Vagabond Editorials

(Continued from Page 6.)

In the old days the world was stern. Stern Gods, stern Governments, stern rulers, stern laws, stern individuals, the law of the jungle ruling most of them. And the poor and the needy begged along the streets and at the city gates. And only now we have come to understand that we ARE our brothers' keepers, that the strong MUST care for the weak, that we can never fully repay oun debt to Providence, that the greatest joy and satisfaction we can get out of life is in trying in some measure to pay our debt, and that the man who doesn't look upon his life and his gifts and his happiness as*a stewardshipis just MUD.

Unemployment is the main topic of the day throughout this land. And speaking of unemployment, I wonder if you lumber folks in the smaller towns in the forks of the creeks have been hearing thistidal wave of talk that is sweeping the country about trying to break the depression and the unemployment situation via the beer route. So freely is it being told in every bank, every club, every home, on the street corners, and wherever men meet together, that it justifies terse telling, even though, as many thin\ it is Pure propaganda by the wet interests of the count(f. But there are millions of people who havo heard it in such a way that they believe it.

*Here is the story:

The depression is not clearing up as fast as people expected. The unemployment situation grows worse, with dreary winter staring us in the face. Something MUST be done. So, we arc told, President floover wired the brewers of the land, asking how many men they could give employment to at once, if they were allowed to make real oldtime beer. You will find men every place who will give you convincing proofs that such telegrams were sent. And we are told that the answers indicated that thc brcwerics could under such conditions give employment at oncc to several hundred thousand;ne1. *

Add to that number the con tlcss ttousands that would be employed indirtectly, in handling, transporting, delivering, retailing, etc., and thc demand that would comc to thc farmers for millions of acres to be planted in beer making crops at good prices, creating an optimistic farm situation for the coming year. Thcy tell you that such a permit to the breweries to make real beer'would almost immediately employ a million men, and have an immediate and amazing efrect of optimistic character on conditions generdly. And that there is no other way in which this huge employmcnt change could bc brought about right at ttis time.

They tell you that no one would bc hurt but the illcgd liquor makers, the bootleggcrs, thc rum runnerE, thc bccr barons, and the racketeers gcneraEy, and that such a dcnouement would strike a deatb blow at oncc at tte gangster situation in all our cities, rclcase the gangstet' hold on unionism, and tdrn the tide for prospcrity. Thcrc are innnmcrable ramifications, but that is the gcncral story that is bcing told, and told eveqrwhcrc. It ir said that tlc Suprene Court will declarc thc Volstcad Act unconstitutional, ctc., etc'

And, they tell us that so certain is this proposition tbat the brewers all over the land arG at prescot cmploying en army of men getting their placcs ready ;q' rneling rrerl beer on a large scde. Anyway, it has swept the countrlr by the grapevine route as no piece of dleged ncws has donc since the war.