In 1921, a severe drought affected all of France, leading to rising vegetable prices and significant damage to crops, orchards, and vineyards. Hopes for rain remained unfulfilled, and hailstorms contributed to the crisis. The Seine, once inviting for swimmers, had become dangerously unclean, prompting health warnings. In 1925, William Jennings Bryan criticized evolution as mere speculation while participating in the Scopes trial. He emphasized that the conflict between evolution and Christianity was crucial and that the outcome would impact public understanding more than the jury's decision.
PARIS ― The great drouth, unprecedented in more than 50 years, daily is increasing its damage in all sections of France. Prices of vegetables are rising instead of lowering, as is usual at this season of the year, but that is a minor detail compared with the serious effect of the results likely upon crops, orchards and vines, and ultimately upon exchange. Almost day by day the clouded skies have aroused hopes, but only a few drops of rain have fallen, while in many localities hail storms have proved ruinous.
The contest between evolution and Christianity is a duel to the death... It has been in the past a death grapple in the dark; from this time on it will be a death grapple in the light. The jury will not settle the question in the Scopes case finally, but the people will.
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