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

About The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950

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THEAGEHERAIL
E. W. IIAHKLTT Edltoi
al lue Biiuiuifcnaui, Aim
poBiolficts as second cluss n*aiter uudei
act of Congress March 3, 1879.
Daily and Sunday Age-Heraid . fS.Ol
Daily and Sunday per month ... •?(
Daily and Sunday, three months 20v
Weekly Age-Herald, per annum .6(
Sunday Age-Herald . 2.0(
A. J. Eaton, Jr., and O. E. Young art
ths only authorized traveling represen
tatives of The Age-Herald in its cir
culation department.
No communication will he publisher
wiuiout its authors name. Rejected
manuscript will not be returned uiuest
stamps are enclosed tor that purpose.
Remittances can be made at current
rate of exchange. The Age-Herald v lli
not be responsible for money sent
through the mails. Address.
THE AGE-HERALD,
Birmingham. Ala.
Washington bureau, 207 Hibbs build
ing.
European bureau, 6 Henrietta street.
Convent Garden, London.
Eastern business office. Rooms 48 to
60, inclusive, Tribune building. New
York city; Western business office.
Tribune building. Chicago. The 8. C.
Beckwith Special Agency, agents for
eign advertising. __
TELEPHONE
Beil fprivate exchange connecting •»*
defuirtmrutM >. Main 4900.
Thanks to men of modern minds Is
honorable meed.
—Titus \ndronlcus.
BEGINNING THE DAY—O Goil,
kelp me to believe In nnd try to
awaken the hidden hero In every
coward, I he unseen at river In every
slngrtard, tlie burled beanty in «*a -
ery ugliness. Give me a fond faith
In the ultimate victory of God In
HI* efforts with men. In Christ’s
name. Amen.—II. >1, E.
». i.—.iajj.
As To Increasing Regular Army
In the years immediately following
the Civil war the United States army
was only a handful, so to speak. Its
authorized strength was 25,000, but it
was often under 20,000. Each com
manding general in his annual report
recommended an increase of the army
to 35,500; but Congress paid no heed
to the recommendations.
The enlisted strength of the regular
establishment was limited to 25,000
until the Spanish war came. It was
then doubled, and was still further in
creased after the war with Spain. To
day it has a maximum authorized
strength of 100,000. But in these days
of mighty armament the United
States army is singularly small.
While this country must always
avoid a warlike policy it should look
well after its coast defenses and its
army both as to numerical strength
and efficiency. But if Secretary of Wai
Garrison asks Congress for an in
crease in the enlisted strength of tht
regular army he will have to be ex
tremely convincing for the nationa
lawmakers to make any appreciable
increase.
Gen. W. W. Wotherspoon, who hat
just retired as chief of staff, recom
mends a standing army of 500,000 and
an organized militia or national guard
of 300,000. It is more than likely that
the Sixty-third Congress, which wil
expire next March, will pass the mili
tary policy over to the Sixty-fourth
Congress.
After the European war is ended s
peace propaganda will be starter
anew. The world,will be full of anti
military agitation, and the Unitec
States will be to the front as a peace
power.
Army men are emphasizing tliif
country’s unpreparedness for a great
foreign war, but during the coming
winter, at least, the democrats in Con
gress will talk and practice chiefly
retrenchment and reform. Later or
something should be done on a large
scale for our coast defense.
A Prosperous City Club
The Boston City club closes it:
fiscal year with a net profit of $27,
011.84 and thus strengthens its clain
to being one of the most remarkable
organizations in the country. It wa:
organized a few years ago to promote
public spirit and bring together ir
some common meeting place men rep
resenting the social and business in
' terests of the community. The clul
met at first in a rented house, but de
. tided a year ago to erect its own clul
house. The building is now nearing
completion and will be one of the
finest structures of its kind in tht
country. It will cost, with the site
$750,000. Public spirited men who un
derwrote the club at its inception havt
financed the new building and havt
made arrangements for the paymen
of the bonds in installments.
The annual dues of the club weri
originally $12, but have been in
creased to $15. With a total member
ship of 5000, it can readily be seei
that the dues alone provide a hand
some income. However, all depart
ments of the club have been manage!
•t a profit, including the restaurant
which cleared $12,000 last year; th<
cigar stand, -which showed a net prof
it of $6000, and the billiard room
which brought in $2500 above runninj
expenses. This fine showing is a com
pliment to Boston and the proverbia
New England thrift.
The city club idea is a splendid on<
and productive of much good. Th<
plan has been adopted in other cities
without hope of financial gain, merelj
V /
k . * t
|! to arouse public spirit and get the
' “hustlers” of the community together
at luncheons and dinners which are
usually followed by timely addresses
from experts in various lines of work.
Baltimore has a large and flourish
ing city club, installed on the top
floor of the Munsey building, where a
magnificent view over the harbor is
afforded the business and profession
al men who lunch there. This club has
been a great factor in the great trans
formation that has taken place in Bal
timore in the past few years, during
which millions of dollars have been ex
pended for street paving, a new sew
erage system and an improved water
supply. _
Increasing Demand for Steel Products
One of the best barometers of the
business world is the steel industry.
When the steel mills are operating at
anything like full capacity the busi
ness of the whole country is prosper
ing. Vise versa, when the steel mills
are shut down business in all direc
tions is at low ebb.
According to one of the leading
financial papers of New York the
steel plants throughout the United
States show a fair increase over the
past week. At one time steel produc
tion was running at the rate of 40 per
cent capacity. It is now at the rate
of between 40 and 45 per cent; not a
large increase, but it is significant.
Rock bottom has been reached. “A
feature of the market,” says a New
York authority, “which is regarded as
encouraging is the demand for miscel
laneous products.”
The eastern railroads are pressing
their petition before the interstate
commerce commission for an advance
of 5 per cent in freight rates. Such a
petition was considered and rejected
some weeks ago so far as the lines
east of Pittsburg were concerned.
The roads that were allowed to in
crease their freight rates were only
those operating between Pittsburg and
the Mississippi river. But these were
small in the aggregate compared with
the lines between Pittsburg and the
Atlantic coast.
Should the commission now author
ize the big eastern carriers to increase
the rate 5 per cent the railroads would
place large orders at once for all man
ner of equipment. Steel rails would
be in better demand than at any time
within the past two years. Every in-\
dustry would be stimulated and with
many factors now making for im
provement prosperity would soon
reach high water mark. ,
But the small improvement in the
steel trade has come without any as
sistance from the railroads. It ife, of
course, encouraging and a still fur
ther increase is looked for next week.
Interest in Tax League'
The tax league, branches of which
have been organized in many counties,
should have a strong appeal for every
taxpayer. There must be a recon
struction of Alabama’s tax system.
The present unjust laws bear heavily
upon thousands upon thousands of cit
izens, and it is the purpose of leaders
in the tax league movement to so
educate the public as to make a tax
reform measure easy of enactment in
the next legislature.
The tax league has no definite pro
gramme further than to enlist the ac
tive co-operation of all the taxpayers
of the state. When the time comes
for framing a hill men of recognized
ability along economic lines will he
called into service to assist in working
out the details of an equitable revenue
measure.
There will he a meeting of the
league organization committee in
Montgomery December 3, under the
chairmanship of Stewart Brooks of
Mobile. It will be of far-reaching im
portance and it is hoped that repre
sentative men will attend in large
numbers.
i --.....
The Federal Reserve System
The federal reserve bank system,
which was put into practical opera
tion Monday, has made a fine start.
Bankers and financiers generally ex
press themselves as greatly pleased
with the new system. It has already
helped the business situation in every
section of the country.
One of the weak spots in American
banking had been a condition which
made money panics liable at any time.
Panics are now things of the past.
Under the federal reserve system a
bankers’ panic will be impossible.
Neither will there bu heard any more
talk of money stringency on account
of large requirements for moving
* crops. These facts alone' give confi
dence to capital and will be of far
reaching benefit.
1 The inauguration of the new cur
■ rency system marks one of the many
tr -g points from business depres
I to prosperity.
i
What W. M. Trotter of Boston seems t(
have overlooked Is that If he had beer
’ a white man and had been as ill-man
’ ncred In the White House, he woulc
■ have received exactly the same treat
[ ment. t,
it s too bad that heavy rains shouk
! drench the armies of the allies. A great
many Eritlsh soldiers are already sr
hoarse that they can no longer sing “It’!
a Long Way to Tipperary.”
■ /
. - . - V
— * (
'I he bureau of labor statistics has re
cently issued the fourth number of a se
ries on industrial accidents and hygiene
which deals with lead poisoning in smelt
ing and refining lead. Twenty plants vis
ited by an investigator employ about 7500
men, all of them exposed to the dust or
fumes of lead. Although efforts have been
mfcde in recent years to minimize the dan
ger of lead poisoning in American plants,
little progress has been made. Great
Britain has a rate of only 1.8 per 100 men
employed in a single year in this Indus*
try, while the United States has an an
nual rate of over 22 per 100. The Journal
of the American Medical Association com
ments on the “extreme importance of
practical research of this character,” and
is inclined to think that conditions will
continue to improve. As a result of the
concentration of operations in a few
large smelting and refining establishments
and the abanc^nment of old and crowded
buildings, the danger of poisoning has
been lessened, but the statement is made
that there is not one plant In which no
fumes are allowed to escape and none
ns free from dust as it might, be.
Every citizen of Birmingham should
fed a lively interest in any effort to
iaduqe Uncle Sam to start work on the
nev postoffice during the coming
year. Senator Frank S. White is ready
to lead in the matter. All he asks is
hearty co-operation on the part of
the people. The meeting to be held at
the Chamber of Commerce this after
noon in furtherance of the postoffice
project should be largely attended.
While the Bishop of London, good man,
is confidently looking forward to 1000
years of peace, a majority of his fellow
countrymen are fearfully looking forward
to a Zeppelin invasion.
Chrlstabel Pankhurst says that the Eu
ropean war happened because women
were denied the vote, which is merely
another statement which can neither be
proved nor disproved.
Sporadic efforts have been made by
American poets to celebrate In verse the
career of the Emden, but in most, cases
they have been halted before they man
aged to get into print.
Kansas City is wearing the honors of
her new depot with becoming modesty.
After a city waits as long a9 Kansas City
has for a new depot it outgrows con
ceit.
The report that John D. Rockefeller, Jr.,
has learned how to knit will be taken
as another evidence of weakness by sur
viving members of the “vice trust.
As neither side in Europe seems to be
making any headway, why not in the
name of common sense and humanity,
call it a draw?
England is at last beginning to take the
war seriously. It is said that her unem
ployed are being given jobs plowing up
golf links.
The report that the Germans have a
gun that will hurl a 600-pound projectile
nine miles is “interesting if true.”
“Woe to you, Nippon!” says a German
editor, but Nippon replies with the Japan
ese equivalent of “Ish ka bibble.”
Germans find little difficulty in play
ing the spy because many o^hem are ex
cellent linguists. ™
The republican fold is being rapidly en
larged to take care of the wanderers who
are returning.
-1»
Think what would happen to the Sphinx
if it ever had to face a German howitzer!
A CHICAGO ANNOYANCE
From the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Chicago is much annoyed by the masher
element. This contemptible combination
visits the show's in the fussy city and
makes itself a nuisance.
Now it is proposed that tue bachelors
who go to Chicago shows be penned up
by themselves and kept out of mlchief. No
doubt the restraining order w’ould apply
to men who come alone or in groups,
whether married or not.
Another suggestion is that bachelors be
provided with chaperons who will be re
sponsible fcr their behavior. Still another
suggestion* contemplates providing well
behaved bachelors with certificates of
good character.
And all this suggests that the big
brother would make an .excellent chaperon
for the annoyed girl.
LIIKB M’LITKE SAYS
From the Cincinnati Enquirer.
There was a time when early to bed
made a man wise. But nowadays the man
who hits the hay too early doesn’t get
wise to much.
Some women give their husbands the
keys to their hearts and then change
the locks.
Some men are kept so busy putting
things off until tomorrow that they do a
hard day’s work without accomplishing
anything.
You can believe all you hear and get
by. But if you try to say all you believe
you are going to spend a lot of your time
in a hospital.
Virtue may be its own reward. But a
good man doesn’t always make good.
The man whose head is so swelled that
he knows he leaves little to be desired
is in the same class as a burglar or a
porch climber.
We all overestimate our capacity when
w'e are looking for trouble.
The old-fashioned woman who used to
wash the clothes in the morning and
wash her hair in the afternoon now has
a daughter who sends her clothes to the
laundry in the morning and her hair to
the dry cleaner in the afternoon.
A girl doesn’t get mad because you kiss
her. If she gets mad it is because you
to not pretend to use force and give her
a chance to put up a losing battle.
When some people cast their bread upon
the waters they expect a half-column
boost in each of the local papers.
Father will chase about 976 flies away
from the cheese on the free lunch coun
ter and enjoy what he eats. But when he
1 goes home, if he finds a Jgne fly on the
dining room table he begins to indignate
about filth-carriers and typhoid and w'on’l
eat anything.
A pair of scales has the same effect on
a fat woman that a mouse has on a thin
woman.
The average man hasn't any use foi
more than three keys. But he imagine?
that he doesn’t look iinfft.»rtant unless he
carries a bunch of about 34 assorted keyi
that weighs two pounds.
A man knows that he can’t get 15-eeni
whisky for a dime, but he believes thai
h* is getting a 10-oent cigar for a nickel.
) IN HOTEL LOBBIES
HiiKinenM Continues to Improve
‘‘There has been very marked Inprove
mont in business within the past week or
10 days," said Joshua M. Middleton, who
is connected with a New York manufac
turing establishment.
"While there has been no great in
crease in the volume of business this
month, it is safe to say that there will
be a very decided increase between now
airl the middle of December. The general
sentiment in the business world is strong
ly optimistic. There is confident feeling
tiiat the new era of prosperity wfll be of
the record-breaking kind. 1
TUrce-lIiindred-Pouml Flab
"1 saw' a sight worth seeing," said an
angler. "It was a ‘jewfish’ weighing* over
300 pounds w’hich was displayed in the
window of a fish store on Eighteenth
street near the postoffice.
"By the way. 1 frequently stop and look
at the fine display of sea fish 1n grfat
variety which are displayed there."
A Nnshvllle Visitor
Cliff B. Stone of Nashville, the general
agent of the New Jersey Fire Insurance
company of Newark, is in Birmingham,
on business for his company. Mr^febne,
while a strong Nashville booster, said
he was struck with the improved appear
ance and* progress shown in Birmingham
since his last visit.
Methodist Ladle* Serve Good Dinners
"The ladies of the South Highlands
Methodist church are certainly serving
good dinners for 35 cents at their bazar
next to the corner of Twentieth street
and Third avenue." said a gentleman .who
had tried one.
‘ This bazar is being held for the bene
fit of the local missionary work of the
Highland church, w’hich includes the
Wesley houses at Avondale and Ens
ley, where a useful work is being carried
on. I feel as if I had gotten the worth
of my money as well as having helped
out a good cause. I am going back again
Thursday, Friday and Saturday."
Made In Jefferson County
.Speaking of dresses made of cotton,
I have seen very beautiful plaids made
in Jefferson county on the old-time hand
looms,’’ said James H. Hard. “They w'ere
made from cotton grown in the fields
hei eabouts, carded, spun and woven by
hand, dyed with native herbs, fashioned
into gowns of the directoire style and
worn by the fair maidens of this county.
‘ I have also seen handsome blankets
made from wool grown on sheep grazed
on our hills and carded, spun and woven
by our native women, which were fully
a^ warm, durable and handsome as the
Navajo blankets fashionable some years
ago. I would like to see more of them."
.4 Promised Trent
“I am especially interested In the
prospect of the people of Birmingham
having an opportunity to hear at the
high school auditorium November 20
a great scholar—Dr. Thomas E.
Greene—discuss The Burden of the Na
tlons’—the one question in which all
the world from schoolgirl to states
man is interested,*’ said Judge Walter
S. Brower.
"Dr. Greene is a ripe and thorough
scholar. He is an authority on world
events than whom there is, perhaps
no superior in America. He is vice pres
ident of the National Peace society and
is a member of every kindred Institu
tion In the United States.
"I understand that he has just re
turned from his latest tour around
the world and has made a study of
the fundamental principles underlying
the European war at first hand."
Hnle* of Cotton Exchange
"My attention has been called to the
tact that In my reference to the open
ing of the New York cotton exchange
in the Hotel Lobby column a few daj s
ago, I was partly in error as to the
rules governing," said Percy Clark.
"The transactions noted ‘new’ are un
der the federal regulations: those
noted ‘old’ are under the old rules.
That Is, the ‘hot air’ gamblers who
sold forward months, at, say 14 cents,
can deal in chalk cotton, but those
who now buy cotton cai\ demand real
splnnable cotton when the contract
falls due. If the new rules had been
made to apply to all transactions it
is probable cotton would quickly reach
10 cents. One will note the reluctance
of New York to deallKery heavily in
futures at the prices quoted; that is,
they are chary of selling real cotton
at the prices quoted for the new year;
and well they may be. Heretofore the
‘battledore and shuttlecock game’
was easily worked by the ‘blackboard
farmers,’ but things have changed. If
the war ends in four months cotton
will be 15 cents per pound in April, I
predict"
STRANGE MISSILES OF FRENCH
From Collier’s.
I wTas sent on here with a field lineman
and an operator, accompanied by Major
Moore of the signal service, to establish
a field telegraph office. They naturally
selected the old government telegraph
and telephone office because of its equip
ment, but it is the last house on the
street and exposed on the side next to
the bridge, and we were forced to move
further into the heart of the town, for
shells or parts of shells are constantly
passing through the upper stories.
The bridge has been shelled incessant
ly, day and night, for four days to pre
vent infantry and artillery passing over,
but the English have never stopped.
German artillery and range finders are
excellent, but the timing Is bad. Over
HO per cent of their fire is wasted.
Not so with the shell fire of the French.
T saw some of their work today. Their
shells seem to have the ability to send
shrapnel Jn many directions when burst
ing. In a trench of German dead, men
will be found killed from being hit on
the head on both left and right sides.
I saw on one side of a strawstack
some men killed by shell fire and on the
other side were men dead without a
mark on' them. This must be the new
exj losive of the French. It Is almost
unbelievable, but this explosive is so
terrible that the air currents It sets up
shatter the lungs of any living thing
within a radius of 100 yards.
WOMEN WHO WORK
Frances Frear in Leslie’s.
Woman has come to the front splendid
ly in the European war. When men an
swered the call to arms, giving up their
positions without a moment’s delay, wo
men without the least hesitation filled
up the breach. In Germany and France
particularly, thousands of women are
doing the work that fathers and brothers
once performed. This willingness and
ability of women to do the work in time
of war heretofore done by men, is but
typical of the change taking place In this
regard In times of peace. Recent reports
of the census bureau of |he United States
show' that there are more people engaged
in gainful occupations than ever before,
that this increase is more rapid now than
formerly, and that the increase is far
greater among women than men. From
1880 to 1910 the proportion of the male
population 10 years of age and over gain
fully occupied increased from 78.7 per
cent to 81.3 per cent, while among female
workers the increase was from 14.7 per
cent to 23.4 per cent. There are certain
rough forms of outside work from which
woman may and should continue to re
, frain, but in all other fields sha is quietly
j winning her way by adaptability and ef
* ficienoy.
Paris Cable to the New York Sun: Tne
Figaro prints the first information given
oui here regarding the part which the
French navy is taking in the military op
erations In Belgium. It points out that
the fleet is not only taking an active part
in the blockading of all the Austrian and
German squadrons and in the protection
of commercial traffic on the high seas,
but is also lending valuable assistance to
the allied forces'which are holding back
the German army in Belgium. The
French battleships have contributed a
force of tiOOO fusiliers and 2000 gunners, to
gether with a great number of naval
guns.
The brigade of fusiliers and & company
equipped with mitrailleuses, under the
command of Admiral Ronarch. played an
important part in the heroic stand of the
allied forced* at Dismude. A great num
ber of naval aviators and engineers have
also been placed at the disposal of the
commander of the land forces.
Petrograd Dispatch to the London
Standard: Nearly the whole of the fam
ily of the late Count Leo Tolstoy is tak
ing some active part in the war. Some
are at the front, and included among the
lirst victims are two sons. Count Ilya and
Count Leo are at the front as commis
sioners in the Russian Red Cro*s. Count
Leo was wounded during a train gollision
near the firing line. Another son, Count
Michael, is a reserve officer with an ac
tive army, and has received the St.'Stanl
slaw medal for bravery.
A daughter of the famous writer, Count
ess Alexandria, is a Sister of Mercy at
the base hospital at Bielostock. The
widow. Count Sophia, with another
daughter. Countess Tatiana, has estab
lished a hospital for wounded soldiers at
Yasnaya Polyana.
Three grandsons of the count are also
with the active forces. One is a private
In the volunteers, another an officer in
the army. The latter teas been made a
prisoner by the Austrians. A third is a
lieutenant in the Baltic fleet. These
grandsons are sons of Count Ilya.
London Cable to the New York Times:
According to the Cologne Gazette, the
combined strength of German*and Aus
rian reserves 1b 1,000,000 men.
There are 2,000,000 volunteers in Ger
many and 240,000 in Austria, and recruits
:>f the 1914 conscription of both countries
1.000. 000 each. This makes a total of 4.
250.000, but, according to the Rhemish
paper, this estimate is altogether in
complete.
In Germany, as In Austria, that por
tion of the Landsturm which has not
ret seen any service is almost as good
is untouched, and, according to the best
authorities, this untouched Landsturm}
amounts for Germany to 7,000,000 men.
They are between the ages of 20 and 46.
Already the vast majority of these men
have been registered by the military au
thorities as suitable. Only a very small
percentage may be regarded as hardly fit
pr the front, but they are capable of
other military duties.
In Austria this untouched Landsturm
is placed at 6,000.000, making 12,000,000 for
both countries. If we deduct 2,000,000 from
this total for volnteers who have already
been counted we get a total of 14,230,000
is still available for active military ser
vice, and if the age limit is raised from
*6 to 60 years and the limit at the other
end be reduced from 20 to 18 years, we
obtain an additional 3,750,000, which, add
ed to 14,250,000, makes the grand total 18,
»o,ooo.
ALABAMA SANCTUMS
Selma Times: A Birmingham undertak
er announces that he has had a handsome
increase In business. We suppose this
is part of the boosting game that rests
on all loyal sons of the Magic City.
Winston Herald: The republican sub
marine fleet seems to have struck the
democratic majority and sunk the greater
part of It.
Troy Messenger: If the bomb throwers
of New York city continue their work
much longer the judiciary of that state
will have to work in trenches.
Tuscaloosa News: If war is hell as Gen
eral Sherman Is alleged to have said,
how would you describe Tennessee poli
tics? •
Gadsden Journal: Alabama banks' total
resources amount to *148.112,07.31. Don't
know how much that Is, but It’s enough
to keep the wolf from Alabama's door.
Montgomery Journal: The decision of
an eastern judge that no man can dance
tango with another’s wife, would seem
to exclude wives altogether from tango
ing as no man wants to tango with his
own.
Montgomery Advertiser: Henry Watter
son, democrat, has nominated the re
publican ticket for 1916. The colonel la
not acting the part of a prophet In the
matter, but more as a philosopher. Evi
dently he thinks It would be the logical
thing for the republicans to accept his
suggestions. He suggests Boles Penrose
for President and Joseph G. Cannon for
vice president.
HER HAND ON HIS ARM
From the New York World.
In a New York suit for slander, a
preacher from Portland, Ore., appears aa
a witness. It Is to be noted that he was
born and educated In the east.
There had been no improper relations
between him and the lady mentioned*ln
the case. He had never kissed or em
braced her. She had never shown any
affection for him except on one occasion,
when, walking together at night, she had
taken his arm. This "caused him greal
surprise; he had always considered It s
mans part to take a lady's arm first, and
so he withdrew his arm.”
In some sections of continental Europ«
where love making is carried on publicly
it Is Indeed a man's part to take a lady'i
arm first, but what shall be said of s
man, American born and educated, win
not only holds to such a vulgarity, but
finding the process reversed, resents It?
The Bmall hand on the arm of a tru<
man signifies trust. It Is the appeal, per.
hape conventional, of weakness t<
strength. It does not mean possession
It means protection. It Is not typical o:
familiarity or boldness. It Is an ac
knowledgroent of dependence and confl
dencc.
What shocking corruption of our man
ners must have taken place in the last fee
years when a clergyman reared In Massa
chusetts regards himself as unduly ap
preached because a lady places her haa<
upon his arm!
\ ,
ADRIFT WITH THE TIMES * 1
ROYALTY.
We know that glory's path
Leads to the grave
And often heaven’s wrath
O’erwhelms the brave
But still misguided wight
Who thinks he’s one
Decreed as his birthright
A place in the sun.
QUAINT CHARACTER.
"Mr. WaBserby is the most striking
specimen of an old fogy I have ever
met.”
“Why do you think so?”
“When someone asked him if he had
learned to dance the tango he ex
claimed, ‘What! At ray time of life? The
idea Is preposterous.’ ”
EFFECT OF FEJfR.
“Dubkins referred to a certain dowager
as an 'old fossil’ and she overheard him.”
“What happened then?"
“Dubkins was petrified.”
AN EXCEPTION.
Of course it pays to advertise
There’s none, I’m sure, who will deny it;
No sort of human enterprise,
Methinks. could fail to profit by It.
Although, tl» true, the cracksman keeps
His wicked plans all to himself
And while the wealthy burgher sleeps
Deprives him of his hard-earned pelf.
QUITE SEVERE.
“I understand that about the only lit
erature now being produced In England
is war poetry.”
“Well, what about it?”
“Having read some of the stuff, I think
T know where a bomb from a Zeppelin
would do the most good.”
WON’T THRASH HIM.
“You continually hear people asking,
‘What should be done to the masher?' ”
"Yes, but I no longer pay any atten
tion to them.”
“And why not?”
“Because I’m convinced that in a major
ity of instances the people who atfk that
question know what should be done to
the masher, but lack the physical cour
age to do It.”
CONFUSING.
“Von Kluck’s Alive.”
“Von Kluck is Dead ’
No wonder “news”
Is little read.
FOOD FOR MOTttb.
“Pa, what’s the most useless thing in
the world?”
“That's easy to answer, son. A dress
suit in a town of 600 population."
A PHILANTHROPIST.
“What have you done to help the starv
ing Belgians?”
"I’ve nearly worked myself to death for
them.”
"Yes. I've written several pieces for
the newspapers about them. I’ve made at
least half a dozen speeches and I tell
everybody I meet that something should
•
be done."
“That’z fine. Now, if everybody would
work as hard as you have and make the
large donation that I’m sure you have
made, why-”
| “Ahem! Well, to tell the truth, I
haven’t decided yet whether I can afford
to subscribe any money or not.”
PA ITT. POOK
“MUSIC HATH CHARMS” I
From the Kansas City Star.
THE old-fashioned conception ot
heaven as a place where the godly
in white robes and halos spent
their time playing upon golden harps has
never appealed strongly to the writer.
Although brought up in an exemplary
Presbyterian household, he had never,
even In earliest childhood, been aole to
work up much enthusiasm over the pros
pect of an eternity spent in playing the
harp. Our ideas about harp playing, how
ever, have received a radical jolt. We
are willing to admit that it is an en
tirely worth while occupation and should
add largely to the joys of paradise. All of
which was the result of attending one of
the Fritschy concerts and listening to the
Trio de Lutece.
One of the Trio de Luteee is Salvatore
de Stefano, and Salvatore de Stefano
plays the harp. He does much more than
that; he makes the harp a living, breath
ing thing, crooning, sorrowing, rejoicing,
tenderly exquisite. Hearing him play,
you conjure up strange and beautiful pic
tures thousands of years away from the
plump, bald-headed little man sweeping
his fingers lightly over the great golden
instrument upon the stage. For the
music of the harp, as played by De
Stefano, is beautiful beyond belief. So
soft, so full of shadings and emotions—
a very wondrous thing, this harp of his.
You close your eyes, and you remember
how King Saul, when the black mood
was on him, used to send for the boy
David to play his harp. And you under
stand why David with his harp could drive
away the devils and unrest, soothe the
| heart-heavy King and take him away
1 .................««.....
HOW BATTLES ARB BOUGHT
Martin Marshall in Leslie's.
The popular Idea of a battle line is an
array of men standing shoulder to should
er and many ranks deep. Such, however,
is not the reality. The line consists of
garrisons of varying sizes and separated
by Intervals of a few hundred yards. Un
der such conditions as prevailed during
the first half of November these garri
sons "dug themselves into the earth,”
by excavating trenches which' they cov
ered with logs and earth to a depth of 5
or 6 feet, thus securing prillection from
shell and rifle fire. These trenched when
covered, are known as "bombpyoofs," end
the garrisons may range in gize from one
or two companies to a regiment, or oven
more In Important positions. Military ex
perts estimate that the men massed on
the first and second firing lines average
about two to the yard, or about 3500 to the
mile. The outposts are so arranged that
one supports another and the open spaces
between are covered by rifle Arc. Back of
the Arst line, at varying distances, is the
second or supporting line, which Is also
sheltered In trenches and bombproofs.
From this line reinforcements can be
moved rapidly to points where battle
pressure is strongest. In the rear of the
second line, say a mile or less, field ar
tillery is placed to hurl shells and' shrap
nel over the heads of th| Infantry into
the positions of the enemy, which are
generally Invisible to the artillerymen.
The selection of vantage points for the
artillery Is of immense Importance and as
It Is in danger only from artillery on the
other side, every effort Is made to con
ceal It, advantage being taken of wooded
spots and hillsides. The observers who
give the range to the battery are posted
at some distance and communloate with
the gunners by means of field telephones.
Reserve infantry is usually posted on
the rear of the artillery, but cannot be
used effectively If It Is more than two
or three miles from the first line of fne
as It must be hurrl^S quickly to whatever
points are yielding under pressure from
the enemy. The operations of the. cavalry
are largely restricted to scouting and
screening the advance of the Infantry and
artillery Under conditions such as the
deadlock prevailing for many weeks be
tween the allies and the Germjji army,
the duties of the cavalry are minimized.
I into a never-never land of sunlight anti
! beauty. And how, when the playing was
ended, the King was chastened and at
rest once more. S
You would not think an instrument
of strings held so much magic, so great . v:
a power of expression. He played a bal
lad, and your mind went back, straying j
down half forgotten roadw'ays of dead
time; the middle ages rise to view once
more, turreted castles, winding mountain
roads, men richly habited in varicolored
robes. And you see minstrels plucking at
their harps in the great castle halls, half
hidden, half revealed by flickering fire- f
light; round them crowd the eager folk
of the castle, master and servants, for- j
getting for the time all class distinction,
made one by the strong witchery of
music. How they strain eagerly, holding
their breaths lest they shall miss the min
strel's slightest word. And how en
tranced they are in the story he tells—a
story with a maid in it and a knight, of
course, and the sound of horses--great
and strange advciRures, and not without
the softening blend of sorrow.
Now the scene shifts—this that he plays 3
is called a dance of sylphs. And how in j
very truth the music dances, light as a
dancing leaf; you see the play of sunlight \
through the leaves, and the sylphs, white
and slender; and your breath is held lest
by some clumsy move or untoward sound 1
you frighten these shy woodland creatures
out of sight. And then at last you see
them disappear into the greenery from c
which they came. So lightly vanishing,
you wonder if it were not a dream you
ever saw them.
And the music dies. You smile a little.
For it was a dream. '
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••*
MORE BOOKSf ;
From the Keokuk, la., Constitution-Dem
ocrat.
It was the late Frank Norris who many
years ago wrote, regarding the reading ;
habit. “Get them to read anything, no
matter what, if they will only read." j
j^hat spirit has largely permeated our
I reading and our publishing in this coun
try. But once in a while we do well to
stop and question Ibis means of encour- |i
aging the reading habit. *
Even the makers of books have stopped
to question the wisdom of this theory. I
“Fewer books and better has been adopt
ed as the slogan of certain publishers?. j
And when one stops to consider the flood
of indifferent volumes that Is being per
petually rushed upon the market it seems j
that if the tiijie for merely more books
had passed, if indeed it ever existed.
There are hundreds of critics all over
the country engaged in the rather thank
less task of trying to tell the public some
thing about all of these books. There are
so many reviews that obviously a very f
busy person wrould have time to read only
a small number of these. But with our
flood of so-called literature we do not
appear to be producing any more deserv
ing books «or any more discriminating
readers. We do not even seem to be en
couraging the reading habit in the best
sense of the term. j
One is Inclined to believe that the sane
and appreciative reader needs something I
more than the mere liking or facility for ji
skimming through indifferent novels. To
the person w1io loves and understands the
beet writing It ought to be a bore to have
to read mere trash. It may bo that what J
we heed more than much reading is the $
habit of thoroughness, the taste for gen- j
uine artistry in writing, and the economy j
which forbids us to waste our precious v:
leisure over pages that are stupid or ,
empty of any enduring message or truth. |
MODERN PHILANTHROPY
From the Washington Post.
When Christian charity reaches the
height of presenting a nice new doli to a
little war orphan to help her forget a
lost papa, you just have to admit that * ’
the world's growing better every day.
TRUE GLORY
By Milton.
They err who count It glorious to subdue
By conquest far and wide, to oyerrun
Large countries, and In Add great battles win.
■^Great cities by assault; w.iat do these wdfthiee,
But rob and spoil, burn, sliughter and enslave
Peaceable nations, neighboring or remote.
Made captive, yet deserv.ng freedom more :
■That those their conquerors, who leave behind j
Nothing but ruin whereso er they rove, i
And all the flourishing work of peace destroy.
Then swell with pride, and must be titled gods.
Great benefactors of mankind, deliverers, >
Worshlp'd with temple, priest and sacrifice;
One la the son of Jove, of Mere the other;
Till Conqueror Death ^Ueover them scares men.
Rolling in brutish vices, and deform'd,
Violent or shameful death their due reward.
But If there be In glory aught of good,
it may by means far differ mt be attain’d
Without ambition, war or violence; 1
By deedB of peace, by wisdom eminent.
My patience, temperance. I
* ..as_Hi_ - ^ —