The Kenna record. (Kenna, Roosevelt County, N.M.) 190?-1924, 1921-06-10
CHAPTER EIGHT.
In Which Judge Croker Delivers a
Few Opinions.

W Wntcn Judge CROKER Delivers q
Few Opinions.
The pride of Blngville had fallen in
the dust It had arisen and gone on
with soiled garments and lowered
head. 1t had suffered derislon and
defeat. It could never be the same
again. Sneed and Snodgrass recov-
cred, in a degree, from their feeling
of opulence. Sneed had become po-
lite, Industrious and obllging. Snod-
grass and others had lost heavily In
stock speculation through the failure
Of broker In Hazelmead. They
went to work with viii and without
the naughty independence which, for
time, had characterized their at
titude. The spirit of the Little Shep-
herd had entered the hearts and home
of Emanuel Baker and his wife. Pau
line and the baby were there and
being tenderly loved and cared for.
But what humility had entered that
homel Phyllis and her husband lived
with her parents, Gordon having
taken humble place In the MILL He
worked early and late The Bings
had made 1t hard for him, finding 1t
difficult to overcome their resentment
but he stood the gaff, as they say,
and won the regard Of ]. Patterson.
although Mrs. Bling could never for
give him.
In June, there had been public meet
ings in the town hall addressed by
Judge Croker and the Reverend Mr..
Singleton. The judge had spoken Of
>the grinding Of the mills Of God
that was going on the world over.
"Our civilization has had its time of
trial not yet ended" he began. 'Tts
enemies have been busy In every city
and village. Not only in the cities
and villages of France and Belgium
have they been busy, but in those Of
our own land. The Goths and Van
dals have invaded Bingville. They
have been destroying the things we
loved. The false god is in our midst.
Many here, within the sound of my
voice, have a god suited to their own
tastes and sins-an obedient, tract
able, homeless god. It is my deliberate
opinion that the dances and costumes
and moving pictures we have seen in
Bingville are doing more injury to
civilization than all the guns of Ger
many. My friends, you can do moth
ing worse for my daughter than de-
prive her Of her modesty and I'would
rather, far rather, see you Stay my
son than destroy his respect for law
and virtue and decency.
''The jazz band is to me a sign Of
spiritual decay. 1t is a step toward
the jungle. hear 1t In the beating
of the tom-tom It is not music. 1t is
the barbaric yawp of sheer reckless
ness and daredevIlism, and It is every
where.
Even IN our economic life we are
dancing to the jazz band with utter
recklessness. American labor is be-
ing more and more absorbed In the
manufacture of luxuries = embroid-
cred frocks and elaborate millinery
and limousines and the landaulets and
rich upholstery and cord tires and
golf courses and sporting goods and
great country houses-so that there
is not enough labor to provide the
comforts and necessities Of life.
"The tendency of all this is to
put the stamp of luxury upon the
commonest needs of man. The time
seems to be near at hand when a
boiled egg and a piece Of buttered
bread will be luxurles and a family
of children an unspeakable extrava-
gance. Let US face the facts. 1t is
up to Vanity TO moderate its demands
upon the industry of man. What we
need is more devotion to simple llv-
ing and the general welfare. In plain
old-fashioned English we need the re-
ligion and the simplicity of our
fathers"
Later in June, strike began in
the big plant of J. Patterson Bing.
The men demanded higher pay and
shotter days. They were working
under a contract but that did not
seem to matter. In fight with
'scabs" and Pinkerton men they de-
stroyed a part Of the plant. Even the
life of Mr.. Blng was threatened The
summer was near its end when ].
Patterson Bling and a committee of
the labor union met in the office Of