The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1921-07-22
By ~
irving Bacfle.


Win sOlleu garments anu tOWeFeu
head. II had suffered derision and
defeat. IT could never be the same
again. Sneed and Snodgrass recoy-
cred, In q degree. from their feeling
OF opulence. Sneed had become POI
lite, industrious and obliging. Snod-
grass and others had lost heavily In
stock speculation through the failure
OF broker In Hazelmead. They
went TO work with will 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
homei Phyllis and her husband lived
with her parents, Gordon having
taken a 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 gan, as they say,
and won the regard Of J. 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.
10ur civilization has had It's time of
trial not yet ended" he began. "Its
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 Bingyille. They
have been destroying the things we
loved. The false god is in our midst
Many here, within the sound Of my
voice, have god suited to their own
tastes and sins--an ohedient, tract
able, homeless god, 1t is my deliberate
opinion that the dances and costumes
and moving pictures we have seen in
Blngville 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 / would
rather far rather, see you slay my
son than destroy his respect for law
and virtue and decency.
''The jazz band is to me sign of
spiritual decay. 1t Is step toward
the jungle. / hear 1t In the beating
of the tom-tom 1t Is not music. 1t Is
the barbaric yawp Of sheer reckless
ness and daredevilism, and 1t 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 llmousines and the landaulets and
rich upholstery and cord tires and
golf courses and sporting goods and
great country houses--s6 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
comm0nest needs of man. The time
seems to be near at hand when q
boiled egg and q piece Of buttered
bread will be luxuries and a family
of children an unspeakable extrava
gance, Let us face the facts. 1t Ii
up to Vanity to moderate Its demands
upon the industry of man. What We
need Is more devotion to simple liv
! Ing and the general welfare. In plaiI
old-fashloned English we need the re
ligion and the simplicity of ou
. fathers"
J Later, In June, strike began II
r the big plant of ]. Patterson Bling
/ The men demanded higher pay an,
I shorter days. They were working
r under a contract but that did no
: seem to matter. In a tight wit
!. "scabs" and Pinkerton men they dc
4 stroyed part Of the plant. Even tn
D life OF Mr.. Bling was threatened Tn
. summer was near it's end when
: Patterson Bing and committee o
r the labor union met In the once Q
Q | Judge Croker to submit their differ
ences to that impartial magistrate 10
e adjustment. The judge listened ps
; tiently and rendered his decision.
y was accepted.
When the papers were signed, NJ
Bing rose and said, your homo
L there's one thing that i want to sa.
}. / have spent most Of my life In til
). town. / have built up big buslne:
e here and doubled the population.
q have built comfortable homes for m
e laborers and taken an interest In ii
g education OF their children, and bui
d a library where anyone could fin
II the best books to read. I have bui
', Fairgrounds for the children Of Il
D. working people. II have heard I