Evening star., 1923-04-20
UphOlds Senator Ladd.
Writer Believes Collins Did Not
Understand His Remarks.

In view Of the fact that you have
given considerable space in the col
umns Of your paper TO the review by
Paul ". Collins of Senator Z. r. Ladd s
address given before the young men
Of the Methodist conference recently
held in Washington. D. c.. as one of
the individuals who made up the au-
dience on that occasion, as well as be-
ing a member Of that great unorgan-
lied mass-the American public-I
wish to make a few observations As
to certain misstatements and false de-
ductions on the part of Mr.. Collins in
his resume OF the senator's address.
Evidently Mr.. Collins signally failed
to comprehend the obvious intent and
purpose. the elevated spirit Of the
senator's message to the conference
In the first place. your correspond
ent injected question which has no
bearing, directly or indirectly, on the
subject matter of the senator's ad-
dress Not only did he resort to ir
relevancy but he showed his con-
tempt for the Intelligence of the read
ing public when he attempted to dis
cuss the economic situation Of the
North Dakota farmers. Mr.. Collins
discussion OF the movement OF the
western farmers was replete with
gratuitious assumptions, unverified
assertions and erroneous deductions.
There Is no warrant or justification
for his apparent ignorance of the sub
ject he tried to discuss. He would
probably be surprised to learn that
the program Of the North Dakota
farmers has stood the test Of the Su-
preme Court of the United States, and
his attack on their movement can be
construed as an Indirect attack on the
court for declaring that their program
was constitutional.
state Is Republican. .,
When he seeks to have your readers
believe that North Dakota has gone
into bolshevism 1T is time to bear in
mind that North Dakota is repub-
lican state. and / think figures will
ing to population. 1t was the strong
est republican state in the Union In
the election of 1904. The background
OF the farmers movement was SIM
ply the right of the people TO run
their own affairs without any undue
outside interference. For years these
farmers had been the victims of a de-
liberate system Of exploitation on the
part of wheat gamblers, investment
bankers, chambers of commerce and
railroads. After years Of toll they
found that they We're reduced to
system of economic servitude more
crHel. even though 1t might appear
more refined. than the physical servi-
w
man does not admire them for their
strike for liberty?
Mr.. Collins would take the position
that the preachers and leaders of the
church are not discussing economic
matters. AS matter of fact. he will
have to attend church only a few
times to become aware of the fact
that they are. Senator Ladd'S posi-
tion was that since they are discuss
ing such matters that they should do
q N infn 1tt<a l1,t a
net take the copyrighted ideas OF
particular groups Of economists and
flnanciers. He did not even ask that
they take his ideas. he simply de-
clared that 1t was their duty to spend
enough time In the study of these
they began to preach it to their
focks.
Duty OF Church.
Mr. Collins thinks the preachers
should discuss the sickness Of the
SOUL and leave these other matters
Tss,Ih To- the professIonals ISL The New
Old Testament shows that all such
matters were left In the hands OF
the spiritual leaders Mr.. Collins
o would have the church keep hands
the people in economic serVitude to
them. After solomon's death the
kingdom was divided. purely over an
economic question. The king an
by. saying: MY father made your
yoke heavy and l will add to your
yoke; my father also chastised you
with whips, but I will chastise YOU
with scorpions"
The disciples recognized the eco
nomlo tasks of the church. The
oeacons" of the church were elected
Tor the purpose Of looking after the
poor OF the church. the distribution
or aims, the furnishing of food. The
"ofd deacon signifies servant.
Work of Disciples.
The twelve called the multitude of
the disciples unto them and say, 1T
Is not reason that we should leave
the word of God and serve tables
wherefore, brethren. look We ont
among you seven men of honest re-
port. full of the holy ghost and wis
9om. ~hom we may appoint over this
business During the whole Of the
ministry OF Christ he was constantIy
looking after the physical as we'll AZ
the spiritual needs of the people with
whom he came in contact
Senator Ladd did not ask the younp
men of the Methodist conferences to
ignore the spiritual. but he simnIy
asked that they intelligently approach
me physical problems of church mem
bers. The Office of the church is TO
condemn wrong wherever it sees il.
According to the philosophy of Mr.
Collins, the church would stay out of
an great moral questions, it would
NOT discuss the whisky question. white
slavery, gambling. or immortality OF
any description. 1t would simply try
10 give out food for spiritual thought
ana nothing more. Has Mr.. Collins
read the fifth chapter Of Jameso The
the hire of the labourers who have
reaped down your fields. which is Of
you kept back by fraud, crieth: and
the cries of them which have reaped
are entered into the ears of the Lord
OF Sabaoth."
Figure of Raft.
Mr.. Collins analogy of the raft is.
like the rest of his laborious effort at
reasoning, faulty. Senator Ladd did
not suggest that the shipwrecked
sailor be not thrown line, but the
thing he suggested was the proper
keep the ship off the rocks so that
there would be no shipwrecked sailor.
We are headed toward the rocks in
our economics. The church, by in
but II 1t listens to the siren songs Of
those economists and f1nanciers who
seek economic conditions that will
place them masters OF a modern
feudalism. grave dangers lie ahead Of
the church in the anguish of our peo-
pie.
Senator Ladd. evidently. was not
misunderstood by the young men Of
the Methodist conference nor by the
preachers present. 1t remained for
Mr. Collins to become so thoroughly
confused. At the close of the sem
ator's address, the pastor of the
church arose and paid very sincere
tribute to the senator commenting
upon his address, and clearly showing
that they understood and appreciated
what he had to say.
THOMAS F. MONAHAN.