
Americans!"
We thought that it stood for max
ing Robinson Cruso Island" of the
United States, isolating itself from
the world, assuming none of its obli-
cations nor responsibilities. which, If
Joined to the league of nations, would
compel it to undertake.
Continuing the Record says:
How will you answer them, coal
miner, food producer, merchant, manu-
facturer, teacher, preacher, day labor
er, clerk or banker? Are you doing
your utmost to relieve the world by
work, work OF brain and Drawn, work
to which you can look back with salts.
faction on that great final day when
some shall hear, well done good and
faithful servant" and others shall
hear the just condemnation of just
and righteous God?
Work, and more work, work to the
last ounce of strength and to the high
est degree OF efficiency; work such as
the soldier gave on the battlefield
amid the roar and crash Of cannon and
the dcath-dealing rifle and the hell
devised bomb; work IN spirit of sac
rifice and unselfishness; work, be-
cause upon every mans work will rest
in part the death or the life Of some
poor innocent sufferer-this must be
the inspiring thought in every mans
life just now.
Profits and wages are not today
the supreme issue. Both are impor.
tant, vital in their way, but they sink
into insignificance by the side of the
mighty issue of saving the world from
the forces of evil which fatten on the
agonies of the starving and freezing
people?"
Are you working in this spirit )"
What has caused all this cruel and
monumental misery that the Record
is despicting in such alarming colors !?
One brief word is the answer and
tells the whole story-that word is
WAR.
TO prevent the recurrence of wars
with their long train of evils men Of
thought and vision have sought to join
the nations of the earth together in
peaceful, friendly alliance.
In his efforts to bring about this
'consummation so deyoutly to be wish
ed the head of his nation has worr.
himself sick in soul, body and mind.
and from the Record, and the hands OF
the men it is unfolding, he has receiv.
ed no word of commentator; but, on
The contrary, the cry has gone forth
as it did on another memorable oe-
easion against one whose mission was
to bring peace to the world:
"Crusify him! Cruelty him!
Peace and plenty shall rein only
when wars shall cease.
1t is not too much to say that lea
que of nations is the hope of the
world.
In this commemorate movement the
Manufacturers Record should lend its
aid.
IL it does when the final day shall
come it will hear the welcoming
words: We'll done, good and faith
full servant" if not it will hear ringing