The Omaha morning bee., 1925-01-21
T O a y
A Good Excuse.
Tuo Mniacs Fight.
Tied TO Their Anchor.
THO Billion Hours.
By ARTHUR BRISBANE.
By ARTHUR BRISBANE.

Our European friends, statesmen
of England, France, etc, say this
country is now tied up in the re-
parations mess, and that we have
made ourselves practically respon-
sible for Germany's debts.
Our statesmen say no, we were
only trying to get few hundred
million dollars out of the scramble.
In any case, you will probably
discover that we have given Eu-
rope a chance to say, by and by:
"You have not kept faith and so
we shall not pay what we borrowed
from you.'
John Kuehn and Albert Joe
fought desperately with heavy
mops. Before they were separated
Kuehn was killed. Keepers over
powered Joe, the winner. Both
are mad men and fought in an asy-
lum. "Oh," you say, "crazy, eh?
That explains it."
What does it explain? We're
those two maniacs any more crazy
or wild than the civilized nations
that recently started fighting and
kept at it until millions were killed?
Just as you make up your mind
that prohibition is a failure, be-
cause the rich man gets what he
wants, when he wants it, ETC., sta
tistics come along to make you
think again.
More money in savings banks,
fewer citizens in Jail, some jails
closed, fewer go to insane asylums.
Bigger wages might explain some
of that. But then comes this: In
New York, biggest city, crime
among women has been cut down
one-half since prohibition came, in
spite of the city's growing size.
Bigger wages can't explain that.
How many new crimes has pro-
hibition added to the list, while d.
minishing the amount of crime
among women? Father George F..
Bennett of st. Lawrence church in
Weehawken, tells of surprising a
group of bootleggers, carting off a
boatload of whisky at night. First
they offered him money to be silent,
then load of whisky or cham
payne. Policemen were the active
bootleggers.
That is the cold business side Of
bootlegging. The next crime story
comes from Sidney Island, B. G..
Hijackers attack the captain and
his son, alone on their whisky
laden bark. Father and son fight,
are beaten down, tied together, and
both are tied to the ships anchor.
The anchor slowly grinds them to
death, as it il lowered over the
side.
Ten years ago this country
smoked $4,000, 200 cigarets in
one year. In 1928 the number was
$4,000. 100000.
Smoking women have contribut
ed much to the increase. Figuring
little less than two minutes to a
cigaret, that means about 2,000,-
100000 hours devoted to cigaret
smoking by men and women. Add
cigars and pipes, then figure for
yourself how many years of time
went up in smoke.
But figure also, that life Is large;
ly choice of evils.
Nobody knows what foolishness
was avoided by the millions
thoughtfullly rolling their own, or
walking mile to get just the ci-
garet they wanted.
The only trouble about tobacco
is that when you smoke you tilt
your forehead upward, and in that
position you can't think well. Try
it.
French communists at AK and
elsewhere battle with French Cath
olics, holding parade. The COM
munists marched singing "The In
ternationale," revolutionary
song. The Catholics sang anthems,
in protest against the governments
religious policy, which is anti
Catholic.
Mussolini has declared war upon
the Free Masons because, among
other reasons, he alleges that "they
aim at destruction of religion"
Here we escape such troubles.
Complete separation of church and
state has worked we'll for both in
America.
Gandhi relates how agents from
Moscow sought to bribe him. They
wanted his help to start a bolshevist
revolution in India. Gandhi, SIM
pie soul, says he does not quite
know what bolshevism is, but adds:
81 do know that insofar as it is
based on violence and the denial of
God, it repels me-.
Far apart are Gandhi and boil
shevism. The former would con-
quer the world and disarm the OPP
pressor with love and nonresist-
ance. The latter prefers to work
with dynamite and the sword.
While you love and hate vio-
lence, you have to admit that vio-
lence, thus far, seems to win.
Asquith is to be made earl of
Oxford, fine old title now extinct,
but to be revived in his honor. His
country place is close to Oxford,
and that is appropriate. Mr..
Asquith, faithful, unselfsh and able
servant of the British nation, de-
serves honor.
Observe one advantage Of a
monarchial government. You de-
light mans vanity, please his
family, raise him above his fellow
commoners, and it does not cost the
government cent.