The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-03-25

exception to tke fact that the Pro- testant churches had registered a strong protest and promptly voted for the measure. It is surprising that commercial amusements, busi- ness interests of various sorts, men with money to make, can use strong pressure and build up arro- gant Hobbies without suffering any reprimand. When the churches make n protest in the interests of the public good and with no finan- ciaI interest at stake, some of our Legislators feel that most stinging rebuke must be administered, In any case let the issue be decided on its merits. Does the state of Connecticut wish to commend and stimulate the spirit of gambling? !? Do we want the revenue which must inevitably impoverish the citizens of the state, both financial ly and morally? A man met a bookmaker on a train out of Ion- don. When they parted the chance acquaintance asked for a tip on the next big race. The bookmaker replied, Yes, I'll give you a tip for all races. Keep your money in your pocket and don't be a blamed fool"
 In yesterdays paper we read the story of the passage of the Patman bill by the house of representa- tives in Washington "amid applause and window-rattlihg cowboy yells." somehow I don't associate states manship with cowboy yells! have no hesitation in characterizing these bonus bills as attempts to purchase the soldiers votes with two billion dollars of the public's money. It would appear that the principal business of the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars is to organize political pres- sure with a view to securing more pensions, more subsidies, more bonuses. Not the least of the evils or great war is the creation of a body Of veterans whose purpose it is to fatten off the public treasury. The government ought to deal gen erously with the wounded, the crippled. the incapacitated, but one wonders how many billions the vet erans without scratch or scar ex- pect to collect in the aggregate z This is patriotism at O price and what price!
 When 1t comes to foreign news, we were startled and chagrined to ind that Hitler has at last felt strong enough to come out in the open and show his hand. As we might have expected, as is the way with dictators. it is a mailed fist. NO one can say precisely what this means for the, future of Europe but 1t is very difficult to believe that the portents are favora ble. With such feverish preparations for war on all sides 1t would seem that we live in an insane world. The nations are mad that they do these things.
 We cannot absolve our own gov ernment from grave responsibility. Military expenditures approved so far this year by the White House total $1,02O,0O0,000. In the matter sof military expenditures we lead the world Moreover we have pro- jected and announced maneuvers in the Pacific which greatly in- crease i'll will, suspicion. fear. and tension in the Far East. If we were looking for serious trouble this would be the very course to persue. e
 I hope that this church can reg ister at least two protests. We have been asked by the social re- lations. committee of the State Council of Churches, Herbert S. Smith of this church, co-chairman to appeal to the governor to veto the pari-mutuel gambling bill. We have been asked by the Federal Council of Churches to protest to the president who maneuvers in the Pacific. would not further interrupt our order of service by asking for expressions of opinion but do hope that our Sunday Noon club and the Davenport Bible class may write or wire strong ap- peals to both Washington and Hartford on our behalf. Our pro- tests ought to be registered and joined with other similar protests we may have hope that they will have a salutary effect.'