SOLDIERS ARE
SUPERSTITIOUS
British War Museum Official Digs
- Up Some Interesting
Information.
NEARLY ALL WEAR AMULETS
One Officer Carrying Charm Refuses to
Reveal Its Nature for Fear of
Bad Luck—Another Carries
Piece of Coal.
London.—Certain interesting super
stitious prevalent among British colo
nial troops at the front are described by
Edward Lovett, an official of the Im
perial War museum at London, in the
Morning Post. He says:
“Many of the superstitions held by
Britisli soldiers are also held by our
troops from overseas and by men of
. the allied forces. One day 1 happened
to meet an Australian soldier who wore
the figure 5 on the collar of his tunic.
This 5 Is known on the continent ns
the Pentad, and in Belgium the Fifth
regiment is considered to be the lucky
■t regiment. The logic of the Pentad is
ns follows: Figure 1 stands for God,
absolutely alone. Figure 2 is the mind
of God in operation ns shown by the
works of nature. Figure 3 represents
man as the highest work of God. Tak
ing. therefore, figure 1 ns being unique,
the figures 2 and 3, that is, God's work
in the hands of man. equal 5, and this
5 is said to represent everything. In
this country we dp not fully appreciate
the meaning of the figure 5.
Lucky Australian Five.
“To come back to our Australian sol
dier. He told me that he knew nothing
of the Pentad, and he was rather in
clined to sneer at luck in general. But
he told me that his company, which
was the Fifth, was very lucky, and day
after day the men had many narrow
escapes from death or wounds. The
company, in fact, had lost only 15 men
out of 180. while the Second company
had lost a much larger proportion. He
also told me that the No. 13 was con
sidered by them a lucky number, and
most of the men in the Fifth company,
curiously enough, had 13 in their regi
mental numbers, his own number be
ing 51327.
“On one occasion, after lecturing to
some men from New Zealand and Aus
tralia, I was entertained for the night
and put up in an officer’s hut. Before
turning in I chatted over the subject
of folklore and soldiers’ mascots with
four officers. One of the officers told
me that he carried a charm, and I said
I would like to know what It was. It
turned out to be simply a Swastika,
which was apparently new to him, and
he was glad to hear more about It.
The second officer took from his pocket
a small cross of grotesque form, which,
he informed me, was his mascot. The
third officer laughingly added. “Well. I
PATROLS READY FOR NEW MEXICAN OUTBREAKS
Three-Inch Hold pieces going to their station on the border ulcng the lilo
Grande. The military authorities nre taking all necessary precautions to be
ready for any new outbreak on the Mexican border.
ST. THOMAS PICKS UP
American Port Regains Former
Marine Standing
Improvement* Slow During the War.
but Ship* Are Now Calling
Regularly.
St. Thomas. Virgin Islands. —This
American port Is beginning to regain
some of Its former maritime Impor
tance. Owing to the war. Improve
ments in this direction have been slow
since the Virgin Islands were pur
chased from Denmark, but now. after
considerable agitation by business men
of St. Thomas, American steamers nro
beginning to cull here. This Is the
resu't of representations which linve
been made to Washington In behalf of
the Inhabitants of the Islands.
The Islanders feel that Amerlcuu
steamship owners, and especially the
shipping board at Washington, buve
need not show you mine, because it is
only n piece of coal, wraftied in n little
bag which 1 brought over from Aus
tralia.” The fourth (and this to my
astonishment, being the “highest pos
sible”) said, “I also have a mascot, but
I regret to say that I don’t Intend to
show It to you. I won’t even tell you
what It is, because it would spoil my
luck.” Nothing I could say would in
duce him to alter his decision. His was
the most superstitious case of all.
“The commonest charms among the
soldiers of France and Belgium ure
made of aluminum and copper frag
ments of German shells. It is consid
ered that if you wear a piece of an
enemy’s projectile It inoculates you
against future danger from such
sources. In Italy the men wore the
kinds of charms and amulets which
have been common in that country for
many generations—even centuries, I
JEWS IN SERBIA
IN BAD PLIGHT
Economic Ruin and Epidemics
Have Fallen to Their Lot
in Balkans.
BULGARIAN OUTLOOK BETTER
Investigator Urges Shipments of Food
And Clothing to Roumania—Fund
of $35,000,000 Being Sought
in United States.
New York.—Reports of the condi
tion of Jews in the Balkan countries,
ns made to the American Jewish Re
lief committee by its investigators
nbrond show that economic ruin, epi
demics of typhus, tuberculosis, and
other diseases have fallen to the lot of
Balkan Jews to an extent equal to that
suffered by their co-religionists in
j other war-torn countries, but that po-
I liticnl and religious repressive mens
j ures have been lacking.
The tlrst detailed account of the slt
i nation in Serbia in many months is
from Dr. Isaac Alenlny, chief rabbi of
Serbia, with headquarters in Bel
ginde. He said Belgrade was still
without regular communication with
the provinces, because the railroads
and bridges destroyed by the Austrians
have not been restored.
“During the war.” he wrote, “Jews
ir. Belgrade suffered proportionately
more than the rest of the population.
Most of their habitations were exposed
* to gunfire throughout the 15 months
that the city was under bombardment.
Almost all homes are destroyed. The
heretofore overlooked the facilities of
the harbor of St. Thomas for provid
ing coal, fuel oil. and other stores.
While few American steamers have
been calling at St. Thomas for sup
plies. many have called at the neigh
boring British islands, where faculties
are not considered as good ns here.
The price of coal Is cheaper at St.
Thomas than at the British Islands.
To bring this matter before the ship
ping hoard and to obtain all the help
possible from the American people nnd
congress, a meeting of the Inhabitants
of the Virgin island was held here.
Resolutions were adopted calling the
attention of the shipping hoard to the
facilities of the port, such as a pier
3.000 feet long with thirty-one feet of
water alongside nnd all up-to-date ap
pliances for the quick dispatch of ves
sels wanting coul, water, fuel oil and
other stores.
The resolution wus curried to Wash
ington by Darwin O. Curry, collector
rHE GILPIN OBSERVER
may say. They consist chiefly of phal
lic emblems, and may he seen by thou
sands in the streets and markets of
Naples especially.
What the Germans Wear.
“I have a number of examples of
German charms, some of which were
taken from German prisoners, while
others were collected by myself In Ger
many about 12 years ago. They are
of a character you might expect from
such a people, and consist largely of
pigs, many of which, 1 regret to say.
are grossly vulgar and offensive. An
other German charm Is a small model of
a fungus, which Is of natural blood-red
color. This Is really a phallic emblem.
A third kind Is a teetotum, the mean
ing of which is ‘chance.’ On the other
hand, In the German navy, or what re
mains of It, they have rather a pretty
charm. It consists of a small, cheap
medal, bearing the figure of Christ
stilling the tempest, with the motto
‘Safety in storms.’ I gathered from
several of my friends that the charms
in common use by the Germans were
generally small objects, such as 1 have
mentioned, which had been presented
to the wearers by their mothers or sis
ters, hut In few cases had the charm
1 any definite logical meaning.
Jewish population of the city, formerly
8,000, now numbers no more than 4,500.
The number is being increased daily
by returning refugees. Many men are
still with the colors.
“Economically, the Serbian Jews
have suffered terribly. Because of
the uncertain political situation, all
regular commerce is impossible, and it
If difficult for Jewish citizens to im
prove their condition.
Have Suffered Terribly.
“Such a situation Is unfortunate, for
the war has brought us new duties.
The Jews of old Serbia took a very
active part in the Balkan wars and
in tlie world war. The years of fight
ing have deprived more than 400 fam
ilies of their bread winners. These
people have to be helped.
In Bulgarin, according to a report
from Miss Hetty Goldman of this city,
the condition of the Jews is some
what better than In Serbia. Poverty
is not. so widespread, nor are health
conditions so bad.
“Bulgarian Jews are able to meet
the needs of their own poor, but they
have recently been confronted with
a new responsibility. Roumanian Jews
are seeking refuge In Bulgaria, and
their Bulgarian co-religlonlsts are at a
loss to know what to do with them.
There Is no work, even for skilled ar
tisans.
“A soup kitchen Is being run for
these people of Sophia, but many are
desperate. An allotment from our
American Jewish relief fund must be
made to care for them.”
Tn Roumanla there is need of cloth
ing and staple foods. It was Miss
•Goldman who made the Investigation
In this country also.
Clothing Greatest Need.
“The people needed clothing above
everything else.” her report reads.
"Almost everybody is shabby, and a
large percentage of the poor are prac
tically without clothing. I went Into
many homes where the inmates had on
mere rags or were huddled in torn
blankets of sacking.
“The second greatest need Is for
staple foods, such as dry beans, peas,
rice, vegetables, fats and the like.
Such supplies as are to be had are sold
at exorbitant prices.
“I was painfully Impressed by the
number of sick In Roumanln. In Bu
charest. out of a Jewish population of
45.000 there was an average of eight
funerals n day last winter. A large
percentage of typhus cases In Bucha
rest and Jassy have been among Jews.”
Machinery for the effective distribu
tion of relief In the Balkan countries
is In operation. More than $200,000
worth of supplies, Including several
tons of kosher meat, was sent from
New York late In .Toly to Constanza,
Roumanla. The American Jewish re
lief* committee, under the chairman
ship of Louis Marshall, plans to con
tinue regular shipments of this kind
to the Balkans and to Poland. Galicia,
Czecho-Slovakla. and the other coun
trlc»s.
For this purpose a fund of $35,000,-
000 Is being sought In the United
States this year.
of customs, who laid It before the ship
ping board. Mr. Curry bus since re
turned and reports that that board,
members of congress, and American
business men have promised to do all
they can for the Island.
Another oil depot Is being erected
here to meet Increased demands. The
people of St. Thomas believe It pos
sesses far better facilities than most
other West India Islands, and are de
termined to make known Its availabili
ty as a port of cull for supplying
steamer*.
Marine Good Walker.
Richmond, Va. —Ralph Walter Sluter
ambled over from his home ut Mount
Tell. W. Va., to Charleston, a distance
of 20 mill's, to Join the mariue corps.
Having successfully passed the exami
nation he strolled over home— another
20 miles, to tell his folks good-by.
Completing his farewell he mude his
way ever the West Virginia mouutuius
back to the recruiting olllce In ull.
Slater walked 78 inlb's to become a
marine.
He who Is happy Is forgetful.
FATHER OF LABOR DAY
GEORGE M’GUIRE
Died Nov. 1, 1913
LABOR’S OWN DAY
First Monday in September Is
Legal Holiday in Almost
Every State Now.
|HE American Federation of La
bor held an annual convention
at Columbus, ().. December B*l 2,
T
1880. At this session the olllcers re
ported the following:
“At the fourth session of the federa
tion a resolution was adopted making
the first Monday In September of each
year labor’s national holiday and rec
ommending its observance by wage
workers generally throughout the
country. This met with response that
exceeded the most sanguine expecta
tions. In our great manufacturing ami
distributing centers thousands of
workingmen marched in procession
and participated in the festivities of
the picnic grounds, where the most
skilled mechanics and workers in pro
fessions and laborers united in a com
mon celebration, exchanging friendly
fraternal greetings while they listened
to the champions of labor discussing
the economic and political questions of
the day. The good effects of this are
so well understood that we recommend
its more general observance still until
it shall be as uncommon for a man to
work on that day as on Independence
day.”
Nearly all of the states In the Union
now have statutes making the first
Monday in September a legal holiday,
thus obeerving Labor day.
In order that there be no misunder
standing with reference to the action
of congress In enacting legislation
upon this subject it Is well to state
that the law passed by congress June
28, 1804, described above, as making
Labor day a national holiday only pro
vided that Labor day should he ob
served In the District of Columbia, as
well as the then territories.
Labor day was established In the
various states und In the order and on
the dates named below: 1887, February
21, Oregon; 1887, March 15, Colorado;
1887, April 8, New .Jersey; 1887, May 0,
New York; 1887, May 11, Massachu
setts; 1889, March 20, Connecticut;
1889, March 29, Nebraska; 1889. April
25, Pennsylvania; 1890, April 28. Ohio;
1891, February 19, Maine; 1891, Feb
ruary 24, Washington; 1891, March 4,
Montana; 1891, March 4, Kansas; 1891,
March 9, Indiana ; 1891, March 11, Ten
nessee; 1891, March 31, New Hamp
shire; 1891, June 17, Illinois; 1891, Oc
tober 10, Georgia; 1891, December 22,
South Carolina; 1892, February 5, Vir
ginia; 1892, February 23, Utah; 1892,
July 7, Louisiana; 1892, December 12,
Alabama; 1893, February 11, Texas;
1S88, February 14, Delaware; 1893,
March 23, California; 1893, April 18,
Minnesota; 1893, April 19, Wisconsin;
1802, April 29, Florida; 1893, May 20,
Rhode Island; 1894, June 28, District
of Columbia and territories; 1895,
Aprtl 9, Missouri.
YOUTHFUL LABOR BOOSTER
n / X n
WORK
Morgan
WorKI
ThanK God for the might of It,
The ardor, the urge, the delight of It—
Worh that springs from the heart’s desire.
Setting the soul and the brain on fire.
Oh, what is so good as the heat of it.
And what is so glad as the beat of it,
And what is so Kind as the stern rg.
Challenging brain and heart and hand?
ThanK God for the pride of it,
For the beautiful, conquering tide of it. j}//, -g\
Sweeping the life in its furious flood. M A WK, a
Thrilling the arteries, cleansing the blood, l J?l
Mastering stupor and dull despair, A j7
Moving the dreamer to do and dare. / w jj
Oh, what is so good as the urge of it,\ //. Wtjjfm/JW'
And what is so glad as the surge of ik
And what is so strong as the
Rousing the torpid soul from sleep? V i
ThanK God for the swing of /
For the. clarroring, hammering ring of itl \ S
Passion of, labor-daily huffed / , , 'Jrf/fln.
On the mighty anvils ofjthe world/ 1 |
Oh, what,is so fierce as me flame/of it, 'jAjAAmtMh.
And what is so huge as the aim /of it, wSg? A''// fyAa
on through dearth and doubt, ) y 4%^%/
Calling the plan of the MaKeri oufc, • J A.V. /■. ■ V i /
WorK.the Titan; Worh, the friend, V
Shapi ng the earth to a glorious end-, —
Drain ing the swamps and bias tirig the hills. J
Doing whatever the spirit wilts,] y I'/ J
Rending the continent apart, W 4 V I
To answer the dream of the Master heart. M I
ThanK God for a world where none can shirK, /' XT r T
ThanK God for the splendor worW V Rj
ON a man’s birthday he should
think seriously about himself,
and especially about his weak
nesses. Let his friends praise him and
congratulate him; let him question
and criticize himself.
It is intelligent study, criticism of
ourselves that brings progress, wheth
er to the individual or to a great class
or to that which lubor is—an over
whelming majority.
Everything that you see is the re
sult of labor —from the skyscraper
with its steel skeleton to the copper
wire that carries your messages or
the food that keeps you alive.
To compare the value of labor and
capital is childish. There is no com
parison possible.
Take all the gold, all that which wo
ABOR left unrestricted uud unre
strained will produce and fix Its
own reward.
L
Labor should huve Its reward. When
labor falls to receive its Just reward,
confiscation has happened.
When man is deprived of ills prop
erty without due process of law, the
law says that is confiscation and will
not be allowed. As labor Is the work
ingmun’s property, and In most cases
ull the property that he has, the only
commodity which he has to sell—lt
must therefore follow that It is as
much the duty of the government to
prevent the confiscation of labor b it
is to prevent the confiscation of uny
other kind of property, asserts the
Washington Star. The man who takes
more than a reasonable profit on the
T
IHE "member of the union” Is the
ntun that pays only when he in
forced to. Usuully comes to the
meeting** only when he hiis an ax to
he ground. He Is the man that will
always say that the union has never
given hlin anything, as he would get
good wages If there never was a union
In existence. Ajul he ennnot see what
the officers are doing with all the
money.
The “union man” is a very different
person, lie attends his meetings reg
ularly, takes part In the debate that
Is In the Interest of the union, never
call wealth in the world, and it is ab
solutely nothing without labor to make
It productive.
On the other hand, put labor naked
on the earth, and soon It will do again
what it has done in the past—produce
the food, cut forests, drain the marsh
es, build the houses and build civili
zation.
Hut the laborer of any kind who re
joices in ids strength and who feels
conceit proves ills smallness, whether
he be a laborer with pick uud shovel,
or a laborer working ut a great ■scien
tific problem.
The thing for us to do Is to remem
ber our littleness, our shortcomings,
and try, by giving full credit to others,
to deserve credit for ourselves.—Ex
change.
(lay's labor of the workman commits
a crime against good morals, and in
such degree strikes a blow nt the
foundation of peaceful society.
Suppose the laboring classes should
demand and undertake by force to
compel the payment of a sum for their
services which ull men would agree to
be twice Its value, what would hap
pen ?
Immediately the cry would go up
that anarchy was in the lund, and the
strong linn of the government, civil
and military, would be called out to
prevent the confiscation of the money
of the employer, and properly so—but
why? Because labor had demanded too
much. But who is the anarchist when
the laborer gets too little? It is a poor
rule that will not work both ways.
permits himself to be suspended,
ways ready to extend u friendly hand
or net to any brother that may be In
distress. You can tlnd him In a union
shop because he Is a union man at
heart. And today the great lubor
movement Is carried on by the union
men und not by the so-called members
of a union.
The union man criticizes when crit
icism Is Justified and tights for whut
he thinks is right. The so-called mem
ber of a union kicks at all things, bat
never lights for anything.—Elevator
Constructor.