The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1922-12-01

conception of protection and license-
for which modern civilization has no
proper place. 1t is not merely the
demand of the road hog against the
proper rights of all others who travel
the international highway; it is indeed
the last cry of the social and moral
savage against the inevitable advance
of civilization.
Economic Chaos and the Worlds
Drink Bill
The maelstrom of debt which has en-
quilted the nations of the world pre-
sents all international economic prob
lem of staggering proportions. The
indebtedness OF the United States gov
ernment has jumped from one and
one-half billions of dollars to "a bill
lions: that of Great Britain. has gone
over SO billions; that of France so bill
lions; that of Germany 20 billions; that
of Poland 68 billions; that OF Russia
Is billions; that of Italy 10 billions;
that of Austria 10 billions. In fact it
is conservatively estimated that the
ernments of the world is approximately
$50 billions of dollars. Moreover,
Great Britain is the only one of the
European nations engaged in the great
war which has been able to balance Z
her budget since the war; Authorities
on national and international finance
insist that at best the liquidation of this
indebtedness will require a hundred
..,I af fia
tent authorities persist in declaring
that most of the indebtedness of the
countries of Europe can never be paid.
The Time to Strike is Now
Conditions throughout the world in
dictate that now is the psychological
time for international action against
alcoholism. Governmental reconstruc-
ton and reorganization are the order
of the day in radically every nation.
The remarkable benefits derived from
restrictions and prohibitions placed OH
the liquor traffic in most countries dur
ing the World War are still fresh in
the public mind. The liquor traffic
just now is willingly shouldering the
burden of taxation in the several ma
tons in the hope that it may thus
intrench and protect itself against the
rising tide Of Prohibition.
Oriental countries that have been
under total abstinence religions for
centuries are beginning to feel the CT
feet of the penetrating methods OF the
world liquor traffic which threatens
greater evils for the Orient than even
those OF opium.
Prohibition has ado remarkable
progress in recent years. 1t has COM
PEELED the thoughtful consideration OF
the civilized world. If its progress4
should now be checked, generations
must pass and the liquor evil i'll all
probability must play lar more
deadly part in the wrecking OF the
worlds civilization before another such
opportunity is presented.
Formative Period for Moral and
Religious Forces
Moreover, this is the formative pc
Rod as regards the temperance reform
for the religious and moral forces OF
practically every nation. Those forces
for the most part were not compelled
to ace the issue until America adopted
Prohibition. Among those forces to-
day, however, convictions are being
formed, decisions are being recorded,
definite policies for the future are be-
ing settled, and the choice between
different methods of dealing with the
liquor traffic is being made. Now, OF
all times, there is presented the oppor-
tunity for effective effort that may in
fiuence the moral progress OF the
world for centuries to come.
The opportunity thus presented car
ries with it an obligation which can
not be ignored.
The 14gnihcance of the New Age
Among the most important contrib
uting factors i'll the movement OF the
new age toward international cooper
alton undoubtedly has been that of
popular education, which by creating
a knowledge of conditions, govern
ments, language, and characteristics
of the peoples OF all countries, has
paved the way for international under
standings and relationships that are
now inevitable.
The diffusion OF cheap daily press
has greatly assisted this new Renais-
sance. Trade and commerce, bank
ing, industry, labor movements, physi-
cal science and invention, all have an
international significance.
The stock exchange, market values,
wages, housing conditions and indus
trial welfare activities ARE materially
influenced by international relations.
Railroads, steam ships, electric lines,
automobiles, submarines and airships,
in comparatively few years have con-
verted scattered and widely separated
countries into great neighborhood
of nations.
The telegraph, the telephone, the
oceai cables, the wireless, and the ra-
dio have brought the remotest sections
OF the earth into closer speaking con-
tact than were the peoples OF the diff
ferent sections of New York century
ago.
The universal tendency toward DEM
ocratic government and democratic in
stitutions. moreover, has given to the
masses Of every country common in
terests and common yearnings, which
promise rapidly to grow into common
understandings.
The Christian Religion
The greatest factor, however, in the
inauguration and development of the