Springfield weekly Republican. [volume], August 16, 1917, Image 12

About Springfield weekly Republican. [volume] (Springfield, Mass.) 1851-1946

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“I’VE BEEN IN HELL”
WARFARE IN EGYPT
STRANGLING HUN FLIER
CAPTURES CAPTOR'S PLANE
Some of the Astounding Stories the
Airmen Tell Their Friends in
Other Branches of the
Service
Written by n Sea Slug.
(British Service Name for Submarine
Chasers.]
(Copyright, 1917. by the Bell Syndicate.)
(Editorial Note: The author of this
Berles of four nrticl * is a young Ameri
can. who has spent most of his time cinee
the war started with the British patrol
fleet, taking an Important part tn helping
to organize that branch of the service
known as the Sea Slugs. This 1% the
fourth article. At the request of the serv
ice. publication of his name is withheld.]
It was in a little case in Salonica
that I ran into Bentley, when I had
not seen since the war began. I
would hardly have known the man.
From a stolid, easy-going, robust
sportsman, he had become a shaking,
nervous, hesitating person with the
skin color of an anemic. The sight
of him shocked me. His hand quav
ered as he lighted a cigaret—the same
that had held the steadiest revolver
on any range in England.
“Where have you been?’’ I asked
him. trying to appear as if I did not
notice the change which had come
over him.
“Been to hell,’’ he said, not em
phatically. but in a matter-of-fact
tone of voice. “It lies over east
and south a ways, below the pyramids.
Can’t tell you exactly, because the
censors don’t want it known wher?
we were fighting. The world doesn’t
know. yet. all that’s happened in the
east. If you’re going to stay a while
maybe I’ll spin the yarn. The doc
tors tell me I shouldn't talk about
it. but they’ve got me all wrong. It
does me good. I’ll back in the game
in a few months.’’
Well, we sat a while and drank
'Coffee and smoked, and. after the nar
ration of many personal incidents of
ridiculously little importance, told me
what had happened. If I could set
down the manner of his speech it
would add to the story for in his throat
was the death dryness of the desert,
and his eyes still reflected the fires of
feverish thirst, but I shall have to put
it down in black and white, and it will
lose thereby.
“There were eight of us went into
Hell.” he said, “under Field Order No
06. The order didn’t read that way
but that was what it meant. The com
mander of our division sent four
planes out to reconnoiter an enemy
position and drop a few bombs into
his camp. The Arabs haven't mucn
stomach for air attacks and a few
men in machines can do more good
sometimes than a regiment with rifles
and artillery.
“Maybe you think it’s cool flying
just because you're up in the air and
going fast. It isn’t so over the Sahara.
The sun gets hotter all the way down
Until it strikes the earth, and. when
it is reflected from the sand, it gets
hotter still all the way back, at least
that’s the way it seemed to us. “1
had to open a pin vent in the gas
tank for fear the pressure would blow
it up. the heat was so terrific. But
that's only incidental. All the boys
had to go through that.
“A few miles out from camp, one
of the machines went wrong and had
to land. The two men in it got back
al] right. That left six of us in three
machines. At the point on the map
where we had been ordered to go, .we
found a big camp of Turks and Arabs.
What the Turks and Germans had
promised the poor devils of Arabs I
don't know, for they were generally
pretty friendly to the British, but that
wasn’t our business. We let go a
few racks f oombs. and I never
saw a camp break up quicker. It
scattered in half a dozen different
directions, and our little squadron split
up in order to chase the different par
ties. We knocked out a few with our
machine guns for terror and the reali
sation of the white man's power is the
only thing that curbs these fellows.
The Sand Storm
“After an hour or so there was
nothing left for us to do but to re
turn to camp. The other two planes
were out of sight and my observer.
Carlyle, and I swooped round and
started home. “We hadn't been 1(1
minutes on the way back when Car
lyle gripped my arm and pointed over
to the left. He didn't need to speak.
I saw what it was —a sand storm. "I
never got to earch quicker in my
life. If we had been caught aloft. I
wouldn't be sitting here telling you
this storv now. As it was. I never
expected to come out of it alive, much
less with my machine in flying con
dition. But a sand storm is very
much like one of your American cy
clones. It may rip out one half of a
shack and leave the other halt
standing untouched and in perfect
condition. We seemed to be just on
the edge of this one.
“So far as discomfort or danger
Was concerned, as it turned out. it
wasn’t much worse than a stinging
bail storm. It sprinkled us pretty
plentifully With sand, cut us a little
end went scooting away across the
desert. I don’t know whether it wan
responsible for our engine stalling oi
not. but when we tried to start up
again the motor wouldn't catch. The
whole thing hadn't lasted more than
10 minutes, but it meant untold suf
fering for us. If we had been able
to keep right on flying. I don’t
think there would have been any
trouble.
Hostile Horsemen
“While we are working over the en
gine all of a sudden I make out an
other little cloud of dust off to the
■westward. Carlyle focuses his glasses
on it and from the size and shape of
the cloud, he judges it to be cavalry.
I work aw’ay at the motor frantically
Closer and doser the cloud of dust
comes, drifting toward us. It isn’t
likely it’s any of our own horsemen.
"We haven’t been out long enough for
them to oe scouting for us, and, be
sides, they couldn't have ridden so far
yet. They have seen us and begin
to circle round. It’s the enemy all
right. They are firing and the bul
lets are sending up little spurts of
Band all about us. There seems to be
six of them.
“ I'll fix that little game.' I mut
ter, and Carlyle, who knows what's
in my mind, slips a drum of ammu
nition into the machine gun. He's a
good shot—that’s his job—so. while
he sights the gun. I swing the ma
chine around when it is necessary.
"Br-r-a-a-ng! speaks the little
beauty, and two of the horses go down
In a mess of kicking legs. One of the
riders picks himself up. staggers a few
yards and drops. The other has not
moved.
“IX the four others wore bundled
। it would be easy, but they come at
us from all angles. I swing the plane
round, and Carlyle lets them have
another douche of lead. Two more go
down.
“One of the remaining two gallops
off as though heathen devils were
after him. But. the sixth is crazy. In
his fanatical fury, he drives straight
at us. It’s certain death for him. but
maybe he'll finish us, too. Even if be
doesn’t according to his logic, he’ll
go to a heaven with beautiful hour A
and a white horse to ride if we kill
him. and waiting on him will be all the
Christians he has ever slain. I’ve seen
these fellows run on foot a score of
yards after they’re literally shot to
pieces. It seems a terrible thing tj
do. but we switch the machine gun
round on him and let her go. There
isn’t enough of him left to pick up. It’«
horrid isn't it? But you wouldn't mind
it. if you’d been through all that I
have.
The Gas Tank Hit
“Mingled with the smell of burn
ing powder we sniff gasoline. Both
have the same thought at once and
make a dive for the tank. One of the
Arab bullets has punctured it. If ever
I thank the Germans for giving mod*
ern rifles *o the Arabs it is now. for
the hole has been made by a steel
bullet—a nice, clean, little, round
puncture, which we stop up fairly well
with some gum. It won’t last far.
though, and we have already lost a
lot of petrol. Fate has been laughing
at us. for now that we are short of
fuel the engine, for some unaccount
able reason, goes off without a flurry.
The sun is getting low’ and we start
back for camp. I am saving gasoline
all I can. but by the end of 20 min
utes our power begins to weaken. An
other 10 and we are forced to land. It
means all night on the desert for us
now. We drink rather sparingly and
start to walk by the compass. We
know’ the general oirection. We note
the location of the aeroplane and
leave it.
“It gets dark quickly and pretty
cold, too, but we lie down in the sand
to sleep. We will have to be up be
fore daylight in the morning to start
before it is too hot. We awake, stiff
and hungry. We drink some more of I
our water because we feel certain that ■
they will be cut scouting for us early, j
It is hard walking in the sand and I ‘
feel very -tired after an hour of it. [
Carlyle shows the effects of it more .
than I do. He drinks more than 1 I
think he ought to and the perspiration
runs out of him in streams. The sand
burns our feet. We have absolutely
nothing to protect our heads but the
rather heavy gear we wore in the
plane. We take off most of our cloth
ing. but -he direct rays of the sun
scorches our skin terribly now. an^
we have to leave something on.
“By noon. I feel intense pangs of
hunger as well as thirst. We try to
i lie down to rest but it is impossible.
The sand burns into one's flesh, and
we might as well be moving. Car
lyle. whose canteen is empty, asks
me for a drink. He's in bad shape. A
prince of a fellow. I can't refuse him
that. It he had been right he
wouldn't have touched my water. He
takes a long pull at the canteen and
I have to stop him. He seems put
out at that, but I know it's for the
best. Time doesn’t mean much to
us any more. We wander on by the
compass, but there's hardly hope
we'll find the camu, if they don’t
send out for us. Up in the air. when
we got the general direction, we
would see it. but on foot, the horizon
is close, the visibility low and it would
be easy to stalk right by it in one's
present condition.
A Terrible Thought
"We stagger on with our throbbing
eyes scanning the hot, brazen, burn
ing heaven, looking for the speck that
wi l grow into a plane and mean
rescue. A terrible thought occurs to
me. Suppose the other planes were all
destroyed. There would be no one to
come out after us. When I went to
war I expected to be killed, but I
didn’t count on dying of thirst and
hunger. My nerves begin to crack.
The weaker I get. the less courage is
left to me. the more I pity myself.,
which is very bad, especially in a
soldier.
"Carlyle asks me for more water. I
dare not give it to him. It is better
to wait until evening when it will be
cool, and the liquid will not evaporate
out of us as fast as we can drink it.
I long for a drink myself but abstain.
He is querulous and calls me names,
like a silly schoolboy, but I trudge on.
knowing I am right. My tongue is
swollen and thick and growing thick
or. I think, for asecond. that I will
swallow the half-dozen mouthfuls of
water that is left and let Carlyle shift
for himself. He has had more than his
share anyway. That is how the thirst
weakens a man, physically and
morally.
"Carlyle stumbles. I help him to his
feet in a revulsion of feeling. Seeing
him so helpless makes me fairly crazy
i that the thought of betraying him
should so much as have entered my
head.
"Tm done,' he grasps, and slops
out of my arms. I try to lift him. but
I am not strong enough. I cannot even
drag him.
“ ’Get up,’ I yell, for he is not un
conscious.
" ‘l’m going to stay right here and
rot.’ he says.
"I shake him. but he laughs at my
weakness. Then I press the canteen
to his lips, but the water in its scarce
ly wets them. I throw the thing away.
The sight of it tortures me.
" ‘What are you doing?’’ Carlyle
shrieks.
“ ’lt's empty I ”
" ‘Great God, I'm a rotter.' he
groans. I’ve taken the last drop,
and I've had more than you all along.
I didn’t know. I didn't know —'
“ ‘Of course you didn't. Allan.’ I
say. 'You’d have given it to me if
vou had. But get up now and make
another try. I can’t do much to
help.’
“ ‘I tug at his arm.
At the Pistol's Point
" ‘Let me alone.’ he groans thickly.
Tm going to stay—here—and die —
as—quick—as I can.’ Every word
was torturing his throat.
“‘I whip out my revolver. Get up
I say quietly, or I’ll blow your brains
out ’
"He makes a noise like a laugh.
'That's —what —I want,' he gasps.
“ 'Then I'll shoot you in the back.’
I threaten, 'and tell them at head
quarters that I had to do it because
you failed in your duty.
"He looks at me pitiably. He
struggles to his knees, and. with what
little help I can give him we totter
on. I don’t know how long after
that it is. but Carlyle falls and lies
there gasping. This time he cannot
get up. I leave him. My senses are
so dulled that it doesn’t mean much
to me. I do not know where I am
going. I seem to be wandering In
utter darkness although the hot sun
beats upon my head as though my
brain were frying. And poor, brave
Carlyle.
“There is a great roaring in the
air above me. Something is swooping
down on me. I trp to fight it off with
my hands. It has smothered me. My
life seems to go out. and I am inef
fably glad.'
It was a little while before Bentley
spoke again.
"They weren't able to do anything
for Carlyle.” he said. "He died before
they reached him. One of the planes
picked me up a few miles from where
he dropped. It was the next day.
and I was more than seven-eights
dead. I can't begin to tell you all
the things I went through in the
THE SPRINGFIELD WEEKLY REPUBLICAN: THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 1917
fever. I don’t even know now which
were real and which were dreams.
“But I’m here. Carlyle and I both
came out of hell, only we came by
different routes. Poor old Allan!”
A Fight in the Clones
That is a phase of aeroplane work
that the boys in France are not up
against. There is more likely to be
a sudden disaster, quick death, in the
excitement and ardor of battle. I
have not known so many of them,
but there was one chap, Filkins by
name, who had a most remarkable ex
perience.
“I was driven down behind the Ger
man lines.’’ he told me. “with my
machine gun out of commission and
my wings so torn there was no chance
of getting up again. Close behind me
came the Boche I had been fighting,
a gentlemaniy fellow, who neverthe
less had me covered with his big serv
ice revolver before he fairly took the
ground. He spoke very good English
and told me to get into his machine,
' the observer's seat being empty. I had
to do as he directed and in a few sec
onds we were .‘XXXI feet up and driv- I
ing for his aerodrome.
“By Jove, this is a wonderful climb
ing machine.” I said.
My captor beamed all over.
"I am proud of it myself,’’ he re
plied.
"I saw at once that I had struck '
him in a weak point, so I began to
praise everything about his machine
and he in turn showed it off to me.
repeatedly saying: —
“ ‘lt is not likely that you British
have anything like this.’
But we’re going to have pretty
soon.’ I answered.
“While he was doing stunts with
the aeroplane I was watching bow he
controled it. At last 1 was confident
I could manage the machine.
“ ‘Looks Uke a squall over yonder,’
I remarked casually.
The German turned. In an instant
my elbow was crooked around his
neck. He fought like mad. but 1 had
surprised h:m. The machine reeled
crazily. It was equipped with a sta
bilizer. but heaven alone knew whether
it would oe able to stand the strain.
I felt his left hand reaching for his
revolver. He had of course taken
mine. I managed to grip his wrist.
“ ‘I will dash us both to earth,’ he
hissed between his teeth, his breath
coming in short sobs, for I was
strangling him.
A Knockout
“I knew he would do it. too. 1 had
to finish him quickly, or both of us
were lost. There was no use in that.
I took a long chance. Putting every
ounce of strength I had into my
arm. which was choking him. I let
go his wrist which was searching
for the revolver and. before he could
reach the weapon, smashed him. hard
as I could in the face. He slouched
forward limply. The machine was
rushing toward the earth. 1 grasped
the control levers and steadied it.
The control was in the middle, and
the machine could oe driven from
either seat. I was sorry for the limp
form of my enemy by my side for
he was a real fighter, a man doing his
duty. The blood streamed down over
his face, and he lay as though dead.
I had hit with desperation. I next
reached for his revolver for fear he
would come to. and I didn't want any
more changes of drivers. I think we
must have made more than 110 miles
a hour back to our lines, and truly,
I was as much in a hurry to save
the man I had been near killing a
short time before, as I was to get
the machine there safely.
“Well, to make it brief. I handed
at the aerodrome all right, and they
carried the German off to the hos
pital. I was by his side when he
came to.
‘Achi’ he said. ‘You are right.
The English now have one of the best
machines.’
"I don’t think it is often a German
is a sport like that, but it’s all the
more pleasure when you do find one.”
I never hear of another such fight
between enemy airmen, although sim
ilar struggles for the control of a
machine have been fairly common. At
one time, both British and French
were sending up observers unused to
air service, because they needed them
taster than they could be trained. This
was risky business and cost a iot of
lives and planes. An observer would
often become frightened and grab the
control levers or the wheel. In some
squadrons the pilots were equipped
with clubs, much like a policeman's,
and many a one had to subdue a
frenzied observer who had been taught
just enough flying to make him think
he knew more about handling the
machine than the pilot
Fight Over London
While I was in London I saw a bat
tle between a Zeppelin and an aero
plane. It was one of the first raids over
the city. Everything had been in dark
ness before the aircraft was discovered
Then a thousand searchlights were
turned into the heavens and the great
gas bag stood out like a ball of flame.
Half a dozen of our machines took the
air. their wings shining in the light
■ike those of great silver birds. The
Zeppelin was flying very fast and high,
and some of the planes seemed to have
difficulty reaching her at the great
altitude. There was one. however,
which to an experienced onlooker ap
peared to be defying all the rules of
flying and of maneuvering. Yet it drew
always closer to the giant craft. Th*
searchlights were turned off for fear
of blinding our flier.
All eyes strained in the direction
where the two enemies had last been
seen. Presently there was a tiny glow
of reddish light as though a smoker
in the heavens had flicked the ash
from a cigar. For a second it gleamed,
then a burst of flame lit the whole
sky. The Zeppelin was burning, and.
in its light, we could see the aeroplane
which had destroyed it, diving crazily
I for earth. The wreck of the German
macnine fell near Potter's Bar. In
every available vehicle the crowds
hurried there. While the police were
holding them back from the mass of
twisted metal and charred bodies an
excited young man pushed his way
through the crowd. He whispered to
a policeman and showed him a card
with a photograph on it. and the offi
cer allowed him to pass through the
lines.
"It’s Lieut Robinson.” whispered
someone. "He's the worst flier in Eng
land.”
I had heard of him before, and
the reputation was justly earned. Rob
inson was considered by all the air
men as a nervy but hopeless student.
As he was pushing his way back
through the crowd, the policeman
asked him who bad “gotten” the Zep
pelin.
“I did." said Robinson, and he was
telling the truth.
PERHAPS THE OLDEST BOOK
[From the Christian Herald]
In an ancient Samaritan synagog
at Shechem a double roll of parch
ment is guarded jealously and is zeaE
ously preserved. It was to Shechem
that Abraham come in his first visit
to Canaan. Near Shechem Jacob sank
his famous well, and the returning
Israelites heard here for the last time
the voice of Joshua .Shechem was the
first residence of the kings of Israel,
and was a city of refu: e. Here at Ja
cob's well Jesus met the woman of
Samaria. Here the great Justin Mar
tyr was born. After the division of Is
rael into two kingdoms Shechem be
came the religious center of the north
ern kingdom, and Jeroboam’s gels-ap
pointed faith degenerated into its Sa
maritan worship of our Lord's day,
which Is perpetuated in the old syna
gog which holds this scroll.
MUSIC and THEATER
ON ~NATIVE MUSIC
REAL AMERICAN THEMES
TOO MUCH BONEHEAD TALK
Craze for Musical Nationalism
Though It Has Good Features
Leads to All Sorts of
Foolishness
A 5 ith an intensity that seems almost
, fanatic we seek an American nation
, alism in music Again and again are
we urged to emancipate ourselves
from Bpropean influences and ever
and anon are soi-disant American
| themes and colors sought out and sub
jected to a musical elaboration, says
Dr O. P. Jacob in Musical America.
All very well in appearance to be
sure. But commendable as this ten
dency as such may be frdm a na
tional American standpoint, there is
ever the danger that thereby our mu
sical world may be led into all man
ners of aberrations which, merely in
view of their divergence from preva
lent customs, might be considered as
—truly American. The most vivid at
testation of the likelihood of such
aberrations is. in my opinion, to be
found in the frequency with which
primeval— not to say barbaric—ideas
or themes, like those of the Indians
and Negroes, are unearthed, musical
ly elaborated and then with a grandilo
quent flourish presented to the mu
sical world as being real, genuine,
typical American products.
Ye gods torbid! Step for step with
Wie progress of culture, the civilized
races of the world have emancipated
themselves from all barbaric, primeval
influences, until finally the stage was
reached when musical art was consid
ered a distinct product of the world
of intellectual refinement, of good
taste and all those other assets tihat
go to make up what we have come to
consider a state of culture.
So what in the name of heaven can
we hope to attain, if our striving
American composers will persist in
choosing the North American Indian
or the African Negro for an inspira
tion to prove to the world at large
the musical Eldorado we possess in
our midst! What uncanny, subtle in
fluences must be at work to induce
fairly san? ard talented artists to se
lect weird bai baric, more or less irra
tional medley of sounds', orchestrated
for primitiv cymbals and oxhide
drums, to stu ly (?) such heathenish
incantations really believing (to give
them the ben<fit of the doubt) that
they are fir chering bhe cause of
American mus'cal culture?
Art, especially musical art. has ever
received a fresh, a beneficial stimulus
from other foreign sources of musical
culture; certainly never, though, from
a return to the Stone Ages. For to the
Stone Ages belongs that which many,
in Fneir fervor to become distinctly
American in art. seek for their in
spiraiion. The cry for a distinctly
American music has come to re^nt-
Me a battle cry of the days of old.
And yet it would seem that when an
American or talent enlists his genius
in a task that ultimately proves really
significant, he is Inclined to cast ail
such much-mooted national principles
to the winds.
The Preachment of John Luther Long
In an interview with John I.other
Long, the author of “Madama Butter
fly.” advises American librettists and
composers to emancipate themselves
from European obsessions, claiming
that American operas founded on
European traditions as to form, color,
atmosphere and the like, would never
appeal to us as being genuinely Ameri
can. But. oddly enough. Mr J. L.
Long owes his reputation pre-emin
ently to his "Madama Butterfly.” a
Japanese idea from first to last (the
American feature contained therein
merely representing an accessory fac
tor). And Asiatic Japan is no more
likely to lend us an American char
acter than Europe.
As Guido Alberto Fano, versatile
artist and director of the Royal Con
servatory in Naples, says in this
month’s Musical Quarterly: “The bond
that most closely unites Beethoven
Berlioz. Liszt and Richard Wagner is
their conception of music as an ad
mirable medium of expression . . .
And specifying. Fano writes: —
"Beethoven is wholly penetrated with"
the holy spirit of the revolution:
Berlioz pours out the richness and
variety of his temperament in musi
cal creations. Liszt, full of imagina
tion and charged with his intense per
sonality, hails with enthusiasm the
July revolution of 1835; Richard Wag
ner composes the dramatic poems for
his music and sets forth in fully de
veloped theories his thought in art
and philosolAy, his dreams of social
and politic^ revenges and the sad
realities of life's experience.”
we note how these masters who
created that which we have come to
consider the highest and best in mu
sical art were inspired b.y ideas ex
alted far above the ordinary; that
were based on principles of such
grandeur that they even justified the
frequently crude and inhuman means
employed. And just so our great
American composers to come will be
most closely united with such great
masters because they have expressed
with the means a kind Nature has
given them that which represents the
impressively great in mankind—be it
irive or hate—and not because they
have groped their way back to the
dark and primitive ages of human
me or perchance because thev have
looked to the primitive jungleman or
the degenerated modern North Amer
ican Indian for their inspiration.
Operatic Material
It is true that whenever I have
had Fennimore Cooper's ' Leather-
Stocking Tales" thrown at me In
argument. I have invariablv been led
to marvel why the subjects of such
an artistic work of fiction (see Alex
under Dumas) have never been
utilized for an opera libretto instead
of the rowdyish. uncouth western
cowboy or gambler or the slovenly
North American Indian of modern
times.
Speaking of subjects for an opera
libretto. I agree that a wealth of
grateful material may be found in
cur own colonial history, in Revolu
tionary and pre-Revolutionary days.
Why even a bass-singing George
VVasnington might prove exceedingly
effective as a figure for the operatic
stage.
MR BARTLETT’S “OLD GLORY”
Tn the Editor of The Republican:—
Not having seen any adequate notice
In the Springfield papers of the ini
tial performance of Homer N. Bart
lett's patriotic song, “Old Glory," sung
at the national association of organ
ists convention. Wednesday evening.
August 1, I wish to call the attention
of Springfield people to it more inti
mately
Mr Bartlett has composed stirring
music to the text of the song, music
which bears close relationship to the
text throughout. Both the melody and
harmony of the musical setting are
most appealing in their simplicity and
directness rr.d make an extremely fa
vorable impression from the start,
an impression which is bound to grow
upon further acquaintance.
This splendid song was admirably
rendered by a double quartet of mixed
voices, with Arthur H. Turner as so
loist, and accompanied by the com
poser at the piano and T. Tertius No
ble at the organ.
JOHN HERMANN LOUD.
East Swanzey. N. H.. August 7,1917.
It is reported from Amsterdam, by
way of the New York Evening World,
that Bayreuth no longer is a music
center, but a military camp, and that
instead of sowing tonal seeds it now
is planting extensive crops of pota
toes. The same Associated Press dis
patch adds that the Bayreuth streets
are fillet with field gray .uniforms.
. egetables art'being taised in the Villa
Wahnfried and Festschauspielhaus
gardens and Cosima Wagner and her
children. Siegfried and Eva. spent
most of their time visiting the wound
ed at the New Palace hospital.
Many composers find the night
hours more conducive to work than
the hours of the day, hence nocturnes.
PLAYS IN CAMP
Men in Training Will be Well En
tertained
The United States army, which will
soon number over 1.000.000 men. is to
bp provided with wholesome and at
tractive ramp amusements and enter
tainments, according to far-reaching
Plans that have been worked out by
the commission on training camp ac
tivities, of which Raymond B. Fos
dick is the Head, says the Dramatic
Mirror.
The commission, composed, in addi
tion to Mr Fosdick. of John R.* Mott.
Loe F. Hanmer. Thomas J. Howells.
Joseph Lee. Malcolm L. Mcßride.
Charles P. Neill, Maj Palmer E. Pierce,
United States army, and Joseph E.
Raycroft, has half a million dollars
to spend on the work, and is vested
with amp’e authority by the army
hill. For the young men who are to
ATbe sent to the army cantonments in
September the commission has mapped
out a program of amusement and re
laxation relating to activities inside
and outside the camp.
In addition to clubhouses in which
the young soldiers may lounge or in
dulge in billiards, pool or other in
door games, extensive auditoriums will
be erected at every cantonment for
the purpose of entertaining the troops
on a large scale. To these audito
riums the highest class of Broadway
attractions will come. Correspondence
is being carried on with Klaw & Er
langer and Cohan & Harris in regard
to routing these attractions, and both
of these firms, it is reported, are
co-operating heartily with the com
mission. The theatrical world can do
its bit in helping to furnish amuse
ment for soldiers, is the belief of mem
bers of the commission. At present, it
is planned that each theatrical com
pany will stay at each camp a week,
as there will be a sufficient number
of men in every cantonment to pro
vide capacity auditoriums for six days.
The theatrical program will be inter
spersed with illustrated lectures on life
in other countries with band concerts
provided by famous organizations.
20 or 30 Years a Moderate Immor
tality Nowadays
“One generally goes to revivals of
old plays with the secret hope of
finding them grown old. withered, im
possible. I cannot understand this
feeling. We gain nothing, not even
for our vanity, by establishing the
fact that our fathers were amused by
that which bores us. or that we no
no longer laugh at that which made
us laugh 20 or 30 years ago. It
seems to me much more agreeable
and reassuring to settle the fact hat
certain works do not die; that a life
of 20 or 30 years is moderate immor
tality. This was not enough for Gon
court. who at last was discouraged
in writing by the thought that the
world would ccme to an end." These
lines were written by Jules Lemaitre
apropos of a revival of "Divorcons"
in Paris. Is it not true that there
is a certain pleasure in finding out
how foolish plays that once pleased
now seem? Is it not true also that
some old plays suspected of being
ultra-sentimental or wildly improb
able—are still unexpectedly moving
or exciting, when they are well
acted?
MAKE SAUERKRAUT NOW
The Government Thinks So Highly
of Fermented Foods That They
Have Ordered Quantities for
Troops
Now is the time to make sauerkraut,
say officials of the United States de
partment of agriculture. Tremendous
rainfall throughout the country has
resulted in an enormous cabbage crop.
Nine out of every 10 pounds of cab
cabe is water. Lack of rain last year
sent the price of cabbage from $2 to
$5 a ton to SIOO and S2OO.
One million dollars' worth of last
year's crop of cabbage was made into
sauerkraut, but even so there was such
a shortage of this valuable food ma
terial that the price rose from $3.50
a barrel to $35.
The ancient art of pickling or
fermenting food.as a cheap and simple
moans of preserving it in large quanti
ties, is highly indorsed by the depart
ment’s experts. On account of the
great development of canning indus
tries, this healthful method of food
preservation has been lost sight of in
recent years in the individual homes,
but it now offers a safe and sane meth
od of caring for the perishable
products coming on to the market in
quantities too great for immediate con
sumption.
The advantage of this method of
food conservation, say the depart
ment’s officials, are that it is simple,
requires little labor, practically no
?iutlay of capital, and takes care of
ood in larger quantities. The method
also lends variety to the home menu.
The ferment which develops in the
food is thought by some to have a
beneficial effect on the health. It is
the same acid that develops in sour
milk, which has had sucn a wide vogue
as a healthful beverage. To a certain
kind of pickle, fermented by the sauer
kraut process, was ascribed the good
health of Japanese soldiers during the
Russo-Japanese war. Uncle Sam has
been quick to appreciate the value of
fermented food in the diet of soldiers,
and has ordered large quantities of
cucumber pickles, sauerkraut, etc. Not
only cabbage, cucumbers and beets
can be very successfully preserved by
this process, hut string beans, beet
tops, turnip tops and other food ma
terials which would otherwise go to
waste. Fermentation of vegetables is
successful either in northern or south
ern states. Full information will be
sent by the department to anyone
wishing full details regarding this
method. __
Whatever else may be said of Tam
many’s platform in the New York
municipal campaign, it is certain that
it pulsates with reform.
FARM and GARDEN
COUNTY LEAGUE DATA
CANNING COMPOUNDS
RULES FOR FERMENTATION
Usa Brine Made With Salt and
Vinegar for Preserving
Vegetables
Housewives are occasionally found
to bo using canning compounds, a
practice which cannot be too strongly
condemned. The United States depart
ment of agriculture has made an anal
ysis of a number of these compounds
and found them to be constituted of
boric acid, sometimes to the amount
of 90 per cent. The use of boric acid
is expressly forbidden by the federal
law in products intended for intarstate
commerce and many of our state taws
also prohibit the use of this danger
ous ingredient in food products. A
firm manufacturing one z canning com
pound which has had considerable use
in this part of the country was prose
cuted for the sal? of their product in
the state of Illinois. The case was ap
pealed and went to the United States
supreme court which upheld the 11-'
linois courts in specifically prohibit
ing the sal? of borax or boric acid com
pounds to be used in food. This
should convince anyone of the danger
In using such food preservatives even
though the products may escape the
operation of the law and be offered
for sale as harmless aids in coining.
If housewives will can only sound,
ripe fruit and vegetables, using per
fectly clean containers and sufficient
heat to sterilize, there will be no need
of any preservatives.
Preserving Vegetables by Fermenta
tion
The preserving of food products by
fermentation has b?en practiced for
centuries. In Europe many fermented
substances are common articles of
food. In the United States, however,
pickles and sauerkraut ar; the only
foods frequently prepared in this man
ner. A number of vegetables which are
commonly preserved by canning can
be ferm.-nted and kept indefinitely.
Cucumbers, beets and string beans are
successfully prepared in this way.
Wash the fruit if necessary and pre
pare a clean water-tight barrel, keg
or crock. On the bottom of the bar
rel place a layer of dill and a handful
of mixed spices. Half fill the barrel
and add another layer of dui and an
other handful of spices. When the bar
rel is nearly full add more a!ll and
since. If a keg or crock is used the
amount of dill and spin? can be re
duced in proportion to the size of the
container. When the barrel is nearly
full, add some covering material and
a well scrubbed board cover weighted
with a clean stone. The surface of
fermenting material is subject to
spoiling. To prevent this, a layer of
clean beet tops, rhubarb or grape
leaves, at least one inch thick, should
be placed between the vegetables and
the board cover. Then if any spoilage
occurs, this layer protects the sub
stances underneath.
Make a brine by adding one pound
of salt_ to 10 quarts of water. To
each 15 quarts of brine so made add
one quart of vinegar. Use enough
brine to cover the material and allow
to ferment.
Cucumbers are preferable fermented
with the addition of dill and spice to
beets and string beans, which are«to
1 e served like fresh vegetables. the ad
dition of spice is rp>t necessary. The
strings should be removed from string
beans before fermentation. Beets re
quire careful washing to remove dirt
before brining.
There will be more or less foaming
and bubbling of the brine during the
first stages of fermentation. The
length of time necessary for fermenta
tion to occur depends upon tempera
ture. In warm places only five daws
to a week will be necessany. In a cool
cellar three or four weeks. After
fermentation ceases a scum wil) ap
pear which if allowed to grow will de
stroy the acid and the fermented ma
terial will spoil. It is therefore im
portant to prevent this from forming
by covering the surface v ith very hot
melted paraffin.* If the paraffin is very
hot, making the brine boil when poured
upon it, the paraffin will form a
smooth even layer before hardening.
After solidifying it will effect a per
fectly airtight seal. If the paraffin
breaks for any cause whatever, it
should be removed, remelte-1 and re
placed. It is advisable to so adjust the
amount of brine used and weights on
the cover that the brine comes up to
but not over the cover, in this case
only the brine exposed between the
cover and sides need be paraffined.
If the material is not opened until
cold weather, it ought to keep without
spoilage until it is used up. If opened
in warm weather is is likely to spoil
rapidly unless the container is resealed
immediately. As long as the
seal is unbroken, the material wifi
keep indefinitely.
The local market gardeners and all
gardeners situated so that their
produce is marketed in Springfield,
will be interested in the newly-is
sued premium list of the first national
vegetable show, which is to be held
under the joint auspices of the vege
table growers’ association of America
and tbi Eastern States exposition of
Springfield. October 12 to 20. 1917.
The premium list offers splendid op
portunity for honor, prizes and educa
tion to anyone who is capable of
raising exceptionally good specimens
of any particular vegetable. Its
scope is not limited entirely to good
specimens of vegetables, but some
of the classes Include packages put
up for local trade and gives oppor
tunity for originality and good ideas
in racking roods for local and distant
markets. The exhibits at this show
include classes which are open to
state, county and local vegetable
growers or market garden associa
tions as well as individuals, such as
seedsmen and commercial growers of
all kinds of vegetables. Full direc
tions. specifications and rules, to
gether with an entry blank can be
had by writing to H. F. Thompson.
10 Temple street. Arlington. During
a recent visit to Springfield by H.
W. Selby of Philadelphia. Pa., presi
dent oft the vegetable growers of
America. Mr Selby expressed the
opinion that the outlook for this
year’s show is especially bright and
that the increased business and the
familiarity with gardening brought
about by war-time agitation, gives
especial significance and International
interest to this important occasion.
Benn Harvesting
Beans are harvested just before
they begin to shell. In dry weath
er a few of the pods and leaves may
still be green, but in wet weather
most of the leaves should have
[dropped off so that the beans will cure
as quickly as possible. Harvesting
may be done by hand or with a ma
chine. With a bean harvester, two
rows are thrown together. A man
with a pitchfork should follow the
harvester and place the beans in small
piles, shaking out whatever dirt O r
stones the aarvester may have gath
ered. A side delivery hay rake is
sometimes used to put four rows in
one pile. Common dump rakes are
not so satisfactory.
If some of the leaves arc still green,
the beans may be allowed te lie iii
the field for a few hours before pil
ing. otherwise they should be placed
in small piles or windrows and later
oiled soon after pulling. The piles
should be built rather small at the
bottom to Insure quicker curing.
Beans should be left in the pile for a
week or two until they- are thorough
ly dry. It is considered a good in
dication that the beans are ready for
storing in the barn when messing
with the thumb leaves but a slight im
pression on the bean.
Rain, while the beans nre in the
Pile. Will not injure them if they are
turned over after the storm. They
should be handled gently and as little
as possible in order to avoid shell
ing.
When the beans are dry they should
be stored in a barn to await thresh'-
ing. They should not he tightly
packed in the mow. They may be
left until the farmer is ready to thresh
tiem by hand or by machinery
The Massachusetts agricultural col
lege issues the following statement in
regard to methods of drying corn:—
Corn dried- in the open air should
be protected from the dew and should
not be wet by the rain.
If for.any reason it is desired to
hasten drying the kitchen range oven
may be utilized, as an evaporator. If
the corn is placed in shallow pans or
in a fine meshed screen frame and set
in a. slow oven it may be dried in a
few hours. Do not place the corn
more than one-half inch deep in the
pans or trays and stir it occasionally
in order to dry it uniformly.
In drying corn or any product in an
oven the door must be left open a few
inches so that the air may circulate
freely. The temperature should be
watched carefully as a high tempera
ture will cook rather than dry. The
temperature of the oven can be regu
lated somewhat by opening the door
wider if the heat becomes too intense^
A temperature of 150-170 degrees
Fahrenheit will dry the corn rapidly
and will give a high-grade product.
In order to be sure that the corn
is dry enough to store the beginner
might try this. Fill a fruit jar par
tially full of the corn. Place a piece
of cracker cn the corn and fasten on
the lid. If after standing for several
hours th cracker is still crisp the
corn is di enough to store. If the
cracker is • 'lst the corn is not dry.
LEAF-SPuT ON TOMATOES 1
Resin Fish-Oil Soap Added to
Bordeaux Mixture Promises a
Method of Control
The addition of resin fish-oil soap
to bordeaux mixture promises to con
trol tomato leaf-spot, although bor
deaux mixture alone has not prevented
losses. Plant disease specialists in
the federal department of agriculture
describe the leaf-spot disease as one
which causes defoliation of the plants,
greatly reduced yields, and inferior
fruit. Small circular spots develop
on the leaves and sometimes on the
stems. They first appear as tiny dots,
having a dark or water-soaked ap
pearance. Gradually they enlarge
and turn brown, and the leaves shriv
el and drop, beginning at the base
of the plant.
Bordeaux mixture is best prepared
by making stock solutions of the sepa
rate ingredients. The copper sulphate
should be mixed in the proportions of
a gallon of water, preferably soft
water, to a pound of the sulphate
crystals and there should be five gal
lons of this stock solution for each
acre of tomatoes to be sprayed. The
crystals should be dissolved in the
usual way by suspending them in a
burlap bag which touches the sur
face of the water; the solution should
be well stirred.
The lime suspension, or milk of
lime, is also a pound to a gallon, but
only three-fourths as many gallons
are needed as of the copper solution.
Thus, if there are 20 gallons of the
copper solution there wrnuld be only
15 of the lime milk. The lime should
be slaked gradually by pouring the
water on in small quantities and at
intervals until all has crumbled. Fi
nally larger quantities are added with
constant sirring until the volume Is
completed. If quicklime cannot be had
and hydrated - lime is available use
as many pounds of the latter as of
copper sulphate, but do not increase
the quantity of water. Air-slake lime
must not be used.
The resin fish-oil soap suspension
is made with a pound of soap to a gal
lon of water. As with the lime, only
three-fourths of the quantity of wa
ter is necessary. Hot water will
hasten the dissolving of the soap. To
avoid the formation of troublesome
lumps the water must be added slow
ly at first with constant stirring.
For general commercial operations
two 50-gallon barrels with outlets at
the bottom are placed on a raised
platform so their outlets will be high
er than the top of the spray tank.
To make 100 gallons, measure eight
gallons of the copper sulphate solu
tion into one barrel and six gallons
of the milk of lime into the other. Add
to each enough water to make 47
gallons, stirring the contents thorough
ly. and then let the two solutions run
with equal rates into a trough lead
ing to the spray tank. At the same
time add siz gallons of the resin fish
oil soap very gradually and in a
small stream through the spray tank
strainer along with the copper lime
mixture. The copper sulphate and
lime should be mixed before the soap
is added. Modifications of the meth
od may be used for smaller quanti
ties.
A traction sprayer such as that
employed in the spraying of potatoes
may be used except where the vines
are too large. There should be three
nozzles for each row. one to spray
downward and two on the side spray
ing toward each other. Vhese lateral
nozzles should be set low and pointed
slightly up to get the spray on the
under side of the leaves. Thorqugh
spraying, repeated at from seven to
ten-day intervals, is necessary for
the best results, and must be con
tinue.! through August. When the
plants are too large for a traction
sprayer In the rows, roadways should
be opened and the spraying continued
with long lines of hose.
It has been announced at Boston
university that the faculty of the col
lege of liberal arts has made a number
of radical changes in the entrance re
quirements and in the courses of
studies leading to degrees. In general
the changes are designed to adjust
the entrance of requirements to the
widening programs of secondary
schools' and to grant freer choice to
the several degrees. In admission re
quirements, the old plans of entrance
by examinations, by certificates or by
a combination of these methods are
continued, but there has been added
a new method of comprehensive ex
aminations supplemented by a tran
script of the secondary school record.
This new method is substantially that
now in force at Harvard. Yale and
some New England women’s colleges.
HINTS FOR GARDENERS
TURNIP OFTEN PROBLEM
FOR THE AMATEUR GROWER
Kohl Rabi Has Finer Flavor and
Fewer Insect Troubles
[Written by A. R. Jenks for The Re
publican]
Many people are unable to raise
good turnips for summer use. Local
soil conditions quite often tend to pro
duce all tops and no roots. If this
is not the case, quite often maggots
and wire worms damage the roots so
that they are neither marketable nor
edible and often have to be fed to the
chickens. This fact has been brought
home so forcibly so many times that
it seems especially desirable to make
a recommendation at this time of the
year as a substitute for turnip.
Kohl rabi has a much milder and
more delightful flavor than either of
the turnips, either Swedish or com
mon. has fewer insect troubles an!
grows quite readily under local con
ditions. It is a new vegetable and
not well knbwn to many local garden
ers, but much cherished by those who
are familiar with it and have under
taken its growth. Although it is not
strictly a root crop, it corresponds
closely to a spring crop of turnips in
its culture requirements and table
uses It is mentioned at this time
not because it can be planted now,
but that anyone who finds their sum
mer turnips unsuccessful may obtain
kohlrabi which has been grown local
ly and try out some of it to see if it
is tasteful. This will be the most con
vincing argument to favor the intro
duction of any new variety of vegeta
ble. The edible portion Is the swollen
part of the stem above the ground It
is much the same consistency as the
turnip, it can be stored for winter
use like most root crops.
In keeping with the above sugges
tion the following directions will oe
helpful in the cooking of kohlrabi:
Remove the leaves and cut a paring
from the outside of the kohlrabi. Cut
the flesh into slices one-half inch
„ ^ nd place ,hem in boiling salt
ed water and boil in an uncovered
tessel for off minutes. Drain, turn
into a heated vegetable dish and pour
over it white sauce or butter glale
uiub-root on cabbage is esneciallv
Prevalent in many of the old garden^
“A® Peculiar disease which becomes
fee ed S \’T , the - Rround is puce in
tec ted. it takes its name from th’
peculiar malformation of the roo"!
caused on the infected plant Ths
doeT S n o f Weak ! nS the plan ‘ so thatit
oes not produce a good head The
Sm® 3 in large numbers and the
nfTcted T ° h mes fatal t 0 a Plant ones
caulifiow^ dlseas e attacks
cauliflowei. kale, kohlrabi. turnips
mustard Tamily. her memberS ° f th 9
cum ™nt ?j lbbaßes are infe cted with
bb^lnL" eaSV t 0 deteC t the tro ‘'-
w!: F ,instance, of two plants which
one wm he I roW at the sa me time
^n 1H u b larße and forming an ex
cellent head while the other will b,r
small and runty, the leaves will be
curly and exhibit a stinted growth
This small plant has club-root
If you have club-root in anv of
year y< T tablCS in > b ® garden This
:eai m„ke sure to remove all infect
ed plants now. Rake all refuse which
bimn S it frO n tHeS f plants together and
burn it. Do not use it as part of a
compost heap or manure pile.
Making a Compost Heap
o /h'ki' 8 tb x time of V® ar when con
siderable refuse is obtainable with
no place to put it. Lawn clippings
vegetable leaves. re f use garbage, an
imal refuse are easily obtainable and
can be collected all summer if one is
careful to bear this in mind By eoi
lectmg and properly caring for thesa
bj-products m a compost heap one
f™Lor nSerVe s ?“ fertillty a ” d Plant
food for use next year. Select a place
"’here the presence of the
compost heap will not be unsightlv
and gradually accumulate a pile of
^Troubl??” clippinßS ' Uo P°t take
1 A ble to r ake off refuse from
an rt S rden ; can lem ain ‘here
^a th< “ soil as ea ®ilv
miv Aa ‘ the heap on»
may add garbage provided one Is ex
tremely careful not to draw flies
produce any obnoxious conditions or
the home 8 ‘° h are undesirabl e about
When garbage is buried it never
breeds flies and never gives, troubU
from odor or gas. If therp cnffirai
material in the compost heap 'in which
?actmJ fi nes Rarbase without at!
s 0 much the better
never, this is not always possible
make C a nram- “ I,e desi rable to
anv nlace Vi, e ° T bur y’ n K sarbag?
lot ofburyin ~ garbage is of ex
tent value in enriching the soil of the
home garden and is a perfectly san
^ded W th y «° f <lis P osin K of refuse pr„-
surface h nf !h n ls 1 al "; reach ths
the Ce > ,f the soll und ®rneath which
the garbage is buried.
HEAT WAVE COST 400 EGGS
Hot Weather Puts the Hends at
Storrs All Off Color
Last week’s hot wave cost the lay
mg contest at Storrs just 400 eggs
The corresponding week last year the
hens actually gained a little whereas
in the 40th week of the present con
test the total yield dropped from ap
proximately 3800 to 3390 eggs.
o£ L eghorns were in the
won ^hree p.aces for the week. The
Gilbert home pen from
eggs F' M ? ith a y ield of 54
hire ; ey s ” en from Ches
-53 eggs wbiY er ?h COS 6 second w ith
M T g n.’.n^i? 1 ,he P en entered by
M. J. Quackenbush of Nutlev N J
oame m f or (hird plaee with - gi
‘ he “’ cr ? di . t ’ The ‘hree monthly
Z t H f u r Ju y were all awarded to
e Leghorn pens. The blue ribbon or
Pn'adP"^^ 68 to Will dsweep farm of
Redding Ridge. The second prize rib
bon for the month was won by F. M
Peaslay’s birds from Cheshire, and the
third prize ribbon was awarded to A
P. Robinson of Calverton. N. Y.
Poultry people have lately talked
more about the high price of feed
than any other one thing. This, how
ever. is a disturbing factor only when
the hens do not lav In tho contest,
each pen of 10 birds averaged to li_y
during July. 14’4 dozen eggs that
sold for an average price of 421.. cents
a dozen. This means that the gross in
come from each pen from the sale of
eggs amounted to $0.05 whereas each
pen averaged to consume 77 pounds
of feed worth about $3.00 at the
present market price.
Maj Washburn estimates that Rus
sia has lost 22.000.000 people—-7.000.-
000 in battle. 15.000,000 by the over
running of Russian provinces. Only a
great country could stand that and
still be in the struggle.