New Britain herald., 1923-02-06
I.,p or "TRAIToRS"


 Attention has been called in these columns to the remarks of that expert economist Roger Babson as to the need Of the world for return to old fashioned honesty and religion. Now comes Bishop Anderson, Of the Metho- dist Episcopal Church Of Ohio and cx' presscs the same belief before New Britain audience in the words: What the world needs is the gospel or the Son of God, His law of righteousness His spirit Of service. His trust and HIS ideal of Christian brotherhood'' such statement is not unexpected coming from a minister of the gospel. It IS more striking when voiced by lay man accustomed to dealing with prac- tcal figures rather than with things sniritual. At all events there can be no questioning the truth of the state ments of each. layman and Bishop
 There is another statement Of Bishop Anderson's that might just as well be faced. "The bootlcgger IS traitor to the United States govern ment and so is every person who sup ports him and every newspaper which apologizes for him." he says.
 Let it be said incidentally that no case of any person or newspaper "apologizing for" bootlcggers has been roted If is not believed that there have been such instances-not' at least, ill Connecticut.
 But the matter of importance Is the statement that every person who sup ports the bootlegger is traitor to the government. Let it be admitted, II necessary. Grant. for the sake Of argu- ment.that the word traitor IS ap- nlicable to every person who buys liouor from a bootlegGer What then There are hundreds of thousands oi traitors in this country if the word he used in this way. Moreover the band of traitors" is growing every day Not only are the older people who nave been accustomed to liquor all their adult lives such traitors" but their children and their grandchildren are growing up, traitors" If that word is thus applied, and if the present con- ditions continue there will be no gen. orally recognized disgrace in being .traitor.' If then, the best people as well as the man in the street branded "traitors" by leaders in the church. grow to consider the stigma stigma no longer, will they not cease to consider it a disgrace to be traiter- ous in ways othe- than in regard to liquor?
 "I,awbreaker' formerly was con- sidered a characterization which all would shun. Many, many people today know they are 'lawbreakers." judge, having sentenced a man to jail for selling liquor, sat at home in the eve ming and took drink, commenting seriously that he himself was no better in this matter than the man he had sent to iail. Yet who would be so Ouixotic as to declare that the judge | should dehver himself to the au- thorities for his act? Who, wishing | for peace and quiet in this country, would advocate having every person | in the country who had broken this enforcement law go today before the authorities and give themselves up? There would be procession thou- sands of miles long, in which there would be men of every walk in life judges would follow laborers lawyers, ! bankers and merchants would march by the side of mechanics, craftsmen of all sorts. And it would not be surpris- ing to see in that great procession K ministers of the gospel and mothers of families, all forming that band of traitors.
 Means must be taken other than those of calling names before the ter rible condition of affairs may he al tered.