The Birmingham age-herald. [volume], March 13, 1916, Page FOUR, Image 4

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

Image provided by: University of Alabama Libraries, Tuscaloosa, AL

                
THE AGE-HERALD
R, W. BARHETT.Editor
Entered at the Birmingham, Ala.,
postoffice as second class matter un
dor act of Congress March 3, 187D.
Daily and Sunday Age-Herald, year $6.o0
Dally without tfunuay
Daily and Sunday, pci month..
Daily and Sunday, turee month#
Weekly Age-neralu, per annum
Sunday Age-Heraid, per annum
4.00
.60
1.5u
.5u
2.00
Miss Bessie Shaw and W. D. Bruni
beloe are the only authorized travel
ing representatives of The Age-Her
ald In its circulation department. The
Age-Hei;ald is not responsible lor
money paid to out-of-town carriers or
dealers.
Iso communication will be published
without its authors name. Rejected
manuscript will not be returned un
less stamps are enclosed for that pur
pose.
Remittances can be made at current
rate of exchange. The Age-Herald will
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,
Covent Garden, London.
Eastern business office, Rooms, 48 to
50, inclusive, Tribune building, New
York city; western business office,
Tribune building, Chicago. The S. C.
Beckwith Special Agency, agents for
eign advertising.
TELEPHONE
Bell (private exchange connecting all
departments) Alain 4JMH).
Men shall deal unadvisedly sometimes,
Which, after 1»« I i's give leisure to re
pent. —Richard IH.
BEGINNING THE DAY—Lord, I
pray for the exaltation of my com
mon life. Transfigure these gnr
ments thut I wear and these task*
that I perform and these relations
that I sustain. O lift me! Redeem
me from dull nccustoiuednes*. Live
me eye. that «ee beneath and be
yond. Show me eternity asleep In
life and infinity hidden in fluite
things. Ill Christ's name. Amen—
H. M. E.
Sunday's Issue of The Age-Herald
Yesterday’s Age-Herald, from both
a news and advertising viewpoint,
was a striking exemplification of the
renewed activities in Alabama at this
time in every line of endeavor.
Probably the three subjects in which
the people of Alabama are most in
terested just now are the Mexican
situation, Alabama politics and
Fashion Week; and as for the base
ball fans they are always interested
in their hobby. These subjects were
given special attention in yesterday s
Age-Herald.
The Associated Press reports on the
Mexican situation are, of course, what
people depend on for the real news,
and on Sunday these reports are found
in Birmingham only in The Age-Her
ald.
Aside from handling the various
news features of Fashion Week three
full pages of the Rotogravure Section
yesterday were devoted to artistic
illustrations of women’s fashions.
The Age-Herald always carries the
fullest and most accurate political
news published in Alabama. Yester
day in addition to articles on the ac
tivities of various candidates, two full
pages were devoted to 100-word ex
pressions from the candidates them
selves on why they should be elected
to the offices they seek.
The advertisements in yesterday’s
issue were models of artistic effect.
There were 613 separate advertise
ments, occupying 3114 inches of space,
436 inches more than on the cor
responding Sunday of 1915.
As to Cotton Acreage
Mr. Harding’s advice to the farm
ers of the cotton south to keep down
their cotton acreage this year should
be heeded and will be to a large ex
tent. But in Texas, where the staple
gets ahead of the boll weevil, it will
be hard to persuade the planter that
it is to his interest to reduce produc
tion; and yet the less cotton he plants
the better will be the price his crop
will bring.
In states where the weevil wrought
' havoc last year there is little prob
ability of an increased acre--’ this
spring. In Alabama’s black belt the
loss from the boll weevil last sum
mer was seriously felt at the time
and it is felt now, when the fertilizer
Mason is at hand. Only a small ton
nage of fertilizer has been sold and
without artificial aid cotton produc
tion in most sections of Alabama is
•mall.
r , Government experts are co-operat
ing with progressive farmers in an
endeavor to raise cotton in this state
in spite of the boll weevil, but the best
plan, certainly the only sure plan in
the infested counties, is to give up
cotton planting altogether for two or
three years. Starve the weevil out
and and in a few years little will be
heard of infestation.
Now that the value of crop diversi-j
fication is being thoroughly under
stood and as diversification practice j
baa proved so successful, foodstuffs
will be produced in Alabama on a
larger scale than ever. The raising of j
\ Jive stock can be made as profitable :
fal Alabama as it is in any grazing or
f«iata state in the union; more so than
most states.
Bftlahmna herds are already reckoned
with as great commercial assets, and
at the rapid rate increase in the
number of cattle grown and fattened
in the alfalfa belt Alabama beef will
in a few years become as famous as
the choicest in this country. And as
for hogs, Alabama can easily rival
Iowa. Last year witnessed a new
high record in corn production in Ala
bama—nearly 70,000,000 bushels. It
should reach the 100,000,000-bushel
mark this year, and the number of
hogs should increase in like propor
tion.
Alabama was proud of its bumper
cotton crop of 1,700,000 bales in 1914,
but much smaller crops have brought
more money to the state. If the crop
made in Alabama this year is not more
than 500,000 bales so much the better,
if only the farmers will intensify their
efforts in food production.
Make this the banner year in food
crops and live stock and Alabama will
be better off next winter than it has
ever been in all its history.
Fashion Week Weather
The United States government
forecaster states it thus: “For Ala
bama, Mississippi and Georgia—Fair,
warmer Monday; Tuesday, fair.”
That means, so far as meteorological
science will justify the prediction,
that Birmingham’s Fashion Week will
start off under a clear sky and with
balmy atmosphere.
As to a fair Tuesday we can only
hope. In other years atmospheric
changes came less suddenly than they
have been coming in recent months.
Therefore the prudent citizen will
carry an umbrella on March 14.
But the goosebone prophet ventures
the remark that fully 75 per cent of
Fashion Week weather will be warm
and fair.
A Serious Undertaking
While there can be no doubt that
once having undertaken the stern busi
ness of meting out justice, Uncle Sam
will not pause until he has eliminated
Villa from Mexico, the so-called “pun
itive expedition” will not be simply a
lark for a small band of government
troops. Fighting a Mexican bandit in
his liar, where he knows every water
hole and every nook that will afford
him shelter, and where he may count
on the active sympathy of the people,
may in itself prove far from easy.
The Mexican government has never
been able to conquer a handful of
Yaqui Indians and Villa is quite as
wary as these aborigines are, whom
he may eventually find useful.
Aside from the difficulties which
may attend the capture of Villa, there
is the possibility that grave interna
tional complications may result, due
to the hatred of practically all Mexi
cans for Americans. A punitive ex
pedition may become an army of in
vasion, opposed not only by the out
laws of northern Mexico, but also by
other malcontents, with whom the
country is swarming.
Judging from his present attitude,
it will be no fault of Carranza if the
United States should be compelled
to conquer Mexico, but the first chief
is by no means secure in his position
and while the United States has prac
tically made him the de facto head of
the government, for which he should
be grateful, he would be powerless if
the Mexican people should rise against
the United States. If he escaped with
his life, Carranza would probably lose
no time in getting into American ter
ritory.
There is no cause for undue alarm,
but patriotic impulses should not
blind us to the gravity of the situa
tion and the possibility of real war.
Instead of 5000 men, 50,000, or half a
million, might be needed to settle the
Mexican problem once and for all, but
at present there is no indication that
Villa will succeed in his avowed deter
mination to embroil the United States
with Mexico.
"Cyclone” Davis of Texas began to
wear a collar sometime ago, and more
recently he has been writing poetry. He’ll
be wearing a wrist watch next.
General Funston is geting on in years,
else it Is quite probable that he would
chase Villa up hill and down dale until
he caught him.
Whether the Turk is trying to make
peace or not, he is probably sorry by this
time that lie*ever consented to be a Teu
ton cat's paw.
Prison reform has made such rapid
strides that before long we may ex
pect to see prison glee clubs touring the
country.
The Kaiser has been assailed bitterly
by Life, but you will notice that it al
ways gives him two good arms in a cari
cature.
The price of sauerkraut has been regu
lated in Berlin, but unfortunately there is
no way to regulate the human appetite, j
A contributor to the Dramatic Mirror j
says moving pictures should be taken se- j
rlously. Surely not the Chaplin Aims? j
The Kaiser is estimated to have lost
more than 2,000,000 men, and he’s ap-!
parently willing to lose 2,000.000 more.
‘ Treasure Island” has been put In stor- !
age, but the one-night stands should in
sist that it be sent on tour again.
The French at Verdun are following the
illustrious example of "Stonewall’' Jack
son.
While perhaps not a serious loss to the j
world of music, the war has cut off the
supply of mouth organs and the shortage
ot these instruments is felt keenly in j
England, where the low’er classes have i
shown a partiality for the harmonica
“made in Germany." According to an ar
| tide in the London Times, there are no
| mouth organs produced in England, and
| the superiority of the German factories
i is conceded. The famous Hohner fac
| tory at Trosingen, in Wurtemberg, claims
to be the largest harmonica factory in
the world, employing 2500 skilled work
men and turning out about 8.000,000 harps
annualy. It is said that each instrument
is tested by six experts before it leaves
the factory. When the war first affected
the imports of harmonicas into England
dealers turned to Switzerland. Importers
were permitted by the English govern- |
ment to purchase harps from a certain
Swiss factory on condition that they were
accompanied by a certificate that they
were made in Switzerland. However,
these instruments have been found in
ferior to the German product, and to
make matters worse the supply from
Switzerland has been mysteriously cut
off. While not recognized in the best
musical circles, the enormous number of
mouth organs turned out before the war
started indicates that it would have been
impossible for all of them to remain in
pawnbrokers' windows, a popular sup
position. In America the harmonica is
the musical instrument of small boys and
negro musicians who frequently "double
with a banjo or guitar, but occasionally a
performer gets on the vaudeville stage
through his skill in playing the niQuth or
gan and his efforts are greeted with rap
turous applause.
Although the United States war depart
ment was prepared to a reasonable ex
tent along the Mexican border, Villa will
have a chance to make good his escape
before any large body of troops can be
sent after him.
A newspaper correspondent reckons Sam
McClure among the second-rate minds in
the Ford peace party. The impression
prevails that there were no first-rate men
talities on board the Oscar II, but that
may be a mistake.
In a recent letter, Colonel Roosevelt
virtually acknowledges that he would ac
cept the republican nomination for the
presidency. It has been suspected all
along that his mood was a receptive one.
By offering his services to the war de
partment, at a time when they were
greatly needed, former Secretary Garri
son did much to remove the unfavorable
impression created when he resigned.
The spring poetry crop is said to be
late this year. Perhaps the poets
were so humiliated by the performance
of Owen Wister that they hesitate to
sing.
FOR THE LITERACY I PI.IFT
From the Atlanta Constitution.
The Columbia State, commenting on the
work that is being done for the literacy
uplift by the “moonlight” schools of
North Carolina, where there are 638
of these schools, with 1000 teachers in
structing 5540 pupils, says there is need
of this instruction in every county in
South Carolina.
Work for the night school education of
illiterates has commenced there and the
campaign Is on in earnest. Our Colum
bia contemporary says:
“That 25,000 or 30,000 white men in this
state are unable to read and write or are
barely able to do so is a continuing men
ace to the safety of the commonwealth,
as well as a serious obstacle to its ma
terial progress. Moreover, that so large
a proportion of the negroes are illiterate
is deplorable. It should be the purpose
and endeavor of the state to remove the
affliction of ignorance from all its peo
ple, regardless of color.”
Throughout the south interest in educa
tional preparedneijp is grow in g. and the
people are coming to see that its strength
lies in individual and united effort; in
local taxation—in the making of sacrl
fces, wherever they are demanded, for
the common good; state and county pride,
individual help, all working in harmony
to one great end.
When. North Carolina established moon
light schools and went to work for a lit
eracy record the campaign was kept at
white heat until all the people were inter
ested, and it shows wonderful progress
that In a comparatively short time her
night schools of the hills and valleys had
an enrollment of over 5000 pupils.
That is a fine working basis for educa
tional preparedness, and will give North
Carolina what every southern state should
strive for, a higher place in the literacy
column.
JOHN SKELTON WILLIAMS
From the Progressive Farmer.
“I understand those hanks that have
been charging all sorts of outrageous in
terest rates are after the scalp of John
Skelton Williams, comptroller of the cur
rency,” said a farmer In our office the
other day. "And if they are, then all the
farmers In the United States ought to let
Williams and Congress know that they
are everlastingly with him."
And our friend was certainly right. II
would have been easy enough for Mr. Wil
liams to take his job uietly draw his sal
ary, offend nobody and be praised by
everybody. Instead he made a searching
investigation as to the interest rates
charged the public by numerous unscrup
ulous national banks, and risked the en
mity of powerful influences by publicity
exposing and denouncing usury wherever
he found it. For this he deserves the
thanks of the people, just as W. P. U
Maiding of the federal reserve board de
serves public gratitude for the same he
roic service and Just as Secretary Mc
Adoo deserves thanks for supporting both
these officials in this particular service
they have rendered the people.
910,000 FOR 10-CGKT BOOK
From the Boston Transcript.
Frederick Graves of Waterville, Me.. ,
has just been able to put the price of j
$10,000 upon a shabby old book which j
he bougilt for iO cents at a rummage j
gale. The book is a copy of a pamphlet j
by Noah Webster, said to have been
written and printed by Webster while he j
was still at school, it is understood to |
be unique, and the Waterville papers rep- j
resent Harvard university as crying its j
eyes out because it cannot get hold of it. j
Mr. Graves picked up the $lO,UOO for
10 cents at a sale of all sorts of things
by women who were raising money for a
church--just one of those religious rum
mage sales where you bring something
you don’t want for the good of a cause.
HOTEL LOBBIES
The Confederate Hetinlon
“That was a good suggestion made by
Mr. Hard with regard to the Confederate
reunion—to organize a large chorus to
sing the old famliar songs the veterans
heard in youth and during the war," said
Prof. Fred L. Grambs.
“An interesting programme could be ar
ranged for an evening’s entertainment,
and I can imagine nothing that w’ould
give the visitors more pleasure. There
would be no difficulty in getting together
for the occasion a hundred or more
singers.”
Music at the Tutwiler
“The music rendered by the orchestra
at the Tutwiler, under the leadership of
John AViegand, is proving the source of
unceasing pleasure to patrons of this
great hotel,” remarked Leopold Speigler.
“Mr. Wiegand’s ability as a pianist is
well recognized, and he is supported by
pood artists. Popular selections are ren
dered at frequent intervals, and comic
opera hits are interspersed with the com
positions of the best.
“One of the most charming features of
the music at the hotel, in my opinion,
is the singing of Miss Ann Faikner,
mezzo-soprano, which apparently is in
high favor among the guests. As the
delightful notes of this gifted woman fill
spaces of the great lobby friends and
acquaintances who chance to be within
hearing are often heard to express en
thusiastic pleasure.”
Association Activities Speeding
“Greater life is constantly being
thrown into activities at the Birmingham
Y. M. C. A. as new attractions are
added and the older features steadly
grow in merit and attractiveness,” re
marked W. M. Cosby, president of the
board of directors.
“In fact, the management of the Bir
mingham organization feels that it must
express its gratification at the whole
hearted support • that has been ac
corded it lately by the large member
ship in organizing special modes of
imusement and recreation. The minstrel
show staged under the auspices of the!
association proved to be all that the
most sincere friends of the institution
:ould well have desired, and the ath- j
etics of the Y. M. C. A. continue on |
i high plane. The subway, with its neat j
ind attractive lunch room, is the scene
pf unceasing merriment and pleasure.
“In this connection, let me say that
>erhaps the most encouraging feature of
issociation work in Birmingham is to be
found in the spirit of enthusiasm of its
arge and steadily increasing membership
svhich seeks expression in practically
every manner imaginable that may be
conceived to redound to the credit and
jood of the great organization. Indeed,
>ffieials connected with the association I
lere at times find it rather difficult to
keep pace with our rapid growth in
Paging events of sufficient magnitude
aiiow full play to the energetic and
iggressive spirit shown by the youth of
)f the city.”
Candidates Grateful
“The invitation extended by The Age
Herald to the various aspirants for of
fice to state why they should be elected,
n letters to the editor, not over 100
vords in length, was a happy thought,”
laid Prof. S. A. Ellis, a candidate for
the county board of revenue. “As a
rule, a candidate is never averse to
celling why he should be permitted to
hold office and I notice that a large
lumber availed themselves of the op
portunity given by The Age-Herald.
“And it was also a real kindness to
;he candidates. That short line appear
ng under political announcements and
cards of various kinds, which reads:
Paid Political Advertisement’ not only
signifies that the paper in which they
ippear assumes no responsibility for the
sentiments expressed, or the claims made,
pu it a’so indicates that the author had
;o extract a certain amount from his
campaign fund before he could get the
lesired publicity.
“Among the large number of men at
present running for office in this county
;here are some most worthy citizens, who
a.re not in the millionaire class, and
ire in a position to appreciate the lib
erality of The Age-Herald. Judging
from the comments I have heard, the
political department’ of Sunday’s Age
Herald was one of its most interesting
features.”
In the Business World
Henry Clews in his Saturday sur
vey of financial conditions begins by
taking a hopeful view of diplomatic
conplications at Washington and then
says in part:
“The European conflict has revolu
tionized foreign trade, and its effect
upon American commerce is becoming
more and more pronounced. Whatever
happens, the field for American en
terprise abroad is bound to enlarge.
Not only American products, but
American capital is sure to find a
larger foreign outlet. Neither England,
Prance nor Germany will be able to
finance new ventures in other parts
of the world with anything like for
mer freedom. South America, China,
Russia, Central Asia and other unde
veloped countries will all require cap
ital in large sums when peace returns,
if not before. In some cases their
needs are already urgent. This means
a big demand for funds for years to
come, and the United States for ob
vious reasons will be the best able to
respond. This also means employment
for American industry, and will in
evitably lead to a much greater de
velopment of New York as an inter
national banking center. New York is
practically sure of reaching and hold
ing second place in the world's finances
and in some instances will push Eon
don hard for premiership. The great
nations of Europe for many years to
come must labor under huge debts and
impaired resources: disasters wThich
this country, thanks to its isolation
and peace policy, has fortunately es
caped.
“Domestic business conditions are
satisfactory. Our railroads are still
overtaxed with traffic, especially those
centering at New York. Various modes
for relief for congestion have been
suggested, such as a diversion of traf
fic to other ports, a stronger embargo
on certain articles of traffic, increased
demurrage charges, higher lighterage
rates, etc. But insufficient emphasis
has been placed upon the fundamental
fact that the roads are now showing
the effects of over-regulation and' the
consequent discouragement to enter
prise and capital out of which alone
the necessary facilities for handling
freight can be provided. Public opinion
is more disposed to give the railroads
a square deal than at any time in the
past decade, and public officials should
be held to a strict accountability for
their share in bringing on present
transportation difficulties. As a re
sult of their mistaken seal, capital oft
en shuns this form of investment and
this fact has not a little to do with
I-resent inadequate facilities."
ALABAMA PRESS
Anniston Star: If Anniston passes that
law making booze grafters order by the
quart, you may look out for the tailors
to do a rushing business enlarging pock
ets.
Coosa River News: There is a grain of
comfort in the first and second choice pri
mary law to the fellow who is scared
some of his friends will be defeated—he
has two shots at as many candidates.
Alabama Democrat: Birmingham and
the state lose sensibly in the death of
Judge A. O. Lane. His life was clean,
resultful and successful upon lines of!
highest ideals. Judge Lane’s record is a
bright portion of Birmingham’s social, j
business, professional and political his- j
tory and his name is a heritage for the
people of the state who love men of this
splendid man's pattern in the high pur
suits of life.
West Alabamian: The other honoroble
gentlemen who are seeking shelter under
the mantle of the present state game and
fish commissioner, John If. Wallace, Jr.,
may be good men and well qualified for
the position, but Mr. Wallace has made
Alabama an exceptionally good official:
has enforced the observance of the laws
governing his department practically to
the letter, and we believe his conduct
should be indorsed and be rewarded by
re-election.
Montgomery Times: Birmingham is
complaining because Tuscaloosa is under
selling her in the grain market. Thin is
because Tuscaloosa is on the Warrior
and gets the best freight rate. The
"City of Oaks" is using the Warrior tfl
haul freight up to her wharf and of course
she can undersell the big city 30 m’fles
north of her. Pdver towns get a better
freight rate than interior towns, any
way, and that is why Birmingham is do
ing her best to get on the banks of the
river that Uncle Sam and Senator Bank
head made navigable.
THE ONLY MAGIC BEAU
From the Louisville Courier-Journal.
A dispatch from Waukegan, 1111., tells
of the arrest of a Clairvoyant who
promised to bring about the immedi
ate reunion of girls with their will
fully absent sweethearts by burning
magic beans bought with money pro
vided by the love-lorn young women.
It is the contention of the prosecu
tion that there was nothing—that is
to say, nothing but profit for the clair
voyant—in the magic beans. They
were the common garden variety of
iima beans, and possessed no peculiar
powers. The prosecution doubts that
the clairvoyant actually burned the
beans, but there is no sort of doubt
that when the girls handed over the
money they spilled the beans.
Many years ago, when the mothers
of the girls of today were girls, there
was a popular novel called "The Flor
ida Enchantment,’ the theme of which
was a magic bean which had the power
to transform sex. Experiments with it
got the characters in the novel into
sundry trying situations. The bean was
even more powerful lean that dealt in
by the itinerant clairvoyant who came
to Waukegan "to rescue the damsels of
Waukegan from their distress, but it
was not more fictional. In the one par
ticular the novelist's and the clair
voyant’s magic beans were identical.
The only magic bean that will bring
suitors for the hand of even the most
unfavored lassie is a flat one with
milled edges bearing upon one face
the likeness of a fair goddess. It is
wiser not to burn these magic beans
to get results. Possess them in peace,
Millicent, but not so secretly that none
will suspect that you possess them.
Lead the man of your choice to believe
that he will be allowed to burn the
magic beans. After the wedding see
to it, as you value your happiness, that
he does not burn all of them, or enough
of them to <yminlsh the store greatly,
and all will be—or may be—well.
The clairvoyant knows the real magic
bean when he sees it, Millicent, but
he naver burns one in your behalf. He
has other uses for it, and the distress
of damsels does not soften his heart.
GIPSIES invade: CHICAGO
From the Chicago Post.
A de luxe invasion of Chicago by a
band of gypsies has been accomplished.
Fifty of the nomads, led by their kind,
descended on the city just as gypsy
bands have descended on cities for cen
turies past—with one important detail
changed.
Instead of arriving in a dozen covered
wagons, with a string of perhaps a hun
dred nondescript horses trailing behind
and a horde of romantically dirty children
running ahead, this twentieth century
gypsy troupe came in a private car on
one of the crack trains of the Chicago,
Milwaukee and St. Paul railroad.
They came from Omaha, where they
have spent the last two months. They
will stay here for a month or so, the ex
tent of their visit depending on Chicago's
demand for their wares and services.
King John, the realmless ruler of the
gypsies, stepped majestically from his
private car when the train came to a
halt at the union station. After a quickly
cautious glance up and down the plat
form, apparently an instinctive move, he
nodded his head and his subjects poured
out.
Every woman carried at least one in
fant. Every child old enough to walk
carried a huge bundle. Every man was
loaded—arms, back and head—with bun
dles, clothing for the person and the
bed, coffee urns, household utensils, and
a big assortment of uncatalogable goods.
The children outnumbered the grownups
about two to one.
All were herded into the immigrants'
room, where the women and children
were left, while the men went on a re
connolterlug tour tor quarters. The men
are coppersmiths by trade. The women
denied, with flashing smiles, that they
were fortune tellers. King John pro
claimed that he was wealthy and hated
publicity. He even tried to bribe the
photographers not to take his picture.
AU, AVHISKEHS. EVIDENTLY
Frofn tlie Cleveland Plain Healer.
A gentleman with a resounding name,
whose whiskers are longer than his
head, opines that the entire population
of this country is mistaken in its de
sire l'or preparedness. Let us accept that
as a minority report and pass on to im
portant questions.
NOTHING NEW
From the New Orleans States.
A news item says the Germans have
a process for making leatherless shoes.
If so, it is a safe bet that they got
the secret from some American manufac
turers who have been selling the same
kind of shoes for many years.
THROWING AWAY THE SCABBARD
-From Nashville Tennessean.
HOW THE SUBMARINE FAILS
Arthur H. Pollen, in the North American
Review.
THE most questionable element In the
American programme is the very
large provision of submarines.
Fifty fleet submarines and 85 coast sub
marines, which are to cost in all nearly
$80,000,000. make a vast hole in the $600,000,
000 that it is proposed to spend. As it is
in many respects the most striking, so in
another it Is the most difficult item to
criticise. The special circumstances of
this war and the very extraordinary cir
cumstances w'hich preceded it. have given
the submarine an entirely false impor
tance in the public eye. Essentially the
submarine is a variant of the destroyer.
Once within attacking range of an enemy
it has what the destroyer has not, the
power of delivering a daylight attack, re
maining itself almost unseen. But invisi
bility is not a new attribute. The torpedo
boat and the destroyer possessed it at
night. Their speed enabled them to de
liver the equivalent of unseen attack In
the dusk. Except that the submarine's
Invisibility is more complete, it is the de
stroyer's inferior. It has less speed, it Is
less strongly armed.
But its invisibility does give it a func
tion new to naval war. It has the ca
pacity to pass through waters which are
absolutely commanded by surface ships—
because it can pass them submerged and
unseen. Fleets otherwise powerless to
enter commanded waters can now enter
them with this form of craft. Thus the
German submarines have been at large to
a limited extent in the English channel,
and with extraordinary freedom in the
North sea, in the western Atlantic and in
the Mediterranean. They have gone, in
point of fact, where nb German surface
ship could have gone at all. British sub
marines similarly have penetrated the Sea
of Marmora and the Baltic. The first and
most striking fact about the submarine
is its capacity to enter into and operate
In waters that are adversely commanded.
But once in those waters the power of
the submarine is extraordinarily limited.
Indeed, its capacity to enter those waters
can also be limited. The use of nets, of
mines and of patrols—especially when as
sisted by aircraft—these at any focal point
which submarines coming or going must
pass, can do much to obstruct their free
passage. The narrower the waters, the
easier their control by these means. And
even in comparatively open waters great
destruction can be and bas been done by
surface craft upon them.
But, apart altogether from the dangers
to which the submarine is exposed, what
is its value when it is at work in hostile
waters? It has two weapons, the torpedo
and the gun. It can carry but few tor
pedoes—few, that is, compared with the
number of rounds of gun ammunition that
it can stow away. The torpedo, too, is an
uncertain weapon at the best of times,
particularly uncertain when aimed while
the submarine is submerged. Wherever 1C
is possible, then, the captain of the sub
marine has done his work with his guns.
But as a gunned ship the submarine is
the weakest thing afloat. Hence its guns
can be used only against unarmed craft.*
It dare not approach any armed ship on
the surface at all. If it has to approach
an armed ship submerged its speed of ap
proach is greatly limited. The highest
submerged speed does not exceed the half
power speed of the slowest warship.
Hence high sped and a high standard of
vigilance in ships which are armed make
them altogether immune from submarine
attack except in rare cases, when, by
pure chance, their course takes them
within the submarine’s striking radius.
The point is that if the ship is armed the
submarine must keep submerged, and if
it keeps submerged its maneuvering speed
is low, its capacity to get within striking
distance is very limited, and its weapon
very uncertain. If the ship it Intends to
strike is both at speed and accompanied
by destroyers or fast craft, the area of
danger to the submarine and the intensity
of the vigilance are increased, and the
danger from submarines becomes alto
gether negligible.
COST OF MODERN BATTLES
From the New York Evening Post.
N> feature of the battle around
Verdun has been more strongly
emphasized, and none has gripped
the imagination mole firmly than the
terrifio and prolonged artillery ex
changes. A glance at the war news
of almost any day while the fighting
was at its height will illustrate this.
"We fired at full speed for 20 min
utes,” a wounded French artilleryman
said In describing the action. “When
‘cease fire1 came there was a heap of
shell cases, fully man high, behind our
guns.” A Berlin dispatch says that
"the Germans who stormed Hill No. 344
under a rain of shells had to maintain
themselves without food during two
days and nights, as the French curtain
of fire made bringing up of supplies
Impossible." “The German artillery
preparation was of unparalleled vio
lence,” a third account states. “Every
inch of ground was searched out; every
point where it was thought a gun po
sition might exist was littered with
shells.”
With such stress laid upon the ar
tillery engagements, it was inevitable
that Wall street should consider the
struggle at Vordun in its relation to
the subject which was the corner
stone of speculation last fall—namely,
the munitions business.
The following figures, furnished by
the official of the company already
mentioned, threw some li&ht on the
cost of such an artillery engagement:
Every shot fired from one of the
French field pieces costs from $15 to
$20. The shell fired from one of the
German howitzers must cost more than
$1000, based on the cost of firing one
of our own 14-inch naval rifles. The
cost of the shell, however, is only a
part of the expense incurred, since the
wear and tear on the guns soon make
them unfit for service. The 75-mili
meter and other similar field'pieces are
said to last for about 5000 rounds,
while the big guns—12 and 14 inches
and over—probably last not more than
200 or 250 shots. A complete field- gun
of the 75-milimeter type costs $6000,
while one of the big American naval
guns—with which, for lack of a better
standard, the German siege mortars
are compared—cost as high as $75,000.
It is true that when the barrels are
worn out, new ones are placed on the
old carriages, so that not all the cost
is lost. There should, however, be a
heavy "depreciation” charge against
every shot fired.
Tne wide disparity between such
enormous consumption of shells and
material as took place around Verdun,
and the largest possible output of pro
jectiles, is illustrated by the output of
the Bethlehem Steel corporation, the
largest American manufacturer of
such supplies. In all last year that
company, it is atated on good author
ity, turned out only some 2,000,01)0
shells. At present its output is about
50,000 a day, or, say, 12,000,000 a year,
allowing for expected increases in the
rate of manufacture. In other words,
a year’s production of America’s
largest ammunition manufacturer
would be sufficient for only about 12
days of such fighting as took place at
the Marne, or, say, for 20 consecrated
attacks like that on Fort Douaumont.
This makes no a'lowances for the al
most continuous firing which goes on
along practically the whole front in
France, Belgium, Russia and in the
Balkan theatre.
If authentic figures are lacking in
regard to artillery ammunition used,
estimates of the consumption of cart
ridges by rifles and machine guns are
even more hazy. The statement has
come from one familitr with the small
arms and ammunition business, that to
kill a soldier on the European battle
fields requires a man’s weight in lead.
Rifle firing has been notoriously inef
fective, in proportion to ammunition
consumed, but no such complaint has
been lodged against the venomous
mitraillieusc.
WHAT CATHEDRALS MEAN
From the New York Telegram.
James I.ane Allen has avowed that his
purpose in writing “A Cathedral Singer,"
the new romance, is to establish the new
Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New
York more securely In the heart of the
nation.
Nothing that man has ever been able
to build, he says, is loved for so many
reasons as a cathedral. It is loved for
its spiritual meaning, for the arts that
enter into its structure, for the action
of nature upon it through sunlight and
rain and the briof mortality of the blos
som on its walls.
But it is above all the literature which
gathers about a cathedral. Mr. Allen
says, that makes it loved, linking it to
Innumerable human lives and transfigur
ing it to human affection.
American literature entering the serv
ice of our great cathedral can complete
its destiny as an American 'cathedral, Mr.
Allen believes; and only when American
literature has done Its share in making
it an inspiring force in American lives
will it have become in the full and final
smse an American cathedral—a cathedral
of the soil as well as of the Soul. I
MUST BE SOMETHING ELSE
From the Nashville Banner.
Shaving brushes are said to be respon
sible for spread of anthrax. Whatever
may bq the matter with Carranza, it isn't
anthrax.
THE NAMES
By Browning.
Shakespeare!—to such name's sounding,
what succeeds
Fitly as silence? Falter forth the spell—
Act follows word, the speaker knows
full well.
Nor tampers with its magic more than
needs.
Two names there are: That which the
Hebrew reads
With his soul only; If from lips it fell,
Echo, back thundered by earth, heaven
and hell,
Would own, "Thou didst create us!'’
Naught impedes.
We voice the other name, man’s most of
might,
Awesomely, lovingly; let awe and love
Mutely await their working, leave to
sight
All of the issue as—below—above
Shakespeare’s creation rises; one re
move.
Through dread—this finite from that in
finite.