The Daily Worker Newspaper, October 1, 1927, Page 6

~ T WAS in the fifteenth century of the reign of Holy Mother Church that that good and fear- less captain, Columbus, actuated by the most pious and christian of motives, sailed across the unknown sea and _ discovered America. The taking of the mo- mentous voyage came about in this fashion. Columbus, a ‘native of Italy anda daring sailor as well, was in the habit of hanging up’ mod- els of little ships in the church of the Blessed St. Nicodemus, ‘to see if they would point their prows at the altar.’ ‘If they did then all was well; and if they didn’t the Saint had refused the gift and a bad voyage might be expected. The latter case meant that the hardy mariner would have to expend some silver pieces on candles to burn before the shrine of the Holy Virgin to offset the bad luck promised by the Saint. This meant less drinks at the tavern of The Dying Swan; but to date had been highly successful in bringing the good sailor home from his voyages, safe in ship and in body. Behold then, the pious captain, on repairing on a certain day to the church to ascertain, in the usual fashion, if his Saintship promised good or bad luck for a coming voyage to Spain with a cargo of the finest grape wine, was vouchsafed a vision in which he saw, far off, beyond a great sea, multitudes of half-naked savages kneeling on a beach and holding out their hands to him in supplication. They were calling on the name of the Blessed Saviour, and begging for someone, in Jesus’ name, to come and baptise them with Holy Water so they would be saved from the horrible fate of dying outside the true faith. As Columbus looked at them with pity and with feelings of horror for their terrible predi- cament, St. Nicodemus opened his lips and spoke to him. “Rise,, Columbus, in the name of the saints and Holy Mother Church, and carry salvation West to those unhappy heathen who are still in a state of Natural Sin.” = 4 From the moment of hearing those words, the doughty captain felt that he dared not, for his soul’s sake, refuse the mission so sacredly entrusted to him; but he possessed no vessel of his own with which to undertake a voyage westward, nor had, he money wherewith to purchase and outfit one. In this parlous state, greatly troubled in mind, did Columbus finally come to the court of Queen Isa- belle of Spain, to win the queen’s ear. “You say,” said this wise and. virtuous monarch, “that you saw twenty thousand savages holding, out their hands and praying for the saving graces of Holy Water?” , | “At least that many, if not. more, your majesty,” replied Columbus,, “And many of them grovelling on the beach and praying to the Holy Mother, her- self to intercede for them.” j 4 “This is indeed wonderful,” said the pious queen who was a devout catholie and not unmoved by such a pathetic recital. “You are right, my good cap- tain; the plea, even of savages, must not go un- answered. Did you say they wore trinkets of bar- baric splendor?” “Of pearl and of gold,. your majesty. I could see the sun glinting on their jewels. I am sure they would be willing to reward generously one who should bring them the Holy Water they crave.” That night the queen said to her liege lord the king: “I have need for twenty thousand gold pieces for the salvaging of souls.” But the king had just lost heavily at cards and was in no mood to listen to pious pleas. “In that case,” he said ungraciously, “you had better pawn the Crown Jewels.” So the next day the queen sent for the Jews. “How much am I offered for this splendid tiaria, this diamond stomacher, this jewel inerusted gold netting ?.” “Twenty-five handred pieces of silver,” piped up the thinest and hungriest looking’ of the Jews, “Twenty-five hundred pieces of silver!” screemed the queen. “Twenty-five hundred pieces of silver! TIsraelitish dog! dare you insult me by offering so little?” ; “But the jewels are not genuine, illustrious one, pleaded another Jew. “They are paste. By the beard of Abraham, they are not worth what was offered!” ‘ “Very well,” said the queen in her iciest tones, “it has come to this then: that Isabelle of Spain, Queen of Granada, is told by the lowest mongrels in her kingdom that her adornments are cheap glass, that she goes clad in jewels not worthy even’of a Seville dancer in a seamon’s div sat it? Is that it?” The Jews all trembled before the menace of her anger. “Nay, madam, thy jewels are precious. Never have I seen such stones of value. Our companion did but jest. By the prophet Flisha. they are worth twenty—” The Queen looked at him. “Twen- ty! Did I say twenty? I did but jest like my fellow. By HENRY GEORGE WEISS They are worth thirty—” (in a burst of exquisite anguish) “forty thousand pieces, gold!” “Tt is hardly enough,” said the queen negligently, “but I accept. See that the money is here before noon. And remember! if is not well to jest with queens.” She watched them cruelly as they slunk from her presence. “Here, Maria,” she said to a _ lady-in-waiting, ‘throw this junk into the bag yonder and give the glass to the dog of a ‘money-lender when he re- turns. It is a pious thing to despoil the crucifiers of the Blessed Saviour.” She crossed herself. “For- ty thousand pieces. It is more than I expected. One should be able to fit some vessels for half that amount. Twenty thousand pieces—Nay! fifteen were plenty. For this prosperity the Holy Virgin shall have two dozen candles of the three heavenliest eolors burned at her shrine. Maria, Maria, my little one! Hasten to Father Bogartna and bid him say five Masses tomorrow morning for the good of my soul!” With the fifteen hundred pieces of gold given him by the queen, Columbus outfitted three tiny vessels. “Ain't My Boss Wonderful!” A Note from Japan By SCOTT NEARING. HE other day I climbed the hill above Kobe. When I got up where I could see the town, the first thing I saw was a bunch of red roofs,—the only ones that I could see anywhere in the town. And above the red roofs floated a big red flag, with a hammer and sickle in the corner. It was the Russian Constilate. It seemed a bit strange, just at first, to see the flag there, particularly in view of the fact that the ptesent Japanese Cabinet has undertaken’ to enforce law - and order in the country. But in the case of the U. S. S. R. it is different. ..., . The Japanese are practical folks. They probably wish that there was no U. S. S. R., but since it is there, and since they are compelled to do business with Asia, they evidently think the best thing to do is to make the best they can of the situation. So they signed their treaty with U.S. S. R. in January, 1925, got some valuable con- cessions on the Island of Sakhalin, and are doing what they ca&h to build up their influence in Manchuria. Mean- while the existence of the U. S. S. R. is taken as a fact. How else can they take it? aa oenin Moma When Columbus Sailed West But there- remained the problem of a crew. In vain he pleaded with various sailors of the, water-front, telling of his miraculous vision. The sailors were adamant. Was it not true that the world was flat, and that if you went far enough to the westward you would roll off the edge, doubtless down to Hades? A man would have to get a pretty stiff price to make him to go to the edge of the world and tumble off. And the majority wouldn’t go at any price. Then there was the matter of Holy Water. Nothing but the best of water, blessed by an Archbishop, would satisfy Columbus. This, as the Archbishop pointed out, was a delicate matter requiring a little donation for the welfare of Méther Chureh. “Besides, my son,” said the eminent divine, “it would not be seemly for an ordinary seaman to sprinkle twenty thousand savages into salvation. A special dispensation must be had, otherwise would the sprinkling be of no avail. This will cost you two thousand gold pieces.” Columbus saw that the Archbishop was perfectly right and paid over the two thousand pieces. “Then there is. the matter of the Holy Water,” said his eminence. “It will require four hundred casks of Holy Water, at the least, to anoit the heathen. This means the blessing of four hundred individual casks; which, as you perceive, my son, is quite a task. Fifty silver pieces a cask is indeed too small.” , “But, Father,” pleaded poor Columbus, “in that case I shall have little or nothing left wherewith to hire a crew. Could you not lower the price a trifle?” “Impossible, my son, impossible! You should be ashamed to suggest that I do so. Especially when I am overlooking one other thing. Has not his Holiness the Pope solemnly, and with book and with bell, proclaimed the earth to be flat? Hf it were not for the fact that you kiss the cross and thus declare the truth of the vision vouchsafed you by the good Saint Nicodemus, I should drive you from my pre- sence for uttering heresy! Perhaps the blessed saint will perform a miracle and carry you safe to your destination. Otherwise, the world being undoubt- edly flat, you will fall over the edge and be utterly destroyed. Yet beware, my son, lest thru unwilling- ness to contribute to Mother Church for her bless- ings given you thru me, here anointed, I be driven to doubting your sincerity.” Thus spoken to Columbus hastened to produce his pieces of silver. “God will doubtless provide seamen for me, even tho I lack the means to pay them,” he said sadly. “See what it is to have faith, and to trust to Mother Church,” replied the Eminent Bishop. “My son, your reward is even now! In the prisons of the city are divers convicts, murderers and such. A word to the queen and your crew is complete. Blessed are the true believers, for verily God work- eth them good!” - In a transport of gratitude and pious fervor, Col- umbus fell on his knees and kissed the hand the Archbishop held out to him. With the easks of precious Holy Water safely stowed in the holds of his ships, and with the crew so miracously recruited finally aboard, each mem- ber of it with manacles or iron on wrist and ankle, Columbus cleared the harbor mouth. Then followed weary days of sailing, and wearier weeks. Only Columbus’s faith never faltered. Every day he re- paired to his cabin to hearten himself with a bottle of wine and to burn various colored candles before a small image of the Holy Virgin and also before one of the good Saint Nicodemus. To him came the anxious mate, saying: “Captain, the men murmur.” “Knock them down,” said Columbus absent-mind- edly. “The sea hath a strange look; I am afraid.” “Have a drink,” invited Columbus. “What shall we do?” “Sail on and on!” cried the dauntless mariner. And they sailed on. Sailed on and over the un- known western ocean, until against the far horizon leaned trees and hills, with an inviting beach at their foot. And on the heach were the Savages, twenty thousand of them, holding out their hands and sing- ing praises to the Virgin and to the good Saint Nicodemus for having sent them this divine succor. With what joy did Columbus break out his casks of holy water and baptise them, men, women, and children, into the true faith. Yet is it not true that Salvation is cheap at any price? In return for the precious sprinklings of holy water, Columbus ,re- ceived furs, feathers, and trinkets of gold and silver. All in the name of the Lord, of course. A year and a day did he tarry with the Savages, explaining to them the articles of their new faith, and loading down his vessels with the price of many Masses to be said at St. Peter’s. Finally he set sail for home, carrying with him several of the natives in chains; for, as Columbus piously pointed out, it were well they should become accustomed to the discipline of Mother Church and the blessings of Christian civili- zation before reaching Europe, ;