Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-04-12
Mr.. SUNDAYS VISIT

TT WAS odd TO hear the Rev. Billy SUNDAY
i repeating in a voice Of thunder 10
large audience at the Academy of Music
the cruelest. silliest and most barbarous lie
invented about the Russian people since the
first revolution. But there the falsehood
stands in the text of the address which Mr..
Sunday delivered on Monday evening under
the auspices of the new Law Enforcement
League. '"The naturalization Of women"
cried the noted evangelist. ''is a principle
accepted and encouraged by the Boil
shevists,"
The disturbing thing IL not that pro-
fessional crusader Of the light should repeat
at this late date an assertion that even the
most malignant enemies of the Soviets never
took seriously and so breathe new life into
libel that died almost at once of it's own
essential meannpss. II is that a spokesman
for considerable part of organized church
opinion should seem so completely out of
touch with the truths Of contemporary life
and so willing TO repeat lie that slandered
oil the womanhood Of one Of the largest
countries on the face Of the earth II is not
necessary to agree with a man to feel com
PEELED to play fair with him. And the
propagandists certainly haven't played fair
with the Russians.
Once. a few days after the Soviers mad
come into power at Moscow. n small group
of anarchists - who are different enough
from the BOlShevists ~ be their deadliest
enemes-posted in a small Russian village
notice recommending the naturalization
Of women and forged with the names of
local BOlshevist CommisSars solely in order
that the new regime should be ANNOYED and
discredited. This was perhaps the first bit
OF anti Soviet propaganda in Russia. 1t
was about the only lie on record that ever
was Overtaken at once by the truth The
simple fact is that the present Russian view
of marriage is very much like our own. II
Mr.. Sunday was not aware of this he
should devote little more intelligent at
tentiOn to the newspapers. If he Is to pro.
fess guiding knowledge of the future world
he ought to have at least II superficial ac-
quaintance with the facts Of the world he
lives in. lt is not a completely happy
world, rs things are going, and it. needs
nothing so much as little f9rbearance and
charity between man and man. II needs
more people with an honorable regard for
the saving power Of simple truth intelli
\ gently faced. The Russian question. such
as 1t is, cannot be simplifed or solved b,
FOOLISH scandalInongers or the preachers o.
hysteria and hate. These gentlemen bav,
had their day and the responsible officers o.
government everywhere are having hare
time cleaning up the mess they made
1t IL possible better to understand tb,
Rev. Mr.. Sunday when you remember iha
in recent years he has become sort n
buIwark of the most rigid conservatism
Recently he was called to West Virginia
where he was supposed to soothe and quie
working men and women who. being unabl
4 to get a square deal in this world, were SUP
posed, 1t seems, to be content with promise
! of peace In the next. The sawdust trai
was to be, in the scheme Of the super. rcI
l. % West Virginia industrial fields, a sub
stitute for labor arbitration. SO in hi
\ Philadelphia address Mr. Sunday natural,
y esough took ding at labor leaders.
Dilly has come and gone. And, as q city
II ~ aSs somehow not uplifted. We are N
&enpss y tAs ideal of absolute volsteadisu
y ~ - vep ,hstoss. We are no wiser