The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-08-17
Today
Minds and Legs. Stupid Brutality. Pigeon and Rats.
 hr ARTHUR BRISBANE


 
 Mir. Biree, q Vermont farmer, was excited yesterday. A doctor promised him that he would be able to stand and walk for the first time in ss years. Surgeons perform such won ders. You are not surprised at the patience with which Farmer Birse lies n the hospital enduring severe treatment.
 But you are surprised when you re- member that books in the libraries would do for tho minds of thousands what tho doctors are doing for Birge s logs. But thousands won't take the trouble to read them. although the books are free. Better to have legs that won't walk than a brain that can't think. There are millions of such brains, and the owners don't worry.
 Herbert Darlington, broker, had some pigeons. squabs and eggs were disappearing rats were after them.
 He shot one mother rat then found the rat nest with young rats and one pigeon eEg in 1t. The mother pigeon was sitting on the egg and the baby rats, keeping them all warm
 Foolish pigeon, you say. but not half as foolish as voters that walk to tho polls and keep warm" polit- ical organizations that rob them be- tween elections. The poor pigeon can't read and write--that's her ex- cuse.
 By the way how did that rat carry the egg without breaking it? How do rats carry hens eggs, as u ey do? Nobody knows. The theory is that enc rat lies on it's back hold irg the egg with four paws. while other rats pull it by the tail, using its body as sled. That rats steal and carry away eggs is known but nobody has seen them or knows how they do it.
 Of the charge that men on strike Rave thrown bombs at railroad train, injuring women and children, risking the lives of many. there are two things to be said:
 First, to accuse strikers of such a crime without proof is as outrageous as 1t would be, without proof. to ac- cuse railroad owners of throwing bombs. to turn sympathy against the strikers.
 Second if any union men are guilty they are the worst enemies of union ism and decent union men should de- liver them up for the punishment that they deserve, no, merely because they are Vile crimina.s, but because they threaten the existence of union ism.
 The Rev. MT Hagen, Mornvian min ister. said: "Environment and herid- ity are no excuse for sin"
 Environment and heredity" may rot he an excuse. but .iey are causes of sin.
 ~ What chance has child of cursed Eeredfty. including poverty. vice. drunkenness, perhaps complicated by vicious blood disease, born into an environment of filth. misery. ig- norance. superstition and brutality. Statistics will tell the Rev. MT. Hagen great deal about that
 The Bible itself does not blame sin entirely upon the sinner, for it warns those through whom evil may come. That is to say, the environ ment.
 The philosophy of strikes as they affect corporations are put in six words by Mir Fontaine, intelligent young writer. in Wall street.
 strikes must end; public must pay"
 M Corporations are not worrying, the "street" keeps prices up because Gpeculators and owners of corpora tons know the truth is in those six magic words.
 Yes.- the strike must end. sooner or later And after the end the public must pay.
 That is one of many rood jokes on the public.
 Here's another interesting little paragraphin Mir. sFontain's philoso- phizing;
 The public is always complaining about Wall street. But if 1t watched It's own interests as carefully as Wall street watches it's interest. Wall street would be eating out of it's hand"
 their own interest, especially on election days. things will change.