The Birmingham age-herald. [volume], July 24, 1915, Page 4, Image 4

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

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“NUT CRACKER”
- -_L__I
THE AGE-HERALD
D. \V. RAKKETT.EdltOf
Entered hi me Birmingham, Ala.,
fustoffics aa second dabs matter un
der act of Congress March X 18*9.
Daily and aumlay Age-He raid,
year .IG.O.
Dally witnout Sunday . 4.oil
Dally and Sunday, per month.»u
uaily and Sunday, tnree months.. 1.50
Weekly Ago-lierald, per annum.. .50
Srnday Age-Herald, per annum., -.vv
' O. E. Young, E. D. Griffis and W. D.
Brumbeloe are tlie only authorised trav
eling representatives of The Age-Herald
in its circulation department.
No communication will be published
without its authors name. Rejected
mauuecripi will not be returned un
less stamps are enclosed lor tiiai pur
pose. _
Remittances can be made at current
iate of exchunge.’The Age-Herald will
not be responsible lor mousy sent
through the mails. Address,
THE AGE-HERALD.
Birmingham, Ala
Washington bureau. 207 Hibbs LuiiU
Ifig.
European bureau, 6 Henrietta street.
Covent Garden, London.
Eastern business office. Rooms 4ft to
80, inclusive, Tribune building, New
York city; western business office,
Tribune building, Chicago. The 8. C.
Beckwith Special Agency, agents for
eign advertising.
TELEPHONE
Bell (private exchange connecting all
Bepartments) Main 4&00.
The aands arc number’d that make up
my life. —Henry VI.
BEGINNING THE DAY—Lord, may
; I leap la my joy when 1 remember
that Thou hast forgiven me. Help
me to forget (he slna of yeaterdny.
except In my pralae that Thou hast
wiped them out, and In my prayer
lent I fall again. Give me humility
that I have alnned, hut boldness that
thou hast pardoned. In Christ’s name.
Amen.—H. M. K.
For the City’s Relief
Birmingham is to have the oppor
tunity of increasing its tax rate, but
the question eannot be submitted to
the voters of the city until October,
1916.
The tax amendment bill, pending in
the legislature, had been strongly op
posed by Representative John B.
Weakley on the ground that his
equalization measure would so increase
the city’s revenues as to make an ad
ditional tax unnecessary.
At yesterday’s hearing before the
committee on municipal organization,
to which had been referred the tax
amendment bill, the matter of Bir
mingham’s needed financial relief
was fully discussed by Sydney J.
Bowie and other citizens favoring
the bill, and Mr. Weakley in opposi
tion to it.
It had been expected that with the
passage of the amendment bill and
its perfunctory ratification by the
people of the state the qualified elec
tors of the city would be tailed upon
soon thereafter to decide by their
votes whether or not the tax should
be increased. But when Mr. Weakley
asked if the advocates of the bill
would accapt a provision that the
tax proposition should not be sub
mitted to the people of Birmingham
until October, 1916, the response was
heartily in the affirmative. It was a
happy compromise, and everybody ex
pressed satisfaction. The date fixed
for the local election is far enough
off to give Mr. Weakley an oppor
tunity of seeing the equalization sys
tem tested; but it is not so far in the
future as to make any material dif
ference in the administration of the
city’s affairs.
When a committee of one hundred
representative citizens, all of them
taxpayers, recommended for Bir
mingham’s temporary relief a $1,250,
000 bond issue, the bonds were readily
voted. The same committee recom
mended for the city’s permanent re
lief an increase in the tax rate, and
when the time comes to vote on the
proposition there will be a decisive
majority in favor of it.
Birmingham is entering upon a
period of drastic retrenchment, but
now that relief is virtually assured
in due course all citizens who have the
upbuilding spirit will gladly make the
Best of the present situation and look
forward with a feeling of optimism
to the day when the municipal gov
ernment will have sufficient income
for doing the things that should be
done. _
A Question of Clothes
The vexing question of clothes is
one that is always with us—that is
nearly always. In order to be correct
ly clad upon every occasion, one must
studiously read the fashion edicts, for
what was entirely proper last year is
entirely wrong this year, and what the
next year will bring forth staggers
imagination.
In Tucumcari, N. M., however, the
question seems to be solved by the
pastor of the Christian church of that
place, who publishes in the newspa
per of Tucumcari a church announce
ment which very briefly refers to the
time of service and then continues:
“The men who attend will be in
style without coats, collars or neck
ties, in either Sunday or working
clothes. The women know how at all
times to appear comfortable, even
though beautiful."
After pondering on that paragraph,
the reader is undecided as to whether
the pastor is a born diplomat—or was
merely sarcastic. When the thermome
ter soars into the high figures, there
is considerable to commend the coat
less, collarless provision for men. But
really, Mr. Pastor, do the women of
Tucumcari always contrive to look
comfortable as well as stylish?
Last winter, it may be recalled,
womankind sallied forth in the cold
est weather in low shoes, her ankles
protected only by the sheerest silken
hose. Throat and chest were bared to
i the winter blast—fashion decreed this
the correct apparel.
Now that the summer sun raises
blisters on the asphalt, however, this
same autocrat—fashion—says that
women are not correctly clad for the
street unless they wear a coat, their
necks must be swathed and their
shoes must be at least eight irtches
high!
Taking all things into consideration,
if the good pastor is right, and real,
old fashioned comfort in dress takes
precedent over prevailing fashion
decrees, why not advertise Tucumcari
as a summer resort? Verily, it has
more to recommend it than many an
other place featured by alluring ad
vertising literature.
The American Note to Germany
In friendly language, but in a tone
of solemn warning, the government of
the United States has answered Ger
many’s note of July 8 and the full
text of the communication, signed by
Secretary of State Lansing and trans
mitted through Ambassador Gerard
to the imperial minister for foreign
affairs, is now made public.
It is not a lengthy document, as
diplomatic notes or state papers go,
but it is loyg enough for the adminis
tration to discuss fully the principles
bearing upon the rights of merchant
men on the high seas. In the note
sent to Germany several weeks ago
asking for a disavowal of the wanton
act of her commander in sinking the
Lusitania, involving the loss of more
than one hundred American lives,
these same principles were set forth
clearly and discussed forcefully. But
in order to impress the imperial gov
ernment the more these principles
are discussed again in the new note.
If the former note was firm and di
rect, this one, which is now before
the German government for its con
sideration, is even more so: and as it
will be the last controversial document
on this question of submarine war
fare no room is left for compromise.
The state department starts out by
saying that Germany’s note was found
very unsatisfactory “because it fails
to meet the real differences between
the two governments;” and it further
says that the government of the Uni
ted States is “keenly disappointed
to find that the German government
regards itself as in a large degree
exempt from the obligation to ob
serve the principles laid down, even
where neutral vessels are concerned.
President Wilson holds that the im
perial government and the American
government are contending for the
same object—the freedom of the
seas—“and the government of the
United States will continue to contend
for that freedom, from whatever quar
ter violated, without compromise and
at any cost.”
The note concludes by saying to the.
imperial government that the repe
tition by tl\§ commanders of German
naval vessels of “acts in contravention
of these rights must be regarded by
the government of the United States,
when they affect American citizens,
as deliberately unfriendly.” And in
diplomatic parlance “unfriendly” is a
very strong word.
President Wilson and Secretary
Lansing prepared the note with great
care. Every phrase was weighed and
now the world will await with eager
interest Germany’s reply. In all prob
ability it will be satisfactory. Let us
hope so at least. s_
Rather than break with a friendly
power like the United States, Ger
many can well afford to accede to
the reasonable demands of the Wash
ington government. But should Ger
many refuse to satisfy the administra
tion, then President Wilson will call a
special session of Congress to deal with
the situation. ,The chances are, how
ever, there will be no occasion for
Congress to convene. But the Presi
dent has all patriotic Americans, ir
respective of party, back of him. He
will stand by his “last word”—and
the people will stand loyally and un
flinchingly with him.
Preparing Note to Great Britain
The state department has prepared
a note of protest to Great Britain
which will be dispatched shortly re
garding the situation which has
arisen over the interference with
American commerce by the allies. This
is in response on the part of the ad
ministration to representations made
in behalf of various business interests,
notably meat and cotton.
The blockade has caused a loss of
millions of dollars to the packers, and
southern senators and representatives
have pointed out with emphasis Bri
tain’s violation of international law in
its recent order in council placing an
embargo on the south's great staple.
President Wilson and Secretary of
State Lansing have, it may be as
i eumed, practically accepted the views
\ J
of those who have asked the adminis
tration to insist upon a modification
of England’s blockade, for it is under
stood that the forthcoming note will
be as vigorous as it will be frank.
The cotton situation is improving,
but it will be far better if the Wash
ington government’s protest to London
results in the desired change in Great
Britain’s policy.
War and Barbed Wire
A newspaper correspondent who has
made a study of modern fortifications
in Europe says that forts usually fall,
sooner or later, before infantry at
tacks, but never to bombardment
alone. In order to delay the infantry
attacks as long as possible elaborate
outlying defences have been devised,
of which the most efficient factor is
barbed wire. Little did the inventor
of this wire ever dream that it would
play an important part in tha greatest
war in history. Barbed wire is believed
to have been used first by the Spanish
army in Cuba. The Romans used
stakes driven into holes and trees laid
with their tops toward the enemy.
Pointed steel fences have also been
found effective and all these forms of
defense are at present being used in
Europe.
A wall of wire is first put around
the circumference of all the forts,
fencing in the outlying units as well
as the central fort. In addition each
fort has its individual entanglements
disposed to the best advantage for re
pelling attacks. There is barbed wire
outside each moat and on the exposed
side of the embankments. No matter
how small the work may be, they are
all protected by wire.
Inside the outer wall there are nu
merous defenses of platted wire de
signed to trap and confuse the enemy
after he has once broken through the
first ring of forts and to make him
an easy victim to machine guns. Open
ings are placed at convenient inter
vals, through which the defenders’ in
fantry can maneuver, the idea being
wherever possible to herd the enemy
into corners and mow them down.
However, the main defense of such
fortifications takes place from 1000 to
2000 yards beyond the front wall,
where infantry must stay as long as
possible.
The war has taxed the ingenuity of
European scientists, but they have hit
upon nothing more dependable and
more generally useful than barbed
wire, which was never intended for
anything of the sort.
At one time the beaver was thought to
be nearing extinction, but an experiment
made by New York state authorities
shows him to have remarkable recupera
tive powers. A few years ago some cap
tive beavers were bought ami a few wild
ones were brought from Canada and re
leased in the Adirondacks, near South
Inlet. There were formerly millions of
beavers in the mountains of New York,
but at this time all had disappeared.
Repropagation was so rapid in the case of
the protected colony that an appeal lias
been made to the state conservation com
mission to check their further Increase in
certain parts of the Adirondacks. The
commission made an investigation and
found 21 beaver dams in the streams run
ning into Moose lake that are from 20 to
ISO feet long and from three to four feet
high. There are nine dams, indicating
as many flourishing colonies, in the neigh
borhood of the original colony. The re
sort keepers of the Adirondacks protest
against any interference with the beavers,
os they say the little animals are a great
attraction to tourists who take snapshots
of them while at work. It is also claimed
that trout flshing.in Adirondacks streams
has been greatly "improved by the re-es
tablishment of beaver pools.
The purity congress chose an unfortu
nate time to hold a convention. The
world has more important things to think
about nowr than the perils of the dance
and the way women dress.
The state department has de( lined to
pay for Ambassador Page's tea parties
and now the deadly tea habit, acquired in
F.ngland. is costing the ambassador
about 5 cents a day.
Certain German philosophers have called
the war a "biological necessity," an ex
piation about as easy to understand as
any other that has been offered.
A Rake submarine could easily make a
trip to the North sea and back without
refueling. Might put that in the next
note to Germany.
A modern fort is a complicated affair,
but perhaps the most complicated feature
is the barbed wire entanglements sur
rounding it.
Some notorious Chicago saloons are now
closing on Sunday and the oldest inhab
itant has not yet recovered from his as
! tonlshment.»
Disregarding the well known fact that
there is nothing certain in this world,
Des Moines calls itself the city of cer
tainties."
I A "deep student of the Bible" lias been
fleecing Illinois preachers. He seems to
have an even better knowledge of human
nature.
A Wienerwurst and pie eating contest iE
announced for St. Louis. One guess as
to the fluid that will be used to wash it
dow?n!.
The cabinet is standing squarely behind
President Wilson and, since Mr. Bryan
left, is keeping remarkably quiet about it.
Recent utterances of Colonel Roosevelt
indicate that "mollycoddle" is still a use
ful word In his vocabulary.
Let us rejoice, when Mexico falls, that
at least it is not Rome or Venice.
(
J *
r. y - n:: i^
Decided Improvement
"There has been a very decided im
provement in Birmingham recently and
there is more real optimism here now
•than has heen the case for a year or
more past,’’ said A. R. Dearborn.
"There was much talk of improvement,
last spring, but not everyone felt dis
posed to take a bright view of the sit
uation, so long as the war was In prog
ress. But it Is different today. Nearly
everybody has something to say about
the unmistakable signs of returning pros
perity."
Suit Case To Be “Tabooed**
'Since the exit of booze' from Bir
mingham a grip or suit case is to be
tabooed' by the man who wishes to
pass without attracting much attenti n
from people on the streets—not to men
tion the good natured jibes of friends,"
said Irwin Taylor.
"A new suit case is especially objected
to by the timid pedestrian who would
avoid the staring multitude. No
one seems to be able to forget the
whisky sales which occurred just be
fore the saloons closed about thre<^
weeks ago. In several instances I un
derstand that suit cases were given
away free by dealers who wished to
sell each customer all he could con
veniently carry. Incidentally, there Is
much speculation as to what disposal
has been made of the contents of these
hand cases."
Summer Homes of Presidents
"It used to be suggested that the
government should puichase a summer
residence for the President somewhere
in the Virginia mountains, within s
few hours travel of the capital, but
1 have not heard a suggestion of tha^
kind recently," said A. W. Morris of
Washington.
"Each President has his own ideas
about where he would like to have the
summer White House; and in recent
years most of th%m have preferred New
England. The mountains of Virginia
are cool compared with the District of
Columbia, but the New England climate,
is particularly bracing. Cleveland had
his summer residence in Massachus
etts on Buzzards bay. President Taft
made Beverly, Mass., his summer home,
and President Wilson has an ideal sum
mer 'White House’ at Cornish, in the
state of Vermont.
"The fact is that a complete change
of scene Is what a hard working Presi- •
dent needs at this time of the year
\ irginia is not far enough away from
Washington.”
uniting of villa
“one of the salient features of the
M xican muddle to the south of us Is
th*‘ waning of Rancho Villa,” said E.
\ . Harrison. “The bandit leader is not
ii‘ar the figure that be was a year
ago. Carranza is not so big a figure
either as he was when Huerta yielded
to pressure and fled to Spain, but the
shrinkage in Villa has been incompar
ably greater than that of the first
chief of the constitutionalists. The lat
ter is a figure of consequence no long
er.
“It. would bo interesting to know the
cause of what has come over Villa
i since the constitutionalist cause got
I the ascendency. He has made no not
able successes in the Meld, has shown
little native wit in the council and has
even lost the force of his brutality.
Most of the fine hopes that were bapqd
°n him at Washington as the savior
of his people and especially the lead
ing of the peon to the light and law
have about dissipated and it is estab
lished that he will never have a big
place in Ifctexlcan history.
“Perhaps Villa’s prowess was always
mythical and that Huerta had his
measure right when he said of him:
” ’They say that I fear Villa. No man
fears a coward. Villa is a coward, a
traitor and an outlaw. Do 1 not know.’
Did he not actually crawl Into my pri
vate car at Jiminez and beg with sobs
of nbject self-pity for me to save him
from the firing squad which was about
to carry out the just edict of a regular
court-martial with which I had noth
ing to do and which I had dismissed
Dorn my mind? Men do not associate
v.ith thieves and bandits and neither
does Victorlano Huerta fear Francisco
Villa.’ ’’
A Birmingham Writer
“it Is perhaps strange, but never
theless true, that few people know
much of the authors who write stories
fer the modern magazine or newspa
pe" ” remarked Leopold Ppeigler of
Birmingham.
“In fact, a man may live within a
block of an author of reputation and
never know that he exists. Of course,
there are a great many writers of pop
ular stories in these days of prolific
magazine work; but great skill and
technique is nevertheless required to
gain standing with editors of period
ical publications. The man who makes
good in this line is worthy of some
recognition at the hands of friends and
neighbors.
“Let me say in this connection that
a Birmingham man, Octavius Ray
Cohen, has within the past three or
four years met with marked success
• n the magazine field. Indeed, I have
noted five stories of Mr. Cohen’s in
the latest Issues of magazines on the
racks at the Athletic club. *!r. Cohen
has quite a reputation as a writer of
baseball stories and other interesting
accounts of American life of today.
In 'Tin* Adventure’ magazine I recent
ly noted editorial comment to the ef
fect that Mr. Cohen’s work ranked
next to that of .lack London in depict
ing life and nature in the rough.
“Among publications carrying Mr. i
Cohen's articles this month are the
'Blue Book.' the ‘Red Book,' Munsey's
and others. It was only about three !
years ago that Roy Cohen was sport- j
ing editor for a newspaper of Bir- |
mlngham. Many fellows will recall him
and his ‘dope.’ "
- —
\\D IV ALABAMA ALftO
From the Houston Post.
They tell us people actually kissed the
Liberty Bell In San Francisco, and that a
mail was knocked down for sneering at
people who did it. It is a matter of taste
and choice, we think, but there is a much
finer article of kissing material to be had
in Texas. .
MORAL
From the Dallas News.
Texas wheat growers are now offered
20 cents a bushel more than , they were
offered at thrashing time, because they
didn’t sell at thrashing time. Build a
cotton warehouse.
PROBABLY
From the Charlotte News.
I Bob Gonzales thinks the Champagnel
battle must have been a corker.
a‘i
Oneonta Southern Democrat: The
. United states bureau of crop extimates
I places the corn crop i;i Alabama this
year at 71,000,000 bushels or an Increase
of 30 per cent over last year. The yield
of wheat is placed at 1,000,000 bushels,
an Increase of nearly 70 per cent over
1914.
Sylacauga Advaace: Sylacauga Is not
saying much these days, but she keeps
growing. Buildings are constantly go
ing up and more planned for.
Dothan Eagle: Have you ever felt the
force of a little green cucumber's per
sonality some morning about 27
Anniston Evening Star: If it was the
"dun” in the Orduna that the Germans
were attacking, they have our indorse
ment.
Talladega Daily Home: At the meet
ing of the Alabama Dress association
held in Montgomery, Harry M. Ayers,
editor of the Anniston Star, was elected
president of the organization. Mr. Ayers
is R young man, full of the enthusiasm
of his work of making one of the best
papers in the state and we feel sure
he will bring the same spirit to the
Press association with success.
HOW TO KNOW MUSHROOMS
Washington Correspondence of the New
York Sun. ,
As everybody knows, a deplorable
amount of good food goes to waste be
cause the public Is familiar with but few
of the many edible species of fungi, it is
true that the nutritive value of fungi has
been much exaggerated; they are by no
means comparable in dietary value to
meat, as is often claimed; but, on the
other hand, they are more nutritious, and
when properly cooked decidedly more pal
atable, than many things that enter Into
the every-day menu. A desultory propa
ganda Iti behalf of mycophagy has been
carried on for years, both in this country
and abroad.
The latest contribution to this campaign
is Bulletin No. 175, just Issued by the
department of agriculture, entitled.
"Mushrooms and Other Common Fungi.”
In this useful manual the authors. Flora
w. Patterson and Vera K. Charles, tell
us, among other things, of the efforts
which certain European governments
have made to teach their citizens the food
value of mushrooms. All over France ex
hibits of tiie more desirable species are
held: while at Rouen during the season
there are daily lectures on this subject,
illustrated by fresh specimens. In Sax
ony systematic Instruction concerning
mushrooms Is given in the public school^.
The French have taken to canning many
wild mushrooms, in addition to the fa
miliar Agarclus cojnpestris grown in
mushroom cellars, and these are now ex
ported to the United States, which also
received tons of dried wild mushrooms
from China.
The new bulletin contains descriptions,
in lunguage as nontechnical as tiie cir
cumstances admit, of more thun 150 spe
cies of fungi, together with splendid pho
tographs of at least half of the species
described. The poisonous species are
carefully pointed out, and several recipes
for cooking the other kinds are appended.
EDUCATION AND PROPAGANDISM
From the Minneapolis Journal.
Perhaps the gfavest mistakes made by
the American university as an institution
have been its tolerance of theoretical
propagandlsm among Its professors and
thei.- official departures from the well
defined field of legitimate education. Sen
sational projection of novel theories in
government, sociology, finance and re
ligion are not among the functions or priv
ileges of those men whose profession and
whose duty require them to diffuse knowl
edge.
A few of our greatest and best univer
sities have avoided these institutional
blunders, but many powerful and popu
lous seats of learning are already culture
beds of class hatred, visionary altruism
and impractical socialism. There is no
need to question either the learning or
the sincerity of these proponents of new,
untried and revolutionary teachings.
The point Is that their special lines of
activity outside of the textbooks and
the laboratory are obtrusive, impertinent,
and, very probably, malefic. The so-called
"free thinkers” have, we may well ad
mit. a perfect right to their own thoughts,
their own personal adventures, and their
own individual affiliations, but they have
no right to Inject their notions into the
classroom nor to thrust their speculative
vagaries into lectures delivered to student
bodies.
Political economy as a study prouably
Includes a review of anarchistic theories;
just as the study of psychology Involves
much reference to hyphosis. But it would
be as great an educational crime for uni
versities to promote anarchy an a doc
trine as to teach hypnotism. Such top
ics are wholly outside of the scope of
legitimate education.
"MOTHEIi!”
From the New York Mail.
Men still die for their country, and die
as gladly now as they did in Rome or in
the land of Canaan. But it Is not always
of the fatherland that they think when
the death summons comes.
Here is a striking passage from a story
of the battlefield which was lately given
to Mrs. Philip Snowden, wife of the Eng
lish labor leader in Parliament, by an
officer at the front:
"It is not always the shrieks of the
wounded as they fall. It is not the sight
of the dead as they lie there, but it is
the cry of the wounded boys calling for
their mothers, and there is no one to do
anything for them. They are the boys of
16 and 17, and even younger.. They may
say 'Mother* or Mutter,' but In their
ngony all those boys call for the one who
lias given them the greatest care in their
lives."
The greatest thing in the world comes
to the front In death. The "mother
country" is the country of the mother,
nnd it is the motherland because it is her
land. And at her fireside the mother
Is calling for the dying boy as desper
ately as the boy calls for her.
Yet women have no part In war, we are
told. The men bear all that burden. Is
it true? What an aggregate of heart
break between the mother and the son,
the wife and the husband, the sister and
the brother, this gigantic massacre in Eu
rope Is Inflicting upon the world!
VALUABLE RELIC
From the Charleston News and Courier. •
How much will collectors of the future
be willing to pay for the little typewriter
on which President Wilson writes with
his own hands the first drafts of the notes
to Germany?
IS NOT SHOCKED
From the St. I^ouis Globe-Democrat.
The country bore the expatriation of
William Astor so well that It is not
•hocked by the threats of Henry James.
«
- "" 4?
—From the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
ADRIFT WITH THE TIMES
A CIVIC BOOSTER.
There was a faithful citizen
Who never failed to vote;
He paid his taxes promptly, too—
Tis seldom done, we note.
He worked hard to Improve his town
And showed he was a hummer
By saying ’twas an Ideal place
In which to spend the summer.
FREE INFORMATION.
"I ain’t had no work ter do In more'n
two years, mum.”
“Poor man. How have you managed to
live?”
“People have helped me, mum."
“And so will I. Walk_down this road
half a snile and you will come to our
county seat, where there Is a model jail
that serves better meals than any country
hotel In this part of the state."
HIVING IN HOPE.
"There Is nothing annoys me more than
family arguments,” said Mr. Boblings.
"But how on earth can you avoid them?”
asked Mr. Blabswaite.
”1 can’t avoid them on earth,” replied
Mr. Boblings. "That’s why I cling to the
hope of a hereafter."
THE TOUCH PRE-EMINENT. ,
“A cosy picture, ch? A man lolling In an
easy chair and his beautiful wife leaning
over him to light his cigar."
"You haven’t seen the companion picture
to It, have you?"
“Why, no.”
"It’s the same man savagely chewing the
■nd of his cigar anil writing a check.”
AN OUTLET.
When angry passions vex the world
And sanity Is seldom met, *
And nations rushing on to war
The lessons of the past forget,
Tile least that sober men can do
Is not to feed the growing flaine, ,
But use their surplus energy
In rooting at a baseball game.
ON THE WAITING LIST.
'"Now that young Spatsworth has fin
isbed college what does he expect t
do?"
"He tells me that he hasn’t decided ye
what he will go Into, but It will probabl
be soma line of manufacturing."
"Tea?’’
*
"You see. he has notified the president ^
of several large firms that he will cor |
slder offers of managerial positions an
has promised not to make a move unt
he hears from them.”
BOTH VERSIONS WANTED.
"Any news from the war today?”
"Lots of it. The Germans have won at I j
other tremendous victory and the Russian* Hi
are In flight.’’
"Now, you’ve told me the news froi
Berlin. What’s the latest from Fetrc
grad?"
THE AGGRIEVED PEDESTRIAN.
"Confound Chugsonl The stfff-neeke , J
upstart!” , •[
"Why, he bowed politely to you whe
he passed just now in his motor car."
"Sure! Bowed and then put on spee |
before I could ask him for a lift." 1 'I |
...............................a.
WASH DAY ALL OVER WORLD
From the Wide World Magazine.
MONCx well-to-do families in Eng
land and America the handling of
the family washing is usually a
eery prosaic matter. The laundry van
rails the beginning of the week, returning
with the clean linen on Saturday, and
the whole matter is complete. How It is
lone none of us know, neither do we par
ticularly care to inquire. All that we do
know is that modern machinery and chentf
ical soaps turn soiled articles into marvels
>f whiteness and purity, although, as such
articles as buttonholes and tablecloths
show, the wear-and-tear action is none
too gentle. Still, it is a hurrying age, and
we pay and are satisfied.
In many lands, however, the weekly
wash is a picturesquely primitive affair-.
Ph^- chief ingredients are a quickly-flowing
stream and plenty of elbow grease. After
ward the sun acts as a bleacher, the wind
is a drier and the clothes are sweet
and clean again.
After all, perhaps, this is a better way,
ind certainly more hygienic, than the evli
smelling copper, with all its atendant mis
eries. On washing day, as many of you
vnow, all the housekeeping arrangements,
lot to mention the housewife's temper,
are frequently upset by the activities of
the washerwoman.
Perhaps the finest laundering in the
world is to be seen in France. Very often
fine old bourgeois families conduct an
cestral laundries in which all the work
Is done by hand by various members of
the family. I remember once, when vls't
ing friends in the south of France, under
the shadow of the Alpes Maritime*, I
■a me across a wonderful laundry of this
type. It was an old farmhouse on the
mountains, set in the midst of a mag
nificent landscape, and for once the unro
niantic “wash” had a beautiful setting.
It happened that these laundry folk
wer«- friends of my host, and when my
first week's cl*»an clothes were returned
the usual bill was missing. On inquiry
[ wan told that to have sent a bill would
be an insult, as I was considered en fam
ine with these people, and therefore ex
empt from payment. When I called to
thank these kind friends I found a charm
about everything. Drying linen, spotless
ly white, was hanging amid orange groves
and mimosa trees in full bloom. The peo
ple themselves treated me royally, their
charming daughters offering wine and
food, until for me romance breathed in
every snow-white garment that these en- ,
ergetic and kindly French folk washed.
That laundry was quaint and pictur
esque; elsewhere the business of the
weekly task becomes frankly primitive.
Let us take a look around and see how i
tiie task is tackled in less familiar regions. '
In Brittany, in northwestern France, at,
an old tow’n far from any railway, but
reached by stage coach from Ploermol,
the substantial dames who gossip over
their family washing are the wives of
working men. with prooably little or no
education, but plenty of shrewd commton
sense and a lively interest in their neigh
bor’s affairs. The French they speak is
a dialect which can hardly be understood
by the stranger, a sort of local patois.
They soap the garments on the handy
steps, rinse them in the placid river and
spread them out on the hanks to dry. The
occupants of the lordly chateau in the
background get an excellent view of this
open-air laundry, but nobody seems to
mind, and the custom has proba *.y
vailed from time immemorial.
From France we take a long jump to ths
far north—to Alaska, in fact. Here in one
of the small Indian villages the women
members of thp Hydaha tribe are seen
hard at work washing their clothes in a
tiny pool. In the background will be sees
severl of heir canoss, covered with can
vas. These form convenient “horses" for ,
spreading the clothes on, and are fre
quently taken advantage of.
The public washing trough at the Mli
dera temple in central Japan is a very
praiseworthy example of municipal en*
■* **. *•' -<’« ■ "
■ > •' V \ V i . 'J
terprise. This trough is intended f- I
people who have no home facilities f<: J
washing their linen. The scene is quaint,- I'm
picturesque, and the hard working litb 11|
Japanese women accomplish a prodigioti
amount of washing and its invariable a' |9
companlment the world over—gossiping, |||
Let us now visit Manila, the capital j J
the Philippine Islands, and see how tj j |j
washing Is done there. H
In this locality the river serves a doub
j purpose, for the Filipino girls are able . ' . %
wash their clothes and take a bath at ti S®
same time—a great saving of time ai 9
energy. When the clothes are wash* >|j
.they are placed in the tub which is j
floating in the midst of the bathers, a.r 9
afterward dried on the banks and bushc . in
At Jalapa, Mexico, there is one of ti. j '■}
most curious buildings of its kind in tf
world, the public wash font, the inter! f?
of which is next shown. This institute n
is maintained by the municipality in o .(9
der that the women of the lower class S
may have every facility for washing thcj 9
clothes. The building, which is open | Jlfi
the sides, is full of little troughs, and ' 'M
nearly always occupied by industrio* r®
women, all busy washing. At times 9
many as 50 or more are present. It l
not usually known, but the poorer class* 9
in our own country use similar pub| 9
wash houses—rather more up-to-date, | |jS
course. In their equipment. 9
The Indian dhobies, or washermeft |9
work in the rivers. India is one of 9
few parts of the world where the laund* |9
| work is done by men; usually this is i** ‘9
gardecl as essentially a female occupg 9
tion. The men’s washboards are set w
on the edge of the water all along t} |9
hank, and you will notice the energei *;|p
way in which the garments spread up« ’9
them are being whacked and pounde 9
The washerman does not coax the dft |9
out; he beats it out by main force. Lana |p
dry work is cheap in India; the men on 19
esk a trifling fee for their services, bjjjj 9
naturally fine linens, embroidery, or la,. 9
soon become transformed into lags un<3|[9
this vigorous treatment, and renewal U |9
material costs as much as careful hanj 9
INCREDIBLE |
From the Houston Post.
A Milwaukee man, believed to ha ; 19
been murdered last August, and idenl fed
fled In the morgue by relatives as tb< 1 H
kin, and for whose murder a man w |§§
I ■
tried, convicted and sentenced to 25 yeai IJ|
Imprisonment, startled his family Mundi fl|
by walking Into their presence in re J Ifl
flesh and blood. Attorneys and offlcia j jfl
say that his retprn will make no dlffr S jfl
ence in the sentence of the man eo l fl
vlcted of killing him. If the law of th ; fl
state so holds,, it is a queer law—it mu J||
have been "progressively'' Inspired. fl
MORTALITY I
By Conrad Aiken *
O that the dust had eyes to see the »u 1 9
When he rejoices in an April sky! j H
Believed I this, more tranquil might ; 9
Soft in the dust, when my bright da ■ ®
are done. 9
Or had it ears to hear this wind th! fl
passes. fl
Or hands to feel the sortness f thj fl
rain,— ||
Truly to lie with dust were not so. 9
pain. 9
Dust softly closed about by roots fl
grasses. fl
But to forego this exquisite gift fl
sense, 9
laughter in sunlight, love of love j S
things; fl
Have the world's beauty that the ft 1 H
heart sings j|
Scattered In darkness, fathomless, ti? t H
mense— 9
And all the laughter that was I dii II
persed, fl
Never to be united, nevermore!— 9
O Earth, reach hands to me; I walk t! - 111
shore '<§
Of some black ocean, pitiless and a! : H
cursed. fl
Reach hands to me! lest I be swag H
.away fl
And hear this music crumble down 111 j fl
%> !i i H