The sun. [volume], December 16, 1917, Section 3, Page 8, Image 32

About The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920

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THE SUN, SUNjBAY, DECEMBER 16, 1917.
3
SOME NEW BOOKS.
1 many learned biologists, and phlloso
Thc Dann and Development of Life pliers. He prefers to believe, with
' on I'arth. A,rlstotle, ll,at "Nature produces those
The research professor of zoology In J"""t being continually moved
3-nliimhla.Cnlversltv. who nl tin
7samo tlmo president of the American
TMuscum of Natural History In this
Z'ltv. ranks among the foremost of llv-
:A.T VWevrtrts. Any work from hlo pen
-tnerefora Is sure to command tho at-
" tVtV.ou of men of science at home and
itbvud; and ho has Juat produced a
"book of unusual Interest, even to read
"crs who lack a technical scientific
'training, In The Orlpln and Hvolutloti
Zof Life (Charles Rcrlbner's Rons), by
IJlEN-nr Fairfiki.0 Osbohn. The problem
.which he discusses has provoked con
troversy from the time of the tireek
philosopher to thu Cyn of Darwin,
;and while It may never bo completely
1 solved, he shows us that modern re
search has disclosed many facts that
"help us toward a solution.
In thin volume tho distinguished au
thor presents the energy conception of
-evolution and heredity. He regards
-tho demonstration of evolution as a
-universal law of living nature as being
-tho. great Intellectual achievement of
tho nineteenth century, and declares !
that It has won a place In natural law
liesldo Newton's law of gravitation.
-While, however, we know something
tnbout ftoio plants and animals and
-man have evolved, wo do not know
7ij they evolve. "We know, for ex
sample, that thcro has existed a more
-or less complete chain of beings from
Zmonad to man, that the one toed horso
"had a four toed ancestor, that man has
.descended from un unknown, apelike
iform somewhere In the Tertiary." As
.'to the Internal causes of these and
analogous transformations, the ex
"planatlons that have Heretofore been
goffered fall to satisfy the requirements
"of scientific reasoning founded upon j
observation and experience-; and Prof.
"Osborn therefore prefers frankly to ac-
" knowledge that the chief cause of the
I orderly development of the germ nro
; still entirely unknown.
. He points out that the law of the
; aurvlval of the fittest which is all of
Darwinism that meets with general
; acceptance at the present day does
; not suffice to explain the origin of evo
lution. "Kew biologists to-day ques-'
tlon tho simple principle that the flt
. test tend to survive, that the unfit tern!
; to be eliminated, and that the present
; aspect of the entire living world Is due
! to this great pruning knife which Is
; constantly sparing those which are
; best fitted or adapted to any condl
; tions of environment nnd cutting out
Z those which aro less adaptive. But as
t Cope pointed out, the survlvil of flt
; ncss and the origin of fitness are two
X very different phenomena." Prof. Os
; born believes that the starting point
; for fresh Investigations of tho subject
; Is to be found In tho conception that
" energy Is the chief end of life.
; Accordingly, our author propounds
" four questions for consideration: First,
C Is life upon the earth something new?
- Second, Does life evolution externally
"-Vsemble stellar evolution? Third, Is
there evidence that similar Internal
physico-chemical laws prevail In life
evolution nnd In lifeless evolution?
Fourth, Are life forms the result of
law or of chance?
As to the question whether life upon
""VltLV .V V
tionai opinion Is "that something new
entered this and possibly other planets
with the appearance of life"; while the
more modern scientific opinion is that
"life arose from a recombination of
forces existing in the cosmos." These
re respectively Ijnown as the vltalistlcv
view and tho mechanistic view. Prof.
.Osborn Is an ndherent of the latter.
"We may express as our own opinion,"
he writes, "based upon the application
Of uniformitarlan evolutionary princi
ples, that when life appeared on the
earth sorrp energies preexisting in
the cosmos were brought Into rotation
'with the chemical elements already
existing." He holds that life Is a con
tinuation of the evolutionary proceis
rather than an exception to the rest of
the cosmos, without desiring to be
classed either as a m;chanist or a ma
terialist. tyi the answer to the second question
we come to a fundamental doctrine In
Prof. Osborn's cosmic biology. Does
life evolution externally ressmble stel
lar evolution? An astronomical pteture
of the universe represents It as slowly
cooling off and running down; stars
Maze forth as suns for millions of
years and theij throw off planets,
which ultimately become as nild and
flesolate as our own moon. Our au
thor answers his own question In the
negative, and very confidently. The dis
integration of the earth, according to
his view, was checked by the develop
ment of life upon the globe. Something
new, ho says, was breathed Into the
nglng dust. "Certainly the cosmic proc
esses cease to run down and begin to
build up. abandoning old forms' and
.constructing new ones. Through these
"activities within matter In the living
state the dying earth, itself a mere
cinder from the sun, develops nsw
chemical compounds; the chemical ele
ments of the ocean are enriched from
new sources of supply, as additional
amounts of chemical compounds, pro
duced by organisms from th poll or
"by elements In the earth that wero not
previously dissolved, are liberated by
llfo processes and ultimately carried
out to sea; a ti3W life crust logins to
cover the earth and to spread over the
bottom of the sea." In other words, as
life becomes,manlfest the evolutionary
process no longer tends toward terres
trial disintegration, but gives birth to
innumerable forms and functions ap
parcntly non-existent In the universe
before. It is 11 consolation to have the
nssurance of such high scientific au
thority that ths world we live In is
not a mere flickering rm1er floating
in space and ere long to die out.
The substance of the third of Prof.
Osborn's questions Is whether them
was a creation In the strict sense of'
the word when life first, appeared on
tno eaillis sunace. ".no." answers
in.c auiuor, "so tar as we observe the on ner urst visit 10 mat douuuiui out
..process Is still evolutionary rather , troubled land. The tone of the epls
thnn creative because nil the new ties Is conversational, not to tay gos
characters and forms nf life appear to ! Pipy, but this does riot lessen their
"rise cvt f.f new combinations of pee. Interest. The reader who docs not
.jAjstipit matter, In other wordj tho j know Mexico personally will gam an
r.a ::r.-.-.s of energy transformations accurate Idea of the conditions pre
appear to be tuklng a new direction." vailing there before the advent of the
"Whllo he insists that the entire trend , present reign of chaos.
of scientific observation favors
physico-chemical explanation rather
than a vltallstlc hypothesis, he does
not contend that nny explanation yet
uggested Is final or wholly satisfies
the demands of rcaeon.
j mo iiiiavti'r 111 i-rui, uuorn s louriu
luestlnn depends upon the Inquiry
whether life forms have arrived nt
their present stage throtigh tho opera-
Hons of chance or the operations of
biw
-I... 1. ...... ..., i.j
t liniiit, nail tl.tl llutlltir, in
,, . .... i,,ni
the verv essence of the original Dar-
Wlnlan selection hypothesis of evolu-
uuu, uui no noes not Know that
j has ever beeh etcmonstrated by actual
observation, although accepted by
" Y""""' i""'"!"" w.iim.... ...
themselves, arrlvo at si certain end."
We must therefore clasa Trof. Osborn
with the advocates of the doctrine of
law as against that of chance in detcr-
-- ""
prof!8??, .f. '1 "iL?"',
The fundamental biological principle
of development which Is tho central
thought of his work Is thus formu
lated by tho author:
In each organism th phenomena of llf
renresent tho notion, reaction and Inter-
I action of four complexes nf physico-chemi
cal energy, namely tnc.se or tw in inor
ganic environment, 15) the developing or
ganism (protoplasm ami body chromatin),
() th germ nf heredity chromatin. (4)
the llfi) environment. Upon the resultant
actions reactions nn.l Interaitlona of poten
tial and kinetic energy In each organism
aolectlon Is constantly operating wherever
there Is comptlt!on lth the correspond
ing action", reactions nnd interactions of
other orgai.lsms.
While Prof. Oaborn appartntly deems
this principle established so far as the
government of' the organism Is con
cerned! he concedes that ,lt remains to
be discovered whether It also gbverns
the causes of the evolution of the
germ. In the course of the argument
In support. of his main thesis he in
serts the probability that life on the
earth had Its origin on the continents
In moist rock crevices or openings In'
the soli, In great fresh water lakes, or
In the salty seas which bordered the
land. The chemical life elements of
the simplest living forms known to
science are derived from the earth,
trom the water and from the atmos
phere. Ten elements are now essential
to life, namely: Hydrogen, oxygen.
nitrogen, carbon, phosphorus, sulphur.
potassium, calcium, magnesium and
Iron. Perhaps silicon should be added
to this list. These substances occur
Lin all living organisms except In some
primitive bacterial forma. The au
thor's idea is that "in the origin and
early evolution of the life organism
there was a gradual attraction and
grouping of the ten chief life elements,
followed by the grouping of the nine
teen or more chemical elements which
were subsequently added." A pri
mordial stage of the chemistry of life
probably survives In the group of bac
teria known ns "primitive ireelers"
which possess the power of finding
food, 1. e.. energy. In a lifeless world.
An example of thin group Is the
Xltroxo mnna.i, which lives on am
monium sulphate and forms nitrites.
Much bacteria apparently cause the
decomposition of rocks In the Pyrenees
and tho Alp.
In discussing the energy evolution
of the most primitive plants. Prof.
Osborn says that or.e of the note
worthy geological discoveries of the
present day Is the recognition of the
earth building activities of minute
seaweeds (algti. and he mentions a
forthcomlrg work by Mcsrs. 1 W.
Clarke and A. C. Wheeler In which
the authors place the calcareous aig
above the corals in importance in this
respect, l-.imestor.es believed to Is
more than 60,000.000 years old are be
lieved to have been produced through
the agency of this form of plant life.
A period of not less than 30,000,000
years Is estimated us the time which
Uon .h'backboned amma's: The
firm vertebrates known are fossil re
mains of fishes found In 1S9I near
Canyon City, Col., nnd Inter in the
Big Horn Mountains of Wyoming and
the tllaclc Hills of South Dakota.
At the time of the publication of
Darwin's famous book on the origin
of species. In 1S59, no actual observa
tion of the transmutation of one ani
mal form Into another had ever been
made. Prof. Osborn says that to far
as ve knaw the honor of flrft ob
serving how rew specific forms arle
belongs to Wilhelm Helnrlch Waagea
an Austrian palaeontologist and geolo
gist, who was born In lstl nd died
In 1900. Ills observations were made
upon Yossll representatives of the ex
isting pearly nautilus, and the minute
changes of form a they appear In
successive geological strata are shown
In illustrations taken from Waogcn's
paper on the subjeit.
Innumerable Interesting statements
of fact are contalne.1 In this volume,
brought forward to elil ;.datp the
author's views on the main points
under discussion. These make the
book attractive to the general reader
as well as to those of scientific tr.y'es.
in discussing the n generative y.tirer
of chromatin, for example. Prof. Os
born tells lis that this substance op
erates In the case of the big trees
of Callforrla to heal scars In the baric
and woody layers caused by fires
which occurred mnny centuries ago.
He speaks of the sequoia knonn as
General Sl'erman as 'the largest ond
oldest llvir. thing known." The height
of this gl.ir.t tree Is 27s feet and It
Is 102 feet In circumference. The
maximum life period of tho sequoias
is believed to lie 3,000 years. Similar
nnteworthv circumstances concerning
plant and animal life are scattered
all through the volume and serve to
brighten nr.d relieve Us necessarily
eerlous tone.
"The Origin and Involution of Life"
is an important and valuable contrl
but Ion to tho progress of modern
science In its widest and most philo
sophical aspects.
More Mexican Memories.
An entertaining addition to the mass
of American literature on Mexico Is
the volume entitled Diplomatic Iiayt
(Hurper and Urothers), by Kditii
(VHiiAi'ditNisssv, wife of our former
Charge d'Affnlres in that country and
author of "A Diplomat's Wife in Mex
Ico," which has recently proved no
acceptable to the public, Mrs,
0'HhnURhnesty'n first book related to
the stlrrlii',' events In 1913 and 1914
during tho Presidency nnd Immedl-
ntely preceding the downfall of Iluerta:
the present volume consists of letters
written from Mexico at an enrller date.
j recording me impressions experienceu,
a ' The membership of tho fair author
In the diplomatic circle guve her op
portunltlen to sec and hear much t.iat
L-ii to -ec and hear much flat
i.;.r..Ki V. TiJ iin,
observable by the ordinary
r visitor, and she presents
was not
traveller
manv plenum of scenes In which her
irienun iruiu inr yitriuun loiniKii mm
1 Mohb purticinsteil. There Is a uescrip
I tlnn of nn ncreeable dinner at the
1 French Legation where one of the
guests was Maurice rtaoul Du Val.
. . 1 - 11 1 . -
Illltru IHIHI IJUtyri lllll Illt-millJIlnliftl
. , , ,
sportsman who had recently uarrled
an attractive Ameilran. "An ntmos
It.yhorc of iccent married happiness
1
hung about them, with the romantic
adventure of Mexico In tho back
ground." Tho wlfo was handsome and
sparkling, and Mrs. O'Hhaughnessy
tells us tint tho ladles felt It was
iultc .a treat to sec her new costumes,
they were all so sick of one another's
things. They were sure the name of
Worth, the Parisian tnllor, would
have been disclosed It the brldo hod
worn her waistband outside. A touch
of tragedy It given to this gossip by a
footnote referring to M. Du Val In
those word:: "Maurice ftaoul Du Val,
fallen on the field of honor, Verdun,
May 5. Hlfi."
The Madero family figure frequently
In Mrs. O'Bhntignessy'H letters. Tho
President, It appears, placed crest re
liance on the spirits, especially as
manifested through tho agency of
planchette. There Is a story which the
author declares to be authentic, to the
effect that on one occasion lie asked
planchette what the mure had In
store for him and was told that he
would one day be ITcsldent of Mexico.
"He Is supposed to have arranged his
life In conformity to this prophecy,
which put him In a condition of mind
where everything that happened of
happy or unhappy augury bore on the
fulfllrtient of this destiny." Mme. Ma
dero was subject to spiritualistic
trances, according to rumor current
among the diplomats, and when In
these conditions she would answer
doubtful questions concerning her
husband's future career.
President Madero's wife was greatly
Interested in a project for Improving
the condition of the women of Mexico
by introducing Into the country a lace
and embroidery Industry similar to
that established by the Queen of Italy
on some of the Islands near Venice and
edsewbere. When Mrs. OShanghnessy
bade her farewell In October. 1912,
Mme. Madero told her that one hun
dred thousand women had been organ
ized for the work In Porto Itlco, nnd
asked her If she could not Interest peo
ple In New York In the new Industry.
Only a few months later. In February,
1913. the President was murdered.
This book enables one to. take a
pleasant trip Into Mexico without leav
ing his own fireside and to see the
country as It appeared to those who
visited It under favorable auspices be
fore the recent revolutions.
LEARNING TO KNOW THE FLAG.
Vr lina RrODKbt New Meaning
the Star anil Stripes.
Ar.i kmc brlelit. new flags arc flying
from places where flags never flew before
and people are counting me sunn am,
..t,i. r 11. n nu-fmancrs about mat-
Ipc of flair ettauette. And the general
interest has brought to light the fact
fW n vnsl majority of comfortable
Americans have been forgetting even
that they had a flag, or if not quite
that at least the number of Its stripes
and stars,
uv nprfect'v comfortable ana
happy : why bother about a flag? The
existence of Filch lazy Indifference finds
xnresslon In the naive interest now be
ing shown In the resurrected colors, says
Scrlbner' Muaa:lnr. I know a houne
where for n week ur two after Ameri
ca's rebirth the flag wan continuously
displayed nlaht and day proudly flap
ping union down. And 1 have talked lo
sweet girl graduates of American schools
who did not know lliat there was a star
for every State or that there weie rort
elght: and one in particular who. when
I wearily Informed her that there were
thirteen stripes, exclaimed. Thirteen:
How awful !"
Flummery? Superstition" Idol wor
ship" I ve listened to beetle browed
professors with dirty collars and broad
inlu and to unshaven lound shoul
dered youtUs fplttlng forth great new
Ideas of the melting pot and the fusing
of nntlons, the social millennium and the
brotherhood of man : I have heard them
industriously Impugning the motives of
patriots, pokhis their plpestems Into
the private lives of Presidents, caijer In
release the fetid breath of long forgotten
scandal inonyeiM, leaving a ti all of slime
across the flag all to demonstrate a
brave Independence of thought. 1 am
clad. In the crisis that f ices u, thai
they cannot crawl under the ro'ors of
fienlom and hide while the clean cut
sons of our heroic dead go forth to flsht
their Kittles.
Proselyting pacifists, hurdetieji with
theories and Ideals nnd olilnatIy blind
to the facts of a sinful norld, have led
our youth astiay We have had teach
ers fcr our children who have contused
the office, of teaching with that of
preaeatng, and so have preached to
them sermons in width ti.e gieat prin
ciples of our national e-uf.erce have
been neglected the great pnv. 'iple that
Justice must be fousht f t to-day as It
was fought for :n the days or the pa
triot pioneers, with a stilwart heart and
the strong rm of r!shteouine.
fASSING OF B0MANCZ
Can fiood Story be Written
Aboat Motors as About Ships f
Why la there lers magic In a high
powerad automobile or tnc Lincoln High
way than there was ir liana s nitio brig,
the Pilgrim, clpe hauled on the wind?
Why (.hould this new motoring story.
"Two Million Miles Jfchlnd the Steering
Wheel." strike one Bs dull compared
with "Two Years Before the Mast"?
I have never read an Interesting au
tomobile story, writes Dallas Long Sharp
In the AMontlo JJoiifMy. They, all em
phasize the miles,- mere miles mile per
hour, miles per gallon, miles per tiro a
stupid and unconvincing thcuie. I doubt
If there ever can bo so good a motor
story as Dana's eea story ; perhaps never
another sea story so good either.
For John Masefield, poet and sailor,
sayB that romance has now been driven
from the sea ; that the Ship of Dreams
is gone ; that you may haunt the
wharves In these piping times of steam
Vet never see those proud ones swaying
home,
With malnyards backed and bows scream
with foam.
As oace lung since, lUiru alt the docks
uere tilled
With that sea beauty man has teased to
build.
They mark our paasaao as a race of men,
llarth lll not aee suth ships again
wllch mnke, mB ,han,( ,1Myen f
fain, wl).r0 th(, Mnifi 0,j ro,nnnt,c )oe
remains about what It evfr was.
DEATH OF JAPANESE SCIENTIST.
Represented Country Abroad nt In
ternational Consreas
Japan recently lost one of her most
distinguished scholars and educators In
- Uie death of Dr. Huron Dalroku Klkuchl,
',IY"JL" "L'J. ... '.
' r,v -unr'r, premueiu 01 uie unpe-
rial Academy, chalunnn of the IClucatlon
i,lVestlgatlon Commission nnd professor
emeritus In the Toklo imperial Unlver-
Bty. ills end sumo suddenly, due, to
- apoplexy, st me age pi sixiy-iurrc, jears,
- Me was educated nt Cambridge, Hug
land, where be especially excelled In
mathematics, sajs the IJnil nml ll'nf
n ' '";,;', I " Vi .
, imtru 1-.1iM.11n1
, ,. - .....,.. , .... n,.l.l , 1 1
urmit-H 1,1 nt-iciit-t- 111 inr niniii iiiipriliil
University. He represented .lapsn
abroad st 'several lutnriintlenal scientific
congresses In America and Kuiope
1
POEMS WORTH HEADING.
The laggard,
livf, that passed mn In the night
In a halo aa of flams,
Burns there still ethereal light
tn the, country whence you came 7
I, who lagged with footsteps slow,
Walt before the portals drawn:
Is there ny fire aglow
On the altars of the dawn?
Comes a whisper from ths dead:
"You had found your utmost dresnt
Had you followed whara I ltd
When the altar were agleam.
Now the portala of the day ,
Open but to ashes gray;
nitlng winds In eddying gust
Blow to earth the drifting dust."
It. JS. Btnt-ia.
The Auld Hcoteh Wife.
They ear I'm kinds crazy -
Bin' they sent m the news about him,
But there's no an lioor o' the day
That I'm no hearlrT Jim:
When I'm darnln' their socks
I hear him alngln' Us me.
When .llmmle was a balrnte
lie was the brawest alngsr
Y' ever heard, Ills wea roon' volca
In nny halrt wad linger;
And eo I'm thtnktn' that'a the way
I'm aye hearln' him alngln' taa me.
They said It was at Arras,
But It'a no sae muckla odds
As Una's he's fine he's gane,
Lying some place under soda;
But when I'm wuhln' the dishes
I hear him alngln' tae me.
He was a bonny laddie,
And I thocht that his reld held
Was n cllnt o' ilod'e gold glory
When 1 was smllln' and aayln' "God
speed";
Noo even when I'm greetln' aboot him
I can hear him slngln' tae m.
I suppose It'a the best aye happens.
And I'll no start rlndln' fault
Wl the mercy that's been good to me
Or the bullet thst said to him "Halt!"
For when we're alngln' In tho kirk
I can lit ar him slngln' wl' me.
And whether lt' the kirk times
Or some o' Hobble Burns,
"Auld Hundred" or "Sweet Afton,"
Ma halrt Inl4e o' me burns;
Kor thn' I never sep him
I can hear him slngln' tae me.
And If he's near me all the das
I should be clad We're no apatrt.
And I'm thlnkln' It'll no be lang
(The doctor eays that It's ma halrt).
And maybe afore ye ken
We'll bnlth be slngln' theilther again.
John s. BsnNrrT.
HnLTOKS. Mm.
Toast tn the Soldier Hoys.
from fe rllntrlpia Public l.iigtr.
It seems only fair to remember the boys
Who are leaving us all for the din and the
g nolfe
OfThls horrible war that some others be
gan. But that we hope to finish God bless
Uncle Ham!
We're proud of our volunteers My I but
tliey'ie brave.
For they're solng to fight In the face of
the giave. I
They'll be shot nt and shelled, and tha
cannons will roar:
But they'll keep rlcrht on fighting foi
peace evermore!
They're relvlns on Justice, for tight muat
or-vall: ,
It the rnmy batter. asatilt and assail
Till they've gained at the end of this ter
rible mrlfe
A world nlde fraternity, now and for life.
So. hrr' to the roldler toys! Heaven
help all
Who. not even murmurlnc ansner the call:
Kor they know what It means, so do you,
sn do I.
That i.nn.itit. unattended, la a eoldler'a
"guod-by!"
Nuw, remember, to serve v, can all da
"our bit."
As they're losing Hie life (iod will never"
renin;
A1 they're flthllnr nnd dylr.f for ou-
and for you
Isn't that true ilevntlin to "The fled,
While and niue"?
Kaiushiml A, Hsstinos.
The Old Blind Man.
'10111 Ikr Buffalo Litnlif .Vrire.
Down our Utile one street town.
His ibc sn" him I e 'em lt
Ills cane -upptn' tip an down.
An' heurt 4t.eepln' time e'lth it;
A-nodilhi' here an' smllln' there,
An' epresdln' gUdneH everywhere,
Tet blind' a stone, an' I demure
Hp didn't seeni tu mind a bit!
He took for granted that the eky
Was blue, like what It ought t' be
Sjj! "perhaps It ain't, but I
Prefer to think It Is." eija h-;
By faith he believed that all things wer.l
Precisely llke'the Maker meant.
Mn , tinsmm-nce he j;tjt content
That heap of folks don't Bit nho see.
He held that Hit the world below
Was perfetk as a unrld can be,
lie ptefetred to tllltll; It so.
All b'J.eve ll. too. It seemed to me.
It n-,'er s-Mne I his benrt teplried.
An' time '11 aicnln It struck my min i
Tli h t w -'r the one" that's groplnx blind,
V,'1T.1 l.t m t only one rou'd !
John l. rxt.s.
Abljali Utile.
This Is the tale nf Abljuh Oale.
The skipper ami bis crew.
ho set their sail to catch a whale
And caught a bl; one too.
Sine Hie Lord made whales the tribe of
tiales t
Had followed their track In ships,
And In the throes uf "Thsr she blows"
Had cradled a hundred cli'ns.
I have heard him say In hi .Ira v, lint way
That be hadn't no finally tree;
atuch things don't grow on the aes, ou
know,
And the tiales II. Id on the sea.
Lanky and gawky two fisted, pawky.
Tight lipped nnd blue of chin
Was Abljah flsle but lo our tale.
nd pass the p.innlkln,
When the war began.' like a sailor man,
He. Joined tho llesfrve, you bet;
But be wouldn't take ply and he said his
siy:
'I ain't earned nothln' yet."
He knew each rent In a dollar pent.
A a frugal Yankee must,
And It hurt to demur to thnt seventy per.
But abovo all was he Oust.
So he set hl sail un the .lane I. Gale,
AVIIh eighteen In the crew.
And Orson Talt was of coursn his mate.
As he'd been since nliiety-twu.
When off Cape llace they talsed a traca
Two points off the weather bow.
And through the crern rose a submarine,
And Abljnh said, "1 vow!'1
The wide batch yawned and a dozen
spanned
On the deck bs It cleared the brine,
nd from the apruwl came a raucoua call,
"Come aboard, nu Yankee swine!"
And the longboat roars us fourteen oars
At Abljah'a word let run.
While, seeming slack, behind his back
He lanyards his harpoon cun!
When n Rale takea aim at came. It's
game,
As the btrbs break through her skin,
Comes Abljnh's yell, "Pull! Pull like hell!"
(He says ho says, "1'ulMlke sin.")
And that submarine gives a .wild careen,
And the hatch dips under brine.
And III language roarse he yells to Orse,
"Ve fool, ye, pay that line!"
i .
Then bock to the rail of the Jane P. dale
With that submarine In tow,
And ha sputters Dutch, does her captain,
much.
Sas Abljah, "Mehlie so,"
But b sort nf smiled when Orson, riled,
Cries, "Let's keelhaul the curl"
And ho says, "My sakesl when It'a him
thnt makes
Us seventy dollars per!"
Mutics Hottus.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWEHS.
Readers seeking Information regarding
phases of war work nre urged to write
to, telephone to or visit the- Mayor's
Committee an National Defence, sixth
floor, Hall of lleconls Building, Cham
bers and Centre streets, Kew York,
The committee conducts an Informa
tion bureau Jointly with the American
Tied Cross.
"A" bets f0 that President Wilson
will have to serve ns President of tho
TTidttd Stales until this war Is over and
sayt that Hie Constitution has been
changed regarding voting for the Presi
dent In tlmo of war. .
Jaues Anderson.
"A" loses. The Constitution has not
been changed and says nothing about
the election of a President in time of
war. The President Is Commander In
Chief of the army and navy only while
In office and because of his office.
May 1 ask through Questions and An
swers for the names and addresses of
any cooperative buying and distributing
organizations In New Tork and vicinity
that are conducted solely for the benefit
of subscribers; In other words, those not
operated for private gain but which dis
tribute profits to their patrons? My ad
dress Is 2i Parle terrace, Bridgeport,
Conn. F. n. Lttlr.
To whom shall I send binoculars for
the navy's use and to whom camera
lenses for air photography? K.
Send binoculars to Franklin D. Roose
velt, Assistant Secretary of the Navy,
enre of the Naval Observatory. Wash
ington, I). C.
Send camera lenses to tho photo
graphic dlvlaion of the Signal Corps,
U. S. A.. Mills Building Annex, Wash
Inston, D. C.
I rhould like to know the history of
the service flag and the restrictions sur
rounding; Its dlrplay. A. V.
The service flag was designed by Capt.
It U Quelsser of Cleveland, Ohio. The
Chamber of Commerce and the City
Council of Cleveland recommended Its
use, nnd the flag became Instantly
popular throughout the country.
At the last session of Congress a bill
was Introduced to make the flag of
ficial, and It was suggested that $J0,
000 be appropriated to provide flags for
families having sons and daughters In
rervlce. The pressute of war legisla
tion sidetracked the bill. But the dis
play of this flag has become so gen
eral as to make offlcjal adoption an un
important formality. No such sanction
Is any longer needed.
The standard measurement of the ser
vice flag Is four by five feet, but the
flags are necessarily made to order In
many cues nnd the number of stars
to be displayed may require nnother
proportion of length nnd breadth. In
some Instances It has been Impossible
to display the hundreds, and even thou
sands, of stars representing men from
a single cortioratlon who have entered
the army or navy. I'nder these cir
cumstances It has generally been deemed
best to form on the white centre field
numerals to denote the number of men
under the colors, forming the numerals
of little stars.
It wnH the Idea of ths originator
of the flag that the stars should rcpte
cent both men and women who have
entered actively Into national service
by abandoning normal employment for
work directly concerned with the war.
The tendency l to restrict the flag to
the represent'itlon of men or women
In the military or naval service women
being In the naval service, for example.
as yeomen. In any case. It seems to
us that the star should represent active
service only.
Several eiuggesllons have been made of
ways to indicate the death of a person
represented by a star on a service flag.
The best seem to be the substitution of
a gold star for the blue star, or edgln;
a blue star with a black border, or re
moval of the blue star from the white
Held and placing of a white star In the
red border.
I have at times been lntetested In
reading nntler concerning Hawaii and
would ba pleased If you or others who
ate Interested In tho same subject could
furnish the names of any books relating
to these Interesting Islands.
I have read parts of what apptars to
be a school history of tho Islands by Mr,
Alexander, another book In which i
woman newspaper correspondent de
scribes a visit to the islands, and a third
whoso title, IT I remember It, was
"Around the World With a King," which
was Written by one lit tho Ministers tif
Knlukaun, who accompanied this Ulug In
the Journey aro"nd tho world. Aside
fiom its description of the journev this
books gives considerable light m the
history and development of Hawaii.
J. U. M.
Gnrould, "Hawaii ; Scenes and Im
pressions" ; Goodrich, "The Coming Ha
waii" ; Castle, "Hawaii, Past and Pres
ent" ; Lawrence, "Old Time Hawaiian
and Their Work"; Alexander, "Story
of Hawaii"; Lyman, "Hawaiian Tester
days"; Grlflin, "List of Books Relating
to Hawaii" (lSftfi) ; Blatkmaiin, "The
Making of Hawaii" j Brain, "Transfor
mation of Hawaii": Whitney, "Hawai
ian America" ; Young, "Tho Real Ha
waii"; Shoemaker, "Islands of the South
ern Seas" ; Muslck, "Our New Posses
sions" ; Twombly, "Hawaii nnd Its
People": Hawaiian Department of For
eign Affairs, "The Hawaiian Islands";
Dibble, "History of Sandwich Islands";
Lllluokalanl, "Hawaii's Stoty"; Kala
kaua. "The Legends and Myths of Ha
waii ; Pomander, "Account of the
Poljueslan Raco and the Ancient His
tory of the Hawaiian People,"
The books named first nre Inter, the
others earlier works.
Please define n "machine politician."
Soon to hk a Voter.
A political leader of whatever Im
parlance who works exclusively through
an existing political organization, state,
county or lesser, of any party.
The machine politician is a politician
who believes that nothing can be duio
without organization ill respect of
which ho Is everlastingly right. What
has made tho name odious is tho ordi
nary mnchlno politician's misuse of his
organization for private political cuds,
When tho machinery is employed to
name an unlit or subservient man for
ofllco and to elect him ; when the leader
begins "trading with the enemy"; when
alliance's ore promoted for Improper pur
poses, I, e purposes opposed to tho
general welfare of tho community, tho
iniiehino politician deserves tho worst
that has been said of him.
PROBLEMS FOR 'SDN
I
'
READERS TO SOLVE
Olio in Discards at Bridge; An
other in Drawing the Onrao
nt Checkers.
Bridge problem No. 438 was a clever
Illustration of the manner in which an
adversary may sometimes be forced to '
nui urn uwn imimoi uuiuijciiiii. nil"
to make ruinous discards.
Here IS tlin I
distribution :
4s K 9
0 8
J
2 K'
0 17 6 5
4 3
Clubs are trumps and Z Is In the lead.
Y and Z want five tricks against any de
fence. ,
The solution Is for Z to lead a spade.
which V wins. Y then leads the king of
trumps, upon which 7. discards the king
of hearts. -The losing trump follows,
upon which 7. discards a small diamond.
This throws A Into tho lead, unless lie
has glvm up the Jack of clubs on tho
king and now allows the nlno to win.
If that Is his defence, the best heart and
the top diamond settle matters at once.
If A wins the second trump lead, ho
must lead a heart, and no matter which
heart It Is. Y ducks It. so as to start II to
discarding. Tho next heart Y wins, and
by that time II is down to a diamond nnd
a spade, or two diamonds.
If he lias kept the spade. 7, keeps both
diamonds. If 11 lets go tho spade, 55 Is
left with tjie last spade, and still has the
aco of diamonds to get In with. The
point Is K's getting rid of the best heart,
and Y's forcing two discards from B.
The following have sent in correct so-
lutbns to date: Alene Henry Andresen.
Hay nidge. W. T. Uuggelen. Frederick
Bergen, (S. P. Howen, Lawrence Brandt,
lldith Clarke. Milton Cochrane, Alton
Dee. Walter Dibble, Martin M. Dough
erty, W. P. Kdwards Kllzabeth .lane
Karlng. Christopher Krances. riuuip J.
tiales. Roscoo C. Harris. L. S. Hart. Jr..
Charles II. Hazlett. W. N. Hill, Charl-s
F. Johnson, W. .1. Jackson. T. .1. l.cvinc,
Marv Lee. W. T Lelghton. W J. Mr-
Clell'an, N. C. Molntyre. II. I. -Minor, It.
C. O Urien. Adam J. Otis, w inusor j-ai-mer.
Gertrude Payne, A. L. Phillips, Jay
Reed. tl. II. Robinson. Charles M. Jioot,
Alfiod Saunders. iM. O. Tower. Johnson
Taub, S. K. Thomas. C.eorge T. Wold. D.
A. vv.. V. 1'. V., Y.. . valine, joiiii fi.
Whiting, J. W. Wortis and ICathcrlne
Young. . . .
Here is the last of tins series oi ten
problem", after which Tun Sf.v proposes
to b"5ln giving credit for solutions on
the point system, which seems to be more
popular than any othrr thce days in all
forms of competition.
nr.tPGK rr.oni.EM no,
4(!0.
J 10 8 6 V J .
I Z 9 7
'?ti, SpX) FTl o
C$x o0
M I o
A J.
-J I M
y o
fp JLISS o
4, 7p i 'If J
J ' A e
I
. A
toft. .. j
Club" are trumps and 7. '- ill Hie lead.
Y and 7. want lx tricks.
Tho distribution 1-: V h.n the ton
six of trumps; king queen ten deuce of
diamonds, nnd four of spades, a has
the Jack eight four of hearts; nine four
of trump. ; nine eight of diamonds.
15 has the eight of trumps; Jack seven
sK three of diamonds; king and queen
of spade", 7. has tho queen ten of
hearts ; three of trumps ; aco of dia
monds ; nlno eight six of spade".
CHlX'KEIt K.NPi.veis.
Problem No. 4T,S was an inetructlve
Ic-ou in drawing h game with equal
pieces by avoiding a flrst-pnsltlrni win
tli.it is threatened by the opponent. The
manner In which white gets his slnglo
man out of the trap Is worthy of cnrelui
studv.
Tho distribution Is: B'.at k man on
?, King 011 to. White man on 21, king
on 1, hllu to play and diaw. lleru
are Uie mows that solve.
White. Black.
1-. 1014
f.-i . 1417
:. 1 ii
li". "t 14
2.' 21 17 13
K M II I
10 1.1 IS 2S
ID ID
Tho fnllowlpg have sent In conect so
lutlolis to date: DeWItt K. Cnyton, C. K.
Cotllss, William tl. Clarke, Fnustn D.i
luml, James llyland, L. S. Hart, Jr.
Mnry Lee, William Lonlc, '. J. Mctjarry,
John Mutch and .lulhm C IUmch. Solu
tions for No. 4.1S nlso to hand fiom
Owen Fox and Thomas Foy, Olio other
with no signature.
Hero Is tho last ofAlils series of ten,
for which membership catils in Tin: St"N
Checker Club will be Issued. After this
solvers will bo lated ofi the -point sys
tem. At Hie Hist glince this problem ap
pears lo be a duplicate of 0110 published
in Tin: Si'N mute than two years tigo,
but it is not, and it has nn entirely dif
ferent line of play aim is by another
composer.
rnow.RM no. 4ii. ciiucKur.s.
Hlac".:.
1111
an k
m a mw ,
mmsw m
mm w m .
w& m bs
While.
While to play and win
The distribution 1st Black meti on
IS, tl and 17; king on 211, While men
on 21 uud '-'": kings up 11 nml I.'.
J, 11. Morse writes that by u slngulari covered nnd announced,
coincidence in a itne jUyed at New
. ..... a .Alt, tltm
1 exact moves ghown In problem No. 457,
the solution uf which did not appear un
til the next 'day, but through a nilsplay
nf biBih'M white caino out with a win.
White played 25 2 a. 10 U : 1916,
i:i9: in 10,
Through the- medium of Tub Bon a
number of ihitelisi by correspondence
have been arranged. H. V. Blvette, Har
rleburtr. Pa., would like to make such a.
raatch with ohe or more members or
Tn 8UW Checker Club.
TltOn Dig ARLt'.n GUNS.
A. T. WMmore awnds the following
solution' of the problem of moving three
disabled guns In such a manner Oiat
lhey, gnan j,),, the place of three active
guns, thero oting only one vacant spw.,
... ...... Ul., mnwiil statrt tnra than I
one other gun to reach that space. He
says that after a nun of one kind has
been moved, one of the other three
must be moved nextf atld the next gun
A L . AL.. l.lH.1 n to 111.
moveu raust oa wo anniu "
neuf.
This rule holds until Hie nintn
move. By that time the puixle will ie
solved. Call the active guns A II C,
and thn disabled guns X Y Z, the seven
spacts belnr numbered, thus:
1 2 .1 4 d 6 7
ABC X Y Z
These arc then the movements: X to
4. ( to B to 3, X to S, T to 4, 55 to 6,
C to 7, H td 6, A to 3. Tile guns are
now altemtely active and disabled. We
proceed : X tn 1, Y to 2, 7. to 4, B'to ,
A to ii, 55 to 3.
M, W, Jacobs, Jr., says that It Is not
difficult to show that all problems of this
class may be solved by calculatlpg di
rectly from the number of cannon on
either side of the space when thtio num
bers ore equal, by the following rule:
Add the number of camion In tho two
groups, square It and deduct one. The
figures so obtained ,wlli bo the minimum
number of moves required to Interchange
the two equal groups. This Is under the
conditions of movlnonly one piece at
a lime or passing behind only one gun
at a time.
SCHOOL FOR CARD FLAYERS.
AVCTtOW BRIDGE.
U. H. ft. says: Dealer bids a heart,
ccond ha'tid a spade. What must the
bird hand have to assist tho hearts?
In tho first place he should have at
least three hearts ; or two, one as good
ai the queen. Failing this strength ho
would deny the hearts by bidding some
thing else. If he had a bid of any kind.
In the neSt place he should have at
least two tr'cks, or one sure nnd two
probable, suclt ns n aee, queen, Jack
suit, or an ace In one eult and king,
queen in another. But If he haa n
honor among his three trumps, or has
four trumps, he can assist with a trick
less outside.
X. X. J. asks what constitutes pro
tection in a suit, and Bays opinions seem
to differ on that point.
A suit is protected when the adver
saries cannot run it down against you,
winning every trlok. Position may
change the value of protecting cards, as
when a suit Is likely to be led up to tho
player. Three to the queen Jack would
be protection In fourth hand, but second
hand It might be led through twice.
Some players call four to the ten pro
tection, hut that Is n gamble.
Crlbbage. P. It. I. asks the count on
this hand nnd how arrived at. Two
tfvens, two aces and a six.
The two sevens will combine with
either nco to make a fifteen, 4 holes.
Hither seven will combine with the six
and two aces to make two more fifteens,
4 holes. Then the two pairs are worth
1 more, total 12 holes.
A. J. L". says: Two playing, th
cards, fall two, three, ace, two. What
I'j the counting?
Kach player pegs a run of three, as
there are no duplicates to Interfere onco
the run Is started.
J. T. says: The non-dealer cuts the
pack correctly for the starter, but the
dealer turns up two caris. A bets there
must be a new cit. 1
A Ii wrong. The nondealcr has his
choice of tho cards turned.
M. T. L. sa.ts. The Jack of hearts is
j turned for a starter. When A comes to
count his hand and crib he Includes the
two points for the turned Jack. 15 bets
it is too late.
I The two points for his heels must be
I scored beftiio the dealer plays a card
! or the score Is lost.
Poker A. V. thinks that the snuver
to T. .1. la t week should have been that
thero Is only onei kind of flush, as, he
says, straight flushes and royal flushes
aro neither of them flushes, being sep
arated from Hushes In rank by the I11
lervonlng full hand and four of a kind.
Then a straight flush Is not a straight
because It Is of higher rank. In that
case, what Is It if not a flush?' If a
player were called on to say what kind
of flush he had, how Is .he to differen
tiate? S. (1. says: We understand that the
lulo for cards exposed In eleallng for
tho draw Is that if a player asks for
two or three aiwl one Is overturned he
must tai;c them all, but that if he asks
for only one and It Is turned up hp
cannot take It. Is this correct, and if
so, why tho distinction'.'
It Is not correct. No card cxiosed in
dealing for the draw can be taken, but
If three aee asked for, two of them are
kept nnd tho exposed card will be rn
placed after nil thu players havo been
helped. Tho law was made to prevent
dishonest dealers f0111 altering the nin
of tho cards In giving them out for the
draw. No matter what cards nre asked
for, a faced card, if not taken, does not
alter the nm.
3 3. 11. asks in what books ho can
find the tables of percentages and oddil Hut the point nf the La
for and against certain hands,
"The Complete Poker Player," bv John
B,ac.rld3e. "The Gentleman's Handbook
of Poker," by William Florence. "Tha
Poker Book," by Ulchard Ouerndale. "A
Treatise on Poker and Its Probabilities,"
by K. P. Phllpotts. The last named is
very scarce.
1", II. 1, says; A deals, II, ( and i
pass, i; opens and F Is about to come
In on a pair when he tinds he has six
ends. 10 itihlut his hand is dead, Why
shevuld F suffer for something ,at Is
not his fault? He did not make the mis
deal. It was his fault to neglect counting
his cnuls before lit lifted them. Ills hand
Is dead and he Is out of that pot.
II. II. Y. says: We havo examined
Iloyle's book of rules and In two places
II says that If 11 pot l opened by mis
take "th.1 opener is penalized, nnd any
other player In the left of the putative
opener can then open the pot." This
dues not :ig-e with your division In
niifiver to J. W- II.
There nr? iiviny so-cslleil "IloyUs"
on the m ir'iel, but there Is no such rule
s That minted In nny booh on pok.r
llow is fir opener to Ve penal. zed?
At what time is the mistake In Uf dle
ERRORS IN BIDDING
AT ROYAL AUCTION
One Favorite- Blunder Is to
Overestimate the Value,
of a Singleton.
By R. F. FOSTER.
There Is nn old saying to tin. ,rffCt
that experience Is to f.ome persons nv.
thn .Ken 1lt,lu nS n l,l .. 1.1.1. .
llhlnllnatn nnlu I hn tfirU !.... 1.
... 1 . . """ " ""l' ii" 11 servo lo
The remark seems to tit some of n,0
j we see at the card table. Thev tiPv.,
learn or prodt by their expe'rlpnres
, They will make tho same bids nnd Fr
I I.a A. I . I.. 111
them fall In tho same wny time afi-r
lime, without apparently nntlclmr ..
connection between the bid and the fail.
urr.
Thero nre some bids that are failures
only In the matter of degree. Uplnlorm
arc not always unanimous as to tlis
limit) of such bids. Take the custom of
overralllng n no trumpcr, second hnr.4,
with, a suit, for Instance. Thoo whoM
Judgment In such matters cairlcs weight
think the player Rhould have enough to
gt tamo with averago assistance tnm
the partner.
Others think he should have the 0,14
trick . In his own cards and trnn thn
partner for one trick only to fulfil the
contract. The bid is then reatnnably
safe nnd may act as a pusher.
The great objection to it t-at 't
frightens thn no trump bidder Into a
safer contract, If ho has one. The cUtf.
cat Instance of this kind Is the plater
who overcnlled a no truniper with two
hearts, holding the six top hearts ami
the ace of diamonds. The next bid by
the dealer was five clubs, which he t,,irP
As wo get lower In tho scale of skilful
bidding we reach those who will otcrcull
a no trumper with nny hand upon nhl(h
they would make a suit bid if th, r,
trumper had never been mentioned, Thin
class may be divided Into those who re.
strict such bids to the major suns nni
thoso who will mako tho hid In nnv sit'.t,
Tho theory underlying the bid n th,
same In both cases, "All modern no
trumpors aro bluffs until they arc provM
to be genuine."
As wo get lower down tho scale r,f'
thoso who never learn from exprle"-
wo get to tho class that still believer h
six trumps and a singleton and will h.
It as dealer or ugnlnt nny other bid, t.o
trumps included. This is 11 double error
on Its face. As an original bi 1 it In
simply unsound. At tho left of a
clareil no trumper it Is rotten.
In spite of this one may sen the M
mado every tiny, and even in thn hct 0'
company, where thn play ! supposed to
be better than average. When It cot.i
off it is a great bid. Those who me ;
do not keep a ledger. As an rxmiple of
it there Is deal No. 1 nt the Kr rW-
bocker duplicate game on lie ember I
The dealer sat north.
cjr Q 7 8 -
I 9 8 4
O Q 10 4 3
7
C4
7 5
O Z 6 6 2
Q 10 8 5 4 3
OA J 8 6 SI
6 3 ,
0 9 7
A 6 Z
O 10 9
a Z 3 J 10 2
O A J 0
K J 9
In the majority of cases V. tnrt(,i wttl
no trump, at some tables, with a Cub on
account of the 4S In honor". The , ,.
slrurtlve play came up at the t.iblc '
which the no trumper wns nw-rca l'l l
tho hand with six trump and a s vir
ion. At least, that Is what the b.Uf
thought he had. but ns spa les w
were trumps nil he hud was pmla"
trick with the king of diamond".
When Y and It passed. 7., win ' '
spades stopped twice, he Imagined f l
up to him. went two no trumps. n
passes; so does Y, but l: suppo- s the
spades, bidding three. "Tl.-.s s
natural. If Z Is taking a rhati 'e 1 p
ping the spades with three to tin .ji"'
that card ran bo caught.
Y elouhlcd three spades, a ,d 1' n ft
out of It. went to four hearts -,t h V
also doubled. Tho heart ivii'r,. v
set for 31fi point".
Had A saltl nothing no one w , . 1 '
disturbed tho tin tMlioiMir u-nl
for one trlok, .In points, aces T
happened at several tables 1
11 asked for a heart lend, .1.1 i
two no trumps and w.i- et '
tileks Instead of one. NVtV g
vent A and 11 from mnkl .g fi'
the see of he.trts and h.ng of . t'
whether A starts with ,1 lu.i. t
lead.
In this hand, therefore. A s In . I th"
spades cost him Jibl points t" r
creasing tho bid lo three mluIi I
466, whichever way n 'd.e o
It. Here Is another deal frnn. 1'
evening's play. It was No d
ting north :
v?10 6
a E J 7 6
OA J 9 6
E J 2
CA E 9 5 3
10 B
OQ 10 3
8 7 5
V 8 4
9 5 4 2
OK 7 5 4
A 10 6
The point In this b.n.d -calling
no-trumpets, but i
tl'uiN partners bid wln-nct 1
player's duty to do eo. t.t
the intervening bid, -o tl '
more than It would hate
bid not been made.
7, passed and A b: 1 a be.i
doubled This double i ,il -partner
tn bid his best mi '
be an effective weapon win" '
has mill to speak, but :
passed tip an opptu: n.'. 1
bid he cjr.net have much,
hand should be iiminialh
him Into a declarnt.on
! position. It Is Lis buMtn '
I lu'.irts. Ii should 11..1 .1
j ny'
( ,oos i ft,rCp u to go t
two hearts.
As nu Illustration, sir ;
Ftead of doubling the Kcjii
two clubs or tito di.ini'd
certalnly havo assisted '
ding two, us he has mote ti ..
age hand. Instead nf that
and 7. bid two diamonds
Now when II goes t" i" 1
bid has not the aino f"
It'.g, at:d Y takes ndi.inM
gn to threo diamonds.' wh
to play tho hand of com
tiut only for one tn !..
honors, 31 points
This saves 12 pointe. a - v
mil do two mid at lie.ut-, .n
mado the bid w lien he s'i" 1
so the diamonds would '
hoard fiom. It may be u -points
Is not inue'i. bo' 1
afford to keep dropping p
nt a time, ni.d mme out 1
auction.
Tho New Yotk lb big. v
electe-d th. follow it's; ei'
enuln year : M S 1 1
Tent ; rinbert I" N ih 1"
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tile Si ntt. -e''i eta v 1I11
- ICndh', IMv d 11 1
I Ur M. .1 Low
Y
A B
Z
V fj ft J 7 2
B C 8 2
2 I aQ 9 4 3
It
1
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