Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1930-12-11

other day. He knew he was worth
less bum. He admitted it with his first
words. And that was the great pity
of it. 1t was too bad that he was cold
and hungry, but the terrible thing was
to see human being devoid of pride
and self respect. There have been a
number of such visitors the past few
months, not all of them so unashamed
as this one; some of them anxious and
willing to work.
Perhaps if things had been Just a
little different you anA4 and the other
fellow might be just as worthless as
the ones we pity and sometimes despise
and sometimes help. How much doawe
owe to the fact that a kindly aProvi-
dence gave us good health, good blood
in our veins and good ancestry back
of us, kind and worthy parents to guide
us when young and an education to
fit us to meet the battle of life? What
if we had been born of drunken par
ents, in the slums of city? What If
our earliest recollections had been of
home where everything was low and
vile and ugly2 Perhaps, if that had
been the life into which we had been
born, we would be no better than the
shameless bum who has lost all self
respect and pride.
1t is pleasure to know that in this
fine little community Of ours there are
very few undeserving poor. 1t is like
wise pleasure to know that little chill
dren and mothers will not be allowed
to 60 without the necessities of life
All honor to- the good people of the
community who are taking part in
providing relief to those who need as
sistance
1t is too bad that man who has a
good record back of him will some
times make such an unmitigated ass
of himself in later years. Former Judge
Ben Lindsey, beyond question, accom-
plished great good in his Juvenile court
in Denver, when he was kind father,
a fine guide and an inspiration to the
youth of that city who came to his
attention because of some youthful
escapade or crime. In those days he
was an outstanding national figure and
men paid him high honor for his
worthy deeds.
Today the opposite is beginning to
be true Last Sunday he made an ass
of himself when he practically broke
up service in a great cathedral and
employed the tactics Of a street ruffian
in his long standing dispute with
Bishop Manning of the Episcopal
church.
Lindsey seems to have lost his senses
since he became the outstanding cham
pion of what he has termed "compan-
ionate marriage" There unquestion-
ably are many Inconsistencies and
many faults in the institution of mar
riage. Probably advancing civilization
will some day change it to some extent.
The sane man, however, will question
the wisdom of Lindseys ideas in this
connection. But whether or not one
agrees with Lindsey's ideas regarding
the institution of marriage, most men
will agree that he showed himself an
ass and a ruffian in his actions Sun
day. 1t i'll becomes anyone of Lind
sey's former standing to brazenly in
/ iect himself into a service of worship
in great cathedral If Bishop Manning
was unfair in some statements he made
about Lindsey and his ideas, there
were sufficient opportunities for Lin
dsey to answer him in a decent way
Lindsey is constantly speaking in pub
lie. His utterances are reported in the
daily press. He had full opportunity
to deny any charges the bishop nigh
have made against him and do it il