To the Religious Who
Are Opposed to War
In response to a letter from a post
master stating that residents of a
particular community declined to buy
war savings 'stamps on the grounds
of belonging to a religious organiza
tion which opposes war, the follow
ing letter has been sent out by the
postoffice inspection service:'
“Our government is a democracy,
“of the people, by the people and for
the people,” and the people of your
community, of whatever persuasion,
are a portion of that people who con
stitute this government, each having
a voice in determining its policies.
The policies of a 'democracy are de
termined and properly so by a Ma
jority of the electorate, and when in
its wisdom and its patriotism that
majority ’has decided by proper me
thods
proper manner, every loyal member of |
the minority should become one
with the majority and do all in his
power to carry out the policies de
creed by the majority. Permit me to
suggest that any other 'course, be it
only lukewarm indifference, in the
present situation, is giving aid and
comfort to the enemy in a negative,
but very effective way.
“The principal corner stone of this
government is a guarantee of political
and religious liberty to every citizen,
and every citizen is protected'fully in
the privilege of worshiping God ac
cording to his views and the dictates
of his conscience. Every member of
the 'Penticostal Nazarene church has
been protected in his person and prop
erty by this government and its con
stitution and laws, and I submit that
each owes to the government that
thus protects him his undivided, un
wavering support in its Titanic un
precedented struggle in the cause of
that liberty so dearly prized, so com
placently enjoyed, that it may con
tinue, and may be extended to the op
pressed of other Christian lands
whose people have suffered so griev
ously under the iron heel of tyranny
which so direfully threatens to en
slave the civilized world.
“While our government, in its great
desire to demonstrate to the full the
widest religidus liberty and exercise
thereof according to individual con
science, has declared that those mem
bers of religious sects that are con
scientiously opposed to war and to
fighting, may be relieved from partic
ipation in actual fighting in the arm
ies, it has not and does not release
such from their obligation as pro
tected citizens, from their duty to
support the government with their
substance secured under and by rea
son of its protecting laws, through
the payment of taxes on property as
sessed, and on incomes, or from their
duty to lend to the government of
their duty to lend to the government
of their surplus revenues.
“Most, if‘not all Christian churches
throughout the land, if called upon in
their assemblies to vote on the ques
tion of favoring or opposing wars, as
an abstract 'proposition, would, un
hesitatingly, declar against war, but
when the very foundation of peace,
the very bulwark of our liberties are
direfully threatened by the most ty
rannical oppressor of political liberty
the world has ever known, by the
greatest and most powerful military
organization that has ever existed;
when Christian nation after Christ
ian nation, of lesser political and mil
itary strength and power has been
ruthlessly overrun'in violation of ev
ery heretofore recognized law of na
tions and in contemptuous disregard
of every theretofore sacredly given
pledge; when Christian mothers and
daughters and sisters have been de
bauched and their non-combatant fa
thers, husbands and brothers slaugh
tered without provocation or justifi
cation, and'all has been done in the
name of God of the the German em
peror, it is high time for every Amer
ican citizen to declare himself by 'his
acts and to give to the government
the unqualified support of every dol
lar he is able to produce and spare
from the support of himself and fam
ily. Any man who has thrpughout
his life enjoyed the blessings confer
red 'upon every American citizen by
the beneficent laws and institutions
of this country, who does not openly
declare himself and stand shoulder
to shoulder with every other loyal
citizen, no matter to what church he
belongs or whether he is identified
actively with any church or not, does
not deserve the protection of the laws
under which he has thriven. He de
serves to become the political slave
of the autocratic unspeakable Hun of
the Junkers who would rule the world
aic who will enslave every one who
shall oppose them if America does not
win this war.. I cannot believe that
your people have looked this situa
tion squarely Til the face else they
would see the truth as it has been
seen by the vast majority of their
fellow citizens who are cheerfully ac
cepting the sacrifices imposed upon
them by this war which is so emi
nently a war of right defending
against might and which must be won
by the right'else the lamp of political
and religious liberty will be extin
guished for centuries to come and the
people of this country and their allied
co-fighters against autocracy that
knows no right but might will be en
slaved for ensuing centuries.
“Thousands of people in this coun
try who are ‘as conscientiously op
posed to war as are the members of
your church are cheerfully and pray
erfully contributing of their cash to
fill the coffers of our gavernment to
support on the fighting front and on
the high sea the flower of our young
manhood giving of its life-blood in
protection of our dearly bought and to
be dearly defended liberties. In this
present drive, your people are not
asked to give of their substance to
the government, only to invest with
the government at a goodly rate of
interest, all the surplus they would
otherwise invest in banks at a lesser
interest or on mortgages, the princi
pal and interest free from taxes. Cai^
a loyal citizen do less and deserve the
claim 'to loyalty? Would they dare
by reason of failure to rally to this
call to be considered less than loyal?
“ * * * * Go over the top
and carry every one of your thiifty,
loyal thinking people with you.
They owe it to their country, to their
president who’is the president of the
whole people, to their wives and chil
dren, to themselves and to the God
of the fatherless and oppressed of
other Christian lands to do their bit,
their whole duty in this and every
situation that shall arise in the cause
of right.”
/
SPECIAL.
Fine potatoes, per peck—--35c
Peas, per can- -*-®c
Corn, per can-!5c
Kraut, per can---10c
Cocoa, per can
Asperagus, per can-20c
Palm Olive soap, 3 for-25c
For Cash Only.
290d3t. Snetser’s Grocery.
_
Knox mends shoes cheap. Ill
Walnut street.
—: "
B -=-■=*
It Pays to
Figure With Us
We have just returned from a trip to market
and have bought extensively, anticipating
the needs of both our customers in town and
country.
We are headquarters for Hardware and
Furniture and Farm Implements. Call on
us, see our stock and get our prices.
It Pays to Figure With Us
Continue to boost the
Chamber of Commerce.
Make Newport the best
town in the state.
Johnson-Cloyes
Hardware Co.
IrMk___
Hats, Suits, I
Dresses, Coats 1
/ : “ ^i5 ' TVM
For customers seeking and ap
preciating individuality. Ij
Fisk Hats, Highland Hats, I ;3
Gingham Hats and J|
all the New York | |
Patterns M
We are now prepared as never before with frit
a finer line and with a greater assort- I |j
ment to fill your every want for '-TajS
Easter and Spring. Every- :Wjk
thing that is good, new ' wm
and stylish is here
to be found on |j|B
live and let
live basis. -jlfc
Every sale must prove to be the better 11
for less by actual comparison of standard I ;
Come in every day—we will be glad to I
have you call and inspect our vast array I fl
of latest creations.
Mrs. H. Clay Sanders |
WS.&
WAR SAVINGS STAMPS
ISSUED BY THE
UNITED STATES)
GOVERNMENT •
This Sign of
THe Times—!
The above sign advertises War Savings Stamps. It is the ]sign of the
times—it is an indication of the method of a democracy gathering sinews
of war in which it WILL Conquer autocracy.
B ■ I or 50c
Wonderfully
You are the one to whom this ad is primarily directed. Your Govern
ment needs YOUR SAVINGS and you need TO SAVE! Ttake.25 or 50
cents and buy one or two Thrift Stamps RIGHT NOW. Go to your Po^t
Office or any bank and get a Thrift Card with one or two stamps on it
and decide NOW that you will devote as much of your spare change—that
you will save every quarter you can—to buy Thrift Stamps and War Sav
ings Stamps. This will help your country win peace through victory and
will pay you 4 per cent interest, compounded quarterly. Should you need
your money, you can cash your War Savings Stamps at any time by giv
ing ten days’ notice to your Postmaster, and you will then be paid 3 per
| cent interest.
BUY YOUR THRIFT AND WAR SAVINGS STAMPS AT YOUR POST
OFFICE OR ANY BANK.
This space patriotically contributed to the War Savings Committee ^
BEATTIE HARDWARE COMPANY
> 7*