West Virginia argus. [volume], December 28, 1916, Image 1

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^PvOLUME XIVI " — *
^_.____ KINGWOOD, PRESTON COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA* THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28,191*.
B8£*ji . — —.— . — ■ _■ _ ___ _ NUMBER 10
PRESIDENT SENDS NOTE
TO ALL POWERS AT WAR
_ {
Belligerents Arc Asked to State
Terms They Would Consider in
Establishing Peace—Wilson De
termined to Protect American In
terests from Perils Due to War
Ilaaily the most important news
event of the past week was the note
sent by President Wilson to each of
the belligerents in the European war,
to pave the way for peuee negotia
tions. The President is desirous that
a permanent peace be established and
will do everything that he properly
can toward that end but will not "butt
in. I ne note was forwarded also to
all neutral governments for their in
formation. A few slight changes were
made in the note to the Kntente allies
from that to the Central powers. The
text of the note to Germany follows:
The President of the United States
has instructed me to suggest to the
Imperial German government a
course of action with regard to the
present war which he hopes that the
Imperial government will take under
consideration as suggested in the most
friendly spirit and as coming not only
front a friend but also as coming from
the representative of a neutral nation
whose interests have been most ser
iously affected by the war, and whose
concern for its early conclusion arises
out of a manifest necessity to deter
mine how best to safeguard those in
terests if the war is to continue.
The suggestions which I ain in
structed to make the President has
long had it In mind to offer. He is
somewhat embarrassed to offer it at
this particular time, because it may
now seem to have been prompted by
a desire to play a part in connection
with the recent overtures of the cen
tral powers.
It has in fact been in no way sug
gested by them in its origin, and the
^ L’Cpsltlent wonld have delayed offering :
it until those overtures had been in
dependently answered but for the fact
that it also concerns the question of
peace and may best be considered in
connection with other proposals which
have the same end in view. The Pres
ident can only beg that this sugges
tion be considered entirely on its own !
merits and as if it had been made in
other circumstances.
The President {suggests that an ear- 1
ly occasion be sought to call out from
all the nations now at war such an
avowal of tlielr respective views as
to terms upon which the war might
be concluded and the arrangements
which would be deemed satisfactory
as a guarantee against its renewal or
the kindling of any similar conflict In
the future as would make it possible
frankly to compare them..
lie is indifferent as to the means
taken to accomplish this. He would
be happy himself to serve or even to
take the initiative in its accomplish
ment i any way that might prove ac
ceptable, but he has no desire to de
termine them ethod or the Instrumen
tality. One way will he as acceptable
to him as another if only the great
object he has In mind bo attained.
He takes the liberty of calling at
tention to the fact that the objects
which the statesmen of the belliger
ents on both sides havel n mind in this
war are virtually the same, as stated
in general terms to their own people
and to the world. Each side desires
to make the rights and privileges of
weak peoples and small states as se
cure against aggression or denial In
|h« future as the rights and privileges
Of the great and powerful states now
at war. Each wishes itself to he made
•ecure in the future, along with all
Other nations and peoples, against the
recurrence of wars like this, and
agalhft aggression of selfish Interfer
ence of any kind.
Each would be Jealous of the forma
tion of any more rival leagues to pre
serve an uncertain balance of power
amid multiplying suspicions, but each
la ready to consider the formation of a
league of nations to insure peace and'
justice throughout the world Before
that final step can be taken, however,
each deems It necessary first to settle
the Issues of the presont war upon
terms which will certainly safeguard
♦ he Independence, the territorial right
and the political and commercial
ficedom of the nations Involved.
In the measures taken to secure the
future peace of the world the people
and government of the Pnited .States
are as vitally and as directly Interest
ed as the governments now at war.
Their interest, moreover. In the means
to be adopted to relieve the smaller
and weaker peoples of the world of the
perl| of wrong and violence In as quick
and ardent as that of any other people
or government. They stand ready
ar«d even eager to co-operate In the i
•ccoropUshment of these ends, when J
the wgr Is over, w th every influence I
gnd resouce at their command.
But th« war most first be concluded. I
The terms upon which It is to be cjmJ
eluded they are not at liberty t^jfl^
gest; hut the President does
Is
on* their Intimate interegt^^MHSg.
»
1 more than all, an Injury bo done civl
; llwitlou Itaelf which can never be
atoned for or repaired.
The President therefore feels alto
gether Justified In suggesting an im
mediate opportunity for a comparison
of views as to the terms which must
precede those ultimate arrangements
for the peace of the world which all
desire and in which the neutral na
tions as well as those at war are ready
to play their full responsible part.
If the contest must continue to pro
ceed toward undefined ends by slow
attrition until the one group of belli
gerents or the other is exhausted. If
million after million of human lives
must continue to be offered up until
on the one side or the other there are
no more to offer. If resentments must
he kindled that can never cool and de
spairs engendered from which there
can be no recovery, hopes of peace
and willing concert of free people will
be rendered vain and Idle.
The life of the entire world has
been profoundly affected. Kverv part
of the great family of mankind has
felt the burden and terror of this un
precedented contest of arms. No na
tton In the civilized world can be said
In truth to stand outside Us influence
or to be safe against its disturbing
effects. And yet the concrete objects
for which It is being waged have never
been definitely stated.
The leaders of the several belliger
ents have, as has been suid, slated
those objects in general terms. Itut
stated In general terms they seem the
same on both sides. Never yet have
the authoritative spokesmen of either
side avowed the precise objects which
would if attained satisfy thorn and
their people thatt ho war had been
fought out. The world lias been left
to conjecture what definite results,
what actual exchange of guarantees,
what political or territorial changes or
readjustments, what stage of military
success even, would bring the war to
an end.
It may be that peace is nearer than
we know; that the terms which the
belligerents on the one side and on
the other would deem It necessary to
insist upon are not so irreconcilable
as some have feared; that an Inter
change of views would clear the way
at least for conference and make the
permanent concord of the nations a
hope of immediate future, a concert ot
nations Immediately practicable.
The President is not proposing
peace; he Is not even offering media
tion. He is merely proposing ttint
soundings be taken in order that we
tnay learn, the neutral nations with
the belligerent, how near the haven ol
peace may be for all mankind, and
longs with an Intense and increasing
longing. He believes that the spirit in
which he speaks and the objects which
he seeks will he understood by all con
cerned, and he confidently hopes for a
response which will bring u new lighi
into the affairs of the world.
LANSING.
Canadian High Prices
The Canadian department of labor
reports that country suffering from in
creased cost of living to an extent as
great as does the United States. In
the six months between July and De
cember, 1914. the cost of a weekly
family budget of some thirty staph
foods rose from $7.42 to $8.i:t, though
part of thiB rise was perhaps due to
seasonable differences. The cost of
food In 1916 was reckoned 13 per cent
greater than five years before and
this throughout the Dominion as a
whole, not In the cities alone. The
cost of fuel and lighting was but 4
per cent greater than In 1910, but in
many manufactured goods there wen
again prenotnenal rises. The predom
inating Influence the department tint
"rally finds to be the war. and it
points out the compensating stlmula
tlon of the high prices upon Industry
and trade. Not only did the war make
necessary production In many lines
never before thought of, but It mad<
profitable production that wan not nec
essary and that had been attempted In
quieter times with unsatlsfacorv re
suits. War is also pointed to as mak
lug crop conditions of less moment it
rising prices than ever before. Th»
short crop of 1914 was of sec-nodarx
Importance In raising prices, the larg>
crop of 1916 did not reduce them t»
anything like normal levels. How
ever, much she grumbles a» hlghei
living costs, Canada can not but re
fleet that the war rescued her from a
depression accentnsted by the reo<
tlon from "boom times" New Yorl
Post.
A Job for Hrother Perkins
We note that Hilly Hunday Is going
to go aftor the devil ip. New York
That will be a good tlm* for Mr. node
heaver to take a JMy-orr. New Yori*
has in toi^trs the sweet
ne oti.»
ser
Male Forest and l.nmr Warden Issues
Heport
The fourth biennial report of J. A.
Viquesney, state forest, game and fish
warden. Just published and furnished
to the press, contain* lt>o pages of in
teresting Information.
The report deals first with tabulated
lutu showing number of prosecutions
made during the biennial period from
June 30, 1914, to June 30, 1916, to be
489; fines assessed $6,330.00; commu
t'd to Jail, 34; number of forest tires
occurring during the two years, 634;
total acreage burned, 339.854; esti
mated damage to forest products.
$439,935.55; cost to couuUes for fight
ing these fires, $14,745.17; total fish
p’anted in streams during biennial
period. 1,806,830; number of free II
c .'Uses Issued to hunters, 162,575;
slate wide licenses, 3,131; non-resi
dent, .13; non-resident fishing licenses,
•*t>4; total revenue collected to June
30. 1916, for licenses sold, $11,741.
I le second part of the report con
la ms discussions of the various sub
jects embraced in the report and
points out tiiat West Virginia pre
sents ideal attractions not only from
the standpoint of hunting and tlshiug,
but presents beautiful forests and
scenic drives unexcelled by uny state
in the union. With good roads cross
ing tho state it is suggested that hun
dreds of tourists will l»« attracted and
lake advantage of lis' great opportuni
ties furnished for recreation and
health.
A resident hunter's license of $1.00
is recommended in order to supply
funds for better protection to game,
tisli anil forests and especially to
stock up game sanctuaries in each
county and thus insure an adequate
propagation and distribution of game
throughout the whole state. It is
staled that thousands of acres of land
not suitable for uny other purposo
ihould bo slocked with deer and tiiat
in acre or two of swamp or waste
laud on each farm can he turned into
ponds tor raising fish and be made
more profitable than uny part of tho
farm.
The protection of forests from fire
by a systematic co-operation of state,
•ederul government and private owner
ship lias saved millions of dollars
cadi year. Before any organized ef
iort vvus made to discover and con
trol forest fires, four or five millions
of dollars were lost anually in forest
products, which has been reduced to
.in annual loss of loss than two hun
dred thousand dollars. It has been
.ound thut by a system of lokout sta
tions, patrol routes supplied with
telephone communication thut fires
an he discovered and extinguished in
iheir early stages beforo they have
lone great damage.
By protecting the forest land from
•Ire, the haunts of the game and birds
ire uIho protected and thousands of
figs which were formerly destroyed
are now hatched which accounts for
the rapid Increase of the ruffed
grouse ami many oilier birds.
The concluding part of the report is
by Barle A. Brooke, consulting orni
hologist, and gives a detuiled account
of tho game birds of tho state, illus
trated by many beautiful pictures
aken from real bird life in West Vir
ginia and fully describes the habits
and value of our many beautiful and
attractive game birds.
Parties Interested may obtain a copy
of Hi© report by addressing J. A. VI
quesney, forest, game and fish warden,
•ielington, West Virginia.
Two Men noil the Fulare
An extraordinary contrast is pre
sented in the views of Charles M.
Hchwab and George W. Uerkins as to
the effect of peace on business and in
lustry In the United States.
Mr Schwab, chairman of the board
of directory of the Bethlehem Steel
1 nipnny, operating an ordnance plant
•0 per cent greater than that of the
<riipp« at Kssen, (contemplates a ena
ction of hostilities witli pleasure. His
►treat works can be turned to the pro
cesses of peace as readily as they were
tdapted to the demands of strife. He
believes that American industry is
destined to dominate the world; that
peace will he a blessing and not a dls
•i ter, and that men who are without
ailii in the United States have no
place In our citizenship.
Bolding ilie Wall street opinion that
l ■ prosperity of this c ountry depends
wholly upon the calamity that has he
al bm Kuropc. Mr. Uerkins remarks
hat we are not ready for peace, and
Mi' reason why we are not ready for
peace Is that It “would automatically
pot many of our men out of work and
vive employment to make of Kurope’s
laborers." Compared w th the splen
dd optimism of the gun maker, what
•mild he more shocking than the stock
market hope for the prolongation of
v ar and Its abject fear of peace?
I Ip* greatest, of all manufacturers
of war Implements has faith not only
in the United Htates, but In himself,
In all circumstances. One of the best
advertised of American publlclts
echoes the sentiments of a lot of spec
ulators and despairs of his country If
presently mankind elsewhere shall
forego slaughter and devastation. Who
i« the true American, the true
1
s-rmsc men?
Fill In Picture Puzzle No. 1 i
© - . .
__ -— - •
_
\\T 2 t V i* f !« n"* , lh "? H,Art your p*nc,> Rt ». draw a line to
' * « hi 1 1 U. ‘ , A ' °f th,‘ number* h»v« been linked t,.Kether and you
", * mrprleed and pleaaed with the remit of your art work Thle
. ture alway. earrie* a trunk when It travel* about, like* to park that trunk
Null t! '?'l. U|Mv?, H'\V' ”f *5* p,c,urc *>'**■ billiard* all over the world.
" . ,v h . , .h. Bu".;,. u *" '"',1 "■ ** »•<» »““c . cion end find
Live Slock Men Well Provided for «(
Former*’ Week.
The progrcHive farmer* of West Vir
ginia arec onilng to recognize more
and more that this atato with Its nu
merous hills and little level land Is
primarily adapted to the production of I
good live stock. In keeping with this
idea the importance of live stock inter
ests is being well looked after on the
program for farmers' week to be held
January first to sixth at the College
of Agriculture, Morguntown, W-; Va.
Although there are numerous lec
tures, addresses, demonstrations and
exhibits of interest to live stock men
to he given throughout the week,
Thursday, January 4th, ia given over
mainly to live stock activities and is
known as live stock day. The pro
gram for this day is under the aus
pices of the West Virginia I.lve Btock
association. Among the subject* to
be given attention on this day arc the
following:
A live stock program for West Vir
ginia-Prof. E. W. Sheets.
Control of contagious and infectious
live stock diseases Hon. H. E. Wil
liams.
Home object lessons from the Inter
national live stock exposition-If. M.
Gore.
Community plan of breeding live
stock E. A. Tuckwlller.
The production of roughage on a
iivo stock farm- W. I). Zlnn.
Weeding out the unprofitable cow -
II. W. Cave.
Utilizing cut over land for Hve
itock—F. M. Foote.
Hclectlng beef breeding animals— A.
J. Hwlft.
Dressing and cutting meats Prof.
W. H. Tom have, Pennaylvanla Htatc
college.
Recent experiments in wintering *
beef cattle.—Prof. E. W. Sheets.
Winter management of animals for I
meat production—Prof. W. H. Toni- i
have.
The development of the sheep Indus
try in West Virginia Prof. T. C. At
keson.
Dive stock and soil fertility—Prof.
W. H. Tomhave.
On other days throughout the week
■tuck live stork subjects as thr follow
ing will be treated:
Simple operatlona on farm animals
Dr. C. A. louder.
Swine breeding K. \, Munce of
Pennsylvania.
Diseases of sheep Dr. C. A. Ihmi
der.
Opportunities for the sheep farmer
It. L. Munce.
Ilog cholera and black-leg treat
ment Dr. C. A. l/cuder.
Building up a dairy herd ~C. A
Nelson of Iowa
Economy in fe«»ding Hie dairy cow
W. A Shea.
Selecting the dairy cow W A.
Rhea.
Growing and developing the dairy
heifer C. A. Nelson.
These subjects and speakers Indl
•ate quite strongly the emphasis that
Is being placed on the live stock In
dustry. Farmers' week comes but
once s year and thoae persona who
are especially Interested in stock rais
ing ran not well afford to miss this
excellent opportunity where valuable
lessons may be learned, useful exper
iences acquired, and helpful associa
tions made,
-.-—■i ,0 „
King Ratifies Treaty ^
COPENHAGEN. TVc, 231 King
Christian In tbe cabinet council today
ratified the treaty providing for the
i lunl«h ,\
Does It Menu Pence 1
Another angle to the broad states
manship of Woodrow Wilson is shown
by his note to the Kuropcun belliger
ents in which he suggests a discussion
of peace. The President makes It
clear that his note at this time is In
no wise prompted by Germany, and in
dications nre that (lie President had
In mind for some lime the dispatching
of such a communication to both sides
to the bitter war.
There can he no doubt (lint Presi
dent Wilson, Informed as lie Is through
many channels dosed lo every one
oxcept tin Ktute department, hns In
formation which l»d him to believe
that Ills proposals at this time ut least
would not be rejected without the ex
change of a number of notes, and this
protai.hly Inspired him lo believe that
this discussion might result in some
conference which eventually would re
null in the consummation so devoutly
wished PKAt'K.
The purpose of the President is best
expressed In his own note:
I he President is not proposing
peace, he is not even offering media
tion. He is merely proposing that
soundings he taken in order that we
may learn, the neutral nations with
• lie belligerent, how near the haven of
peace may he for which all mankind
longs with an IiiIciihc and increasing
longing. He believes that the spirit In
which he speaks and the objects which
lie seeks will he understood by all con
cerned, and he confidently hopes for a
response which will bring a new light
Into the affairs of the world."
Pouched In temperate and humble
language the note can have no other
effect upon the belligerents than to at
least receive their respectful consider
ation, which, in Itself, when one con
siders that Uie world Is mad with war,
will have It« sobering effect, and will
show how desirous 100.000,000 of per
sons are to see the dawn of peace.
Of course. It is not known now und
probably will not be until at the close
of the war, what prompted the Presi
dent to make friendly overtures at ibis
time, but it is the opinion that lie has
learned that more than one of the bel
ligerents was ready for peace, hut for
obvious reasons could not make the
matter public, and this Information,
reaching the President, he thought the
time ripe to drive ail opening wedge
into the situation.
It Is hardly to be expected that an
immediate rotie'uslon of hostilities
will come, but we Americans I ive an
abiding raitli in t)i<- wisdom of our
President and we believe that In so
important a move he was guided only
by information and a high purpose,
conscious of the fH<t that it was the
time to mak*' such a move.
The United mates is the logical na
tion to make the first appeal for peace,
for this nation Is the only great one
not at war. A year ago such a note
as sent by this government to the bel
ligerents might have been considered
diplomatic impudence, especially by
Oermany. which, suffering under a
fal-e Impression, imagined we were
not neutral. The past twelve months,
however, hns served to dispel this sus
pblon, and the recent re-election of
President Wtlnon stapallmd the goV
eminent both at home and abroad and
with some minor Incidents served to
nake this nation the logical one to
fits* suggest peace because of our now
friendly relations with every nation on
earth.
'*■: i- 'lint the note to the be!
* v >, ’• t may not result In
1 <'s-n on of hostilities, Is
nntog i.f a r larlflt aton of
I: s' w ill e\ otually resot* »n
arleston (Jarette.
Old llirkor) (hips
Apparently the greatest Knglishtnau
la a Welshman.
—t—
The only way to guard against sub
marines Is to aertallxe all shipping.
—t—
President Wilson read the hand
writing on the wall and Just smiled
—S—
t'alllng I tue ha rest the little Paris Is
enough to make Von Markensen
thankful for small favors.
—t—
Now that the Dardanelles will go to
Itussla, It is only neeessary for Itus
sla to go to the Dardanelles
_♦_
Nikola Tesla says that the next war
will be even more terrible than thin
Why not omit the next war?
—I—
KiikIuiuI baa given Constantinople
to Hnsjda. but In this country there la i
a law against dealing In futures.
—t—
'1 lie uphappy spectacle of the blind
leading the blind may he seen in the
palaces aa well aa the by-ways of Ku
rope.
—I—
Thero Ih Haiti to be atreiiKth In un
ion, and 72,000,000 egga In one cold
storage plant la no exception to the
rule.
t
Texas |h making aauHage from Juek
rahhlt moat, and we expect to hear at
any time that food hna taken uuolher
Jump.
—t—
Koumania’a fall baa jolted the cap
itala of all the alliea autl bounced cab
inet officers out of their cushioned
seats.
—1~
’•’he Waco bank president sentenced
io prison for »!♦ years will find the
way of tho transgressor long as well
as hard.
—t—
I he claims of an Illinois man for
damage because his wooden leg was
wrecked ought to appeal to the aver
age Jury.
If a chap wants to preserve the
tragedy of his I If el ntad, he Bhould
never meet the girl that threw him
down twenty years ago.
—I—
Golf Is not an amusement accord
ing to tho dictum or an Illinois Judge.
Nor is the alibi of the golfer a hilar
iously entertaining thing.
—t—
The way some of the far western
states have gone in for prohibition
puts a chock on a favorite line of bar
room chatter In cowboy fiction.
-I—
According to a fashion note high
hoots for women will go out soon, In
order to save leather, hut It’s a far
cry from 12-Inch hoots to sandals.
-I—
The avnrngo male American does
not know why there should have been
a riot In Home over Wagerlun music,
hut the rioters have his sympathy.
— t -
One does not worry greatly as to the
other American made dyes, so long as
the red and blue continue to give the
right anti lasting contrast to the
while.
-t—
On a day when the Supreme Court
hands down a few scores of decisions
there’s temptation to wish that legls
lattires could rush along their work In
the same fashion.
—t—
"There’s many a slip twlxt tho cup
and lip," says an excellent proverb.
We suggest, therefore, that the two
ends of the Panama canal he named
thi’ Cup anti the Lip. respectively.
—t—
Instead of corning to this country
In order to make an aeroplane flight
bn« k to Kurope, the two aviators who
have arrived In New York should have
flown over here and been done with It
♦—■
The fact that the United States Steel
corporation has unfilled tonnage or
dors on Its books for more than 11,
000,000 tons of material suggests not
only activity and prosperity fpr a ,
long time, hut also the reason for de
lay In the delivery of structural
steel.
-I—
Wall Street speculators who are
scolding the hanks In relation to the
Federal Reserve system for the higher
•ales now charged on stock market
•onus than for commercial paper seem
to forqet that this was Just shout the
v.ay the Federal Reserve system was
designed to work.
—I—
Mr. Bryan deserves all the honor
accorded him In Washington. He quit
the Wilson administration because he
feared It was too militant, but, unlike
many others of the same mind, he did
not rush Info the arms of t. candidate
who was practically committed to war
In both hemispheres. In loyslty to
party principle as well as faithfulness
to an Ideal, he has given the country a
Ine example of fidelity and common
.%ens«
-*
Aspirations to Leadership
John," said Mrs. Bracer, *'you must
learn not to eat with your knife.”
"Don't worry abont that. If we got
[ a few more mflliona an' a little more
j pull you an' ms'll he able to set the
*»yle an' make people that don't eat
with their knives look perfectly un i
fashionable"—Washington Star.
****** If yeo
COUNTRY’S PROSPERITY
AFFECTS MANY WORKERS
Bitf Concerns All Over the United
States Share l heir Profits with
Employes -Millions of Workers
Will Share Benefits Enjoyed by
All Lines of Industry
The extraordinary prosperity which
Ims blessed the fulled Stalea through
out Iklii |m resulting in a distribution
or the enormous profith reaped in ev
ery industry and In practically every
brunch of business that l« without pre
cedent in this or any otlu r nation both
an to the viiHtlicss of (tie sums dis
bursed and ua t «> the groat ness of the
number purttctputtiiK In the disburse
ineiita.
I'.icix day hint week additional cot
poratlona, llruiH and tudlviduals all
over the country announced honubea
oi wage im reuses, while some of the
large corporutIona which had jire
vtoubly made sucli announcement have
made new iiiimiuucemetitH that they
have Increased bonus amounts or
"use raise percentages.
•'Tom the fig urea collected it beemu
ccitutn that Hie figures for these dls
iriliuuoun will reach and may exceed
♦ 400 000,000
1m■ 11»I« yi . however, must uharu'wlth
Him kholders on an approximately
even hasiH the results of Hie national
prosperity. Scores of corporations
during recent weeks have declared ex
tra dividends. Many instead of declar
ing an ex'l a dividend have raised the
dividend rate. Olliers have made
heavy and some lull payments of ac
cumulated dividends, while still others
uuve declared dividends for file Mint
time, a’ld a lew have done all of theso.
i lgurus, complete and definite, are
not yet rvnliable. Hut from (lie an- 1
nouncoiiiunts made li appears certain
lliall lu> dividends declared by stock
corporations in the United Slates in
tlie month of Iteccmber alone will ag
gregate at least $:;r>0,000,000, will prob
ably exceed tlial figure and limy reach
$l0o,ouo,uou as a maximum estimate.
The estimate of $350,000,000 was
considered conservative by men in tin
llnanciul district when their oplnloni.
were asked. This estimate includes,
of course, all dividends declared or to
In* declared this month. It Includes
•ho extra as well as the old quarterly,
semi annual and annual, as the case
may he.
Stockholders and employees In the
United SlateH will therefore have
awarded them as their share of the
year's profits In Its closing month or
six weeks approximately $800,000,000.
It is impossible to form an even ap
proximately accurate estimate of tlio
number of persons that will share in
this gigantic distribution. It is possi
ble to estimate from figures now avail
able that probably not less than 0,600,
000 sularlud or wage-earning employes
will participate. No attempt will be
made here to entimato the number of
stockholders w ho will benefit.
To sny that 00,000,000 of the 100,
000.000 population of the United State:
will (bus be hencfltted by the unusual
prosperity directly or indirectly would
perhaps bo as accurate a guess as
could he made. This im I tides the fain
Ilf oh and those dependent upon t lie
more direct beneficiaries.
Wage Increases liuvo ranged from f>
lo .r»0 per cent; bonuses from 5 to 100
per cent of the yeurV salary paid in
each employe. Gencrully there has
been a (|iiallfb atiou stipulating tliut
those employes earning more than a
certain sum do not participate at all
or participate to a limited extent
only.
Extra dividends have ranged from a
fourth of 1 per cent to 100 per cent.
In several Instances as much hm .'?(>
I"*r cent of ueeamulaterl dividends
have been paid off. Jti most eases ex
tra dividends have been paid In cash.
In a few tie v have been paid In stock
I fie I nitisl States Steel corporation
with its 2.r»o,ooo participating employes
l-as authorized the payment of a sum
estimated by Chairman Gary of the
board of directors ai $.53,000,000 to its
employes in the three salary Increases
it has granted and In bonuses
This Is the largest distribution an
nnunc-cd by any corporation and the
largest ever model n the history of the
fnftcd Htates,
I he Bethlehem Steel company only
a few clays ago announced ^ jo per
cf,nt wngc Increase to its 40,000 eni
ployes. Nc» official of the company
has yef made public’ an estimate of
how much this Increase will add an
dually to the pay roll of the corpora-1
Mon. That it will add millions it is
safe to assume.
New England mill workers have had
at least $10,000,000 a year added to
their annual wages through volun
tarily granted Increases. Telegraph
a fid express companies have been
among the most generous in giving
bonuses to employes. But a roster of
the firms, corporations and Individ
uals who havo taken such action
proves that the prosperity has bsen
universe’iv slinn i by ever> sctivffv
of the nation.
Mrnv fjri?. s u iwi r* tip
Illness, (Usability or accident policies
in (lie number.
I lie number of voluntary wuro In
erenMOH grunted during tho year Ih un
precedented. Ah many uh four or llvo
! '■: ■ 1 •*< n i veil b> Indiv (dual ■ HI
corporal Ions.
Various cxplanatouH have been of
fered for IhiM action of bourdB of dl- i
red ora cud Individuals. There appear
l" •'»* two reasons which are the real
,m,'M 1,1 'in* majority of coxes—the first
j ihut corporation directors and nfllrlals
eu\.‘ taken cognizance of the Increas
1 1 " ' 1,1 ibe net < , nf, and .
i f,uv'' been prompted by thla to make
•iflorts to enable their workers to bet
I t.cr cope with the new eoinlltloiiH, and
second, they have desired their em
' I’1".' • «" 'diare \. nil tin* corporations
l in tin* nnuHiial prollta recorded.
I W hi Is the munufacturerH of war mu- || A
iiHiniiH aro Wluoly auppoHrd to h&vo
reaped (lie greatest golden harvest, It
Is a fact that neither in bonuses nor In
wage increases have they been us lib
eral as corporations engaged In other
activities, although in both many of
•Item have been very generous.
Hunks throughout the country, but
especially in New York city, ar«j
among (tie leaders In declaring extra
dividends and lit profit-sharing with
employes. Industrial corporations
are entitled to have tho same said of
them.
Hut the Individual employer, tho
man with a KtiialI working force, who
••hh ... successful without precedent
during die past your, is tho ono wno
bus been moat generous In Ids dis
tributions. Home of these have given
ion per cent lion uses or 100 per cent
wage increases.
Screen kisses
Tlie most Irritating question that -
coiih'B thundering down the ages are
those annoying queries that no gen
eral loti ean answer. Whore was
Moses when the light went out? How
old is Anil? Who struck Hilly Pat
terson? These and other historic In
terrogations to which there can ho no
satisfactory reply form a list that Is
iiieiiecinally stimulating hut begets
milling of more value than uusutls
uctory and conflicting conclusions.
Andii ow to this disturbing category
hits been added tho perplexing prob
lem as to how long a strictly legiti
mate and law-abiding kiss should lust.
The motion picture censorsl n several
slates of tho union lutvo been com
pelled to answer this query, and In a
tentative way have placed a time limit
upon oscillatory exhibits beyond which
it has been ruled, they cannot go with
out becoming detrimental to tbo pub
lic welfare.
Eight feet of film Is the limit in
Pennsylvania for a plctoral kiss that
call be considered lawful, whllo Ohio,
Kansas and a few other liberal mind
ed commonwealths allow ten feet to a
legal kiss. Without casting any re
flection upon the common sense ex
hibited upon tbo censors responsible
lor these decrees, is there not reason
’o «::<!-( I lint they approach the sub
ject, of screen osculation from tho
wrong direction. Does the inherent
morullfy of a kiss lie In Its duration?
It would be reasonable to usk, would
Is not, whether the length of lime it
look a burglar to rifle n snfe should
determine the period of his Imprison
ment.
The problems that spring from os
ciiluflon increase constantly in num
ber and complexity. Its moral as
P'.fy, formerly the only ones debat
able, have been reinforced of lato by
consideration springing from the new
hygiene. H-ience, art, morality, po
litical economy and the new freedom
arc? all interested today In the kiss aa
a live problem, that must be met and ^
solved. Hut tlie* movie censors are
making no progress toward clarifying
Hie present Involved oscillatory situ
ation by endeavoring to one the metric*
system hh an ally to cull (htened mor- g
ality. r
It must t»c* borne In ml id by all re
formers who are endoa* orlng tc ell
minate objectionable features from
the- pic ture' plays that drrtun posse sses
some Inalienable rights of its own. A
playwright or scenario writer should
not be hampered In his task that com
pels hint to limit all kisses, uplifting
or otherwise, to eight feet of film. All
that the censors can reasonably de
mao.I Is that the movie dramatists
shall always enforce the lesson that
lawless osculation. Invariably meets
with Condign punishment. An unjus
tifiable klrs Is not wrong because of
the fundamentally unsound but be
cause it should never have beon Im
printed.
This argument la n^ft^prlnted drum. ^
any lark of sympathy rtdth the efforta
of our stpte censors to free the mov
ing pictures from pcrnlcfoAp feature* |ffl
for wan), ft* a pi
liruit^
pi- ■'< >sculatki
fundament slii