Evening star. [volume], May 16, 1915, Page 4, Image 26

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

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THE EVENING STAR,
Wttk liilty Kormlmf
WASHINGTON,
SUNDAY May 16, 1915
TKZODOBE W. NOTES Editor
thm Sroning Star xr?w*p?p?r Ooaptij.
Cufheta OCct. Uth St. tM PeBMylfinla Atemit.
Jwk Offlw: Tribune Building.
CMca*? Office: Tint National Bank Bulldin*.
?wopean Office: 8 Regent St.. London, England.
T*e ??eafnc Star, with the Sunday tnorutn*
edition ta delivered by carrlere within the city
at 45 centa per month: dally only. 25 eerta per
month: Sunday only. 20 cent? per month. Orflera
?ay ba tent by mall, or telephone Mam 2440.
Collection is mad* by carrier ct the end of each
?oath.
Parable tn a flea nee?by mall, poetaft prepaid:
Dally, Sunday included. one month. ?0 centa.
Dally. Sunday excepted, one month. 40 centa.
Saturday Star. $1 year: Sunday Star. $2.40 yaar.
Entered aa aecond-claaa mall matter at the poet
office at Waahlafton, D. O.
f*rin order to avoid delays on account of
peraonal abaence. lettera to THE STAR ahould
not be addrasaed to any Individual connected
with the office, bat elmply to THE STAR, or to
the Bdltortal ar Bualneaa Department, according
to teaor or purpoaa. ^
Mr. Bryan and Prohibition.
Those anti-prohibition democrats
who desire Mr. Bryan's retirement
from the cabinet arraign him on two
charges: (i) That his present pur
pose is to supplant his chief as the
leader of the democracy and run for
President himself next year: and (2)
that when he was the party's candi
date for President he accepted as
sistance from beer and whisky
sources.
The first charge will not hold.
There is nothing whatever to indi
cate disloyalty on Mr. Bryan's part
toward his chief. On the contrary,
there is everything to indicate thor
ough loyalty. He praises his chief's
work, applauds his official deliver
ances. and in every way recommends
him to the continued confidence of
the party.
But even if Mr. Bryan were at
heart disloyal he would see the futil
ity of such a course as his enemies
describe. Nominated for President as
the result of Mr. Wilson's downfall
at his hands, he could not possibly
be elected. He would be defeated, in
deed. by a larger majority than was
thrown against him in either 1896,
igoo or 1906. A candidacy so handi
capped would sink of its own weight.
As for the support Mr. Bryan re
ceived in his three presidential cam
paigns, it probablj' came from many
sources. It takes all sorts of people
to make a world, and quite as many
sorts to make a political part)-. A
candidate does not look a voter in
the mouth, or smell his breath. He
treats him after the fashion recom
mended in the case of a gift horse.
There is small if any reason for
doubting that brewers, distillers and
saloon keepers of democratic affilia
tions worked and voted for Mr.
Bryan when he was carrying the
party's standard.
But prohibition in those days was
not the question it now is. Mr.
Bryan is meeting the question in its
present form. Many democrats re
gard it as the paramount question,
overshadowing the tariff and every
thing else, and going straight home
to the people in both their domestic
and business lives.
It is a fact of importance that Mr.
Wilson and Mr. Bryan are not in
agreement as to the best way to treat
the drink evil. That excessive drink
is an evil both believe. Mr. Wilson
contends that the issue should be
kept out of politics. Mr. Bryan con
tends that it is already in politics,
and doing infinite harm there. But
the program for making this dif
ference of opinion a lever with which
to force Mr. Bryan out of the cab
inet does not look promising. It will
probably fail.
Dr. Dernburg to Go.
\nnouncement is made today that
Dr. Bernhard Dernburg, the unofficial
German representative in this coun
ty. will soon leave the United States
on the advice of friends. It is stated
that Dr. Dernburg does not care to
rmharra-s the government by his
? ontinued presence at a time of such
stress, and will withdraw to perhaps
<~uba or South America, in order that
'here may be no ground for the
?nought that he is engaged in a prop
aganda to arouse feeling against the
United States. N'othing could be more
reditable to Dr. Dernburg than such
a departure. It will be equally in the
r.terest of Germany and this country
for him to depart, for his usefulness
?o his homo government, should he
n fact be 111 any degree its agent
liere, has been destroyed by recent
events, and ins continued presence
< ould not fail to work to the injury
f-f Germany if that country sincerely
desire- to remain on friendly terms
with the United State*.
Manama's law prohibiting adver
tisements of intoxicants cannot go
~o fa> as to strike at expressions in
-peecli or print that tend to inflame
the reason ami destroy the senses.
The short and tiglv word is again
hovering around Col. Roosevelt's vo
cabulary.
The Silent Han.
His name is Charles F. Murphy.
Not a "peep" from him during all
the hullabaloo at Syracuse. Often in
the picture by the talk of others, he
does not talk himself.
In a way, he is the cleverest leader
Tammany has known in a long time.
He has done more to increase Tam
many's power than John Kelly ever
did. Mr. Kelly did not get beyond an
aspiration to be state leader. Mr.
Murphy accomplished the purpose.
And yet Mr. Kelly was an intellec
tual man, trained in schools. Mr.
Murphy knows nothing of books, and
Hoes not keep the company of book
ish men. His associates and advisers
are, like himself, jelf-made. A} he is,
they are students o! men in their
everyday aspects and under every
day influences.
Mr. Murphy and Mr. Croker are
alike, in that both began in humble
circumstances and fought their way
upward against odds. But Mr. Mur
phy has risen higher than Mr.
Croker did in the office of leader, or
boss, of Tammany. Mr. Croker,
while to a degree influential at Al
bany, was never regarded as all
powerful there in the days of demo
cratic control.
Mr. Murphy seems to be as good
a business man as Mr. Croker. He
has prospered, it rich, and lives in
all comfort. Of course he remains
near base. So did Mr. Croker while
ruling the organization. "Little old
New York" is good enough for Mr.
Murphy.
I Silent as to Syracuse. Mr. Murphy
is silent also as to other things.
! Curiosity is expressed as to how he
feels toward the national administra
tion. He does not say. If the anti
Tammany democrats cut his local
tickets this year, will he attribute the
act to administration influences and
make reprisals next year? He makes
no reply. Will he head the New York
delegation to the next democratic
national convention, and demand re
spectful treatment from that body?
He makes no announcement.
Mr. Murphy, as the phrase is,
keeps his mouth shut in seven lan
guages. He listens well, and invites
talk. His sources of information
reach far, and in every direction.
His lieutenants are loyal, and under
stand his humors and execute his
orders. He is leader.
Such is the man who next year will
be powerful in his party in a state
necessary to the party's national
success. Close-mouthed, open-eared,
wide-eyed, he must plan the battle
and direct operations in the interests
of Mr. Wilson's re-election if New
York is again to cast her vote for
Mr. Wilson.
The Loan Shark Stipulation.
Evidence is abundantly at hand to
indicate that the agreement of a year
ago between the District authorities
and the loan sharks has failed to
stop the usurious practices prohibited
by the new statute. That agreement
was designed to relieve a large num
ber of borrowers from usurious pay
ments on old loans, but as events
have proved, unfortunately, a clause
in the stipulation permitted the lend
ers to receive this usurious interest
if the borrowers were willing to pay
it. Naturally it would be expected
that no borrower would willingly pay
that which was unnecessary, and it
can hardly be understood why this
stipulation was written. It has been
specifically claimed that the usurers
have played upon the ignorance of
the borrowers in some cases, and in
other cases have utilized their later
necessities in the making of new
loans to the extent of virtually com
pelling the payment of this old un
lawful interest under the cover of
the new transactions.
In the light of late disclosures it
is well that the corporation counsel's
office is to make a thorough inquiry
into the practices that have followed
the stipulation of last year. It is ob
vious that the matter of enforcing
the loan shark law cannot be left to
the conscientious spirit of the profes
sional money lenders themselves. It
is alleged that numerous violations
of the law outside of the range of
the agreement have occurred, and
yet there have been no prosecutions.
It would be most unfortunate if the
impression should have gained
ground that the statute of February
4, 1913, is a dead letter. The fact that
it needs amendment to make it pos
sible for money lending to be con
ducted profitably and legally with
out security renders it all the more
urgent that every transaction that
occurs under the present law be
scrutinized, and everything savoring
of evasion and violation checked and
prosecuted.
Kminent American philanthropists
are forced into melancholy indorse
ment of the old philosophic comment
that peace is one of the things which j
money cannot buy.
Present conditions constitute a re
minder to new citizens that naturali
zation is something more than a
mere formality.
Austria did not show the discreet
punctuality in meeting Italy's sugges
tions that was manifested by China
in negotiations with Japan.
In managing China's affairs Japan
will probably see to it that at least
one republic does not prove ungrate
ful.
The submarine is the secret as
sassin of the sea.
At Syracuse a state of indignation
on both sides is gradually yielding to
a state of fatigue.
Temperance Teaching.
An interesting and important ques
tion has been laid before the board
of education by a delegation of men
and women representing active or
ganizations working for the moral
betterment of the community, and
asking that a special teacher of tem
perance be employed in the public
schools of the District. At present
the teaching of temperance is re
quired by statute, but owing to the
pressure of other duties the teachers
have but little opportunity to devote
themselves to this subject, and the
instruction is necessarily casual and
incidental. It is now urged that an
instructor in this subject be provided
to work exclusively in impressing the
children with the evils of intemper
ance.
Whether the work be done by the
present staff or by a special teacher,
it is urgently necessary to teach the
school children of the dangers of in
dulgence in intoxicating liquors, the
physiological effect of alcohol upon
the human system and the evils to
which intemperance gives rise. What
ever one's position with reference to
the question of prohibition may be,
there is no denial of the menace to
the community through the deterio
ration of individual moral and physi
cal health resulting from overindul
gence in intoxicants.
Temperance does not necessarily
mean abstinence. To teach temper
ance is to teach the risk that is run
in the use of alcohol save for medici
nal purposes under careful control.
It may follow as a natural result of
such a wholesale teaching in the
schools that the next generation will
eschew all alcoholic beverages as
dangerous. It is undoubtedly the
tendency of the time to put this ele
ment out of the daily life of the peo
ple. Whatever may be the result, it
is unquestionably incumbent upon the
school system to teach this im
portant lesson equally with the teach
ing of other lessons that give the
child a better understanding of life
as well as acquaintance with the fac
tors of mental education.
Protecting Germans in England.
England must make virtual prison
ers of all Teutonic residents in order
to protect them from the mobs that
are inflamed by the Lusitania disas
ter. This presents a most interest
nig spectacle. A government engaged
in a desperate struggle afield to in
flict the utmost possible damage upon
an enemy pauses in its activity to
provide safeguards for that enemy's
own people. The mob is an unrea
soning creature, moved by impulse
and passion, and in the anti-German
riots in England many atrocities have
been committed that, falling just
short of deliberate homicide, are
nevertheless comparable in the spirit
of indiscriminating ruthlessness with
that which fired a torpedo without
warning against a crowded, unarmed
passenger ship.
Prophets who declare that England
and Germany eventually will have to
unite against Russia display about
the greatest ingenuity yet shown in
the gentle art of looking for trouble.
Prejudices of nationality are threat
ened that will probably amount to
nothing more than putting a desir
able curb on the dialect writers.
The man who showed his moral
courage by putting on an April
straw hat may have to bring it again
into action for a May derby.
Diplomacy should be expected to
define the "unfortunate accident" as
something that is no less an accident
than a misfortune.
The American farmer is looked to
for another bumper crop to fortify
the nation in its position of prosper
ous security.
"Dopey Benny" is getting enough
advertising to make him a formid
able possibility as a star in the un
derworld drama.
As in the case of other forms of
law the real problem of international
law lies in its enforcement.
SHOOTING STABS.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.
Bespect for His Audience.
"Why don't you call a spade a
spade in your speeches?"
"For the reason," replied Senator
Sorghum, "that I don't feel sure about
the difference between a spade and a
shovel. You've got to be careful
about your use of technical terms in
the presence of the modern scien
tifically educated agriculturist."
First Served.
The farmer is a happy elf
In spite of all our jokes,
And what he doesn't eat himself
He sells to city folks.
An Interference.
"So you don't permit any motor
cars in Crimson Gulch?"
"Nary one," replied Broncho Bob.
"We hate to seem behind the times.
But we concluded it were agin public
policy to have all the boys quittin' a
poker game every time a tire blew
out, thinkin' somebody was shot."
Gratitude.
"Did the young lady thank you for
patting the minnows on the hook for
her when you were out fishing?"
"No. She called me a horrid, un
feeling brute."
Pedestrianism.
"Does this ticket entitle me to ride '
all the way from here to Blunxville?"
"No," answered the man at the win- I
dow, wearily. "You've got to walk a
quarter of a mile or so from here to
your particular car."
The Magazine Girl.
Whatever may come and whatever
may go,
There's always a smile and a greet
ing
From a lass it is surely a pleasure to
know.
For there's grace and good cheer
in her greeting.
You envy the lad with her often dis
played
In the pose of a tailor-made lover.
She's as fair as the blooming in
springtime arrayed.
The girl on the magazine cover.
Sometimes she is cold and demure as
a saint;
Sometimes she is pertly presuming;
Sometimes her demeanor is distantly
quaint;
Sometimes haughty airs she's as
suming.
Through much that they print on the
pages inside
Strange shadows all grimly may
hover.
But she sweetly ignore* them in con
fident pride,
This girl on the magazine cover,
WHAT THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING
Spring with its heavy rains has
brought the peopl# of the United States
face to face with their
Th* Flood annual flood problems?
I vi -thl? time PrinciI>ally
Problem. in the southwest?and
has raised anew the question as to i
what the Federal government is do- j
Ing to prevent the yearly loss by swol
len streams of hundreds of lives and
millions of dollars* worth of property.
The fact is that in the past the
United States has done work toward j
flood protection in only a few special
cases, notably in the lower Mississippi
valley, but has been gathering for a
generation a large amount of data
which will be absolutely necessary as
a foundation on which to base plans
for engineering construction. Interests
in various parts of the country subject
to inundations have sought for many
years to have the government work of
improving rivers and harbors for nav
igation extended to flood protection,
and it now appears that the govern
ment is on the very brink of entering
this big and useful field.
Aside from the work of levee con
struction and bank protection on the
Mississippi, which has always been
described as improvements for naviga
tion, the entering wedge seems to have
been driven in an appropriation of
$400,000 for combined navigation im- |
provement and flood protection In the
Sacramento river valley of California I
in 1910. This was followed up by J
recommendations for work directly
toward flood control in the Ohio basin,
made by a special committee of army j
engineers that studied conditions in j
that region following the disastrous
floods of March and April, 1913.
The report of the special committee
of army engineers on conditions In the |
Ohio valley, which was under consid- |
eration by the House rivers and har
bors committee, states the general
questions involved in flood control and
gives in general an Idea of the prob
lems that the United States will prob
ably have to face sooner or later
throughout the country. The problem,
it is shown, is not flood prevention,
since that is impossible. It is, instead,
flood control and the prevention of
damage.
Floods result, primarily, the report
shows, from excessive precipitation,
1 rapid melting of snow and ice, quick
run-off and the inadequate carrying ca
pacity of waterways. Less frequently
breaking reservoirs are a factor. It is
impracticable, in the opinion of the
board, to control precipitation or run
off even by extensive forestation or the
adoption of special methods of plowing.
Effective measures toward flood miti
gation must instead be concerned with
the flow of flood waters In the river
channels. Much of the damage from
floods, it is pointed out, results from
encroachments on the flood channels of
streams. Improvements placed on land
subject to overflow must almost in
evitably be Injured. In addition, such
; improvements, by forming obstructions
I to the flow of the flood waters, extend
I the damage to property which under
| normal conditions would be safe. This
| Is true especially of abutments for rail
1 road and other bridges, which in flood
times act practically as dams.
It is emphasized by the government
i engineers that the damage resulting
| from floods is caused not by all of the
water flowing, but by that portion only
which rises above the normal flood
! plane. The engineering problem In
flood control is therefore to carry off
the water with such rapidity that it
j will not pile up beyond the danger
point, or to hold back enough water to
reduce the crest. The usual plans sug
gested to attain the former end are the
maintenance of an unobstructed nat
ural flood channel, the straightening
out of the stream's course and the
confining of the water to the main
channel by levees or embankments.
The holding back of a portion of the
flood waters In reservoirs is advocated
in some cases, and auxiliary channels
are made use of for some streams
through alluvial country. By one of
these methods or a combination of them
federal engineers believe that danger
of extensive destruction from floods in
practically any river in the United
States can be brought to a minimum,
and it Is believed that this can be done
at a cost, considering potential losses,
to make it well worth while.
What part the federal government
will take in the work probably will be
determined largely by the next Con
gress. The army engineers have rec
ommended the prosecution of flood pro
tection work in the Sacramento fiver,
involving the creation of auxiliary
channels and the expenditure of sev
eral millions of dollars, on the theory
that the work also will Improve navi
gation. There is little to prevent the
use of this argument for all navigable
streams. The military engineers have
also recommended that surveys of the
Ohio river be made with the view to the
preparation of a comprehensive flood
control plan, and that rivers In other
parts of the country subject to de
structive overflow be surveyed^ In the
latter group Is mentioned the Brasos
river of Texas. one of the streams that
have figured In the disastrous floods of
the present spring. In the
the government, through the geological
survey and other bureaus, 1" securing
the fundamental data on which flood
protection work must be based by gath
ering readings of stream flow at more
than 1.500 gauging stations throughout
the country.
*
* ?
Even though food price* may con
tinue to rise in the United States as a
result of the European war.
fV ramie the dl"hes from whioh
ceramic Am,rlcan, eat their food
Ware*. are likely to cost little
more than formerly. This appears
from a study of the bureau of mines ss
to how unsettled conditions in Europe
and the Interference In many cases of
military operations with exports are
affecting the ceramic Industry In this
country.
Normally, it Is shown, the United
States Imports enormous quantities of
both ceramic materials and ceramic
wares. The influx of manufactured
wares, which has been valued at about
$10,000,000 In reoent years, and which
has come largely from continental Eu
rope. has been materially reduced by
the war The ceramic clays and other
raw materials, however. originate
chiefly in England, and have been com
ing In as needed at very little Increase
In cost over that under ordinary con
The importations of ceramic wares
Into the United States have amounted
in recent years to 20 per cent of our
consumption. Experts of the bureau or
mines after studying the situation be
lieve that American manufacturers can
not only easily take care of this busi
ness now. but can at the same time
build up ail Important export trade
with South America, whose usual sup
plies are almost wholly cut off.
Some kaolin or china clay has been
imported in the past from Germany
and Austria. Though the mines in
these countries are now closed the
English mines have easily supplied the
abnormal demands of American manu
facturers. who. fearing future inter
ference, ordered heavily when the war
broke out. Now. the bureau of mines
finds most manufacturers have large
supplies of English kaolin on hand?
enough. In fact, to tide over any tent*
interference with Import?.
The bureau also finds that thousands
or tons of kaolin, ball clay and other
raw materials for the manufacture of
ceramic wares are mined In our Atlan
tic coast states every month. While all
of the domestic kaolin Is not up to the
English clay in quality, according to
the bureau s Investigators, much of it
can be used successfully as a substi
tute for the imported materisl, and the
output of some beds, particularly those
IS Florida, compares favorably with
the best grades brought across the At
lantic.
The United 8tates public health serv
ice Is doing Its best to furnish a solid
-- . , foundation for the
Healtnfulness of popular opinion
Country Life that country llf? iB
more healthful than
city life. As It is. In the matter of some
of the most vital factors affecting
health, such as water supply, sewage
and garbage disposal, housing arrange
ments and the maintenance of oversight
by organised health departments, the
city dwellers of the United States have
a marked advantage over their fellow
countrymen of the rural districts: and
In some Instances at least, the public
health service has found, this advan
JitL* '? re?fle.,ote<l ,n ?trlkinKly lower
disease and death rates In the cities.
.J? ? ?.rl?.n* 3ust what the Health
and sanitation conditions and need*
CO"Ptry di"tr*ct8 the service has
been making surveys, largely in the
In several counties in
widely separated states during the last
year"-, and, U just now extending
rur?' 8a-nItatlon investigations to
additional communities. The surveys
so far made disclosed so great a need
?rJ?pr?vr"ent- and have ?*?" ??ch
Important factors in actually bettering
hnnf ? ? t5Bt ,he 8erv'ce officials
!?? to extend the work systematically
throughout the country
1.TIL" Which started the pub
lic health service Into the field of ru
ral sanitation was made in Yakima
county Wash., in 1911. and led to work
by the local authorities which resulted
?" marke" ,mP?>vement of health con
ditions and a large decrease in the
death rate. Late in 1913 the work
was taken up In Berkeley county, W.
Va? and toward the middle of 1914
Lawrence county, Md., and Union
county, Miss., were added. The Investi
gations Just being taken up, and which
represent the largest single step so far
taken In rural sanitation work, are In
Wilson county, Kan.; Walker county,
Ala.; Orange county, N. C., and Anne
Arundel county, Md.
The rural sanitation work Is largely
devoted to a tetudy of the prevalence
of typhoid and Its causes, and to for
mulation of plans for bettering con
ditions. Through some of Its surveys
the service has found rural communi
ties in which the typhoid fever preva
lence was more than forty times as
great as that of the whole "registration
area"?the territory for which accu
rate vital and disease statistics are
regularly gathered. The prevalence of
typhoid in rural communities Is found
to be due primarily to contamination of
springs, wells and streams by insani
tary systems of sewage disposal.
Through the surveys Information Is
gathered in regard to these matters
and also as to the character and
screening of residences, presence of
rats and mice, drainage, handling of
manure and the presence of domestic
animals.
Though the rural sanitation work of
the service is relatively new. the re
sults that may be expected to accrue
from It are Indicated by conditions in
Yakima county, Wash., following the
activities there. Before the work was
begun the typhoid death rate was close
to 200 annually for each 100,000 of
population. At the conclusion of the
work the typhoid death rate was re
duced by over 90 per cent. The people
of the community had been stimulated
to an Interest in sanitation and the
county was left with an all-time health
officer and a well organised health de
partment. This organization has been
able progressively to better health con
ditions until now It Is estimated that
In the little town of North Yakima
alone there Is an annual saving of 1Q0
lives that would have been lost under
health conditions existing before the
public health service began its work.
*
* *
Residents of Alaska will not have
to await the completion of the gov
ernment railway
Telegraph Syitem now under con
in Alaska struction in the
' territory in order
to have their first experience with gov
ernment-owned utilities. For many
years every message they have sent
or received by telegraph has been over
land lines and cables owned and op
erated by the United States, and in
recent years the telegraphic plant has
been supplemented by wireless stations
also owned and operated by the fed
eral government.
The Alaskan telegraph system is now
In charge of the War Department, but
it is not improbable that it may be
taken over in the near future by the
Post Office Department, the transfer
having been recommended recently by
the former department on the ground
that there is no need for the system
for military purposes. If this transfer
is effected Alaska will be the only
portion of the United States in which
the people will have postal facilities
for communication by both mail and
wire, such as is furnished by most of
the important foreign governments.
The government-owned telegraph sys
tem in Alaska consists of nearly 2,700
miles of submarine cable extending
from Seattle, Wash., by way of
Sitka and other coast points to Valdez
and Seward; and of more than 1,000
miles of land lines from Valdez into
the interior, down the Tukon valley
and near Nome. There are also ten
radio stations throughout the territory,
forming a system that parallels the
land lines and also reaches points not
served by them. During several inter
i ruptlons in wire lines last year the
paralleling radio system took care of
; all messages without difficulty or de
lay.
i The system is used extensively for
commercial purposes, and shows a
I steadily Increasing volume of business.
During the fiscal year 1914 receipts!
1 on account of commercial messages
amounted to nearly $187,000, an lti-|
| crease of more than $5,000 over the pre
ceding year. In addition, official mes
sages of the government to the value
of $161,000 were handled, and more
than $67,000 was sent by telegraphic
transfers.
Other experience with government
ownership has been had by residents of
Alaska in their overland transporta
tion system. Most of the roads and
many of the trails in the territory have
been built by the federal government
through a board of road commissioners
composed of army officers. Altogether,
the government road system consists of
a little less than 1,000 miles of all
season wagon roads, 600 miles of win
ter sled roads, and more than 1,600
miles of trails. The system has al
ready shown itself to be a valuable
factor in development, has reduced
overland freight rates, and has been
commended by the Alaskan railroad
commissions as a means of furnishing
invaluable feeders for the government
railroad when it shall have been com
pleted.
DR. DERNBURG.
From the Blrbmond THaetDlepatci.
We don't wish Dr. Dernburg a bit
of harm, but we do believe that Just
at this time he would And himself very
much more appreciated in some other
clime.
From the Oiattinooca Ihw.
Surely the prize persona non (rata
Is Dr. Dernburg.
From rbfi KdoitMU Joorntl ana Tribute.
If Dr. Dernburg thinks he Is do
ing the German cause any good he is
badly mistaken.
mm the iMJSTffle Courier4snl
This is a civilised country. For ex
ample. If some one shauld kick Dr.
Dernburg's teeth down bis throat and
stop his bellowing, he would be pun
ished regardless of the fact that the
Herr Doctor richly deserves such treat
ment.
From the Philadelphia Record.
There are reports that Dr. Dern
burg's cards have "P. P. C." on them.
rrom the Srracnee Poet-8taqdard.
If Mr. Dernburg has any pressing
business calling him elsewhere, far be
It from us to deflate his tires.
From the New Tork Sub.
Dr. Dernburg's refusal to talk In the
present emergency is another proof of
his cleverness. It was Dr. Holmes who
said that "slleace, like a poultloe comas,
to heal the blows of sound."
FIFTY YMRS AGO
IN THE STAR
The mass meeting of citisens. called
by an advertisement signed by a num
ber of Waahingtonlans,
Mass Meeting to protest against the
. , return to residence
in Protest. here o{ those Who had
gone to Join the Confederacy, was held
in front of the city hall the night of
May 9, 1865. In The Star of the next
day Is a three-column report of the
proceedings. The Star said:
"The attendance was very large. The
entire front of the city hall, with the
exception of portions of the street
which had become unsuitable for stand
ing room from the rain, was densely
crowded. The design In gas lets, form
ing, in Immense characters, the word
'Union.' In front of the columns, was
lighted. Illuminating the entire assem
blage as well as could have been de
sired In any public hall. The fine band
of Finley Hospital, which accompanied
the seventh ward delegation, was In
attendance and added much to the
spirit of the bccaaton."
Resolutions were adopted, of which
the following paragraph was the most
significant:
"That while we are fully and unal
terably determined to prevent traitors,
their abettors and sympathisers, from
acquiring or retaining residences in
our midst, we recommend and urge the
utmost prudence and deliberation in
the adoption of means to effect our
purpose. Rashness and precipitancy
of action should be avoided. The Im
pulse of passions should be restrained
and controlled, so as to give the great
est possible efficacy to the dictates 01
calm and enlightened Judgment. And
in whatever we do we should endeavor
to secure the approval and co-opera
tion of the national government; and
we therefore request the president of
this meeting to appoint a committee 01
two from each ward of Washington
and Georgetown and from the county,
to present its proceedings to the proper
authorities and to consult with them
in relation to the most feasible plans
of action. By thus moving In harmony
with the authorities we cannot fail in
our undertaking."
?
* *
The military commission named by
the President to try those accused of
participation In the
Conspiracy conspiracy against
. . President Lincoln and
Commission. 0ther members of the
government, met Tuesday, May 9. 1885.
at the Washington barracks, consisting
of the following: MaJ. Gen. David
Hunter, U. S. V.; Maj. Gen. Lew Wal
lace, U. S. V.; Brevet Maj. Gen. August
V. Kautz, U. S. V.; Brig. Gen. Alvin P.
Howe. U. 8. V.; Brig. Gen. Robert S.
FoBter, U. S. V.: Brig. Gen. T. M. Har
ris, XJ. S. V.; Brevet Col. C. H. Tom
kins, U. S. A.: Lieut. Col. David Glen
denln, 8th Illinois Cavalry; Brig. Gen.
Joseph Holt. Judge advocate and re
corder, assisted by Judge Advocates
Burnett and Bingham. The first ses
sion of the court was held behind
closed doors. The conspirators were
arraigned and asked to select counsel.
At the session of May 10, according to
The Star of May 11. the prisoners were
asked If they objected to any member
of the commission, none having such
objections, and all the Prisoners plead
ed not guilty. The reports of the ses
sions were withheld from the public
until approved by the court, and, con
sequently, reached the public, as a rule,
at least one day late.
*
* *
The Star of May 15 contains the first
detailed account of the proceedings of the
commission, comprising sev
Scene of eral columns of the issue.
_ . An interesting story is also
Trial. printed describing the scene
In and about the place of trial:
"Four-and-a-half street, leading to the
place of trial of the conspirators, is
stronglv guarded from Pennsylvania ave
nue to "the penitentiary building. At the
upper gate there Is a strong guard and a
line of sentinels which spreads from the
building, where Is posted a JV^eXt^door
of 'veteran reserves.' At the east door
there are a number of officers on duty and
through this Is the entrance to the court
room. On entering the wide hail those
privileged with passes s'Kn^ b> '^e
President of the commission. Gen. Hun
ter, are directed to a wide sLairway which
leads to the hall on the second floor and
from the small room In the northeast
corner of .he building. The stairway
from the ground floor is covered with a
matting, as well as the courtroom. As
we proceed toward the courtroom we
find at the foot of the stairway a senti
nel. who says not a word, but motions us
tn nroceed. and so on we find a scntrj
at every turn. In the second story room
from which rises the stairway to the
court above, a number of officers are
found at a table in the center awaiting
orders while around the room are order
Hes ready to gallop off with any sum
mons or messale from the court Oppo
site to this room is another of like
f?'Thelcourtroom Is the northeast room
of the third story, about forty b> fifty
feet with four windows?two on the
aide and two on the east?heav il>
grated A^the west end of the room
Is the prisoners' stand, raised ?
with bolts. This door leads into t*\e
nrison where the accused are confined.
south side are two doors the one
nearest the prison hox heing rlo.ed
_t,i|. th<? one nearest tne eaBl
iff 3S? r^d
?eeenC?'^'-covered ^b^on ^h.
?e?rrtoccupying the seat n?ar?t 'h^ ^??fr'
?h"|e ?epo?.?erhserotfab^."commission and
railing." ^
* *
In the same Issue of Th? Star. May lo.
1865. Is carried the news of the capture |
of JefT Dai is at Irwins
CWnre of vine. Ga. I he news had
been received the day be
Davil. fore and w? conveyed to
the public by an extra Issue of The Star,
being reprinted in the next ,ay s
edition. It was brought in the form of
prised Davis' camp at daylight on the j
lvth of May.
THE SUBMARINE'S TORPEDO.
I am the sea devil's daughter.
Spawned where the dead men dwell.
I shoot through the hissing water.
A lance from the Prince of Hell!
And ever I <*ome to slaughter
As mermaids ring a knell!
The pride of the seas of Britain
la the wrerk of a huckster's cart
Smltten as whale* are smitten
When the swordflsh dares to dart!
The little gray shark has bitten
A hole in the kraken's heart!
Tea, she that was Queen of Ocean
Is sunk to her last bad bed.
And all of her sons' devotion
Shall never uplift her head.
Gone the steel pulse's motion!
The giantess lies here, dead!
I am the eel of lightning;
I blast whatever I strike.
The sea-top flshes frightening
As the shark affrights the pike!
(Hi! but the hones sre whitening
Of things I did not like!
I am the babe of the devil!
Deep hidden I skulk and lie
Till a liner laughs in revel
And then I dart on high
And klaa with the Kiss of Bvil,
And what I kiss must die!
? Joiiu O'Keefe in X. T. World.
THE FRENCH PRESS IN THE WAR
The attitude of the French press In
the present war In particularly inter
esting. Prior to the war
United by It -w as apparently hope
TTm^'1;^.. lessly divided and its
Hostilities. sudden unity nnd acoonl
through the bugle call to war is little
less than a phenomenon. M. Alfred
Capus of the French academy, editor
of the Figaro, has treated the subject
in an address made before the Societe
des Conferences.
"It will be impossible," says M. Ca
pus, "to write the history of the war of
1914 without mention of the role of the
French press. It is the first time the
phenomenon has happened. Until now
the press was limited even in the wars
j of the Balkans to register the opera
tions. comment upon them and draw po
litical or military conclusions; it did
not act for Itself; it was not engaged
in the action. In the war of 1914, on
[the contrary, from its beginning, the
press was seized by the events and
held as in a vise; it has not been sep
arated from the events, but it has been
made a part and parcel of them."
The government for a fact seized the
press, as it were, "by the neck," and
placed it on guard. It was made re
sponsible for public opinion, which was
a vital factor.
The press of France, as we have said,
was full of discord and divided against
itself. It was told that it was expect
ed to aid in the task of winning the
victory over the enemy, over his army,
his commerce, industry, philosophy and
literature.
The press thus was converted by
government into a machine with the
view of teaching the public the im
placable necessity of unity and effort,
and that no activity was to be left un
tried. Everything was put In the game;
every one was to play the game for
himself and for the country with the
device; "All for all; all or nothing."
Defeat was not one of those famous
disasters suffered at Waterloo and
Sedan; defeat for France meant a cata
clysm without name and chaos; defeat
was for every ^Frenchman the impossi
bility of living, his conscience and his
reason being plunged Into perpetual
night. This was the message of gov
ernment to the press. In turn the press
would cause the people to comprehend
that the war was something altogether
new; that above all it was indispens
able that a country so divided by po
litical discussion should cease to be
political.
*
* *
M. Capus does not refer to the politi
cal situation in France and the fierce
antagonisms engendered
DisCOrd a between parties and the
Year Ao-n elecllons in thft early
? * part of 1914, which had
resulted in turning the government
over to the radicals and socialists, to
such men. Indeed, as Caillaux and
Jaures. The anti-militarists and pa
cifists were in the ascendency; there
was opposition to the military law of
three years, resistance to the military
defense of the country and, finally, the
assassination of M. Calmette. In August,
1914, all these things were forgotten;
the press and the people were united
for the country. A miracle had been ac
complished by the press.
We may refer just here to the opin
ion of a foreign writer, an English
man of authority, who wrote in the
Nineteenth Century under the title.
"The Decline of the French Republic."
The author declared that the fall of
the Barthou cabinet confirmed all that
had been written about the instability
of the republican regime, the impo
tency of the president, the incompati
bility between the republic and the na
tional defense and the lack of coherence
in parliament. And the author con
cluded, 'The republic must choose be
tween revolution and reaction."
In August there was neither revolu
tion nor reaction. In the presence of
the storm of war party dissensions
were hushed, and anti-militarism and
pacifism were swept away as If by
magic. The press promptly came to the
front, and. dropping all reference to
past dissensions, created the Impres
sion that if Frenchmen had disputed
or even hated each other it was only a
form of pastime which might deceive
the foreigner, but, in fact, France
?united France?was waiting the com
ing of her enemies.
M. Capus does not pretend to write
the history of the press in the war of
1914; that can only be done after the
war. For the moment he makes only
some sketches which may prove inter
esting as an indication of the evolution
of events which will have a marked
place in history. In these events there
should be mentioned the erection of a
; military censorship, the exodus of gov
ernment and press to Bordeaux, the re
. turn to Paris after the brilliant victory
1 of the Marne, the creation of a politi
cal censorship, which in conjunction
With the military censorship deprived
the press, for a time, of almost all its
liberty.
?
* *
The morning after the declaration of
war the directors of all the journals
of Paris were convoked
Convocation at the Elysee. There re
- publicans of all colors,
01 Xjaitors. socialists, pacifists, anti
militarists, anarchists, reactionists and
ecclesiastics assembled. In that entire
assemblage of the representatives of
the press of France there was unity of
sentiment, the sentiment of the preserva
tion of the country. I
M. Messimy was minister of war. He
was nervous, it was clear. Events had
happened as a "bolt from the blue.'*
France had not expected war, and
many in that motley assemblage had
been almost fiercely pacifist and re
fused government the means of pre
paring for war. In spite of these ob
stacles government had maintained an
organization and the army was strong
and capable of facing any test with |
confidence. The emotion of M. Messimy
was nevertheless natural. News had
been received of the first encounter in
the Vosges, and the die of war was
?aM. Messimy said: "Gentlemen. I
count on your patriotism to accept with
good will the new regime which events
impose upon the press. You will not
be told everything; in the commence
ment. indeed, you will be told very
little; but I promise you that whatever
is given out will be exact. Nothing
will be exaggerated, but we may be
obliged to pass over In silence informa
tion which may seem to us of a nature
to compromise the national defense."
The regime of the censorship com
menced. All Journalists In France
comprehended its necessity and accept
ed the conditions. The difference of the
attitude of the press in the war of 1870
and that of 1914 was illustrated by M.
Capus by the following anecdote:
At the battle of Coulmiers, November
I*. IRTft. wherr Men d'Aurelle de Pala
dineo commanded with *micc<*sh.
Chabrillat. ? orrespondent of the higaro.
requested the commanding nfncrnl th.'T
lie be allowed the privilege of ap
proaching the exterior lines of brittle
lien. d'Aurelle refused the request, f""
reasons fie thought best not to give to
the Journalist <"hnbrillat was vew
much vexed and replied testilv "\ et y
well, general, f will not mention the
battle of Ooulmiers in the Figaro!
The anecdote \\.?s significant of the
press regime of 1ST0. War was treated
as little more than a theatrical repre
sentation. in which Journal, correspond
ent and general were the chief per
sonages; the rest counted for little
v
* *
The silence which In this war of lfl4
envelops the military operations has
been almost unbtat -
IJ6CCSSary able Thp details from
n 1*" the offensive in Alsac*
Censorsmp. am| thr brrolr ?f
T?iege were given to the press pell
mell. cut by the censor into little frag
ments which were scarcely compre
hensible. The process was. however,
indispensable because of the conditions
of the war. in which even the slightest
information furnished the enemy b\
the press might entail disaster. It was
necessary to repeat without ceaslnp
that the resistance of the civil popula
tlon was one of the essential elements
of victory.
Tli* enemy had counted visibly on ,h?
divisions of the country: its unity an.l
strength were unexpected. The history
of what had occurred. the prodigies of
valor accomplished hy the army wero
vet to l>e published.
' The news that the rnemy was at "?
Itates of Amiens after the defeat of the
Tlritisli wins in August created hour
of agonizing suspense. Iwin* t?o.
terrible days the press was actlve
disseminating the essential ideas o
thFirst.rthat the war. hy the Immenstt?
and complexity of its elements. ?hi. ..
were etnploved. would be long and not
short, as it had been assumed.
Second, that victory was certain if the
armv was restrained and held in ban
and adapted to th? new conditions.
Third, that everything should ? "
combined In the civil ns in the mllltarv
to assure the maximum
Such were the ideas with which
| public was saturated. The ci ucUl mo
ment arrived when the public manifest
ed Its appreciation of the lessons im
oarted i'v the press. Tlie enemy ft
twined a point about twenty miles from
Paris when tlie prudent generalissimo
advised government >o rl'r?"v'' the
deaux. where it w;js followed by the
The Invasion of Bordeaux by a bun
dred thousand Parisians w as ain epi
sode in the lives of the fugltlxes, as
well as the Bordelaise press .which ex
tended its targe and cordial hospltallt>
The Temps, tlie Illustration and the Fi?ar..
fng house of the Petite Oironde.
?
* *
M Capus mentions his meeting in
Bordeaux with two distinguished Pa
risians. Albert de Miff
Two Parisian Clemenceau the
first tall, thin and
Journalists. pale a,, ,1 bloodies*
face, but with exquisite gesture and
gravltv of voice Impossible to forget
the other endowed with astonishing
vivacity, his quick. piercing glancehi
nervous movements of limbs. ?hie
give him the appearance of about t
leap over a barrier. Albert de Mui
composes striking article* every da>
for the press?articles that belong to
the history of the war Clemenceau
wrote for his "Homme l.ibre ? or "I-ree
man." title which he '+?''1 J?
"I.'Homme Knchaine or The Man 1"
Chains." when he fell under the ban of
the censorship for some infraction of
"ofwhat was the bureau of the cen
sorship composed? No o""1'^1" ,..
known and there Is an ineKpltca*!
mystery, which the press does not pre
tend to unravel, not even the all-seeing
and knowing Journalist. Clemenceau.
In the first days of the censorship^
manifested (treat severity. All at on
the public perceived in the columns of
the Journals large blank spaces, a tip
graphic phenomenon known In the lan
guage of the composing room of <?
French press as "I echoppage
word echoppe meaning a steel pin eni^
ployed to engrave letters, in this ca .
to erase them.
The operation of the censorship hu
reau is described as follows. The
proofs of the journal are sent to the
bureau and one or two hours later .in
unknown voice over the telephone an
nounces that which is permitted to
piss The person at the phone ma>
discuss with the managing editor He
may request the latter politely to do
him the kindness to cut out su? h ami
such paragraphs which in his opinion
would embarrass the government ??
compromise the truce of parties. h?
endeavors to convince the managing
editor rather than menace and in tbi?
way the editor is coddled into the be
lief that he is following a counsel an<i
not obeying an order.
*
* *
The press, concludes the editor of th??
Figaro, notwithstanding its past his
tory, has been purified.
, French Press u discovered
these tragic days t ?
Purified. depths of its hold <"
public opinion and the importance
Its role during this war. All the phase
of patriotic sacrifices are reflected I"
i its columns as well as all the vibration*
and hopes of the country. The press
has been more Intimately mixed with
the life of the country than ever; It has
interpreted Its sentiments, it has rep
resented French unity, and the collabo
ration of the press cannot be forgottn
Since the victory of the Marne, tlie
task of the press has been sensiblj
lightened. Prior to that event It pre
dicted victory, hut could not prove "
After the victory the army, the peop!?
and the press were one. The r.amoB or
Joffre. Foch. Francliet. d'Ksperey and
Pau were talismans of success,
press contributed largely to the fus'c'
of all elements of the nation. The press
will come out of the war reinforced an 1
ennobled. In looking backward it wi
perceive the dangers at certain honi
through which it passed The war or
1914 has been for the press a supreme
test. Its role during the war will serve
as a magnificent preface to its role
after the war. when the question rise'
of reconstituting the nation and pla.
ing France on the course which destinj
has provided. CH. CHAIIXE-IA?S<J.
THE COLONEL ON THE CRISIS.
From the Charleston News and Courier.
Col. Roosevelt's words ring: louder,
but they carry no sterner meaning than
the words of Woodrow Wilson.
From the Columbia State.
The colonel remarked that the LusI
tania disaster was too deplorable for
words, forthwith emitting some five hun
dred of 'em.
Frnm the Richmond Virginian.
Col. Roosevelt on the Lusitania inci
dent?"!. I, I. I. I. I. I."
From the Pittsburgh Dispatch.
T. R. wants to stop all commerce
with Germany. But hasn't England at
tended to that?
From the 8t. Paul Dispatch.
The Teutonic bull moosers of New
York can cool the colonel's picture on
the cellar floor, but they can't cool the
colonel.
From the Pittsburgh Chronicle-Telegraph.
Although the oolonel has much to say
about Germany just now. It Is clear
that it is Woodrow Wilton's trail on
which he is camped and not the
kaiser's.
From the St. Louis Rf-publir.
It does not make a particle of differ
ence to the colonel. Jf his libel suit
drops out of sight he talks about i lie
Lusitania.
From thf Atlanta Journal.
Whatever Wilson decides to do is
more than apt to be right. The deci
sion, by the way. rests with him, not
with Col. Roosevelt.
Fmm the Pittsburgh Press.
"We are all behind the President in
this big country of ours."?Numerous
Cotemporaries. Not so. T. R. Isn't.
Or he's making awful faces, anyhow.
From the Pittsburgh Gazette-Timer
T. R. probably finds it a relief to talk
on subjects on which lie can't be cross
examined.
From the Philadelphia Press.
The oolonel doesn't declare war on
Germany, but he saems to hope some
body wilL