The Birmingham age-herald. [volume], October 19, 1914, Page 4, Image 4

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THE AGE-HERALD
K. W. BARRETT Editor
Entered at the Birmingham, Ala,
poslotfice as second class matter under
act of Congress March 3, 1879.
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THE AGE-HERALD,
Birmingham, Ala.
Washington bureau, 207 Hibbs build
ing.
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Convent Garden, London.
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(tlgu advertising.
TELEPHONE
Bell (private exchange connecting all
departments), Main 41)00.
Shall quips, and nentence*. and these
jpnpcr bullets of the brain awe a man
from the career of bis humour!
_Much Ado About Nothing.
BEGINNING THE HAY—O God.
me Father, .begin «bls working
week With me. Lay Thy hand upon
me and lend me In Thy way. Give
me wisdom to choose right things,
courage to meet the lasues. strength
to bear, patience to endure. Anil la
the evening of this tiny, of this
week, and of my life, let me be un
ashamed. Amen.—H. M. E.
__I I
Admirable Address to Girls
Fairfax Harrison, president of the
Southern Railway company, delivered
nn address before the Alabama Girls
Industrial institute at Montevallo Sat
urday, which was a model in tone and
practical advice.
In the early days of railroad build
ing and administration few companies
had an executive head who was equal
ly at home in discussing railroad prob
lems, education, industrial develop
ment and agriculture. But in time the
railroad president has come to be
known not only as a man of affairs but
as one fully equipped for public speak
ing on almost any topic. When James
J. Hill entered upon his career as a
railroad president and upbuilder of the
northwest he had learned a great deal
about agricultural resources and was
recognized aB a cogent writer. He
gradually developed into one of the
most versatile of leaders but ten or fif
teen years ago he was an exception to
the rule.
Today many of the railroad presi
dents are college bred men, and near
ly all of them are good writers and
good speakers. The railroad executive
must be an intellectual man. If he rep
resents a railroad corporation he must
be ready to meet the public as a lead
er and as an exponent of modem ideas
suitable of application to complex
moderit conditions.
Fairfax Harrison is the typical up
to-date railroad president. A man of
scholarly attainments, he has mastered
the railroad business. He is thoroughly
familiar with every department of
railroading, and he takes a lively in
terest in all large questions. A south
ern man by lineage, he is informed on
every phase of southern life. He is an
(authority on the natural resources of
the south. He can talk to the farmer
about farming and to the manufac
turer about the industrial situation.
As a matter of course, he is at home
in addressing a college student body.
The charm of his address at Monte
vallo was its vein of kindliness and
its gentle counsel. There was noth
ing pedantic about it. Every phrase
revealed the cultured gentleman, and
from beginning to end it was full of
human sympathy.
Mr. Harrison did not commit him- I
\Belf to equal 'suffrage, but he believes
sincerely in the broadening sphere of
'Bjoman’s work. Montevallo has a
school just such as every state needs,
■nd this school has no stronger ad
vodhte than Mr. Harrison. His address
■hould be published in pamphlet form
and widely circulated.
The Public Library
i When the campaign for raising
money to purchase new books for Bir
mingham’s public library was in prog
ress a few months ago the members
of the city commission promised un
officially to provide additional shelves
and an appropriation for carrying on
the increased work of the institution.
In the canvass $21,000 was subscribed,
and considerably more than one-third
of that sum has been paid in.
The library board has recently pur
chased 10,000 new volumes, but the
Dumber of persons employed in the
library is inadequate to meet the in
creased demands. -Ever since the
present library organization was
I lormed its efficiency has been re
1 parked. The library grows in popu
arity . steadily. Within the past
welve months its popularity has been
more in evidence than ever. It is safe
U cap that quite as many persons
I visit the library to consult- reference
books and to obtain books from the
circulating department as was the
case a year or two ago.
The library management does not
ask the city to increase the salaries
of any of the present employes or to
contribute books, but it does ask a
reasonable appropriation for mainten
ance. It is understood that the city
commission will take this matter up
tomorrow. It is hoped that it will
see its way clear to render the neces
sary assistance.
Our National Defenses
The resolution introduced in Con
gress by Representative Gardner of
Massachusetts to appoint a commis
sion to investigate the state of our
national defenses should receive fav
orable consideration. The idea is un
questionably a good one and it is
hoped that the commission will be
made up of competent men.
The American people are inherently
opposed to militarism and always will
be; and now in view of the bloody war
in Europe resulting from overwrought
armament, the United States is more
than ever committed to peace. At the
same time this country must be pre
pared to successfully resist any at
tack from the old world. As one
writer asks, “are we in a condition
to resist arrogant militarism from the
east or the west or any other
quarter?”
For many years following the civil
war the people of the United States
were tired of everything in the way
of military activity. From the time
the regular army was reorganized in
1866 until the Spanish-American war,
its enlisted strength was kept down
to 26,000 men. General officers in
their annual reports recommended an
increase, but Congress paid no atten
tion to those recommendations. Since
the Spanish-American war, the regu
lar army has been kept up to some
thing like 80,000 men and a good deal
of money has been expended on our
fortifications, but our coast defenses
are yet far from what they should be.
The commission called for by Con
gressman Gardner’s resolution should
make a thorough investigation of our
defenses on the Atlantic from Fort
McKinley, Maine, to Fort Barrancas,
Florida and on the Pacific from Port
land, Oregon, to southern California;
and also of the defenses along the gulf
coast.
The war now raging ought to be
the last great war. After it is over,
the peace movement will be more ac
tive than ever, but the United States
must be prepared to defend itself.
Another great war may come. The
national defense cannot be strengthened
in a day or in a year. Now is the time
to begin preparations in the direction
suggested by Congressman Gardner.
Eugenics and the Books Thereon
Of the making of books there is no
end.
When Francis Galton, the English
anthropologist, styled the “Father of
Eugenics,” used for the first time the
now familiar term in his interesting
book entitled, “The Human Faculty,”
published in the 80’s, only the scien
tific world concerned itself with the
new word; but it was not long before
near-scientists and writers on “uplift”
began to use it glibly.
England has produced a number of
savants, but few men since Darwin
have risen to the rank and fame of
Galton. He has written many scien
tific books, all of them of high value,
and shortly after the completion of
his “Memories,” published in 1908, he
received knighthood. As he says him
self in his last book, “I take eugenics
very seriously, feeling that its prin
ciples ought to become one of the
dominant motives of a civilized nation,
much as if they were one of its re
ligious tenets. * * * * The first
object is to check the birth of the un
fit instead of allowing them to come
into being, though doomed in large
numbers to perish prematurely.”
In 1904, Sir Francis endowed a re
search fellowship in the University of
London for the promotion of the
knowledge of eugenics. A ‘eugenics
library has gro\vn up since
the endowment, and the num
ber of publications including pam
phlets in this library now reaches up
wards of 2000. It is safe to say that
more than half of the contributions
to the literature are of little scientific
merit.
Many writers on eugenics are mere
tyros in science. No one will disparage
the great work that Sir Francis Gal
ton has done for science and for the
betterment of the race viewed from
a far-reaching point of view. But like
many scientific men whose minds are
intent upon nature’s phenomena he
does not reckon with human emotions
or human affections. The science of
eugenics which he has developed will
rank with anthropology in the long
years to come. But the smatterers have
given the jokesmiths a great opportu
nity. This fact, however, does not min
imize the importance of the work of
the real man of science.
But the fact that so many books
have been published on eugenics might
suggest checking the output in line
with Sir Edward Francis Gal
ton’s proposition that the 'one object
of eugenics was to check the birth'Tate
of the unfit.’ "
Major Weiner, the Englishman who no-]
tided Harvard that he would not leave
the institution a legacy of 510,000,000 which
had been his purpose, unless Professor
Munsterberg, pro-German, severed his
connection. But as the major has a Ger
man name he might be willing to compro
mise in favor of the professor. It is sug
gested that he cut his proposed gift in
half and allow the eminent psychologist
to remain in the faculty. The latest story
is, however, that Weiner is not a wealthy
person; that his notification was only a
bluff.
-- S
A Chicago man, 28 years old, has *
become president of a $7,500,000 bank,
having started to work as a messenger.
There is something in rfie atmosphere
of Chicago that makes^a person hustle
If the allies could manage to cash some
of those checks they have been receiv
ing at the hands of the Germans the
world’s flnuncial condition might be mucl)
improved.
Tlie redoubtable Boston "Braves"
think they can be champions again next
year, as easy as not. That’s the Vay
most winners feel before they cool off.
Bryan struck out the suffrage plank
from the Baltimore platform, and then
made it into a ladder for himself. Truly,,
the commoner Is ahead of his times.
"Can money make any of us happy?"
asks a New York playwright. The world
is full of people who would gladly sub
mit to the experiment.
Theatrical managers who say this is
an off year in their business don’t re
fer to the costumes of the chorus. That
goes without saying.
Gotham messenger boys have been
equipped with roller skater, with the
evident intention of making them wing
footed.
The world is beginning to learn that
the rigidity of a country’s censorship
varies inversely as the square of its vic
tories.
German sympathizers say the wrath
of Ulsterites is only slumbering. For
the love of Mike, don't wake it up!
Hank Gowdy and Dick Rudolph
showed weakness after all. They could
not resist the hire of vaudeville.
Tills has been a hard year for cham
pions, but there is little talk of groom
ing any more "White Hopes."
There is no getting around this tango
craze. Already Panama is dancing the
"Culebra slide."
Evidently President Wilson’s idea is that
the government helps those who help
themselves.
It is even hinted that Harry Thaw has
retired from the limelight for "strategical
purposes."
Business at the Krupp factories will
probably continue to be good for some
time.
THE FARM STOCKHOUSE
From the Louisville ^Courier-Journal.
According to newspaper reports the
farmers in Brooks county, Ga., have
gone back to the old-fashion >d smoke
house system of curing their bacon.
As a consequence of this return to first
principles Brooks county Is becoming fa
mous for bacon. Last year the county
gained considerable publicity by reason
of a “bacon parade," the feature of which
was a large number of farm wagons
laden with the hickory cured products of
the farm smokehouses.
A few years ago the Brooks county
farmers marketed their hogs on the hoof.
Eventually they became tired of seeing
the pork which they sold for 6 to 8 cents
a pound brought back in the shape of
bacon and hams and sold in their own
markets for 20 to 25 cents a pound. On
occasions some of them were compelled
to buy bacon, and tney began to find !
fault with a commercial system which I
was responsible for such results. They
got together and talked the matter over,
and the outcome was the determination
to re-establish the ante-bellum smoke
houses. Now most of them are killing
their hogs and curing their meats in
the old-fashioned way, and through co
operation they are markerrng zficTv hogs
in the finished product. They find that
their profits are larger than when they
sold their hogs on the hoof, despite the
fact that curing the meat involves con
siderable labor and expense.
The passing of the old-tlmo smoke
house from so many farms is to be re
gretted. No better method of curing
meat has been discovered. The prime
product of the best equipped modern
packing house is not equal to the care
fully cured bsTbon from the farm. The
growth of the packing business lias, In
a manner, driven the farm smokehouse
out of existence, but at least one county
in the United States is slemonstrating
that real country tncon is still in de
mand—and that with proper system the
farmers can make it and market it to
their financial advantage.
LUKE M’LUKR SAYS
From the Cincinnati Enquirer.
A man is always more polite when he
is a widower than he was when he wasn't.
The men haven’t made such a terrible
success of running the country. But that
is no reason why the women should tackle
the job.
There is a difference between "au re
volr” and ’’good-by.” When your hair
Btarts to go it says “good-by.”
And don’t overlook the fact that every
man is also the architect of his owfn mis
fortune.
After you have roamed around for a
while you will find that the gilds who are
really fond of vocal music are those who
do not try to sing.
A girl can always catch the man she
wants by pretending to try to catch a
man she doesn’t want.
A million dollars' worth of experience
isn’t worth a nickel after you learn it.
There wouldn’t be so many breach of
promise cases if we wrote our love letters
on postal cards.
There arc not many sure things in this
world. But here Is one of them: A
woman is always older than she thinks
she looks.
The reason a man has to give in when
he is arguing with his wife is because she
never gives out.
Riches have wings. But there has never
been a case where they took a man to
heaven.
The poet once said that men must work
and women must weep. But the women
get more fun out of weeping than the
men get out of working.
A woman is a person wTho kisses an
other woman because she hates her.
The hats the girls are wearing fit their
heads so closely that a man wonders if
the millinery stores supply a shoe horn
with each bonnet.
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
Agriculture In Perry
"We made fine crops in Perry county
this year, and we are going to try to do
even better next year,” said L#. O. David
son of T'niontown, who is known as one
of the most prosperous farmers in the
alfalfa belt.
“We will plant less cotton but more
of everything else. I raised some wheat
this year, and will sow more for 1915. We
have ayine alfalfa country, and that crop
will always pay well.
“Farm lands around Uniontown have
greatly enhanced in value during the past
10 years. Farms that used to be con
sidered worth only about $25 an acre
would now sell for $50. Recently a farm
near Fn ion town was sold for $75 an acre.
The time will come w'hen $75 will he con
sidered cheap for land In Perry.”
Brightening Outlook
“There seems to be a more optlmtistte
feeling In financial circles In the east,
and in business circles generally, than
v. as in evidence a few weeks ago,” said
John A. Redding, a member of a large
mercantile firm of Philadelphia.
“Business conditions are being adjust
ed to the conditions brought about by
the European war, and it is believed that
before the holidays the situation will be
as animating as It was elegant in dic
talnly brightening.'’
The American Bar Association
“Judge Hundley and perhaps a few
other members of the Birmingham bar
will attend the annual meeting of the
American Bar association in Washing
ton this week, but most of us are too
busy In court here to leave even for a
brief period.’’ said Sterling A. Wood.
“The meetings are usually held in the
summer, when the courts are in recess,
but it had to be#arranged differently this
year In order to accommodate high of
ficial life at the national capital on the
occasion of the celebration of the one
hundred and twenty-fifth anniversary of
the United States supreme court.
“The programme is particularly attrac
tive. President Wilson Is to deliver the
address of welcome and as a matter of
course it will he a felicitous effort. At
the annual meeting held in Chattanooga
some years ago Woodrow Wilson was the
principal speaker. 1 had the pleasure
of. hearing him and as I recall his ad
dress, it was as profound in thought and
as animating as it was eloquent in dic
tion.”
llnnlneN* Conditions Improving
“Defensive tactics seem to be the fash
ion in American business circles, for
while the south is being urged to wear
cotton goods, the north is with almost
equal Insistence being urged to wear
linen,” said J. B. Russell, of Chicago,
representing a manufacturing concern in
the southern field. "The cotton planter
and the flax grower are to be the bene
ficiaries of these movements, of course,
and they are commendable movements,
certainly.
"It seems to me that business condi
tions in general are on the mend, how
ever, and that there is every reason to
expect aggressive trade tactics to suc
ceed the defensive attitude. Not only
are agents of the warring nations buying
heavily American trade centers, but
September exports exceeded imports by
almost $17,000,000, while the demand for
cotton fabrics continued to increase in
several neutral countries of Europe.
These are the facts as officially stated
in Washington, where it was pointed out
that the balance of trade has shifted in
favor of the United States, as compared
with an approximately equal bulanco
against the United States in August.
“Just now the allies are reported, on
credible authority, to be buying wagons,
blankets, auto trucks, drugs and drug
supplies and other goods needed by the
armies in vast quantities. This buying
cannot have other than a stimulating
effect on all lines of commercial activity,
in the opinion of men whose views com
mand attention in business circles.”
Foreign Trnile liecovering
Henry Clews in his Saturday review
soys in part:
“The world's foreign trade is rapidly
recovering from the first shock of war.
Our own imports and exports are show
ing gratifying gains over August and
September. In Imports the increase was
Jil,436,000 and in exports 546,831.000 over
last month, the excess of exports in Sep
tember being 516,900,000, against an ex
cess of 519,400,000 in imports during Au
gust. The large orders received by
American concerns for military supplies
will Berve to materially swell shipments
abroad. In August and September our
cotton shipment fell off about 1,000,000
bales. This loss will be partly made good
when the sterling exchange situation is
rectified and arrangements are made for
financing the crop. The world is still
suffering more from financial disloca
tion than from the war itself, and th«
rapid improvement made in London
finances is greatly aiding progress here.”
Relieving the Cotton Farmers
"I have been deeply interested la
all the measures of relief advanced or
put into operation to help the farmer
and the sm^ll merchant,” said a for
mer cotton imWE
"It occurs to me that there has been
mere than one unwise, however well
intended, move started. The boosting
of cotton goods can In no manner help
the farmer; that Is to say. not with thl3
crop. The prevailing market, or lack
of market, in part caused by the Amer
ican mills holding off from buying will
not give the farmer any money with
which to buy cotton goods. As the
goods boosted are already spun and
woven—most of the finer fabrics hav
ing been imported before the war
started—would we not presently have
advancing prices for the manufactured
product and thin with the raw cotton
at bankruptcy prices? Remember sugar.
This country imports $66,000,000 of cot
ton goods, mostly fine fabrics. Why,
the J’anama suits of next season are
already In the making and from goods
manufactured largely in Germany!
"Then the boosting of cotton for
sacks and wrapping will only help the
cotlor. mills work off, at good prices,
cotton they bought around 1214 cents.
■When cotton gets below 10 cents It car
be used profitably in place of jute; but
when It Is nbove that price, jute !s
the cheaper, and a better wrapper o.'
sacking material for many purposes.
Tills has been already proven In for
mer crop years.
‘ Just remember that all the mills in
ibis country are running full time
nlghi and duy, and that they can only
use some 6,000,000 bales of cotton. What
we need Is money to carry 6,000,0/lC
bales of distressed cotton, allowing foi
the prosperous farmers themselves to
carry some 5,000,000 bales.
"The world i. quires 16,000,000 bales
of American cotton, under normal con
ditions. Sooner or later, war or no war.
the foreign mills will have to have our
cotton. Soldiers, and citizenry, too, have
lo be first fed, then clothed. The tex
tile mills of Germany, with 11,000.000
spindles, are running full time accord
ing to press dispatches. So wlli Eng
land's 55,000,000 spindles, If she con
tinues to enlist and equip her stead
ily lncreasln garmy, already 1,200,000,
cf all classes."
•
Richmond Times-Dispateh: What Is in
the minds of kings and emperors is ob
scured, but there is no difficulty In be
lieving that their points of view are fre
quently opposed to the wishes of the na
tion. If the heart of the Italian people
had been with Germany and Austria, it
i*4 easily conceivable that her statesmen
would have discovered that what they
now hold to be a defensive alliance re
quired offensive assistance, and Italy
would now be getting her full ahare of
casualty lists and other striking remind
ers of the glories of war. N Had Roumania
followed the desire of its late ruler, who
seems to have been kingly more than
most of his kind, its people would prob
ably be now receiving the earnest at
tention of one or more of those Balkan
states which appear to have war desires
and abilities in about equal measure, and
that a large one.
Traditionally, Americans do not like
kings. Current events have not lessened
their dislike.
Baltimore Sun: With the tide of war
running against the allies In Prance and
Belgium, Austria and Poland, the war
cloud in South Africa throws another
sinister shadow on their fortunes. It
may soon disappear, but, on the other
hand, it may increase, and we wonder
as we see it whether similar troubles may
not arise in India and other British pos
sessions acquired and held by conquest.
The remotest parts of the British dominion
on land may be streWn, like the North
sea, with German mines, and the explosion
of insurrection follow the British* drum
beat of empire through all its vast range
of subjugated territory.
None of these forebodings may be real
ized, but that they are possibilities is
shown by the unexpected and startling
situation in South Africa. Lord Kitchener
was right when he predicted that this
would be a long war, and Lord Curzon,
former viceroy of India, was right when
he warned a British audience a few bights
ago against indulging in the hope of a
speedy peace. The task of . inding the
German giant is greater even than was
anticipated at the outset, and it may be
that lie will pull down the British empire
with him if he falls.
Leslie’s: That gun, the "Belgian rattle
snake," as It came to be called on the
firing line, because of its deadly rattle
In action, Is an American gun. It is the
invention of a retired United States army
offeer. It is the most ferocious small
death machine ever known, and yet one
man can carry and operate it.
Two years ago Col. Isaac Newton
Lewis, U. S. A., retired, late of the United
States coast artillery, offered his inven
tion on an automatic air-cooled ma
chine gun to the United States govern
ment. and it was tried out by United
States aerial war craft in an official test
at College Park, Md.
Rear Admiral Frank F. Fletcher, U. S.
N., then chief of naval ordnance, made
the observation that 2000 of these air craft
could be purchased and equipped with
the new’ machine gun for the price of a
.single battleship.
Precisely this is what the present Euro
pean war has disclosed, with the Lewis
machine gun being used by the Belgians
first, and now, from the latest reports
from the front, by both British and Rus
sian troops, against the Kaiser's men.
Nevertheless, this gun was rejected by
our government. Colonel Lewis was told
that he might dispose of his military
"mowing machine" elsewhere, and the
very first place he went to was Germany.
After several trials of his gun in the
field and in airships by the German army
corps, Colonel Lewis was asked to sell
the sole rights to the use and manufac
ture of his machine gun to Germany.
This he refused to do, and he next tried
England. The British government con
sented to his selling the guns to her al
lies, but at the time would not guaran
tee to take all that Colonel Lewis could
manufacture. Colonel Lewis then went
over to Belgium, and there he sold his
guns without arty restrictions, and,
lucky for the Belgians, up to the time the
war broke out he had been able to make
only enough of the guns for their use.
The result was that they were the only
soldiers in tSe world possessing this most I
certain modern Instrument of death when
the Germans stormed Liege. To this gun
I.i due in a considerable degree the ter
rible slaughter of the Germans In the
invasion of Belgium.
This gun is a new departure in ordnance.
It is the only machine gun capable of
rapid continuous fire under service condi
tions without change of barrels, and with
out the use of water cooling. It is simple
in construction and operation, and on the |
firing line requires no tools or special J
equipment of any kind. The gun can,]
he assembled or dismounted in 30 seconds!
with ho other tool than the point of a
bullet, and it can be fired singly or in
bursts of apy number of shots up to
the full extent of the magazine, which
can be placed in position in two seconds,
and which can be adapted for any ex
isting service ammunition. The normal
rate of firing is 6000 rounds per minute,
but this may be increased or decreased
by a simple adjustment.
Chicago Tribune: The German defense
for its invasion of Belgium seems to be
as mobile as its wonderful army. The
most loyal pro-German must "move live
ly" to keep up with It.
As we have understood the German po
sition, it is about like this: In the first
place, Germany invaded Belgium because
necessity knows no law, and, regretting1
the wrong done her and Luxembourg,
compensation would later be given. Sec
ond, Germany invaded Belgium because it
was certain that France would in
vade Belgium to attack Germany.
Third, Germany invaded Belgium because
France had invaded Belgium first. Fourth,
and latest, Germany’s Invasion of Bel
gium was not a breach of neutrality,
because Belgium was not neutral, but
had entered into a plot with England to
help her in an attack on Germany.
Doubtless in due time the reason why
Germany invaded Belgium will become
clear and settled, even in Germany. In
the meantime the world will continue to
sympathize profoundly with the unhappy
Belgian people, and attempts to fix upon
them, or even their government, respon
sibility for their tragic misfortunes will
have to be sustained by the most indubi
table of proofs If they are not to react
against the German appeal to the world
conscience.
EXCELLENT FISHING
From the Jndlanapolls News.
He had just returned from Lake Manl
tou, and, of course, was telling his friends
of his success at Ashing.
“Are there many Ash'up there?" asked
one friend.
“Thousands of them," replied the an
gler.
"Will they T)lte easily?" asked another
friend.
“Will they? Why, they're absolutely
\ vicious. A man has to hide behtnd' A tree
to bait a hook."
! ADVICE FROM A FRIEND
_
BT BUX TIKES v
WASHINGTON, October 18.—(Spe
cial.)—When one contem
plates the great advantages
which are offered him, or her, as the
case may be, upon every hand it be
comes a matter of some concern why
the high cost of living should longer
be a cause for worry. It is a very sim
ple matter to become affluent in this
country, and forever after live a life
of luxury full of Indigestion, appendi
citis, and gout. Almost every day an
opportunity presents itself to all of us
to become rich and independent. If we
do not take advantage of this oppor
tunity, it is our fault, and we should no
longer complain and bitterly denounce
fate.
For Instance, we get In the mail a
neatly written letter from a personal
friend, whom we have never met, but
who is taking a keen interest in our
welfare, advising us how to proceed in
order that we may double and redou
ble our present earnings. We are told
in language and with a firmness which
leaves no room for doubt, that the plan
they have to suggest has never failed.
It is pointed out to us where young
men after a few weeks' application to
the study of their plans, and only a
matter of 15 minutes a day at that, are
now earning from $200 to $2000 per
month. These young men, now owners
of “yatcha” and automobiles and
dress suits, are now in the predatory
rich class, and spend more money ac
cidentally than they used to spend on
purpose. Before they took the corre
spondence course which is so gener
ously offered to us, these same young
men used to have to live on 15 cents a
day and their relatives.
It seems very strange indeed*when it
is in the reach of a person to multiply
his earning power many times by 15
minutes a day application for a few
weeks that more people do not do so.
For the small sum of 20 hopes, payable
In advance, satisfaction guaranteed
this boon has been offered us. It is a
rare offer, too, we are informed; we arc
preferred above others. It's not every
body that can have this opportunity, as
the number of people who can be give*
these instructions at one time is verj
limited. We have been selected, proba
bly, because of our prominence, and a*
a person to whom the institution car
point with pride after we have taker,
their course and have doubled our sal
ary a few times.
Far be it from us to fail in apprecia
tion of this generous proposition. Ther«
is nothing that we would like better
than to double our salary in six weeks.
Yet we must resist this temptation
After mature deliberation we have ar
rived at the conclusion that it would
not be fair. Moreover, we fear the re
sults of doubling our salary. If all at
once our salary was doubled we have
a hunch that we might do something
foolish. Too much money is a dangerous
thing. We have been told this time and
time again, and all our lives we have
so lived that we have never been in the
least danger along this line. Why com
mence at our present age? Would it
not be foolish to cut loose from our
time honored moorings at this time of
life? Not only this, but, if we accepted
this offer extended to us by reason of
our position or through some prefer
ence occasioned by our innocent and
child-like appearance, we would there
by deprive some worthy person who
really is in need of having his salary
doubled of the chance.
Therefore we are fully committed to
the course of refusing this generous
offer. We do not want this wealth. We
turn our backs upon all these glitter
ing possibilities and will spend our 30
bones for Bock beer and in other forms
of innocent amusements, and give some
other poor chap a chance. I
We are none the less appreciative,
however. We acknowledge our obliga
tion. Still our refusal we feel somehow
will not be fatal to the scheme. There
will probably be a sufficient number
of persons who will want their salaries
doubled who will kick in with the 30,
to insure the continued prosperity of
the promoters of the enterprise, even
perhaps if it does not quite double their
income.
PRAYERS FOR PEACE
From the Literary Digest.
MANY earnestly believe that the
united supplications for peace
continued since the special day
appointed by the President must bear an
early fruitage. If this expectation falls,
there is assurance that the reflex action
on the American people will at least deep
en their spiritual life. The response to
the President's call "could not have been
more general or more fervent." says the
New York Times, "in an era when un
belief has seemed so common and the
things of the spirit so lightly esteemed."
The efforts will be continued, it is be
lieve^, in widening scope. Special pray
efs "of uncommon eloquence and beauty
of phrase" had been prepared for special
use on peace Sunday by Cardinal Farley
and Bishop Greer, and for the Carnegie
hall meeting Rabbi Wise framed a plea
for freedom for the "common man" and
for confirmation In the American people
of a "settled hate for war."
The ultimate good of such observances
is debated tn some minds. The view of the
helplessness of such appeals is perhaps
best stated by President Hadley of Yale,
in his matriculation sermon to the univer
sity student body. As the New York
Sun reports him, the doctor says:
"With our illusions shattered and our
very ideals shaken, we crave helplessly
for peace; and as far as the mere crav
ing goes we are ready to pray for it.
"But how little this mere craving
amounts to! What effect will it have on
Englishman or German, • Frenchman or
Russian, each desperately convinced of
the righteousness of his own cause, for
which he has already suffered and is pre
pared to die if need he, that prayers
for peace are offered by members of other
nations comfortably distant from tire
fray and from the passions that evoked
it? No direct effect whatever.
"It is wrong to dignify this profitless
expression of desire by the name of
prayer. Unless we follow up our prayers
hv intelligent help In promoting peace on
earth they are but the 'vain repetitions'
of the heathen. They may have a certain
use as a public recognition of the con
trolling power of God over the affairs of
men; otherwise they are no better than
the peace parades and the children's peace
cards and other similar manifestations of
misdirected zeal with which we ar4 now
familiar.
“People think they are doing their duty
when they are simply Indulging the lux
ury of expressing their own emotions in
public. To expect such prayer to be an
swered is folly on the part of the Ignorant
and blasphemy on the part of those w-ho
should he wiser.”
In an editorial expression The Sun ob
serves that "even though immediate vis
ible result be lacking, no one need doubt
that bounteous response will be made to
the prayers for peace which went up from
all quarters of this country. -***Provldence
has its own subtle ways of distributing
its mercies, and "though we may little
know them in the larger sense, there are
some which even the dim eyes of reason
may perceive”:
"Thus in Its reflex action upon the
American people themselves this great,
united act of devotion muBt have a puri
fying and elevating influence. The un
selfish purpose, the abstraction from ma
terial considerations, the sense of brother
hood wltfi the suffering, the uplifting of
spirit toward the higher realm of Ideas
wherein hatred, anger and revenge hava
no part, cannot tall to exalt the national
consciousness and stimulate Its progress
to lofty alma and standards in its or
ganic life.
"Piety will confidently hope that the
massed supplications of an entire people
may have a direct Influence upon the
fearful struggle that is being waged In
Europe. Nor is there any good pur
pose served in casting denial or doubt
upon a faith so full of beauty and com
fort The question penetrates into the
region of the unknowable, and the an
swer of the heart has as much authority
as that of the cervical cortex.
“But there Is one view In which all
can place-themselves In accord with each
other and with the great destiny that
guides the affairs of nations and of men.
AU must agree that as the war with all
Its cruel features must have Its place and
pifrpose of good In the universal plan,
so It will be stopped by universal wisdom
at the moment of highest good to all the
creatures of God and to the plane he has
made for their ultimate perfection. To
those who hold this trust the prayers
of the nation will be of great sweetness
as a means by which men may put them
selves In an attitude of spiritual submis
sion to the will of the universe.”
In answer to those who ask why we
pray at all sinc^^Iod wll lwork out His
own purpose without interference, The
Living Church (Milwaukee) responds:
"We mistake the nature of prayer if we
assume that it compels us to advise Al
mighty God as to His functions. Rather
it is chiefly communion with Him, con
verse with Him; the offering up of our
problems and difficulties to Him; the
quiet waiting for Him to speak to us;
the conversation of sons with their Fath
er. We shall best observe the spirit
of the President's proclamation if we
shall go to our day of intercession chief
ly to try to learn what God would have
us do to promote International peace,
rather than to iqptruct him how to pro
ceed. We need not presume that God
will be better able to govern His world
as a result of our prayer; we may rather
hope that a subdued, contrite, inspired
American people will be better prepared
to do their part; and that the way of
making a lasting peace in which the prob
lems of Europe shall be solved will grad
ually be unfolded.”
HURLEY'S MAIDEN SPEECH
From the London Daily Chronicle.
Lord Morley, before his elevation to
the peerage, was known as one of the
ablest debaters in the House of Commons.
But his maiden speech was a failure.
"The House,” writes Sir H. W. Lucy,
“was crowded on every bencli to hear
the maiden speech of the biographer of
Burke and Cobden. . . r It was, how
ever, a friendly audience, generously
eager to welcome a new acquisition to its
intellectual forces. That the speech was
full of weighty matter, carefully pre
pared, goes without saying. This was,
perhaps, the secret of the failure. It was
an essay on the question of the hour,
and would have been well enough if
• • • the new member had been al
lowed to read his MS. That was out of
order, and Mr. Morley, with parched
tongue and blanched face, painfully stum
bled through an imperfect recital.'
ABSOLUTELY UNTENABLE
From the San Francisco Star.
The inquest has been held on the body
of a' Scotchman who had been drowned
and all the evidence pointed to suicide
For a few minutes after the coroner had
summed up, the jury put. their heads to
gether, considering their verdict. At
length the foreman rose.
“Death from unknown causes.” he ex .
claimed, emphatically.
"I don't agree with you-- verdict,'
snapped the coroner. "You practically
had direct evidence that the deceased was
seen to throw himself into the river.”
"Yes, sir,” replied the foreman, sullenly,
"but taking into consideration that the
deceased was a Scotchman, and that a
lull bottle of whisky was found on his
body, we consider a verdict of suicide ab>
solutely untenable.”
FIRST LOVE
By W. W. Hendree.
Who has not had some little life-ro
i manoe—
Some dream of love so painful, yet so
sweet?
Who lias not felt his heart thrilled by
a glance,
Nor known the ecstacy when fond
lips meet?
Such things grow tasteless as the years
advance
And age cools down the blood from
feverheat;
But still, although the thought of pas
sion dies.
We linger fondly o'er its memories.
Few ever marry their first early love:
But after one has mingled in the
strife
Of varied passions—after fate has wove
More than one broken thread into
his life,
Then he begins to feel the dearth of
love, ■
And takes into his heart and home a
wife:
And oft, though love be wanting at the
first,
A sweet affection grows, by circum- ^
stances nursed.
But still through all there oftentimes!
will break
A whisper of the past we had thought 1
dumb,
And recollections swift and sweet will r
make A
The present seem so sad and weari-w
some; *
It sometimes seems as if the heart
would break
In thinking of the dreary years to
come,
And for the moment In our hearts we
sin
With vain regrets of that which might
have been.