The Siftings Herald

LISTEN TO THESE PROPHETS.

Two strong indictments against what Mr. Wilson called the "ignoble" position of the United States were delivered Friday, one from the bishops of the Episcopal church gathered in Texas, and the other by Bishop Ainsworth of the Methodist church at the annual conference at Gulfport.

The house of bishops in the Protestant Episcopal church declared. "It is the immediate and imperative duty of the United States Government either to join the existing League of Nations or to proceed immediately to organize some other effective association or council of nations."

The general purpose of this demand is "for the purpose of settling amicably international disputes and thus save us from the great danger of another World War."

Bishop Ainsworth said. "there was never any more pitiable manifestation of our national delinquency than our failure to ratify the League of Nations. that immortal document which sprang from the brain of that mightiest prophet of international good will and peace, Woodrow Wilson."

The country was startled last Sunday when its people read the stinging words of Wilson. It was shaken to its center Monday when Wilson made his solemn address. It was like unto some of the prophets of old denouncing Israel for its shortcomings and for its sins.

Woodrow Wilson's active life is behind him. He is on the rim of the valley and the shadow. Broken in body, he sees the utter wreckage of all the ideals our people struggled for and died for. He sees the lofty purpose for which the war was fought forgotten, as he sees men and nations running about like hungry turkeys in the morning, each seeking to gobble up a worm or two ahead of another hungry bird.

The Commercial Appeal has insisted from the beginning that the only way out was through co-operation We saw our civilization struggling and staggering. We have believed for years that the sad state of the world could be overcome only by a moral and a spiritual co-operation.

We tried physical force from 1914 to 1918. When the end came there followed a season of fury and hate.

The bishops in Texas re-echoed the solemn warning of Wilson and they pointed a way out.

Bishop Ainsworth uttered the same sentiment. He did it bravely and without conditions.

We stand with him when he said: "The responsibility is upon our people to take their place in the influencing realm of the world and make God felt in the lives of men."

Amen, so be it!

It will not do to say that these men are mixing politics with religion or dabbling in the affairs of state when the church alone should be their affair. They are speaking the truth because it involves a great moral issue. They are urging something for humanity's sake. In these two declarations they were but following the teachings of the Master We have tried everything else and we have failed, miserably failed Only in the philosophy and teachings of the Master is there a way out.

The question is eminently practical. The politicians cannot duck and dodge it much longer; they must not be permitted to do so. The spiritual forces of this country must drive them to action.

The next Congress should be called upon from every gathering place of men of good will to go forward on the lines now being demanded by thoughtful people moved by a high impulse.

The tide of a more generous attitude towards those who are breaking down is rising in this country.

If Europe goes down in the welter of confusion and chaos we will follow along to the brink, and we may go over.

Those great church leaders are not hysterical, they are not dreamers They are men with a keen vision clearness of mind and lofty aspirations.

Ponder over what they say. They are not playing for favor or applause. The demagogy is on the other side.

Heed them!-Commercial Appeal.