"There has been famine in India where hundreds and thousands have died from starvation, and millions of innocent, defenseless Jewish victims have been exterminated in sadistic orgies. What an existence we are creating for ourselves and our children. The future generations will surely pay. The sins of the fathers once more will be visited on the children."
Every time he handed me one of his chapters, he followed my reading from his own copy, because many times I would ask questions or start a discussion. I was wishing that I too should have been present on Mars. He sensed a certain amount of skepticism that was forming in my mind, and kept on hoping and assuring me that another opportunity would present itself for a trip to Mars and that I should accompany him. "You'll see for yourself," he said.
At about this time, he gave vent to his pent-up anger and said, "All this makes me sick at heart; my soul and mind are filled with disgust and fear that I am the offspring of an ugly lot of beasts. I don't want to remain on Earth.
"Millions of our youths have gone to war, and have sacrificed themselves in one form or another, to make this world a better one. I hope that they may not only end these problems, but may succeed in changing the economic life of all of us. If not, they have fought and died in vain.
"Then, oh, God, Who has given us intelligence which we misuse to fashion a chain forged with links of gold, which has us so securely bound and enslaved—far better take away from us that priceless wisdom which we do not know how to value. Efface it from our minds, so that we revert to our former primitive state until our present system of life can be entirely forgotten, and until we become entirely purified from our crimes. Then, and only then, instill in us a pure civilization, so that the cursed money system will be no more."
All this he spoke with a strange vehemence and uncontrolled emotion. He burst out in a loud, passionate sobbing. It took him some time to compose himself; then he said, "I cannot help my feelings. I am now not so inured to seeing poverty and want as you all are, or as I was before.
"You must excuse my agitation; it certainly delays the finishing of my story to you. We had better postpone it until tomorrow, when I hope I will be more calm."
FOOTNOTES:
[18] Reno Shopping News, Mar. 16, 1950, by Geo. S. Benson, President Harding College, Searcy, Ark.