The Bismarck Tribune Newspaper, December 18, 1931, Page 4

4 THE BISMARCK TRIBUNE, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1931 The Bismarck Tribune An Independent Ni THE STATE'S OLDEST Published by The Bismarck Tribune Comany, Bismarck, N. D., and en- tered at the postoffice at Bismarck as ‘econd class mail matter. GEORGE D. MANN President and Publisher. Subscription Rates Payable in Advance Daily by carrier, per year......' $7.20 Daily by mail per year (in Bis- arck) 7.2 outside Bismarck) Daily by mail outside of North Dakota 6 Weekly by mail in state, per year $1.00 Weekly by mail in state, three VEATS coc cecsccecsseeeeseseeeee 50 “Weekly by mail outside of North Dakota, per year ......+..+++ 150 Weekly by mail in Canada, per year 2. Member of Audit Bureau of Circulation Member of The Associated Press The Associated Press is exclusively entitled to the use for republication of all news dispatches credited to it or not otherwise credited in this news- paper and also the local news of spontaneous origin published herein. All rights of republication of all other matter herein are also reserved. (Official City, State and County Newspaper) Foreign Representatives SMALL, SPENCER, LEVINGS & BREWER (Incorporated) CHICAGO NEW YORK BOSTON The Santa Claus Myth There is an attempt every year, on the part of those who are old and wise and @ little disillusioned with the drift of the years, to do away with Santa Claus. But somehow, when the odors of spruce and balsam start to spice the air, and the shop! windows sparkle with colored balls, the benevolent old saint with the white whiskers and red coat comes by again. Children may listen solemnly while their elders explain that he is a myth. But they don’t believe it. ‘They kriow better. They have seen him in the toy- lands of the store, walking up and down the streets, and whispered their secrets in his ears. They are a little sorry for grown-up folks who have forgotten that there is a thing called | magic in the land. Children so often are wiser than adults. They realize that life needs a fairy tale or two to make it hap- pier. Even if Santa Claus never| brings them all the gifts for which they have asked, they have caught the glamour of a shining moment in which they hoped that he would, and that is something. ~ Toys will get broken, of’ course—on Christmas morning and on other mornings. That is why‘ ‘éhildren should be permitted to catch magic. while they can, beforé’ ‘they have learned how quickly tinsel tarnishes and that Santa Claus is just the man next door dressed up. Magic is that breathlessness which makes a child's heart swell in the glad moment just before something’ lovely happens. It doesn’t cost any- thing. Yet it is as priceless’ as the myrrh and gold and frankincense jbelief in the value of universal edu- down the line. The illiterate is less apt to protest about bad living and Goldilocks and Three working conditions than the man who) be managed to get through grammar school ag a boy. That man, in turn,}- is more easily satisfied than the high school graduate, who doesn’t get dis- contented as quickly as the college man. In a nation that is committed to a cation, the possible effects of that rising scale of discontent are worth thinking about. Birds Twenty countries on five conti- 0| nents have joined forces for the pro- tection of many species of bird life, 00! some of the European nations that) formerly offered little or no protec- tion to man’s feathered friends tak- ing a leading part in this movement. According to a report’ of the Na- tional Association of Audubon Socie- ties, Italy of all the countries con- cerned has shown the greatest change of attitude, and from a nation of un- restricted bird slaughter a few years ago it has come to be one which has framed protective laws that are mod- els of efficiency. Practically all of the countries in- volved have not only passed laws pro- tecting the most important native bird species but have gone a step far- ther in establishing bird sanctuaries well distributed throughout migratory flight lanes. Progress has been gratifying but, there still remains considerable to be accomplished before our bird allies, are given the full protection neces- sary for the protection of bird and’ Plant life and for the comfort and) happiness of humanity. Too much) protection cannot be given the birds, especially those beautiful of song and plumage and useful as destroyers of noxious weeds and injurious insects. While hunting, land reclamation and deforestation decimated bird. life in the United States, the former is now aiding to restore it by fur- nishing, through hunting license fees, the money used for bird sanctuaries and for bird protection. The sports- man, although he still brings back: hig limited bag of pheasant, quail,| duck or other game, is making retri- bution. ‘ It Makes Us Think An automobile magazine, seeking to bring home the enormous loss of life every year on the highways, sug- gests that each reader imagine him- self as spectator at an event where 35,000 men, women and children are grouped together in a field and au- tomobiles and trucks run through it until not one is left alive. It then goes on to say that this ac- tually is done every year except that the grand massacre occurs in drib- Jets instead of in one hormble slaugh- ter. To anyone with an imagination tit spectacle conjured up by the idea is horrible indeed, but it does make us think. That is well, for if enough of us think on the subject that toll of 35,000 annually will be reduced. Thoughtlessness is the greatest enemy of safety. Writing to Criminals One of the oddest American cus- toms is the widespread habit of writ- ing letters to men who are accused of crimes. West Virginia's “Bluebeard” has which the wise men brought, as ra-| been deluged with letters from total diant as the starshine of a long ago eastern night, and it sings its way with a rhythm that catches the glory of the first Christmas carol that echoed across the peaceful fields of Bethlehem. ‘This year, when there is such an urge to be practical, there is a dan- ger that we shall let the spirit of| Christmas slip away. The very fact that life is harder thari usual for many people should be proof enough that we need its magic. After all, the most beautiful things in life are the unseen things, fantasy, faith, love, romance. And Santa Claus is compacted of all of them. Education a Menace? A new slant on the possible effects of universal education was furnished the other day by Dr. Robert A. Milli- kan, famous scientist, in an address at Hendrix college, in Arkansas. Dr. Millikan was sounding a warn- ing that colleges and universities must not try to educate too many students. This, he said, is a practice that tax- supported schools are especially apt to adopt; and he pointed to condi- tions in Germany as an example. In Germany, he said; young ‘men are crowding into the universities as never before; and he added: “The state has made such educa- tion practically free. The easiest and cheapest thing to do in.a time of un- employment is to go to the untver- sity. The result is that the profes- sions are being flooded with men for whom there’are no possible jobs; and Jobless, educated men make for social unrest, for revolutions and for wars.” The implications of that remark are interesting. Teaching a man how to think, apparently, is fine business as long as there is something for the anan to do with himself; but if you Jet tm sit down in idleness he is apt strangers ever since his arrest. The Philadelphia youth who shot his sis- ter’s lover has been getting eight or 10 letters a day. Capone receives scores of them. The only criminal who gets no fan mail is the one who has had no newspaper publicity at all. It is an odd business. Why do peo- ple write such letters? What is there in human nature that makes any man held for murder the object of so much frantic scrivening? It would take an extremely wise psychologist—or, per- haps, @ psychiatrist—to read the rid- dle. Editorial Comment Editorials printed below show the trend of thought by other edit They are published without r to whether they agree or dis: with The Tribune's policies. Postal Savings (New York World-Telegiam) of Postmaster General Brown and in- crease the maximum allowed individ- ‘ual depositors in Postal Svings banks from $2,500 to $5,000. The Postal Savings system has Proved a success in normal times, a life-saver in depression days. Be- tween July 1, 1930, and July 1, 1931, the number of depos! deposits from $175,271,868 to $345,- the deposits were $527,130,130, of $181,242,670 in three mont! Congress should grant the request itors increased from 466,401 to 762,172 and the total 887,460. On October 31 of this year ain New York, Dec. 18—From St. Louis, Mo., which is quite a good walk from Broadway, have appeared three brothers to take their places as new potentates of the American theater. | They are the Skouras brothers, who started out as shepherd lads on Greek hillsides and who now control more than 1,000 film houses between New} York and San Francisco. New York's Roxy theater and the towering Para- mount were rumored included in their more recent negotiations. Disinclined to talk about them- selves and quiet players in the finan- cial checker game by which they be- came kings, their vast acquisitions have remained unknown outside “the trade.” It's another ‘of those American tales of immigrant boys who.rose to great wealth and power. ‘The: movie theater ‘business has had a number such figures. There was, for in- Stance, a certain William Fox who once took, tiékets at a nickelodeon gate! 1 ee * The story ins in Skourohorian, Greece, named for their grandfather. Demetrius, eldest of four. brothers, wearied one day of driving cattle over’ the ancient farm. He had seen many of his clan come and go. He had de- termined that the future held little for them there. From friends who had gone to the United States he had heard of great opportunities. The four entered into.a pact. One would go ahead.” They would pool their resources and finance him. ‘When he had made a little money he would send for the others, So, 22 years ago, Charles Skouras found himself-in the New York streets witha few-dimes in his poc- ket. He took any sort of work. But working as a bell boy in one of the chance in St. Louis and cl ad- There he got a bell hop’s job in the Hotel Jefferson. For three years he remained, until he had money to send for the second brother, Spyros. Spyros got a job’as busboy in the old Planters Hotel. Last came George. Demetrius, leav- ing the new adventure to his younger peoeaerns stayed in Greece with the father. 2% @ Demetrius thought it might be well for the others to go in business for themselves. From Greece he could send olive oil and they would become importers. The oil, somehow, spoiled in transit. Their venture failed. It was 17 years ago that they again Pooled their fortunes and bought the old Olympic theater, St. Louis, for a ee valuable education was received while |? New York hotels. He heard about a] @ THIS CURIOUS WORLD few thousand. For tyros they proved unusually good showmen. They soon had taken| over a number of neighborhood thea- ters, The war interrupted their plans. Spyros became an aviator and Charles @ soldier. With money loosened at the war's end, they floated a big cor- poration and became showmen on a huge scale. One two-million and one five-million dollar theater building in St. Louis resulted. Thereafter, the usual stock sales and trades involve the story. | Warner Brothers came in; the broth- ers came to New York to head one 0% the Warner film departments; they broke with the Warners; they tool: over 51 Fox houses in New York alone; they took over a large string in California; they began to contre: theaters in every section of the realm. various litigations y they are ranked cs among ywest important factors in the show-world—for a thousand theaters are a lot of theaters! i (Copyright, 1931, NEA Service, Inc.) “BETORAY ¢ aniERtARy LONDON RAIDED On Dec. 18, 1917, London was raid- ed by German airplanes operating from bases in Belgium. Ten persons were killed and 70 in- jured by bombs from the German planes. One airplane was brought down by British anti-aircraft guns and an- other was believed to have fallen in- to the sea. A Union government was elected in Canada and voters confirmed Ca- nadian conscription laws. In Asia Minor, British troops seized the heights above Abu Dis, driving back Turkish troops. ‘Today, despite, and : US Pa OU ae | Quotations | All laws’ attempting to deal with private-voluntary sex relations should be repealed.—Helen Buckler, writer. ee The child who has been trained ver A Bey WAS FIRST TO SAY eeee: * There are four words, all composed of The same four letters, missing from the above. Can you fill them in? 13) Practically all of this represents the savings of those who cannot af- ford to lose a cent. Had it not gone into the government’s postal banks much of it would have gone into hid- ing under mattresses and behind fire- places. Although it may be with- drawn at any time, it earns 2 per cent interest, computed quarterly, and is as safe as the government itself. Opposed at first by the bankers, the Postal Savings system now is praised by them. They realize that in times of depression this system tends to keep money in circulation that other- wise would be hoarded. The money is immediately reloaned to banks that pay the government 2% per cent and guarantee its safety through deposits of government bonds and other ap- weuree collateral, “The meritorious work performed by this system should not! be handi- capped by the rigid limitation of $2,500, which is most burdensome and purposeless in times of financial dis- tress, when millions of dollars go in- to hiding,” Postmaster Brown de- ©1991 BY NEA SERVICE. INC. 12.0 simply to obey is not equi to face the complexities of m life— Flora Rose of Cornell university. + * @ Men are whatever women want them to be—John Barrymore, stage’ and screen star. see The shake of the hand has suf- fered such debility that a hearty one makes you wonder what the fellow wants—H. C. Bailey, English author. e ee The soc!al whole of the United Fy opens Anne ban heen en- to PHILIP ECROYD, younr lawyer, for eight years. They ean + marry hee: Spee Lye ad rt Ss NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY CHAPTER III ‘ARY-FRANCES folded ber legs under her, sat down on the floor near the fire, and sald with a trace of Rosalie’s manner, “I'll alt here. I'm something of a Bohe ro. myself. How do you fike Oregon, Mr. McKeel?” “Very much. ['m a native, you know. I've been away only tong enough to learn to appreciate tt. Wood fires like this, among other things.” . Mary-Frances’s answer, deliveted with a e“ghtly raised chin and shoulder, “Really? I'm afraid 1 can’t agree with you about wood fires.” was nothing whatever but an effort toward appearing grown up. “Can't? Why, | wonder?” “Do you realize, Mr. McKeel” (Grand’s manner was convenient, Go she used it) “that every one of the rooms in this mansion, 15 tn all, has a fireplace in ft, including the front hall and excepting the kitchen. Stop and contemplate what it means to get wood lugged up from the cellar and keep these fireplaces going, It's terrible,” she said, dismissing Grand’s manner as {nsufficiently intense, “just perfectly terrible for my sisters, Ann and Cecily. They have to carry it all up, and the won't let me help for fear I'll strain my back or some thing, and besides, my sisters have to pay for all the wood, and trying to keep this miserable barn of a place warm in winter ts almost im- possible. The fireplaces just gobble wood. Phil, he’s my sister Ann's flance, wanted to give her a tur nace for a Christmas present this but she couldn't let bim ‘cazse It cost so much more than be could really afford, and Grand and Rosalie would have bad Sts if they’d found out, anyway. Phil did sive my sister Ann a vacuum cleaner for an engagement present, two years ago, but—" Barry, squirming uneasily in his chair, forced an interruption. “It’s a great old house, though, fen’t {t? All this spaciousness, these bigh ceflings—" he looked at the ceiling, looked guiltily down again, and finisher. weakly—“and all that.” “T'll bet, said Mary-Frances, “you wouldn't think so if you bad to live here, Still,” she went on, unconsciously mature for a mo , Ment, “it would be better if we could admire it, since we do have were Sterling callers Tut er States is neither a nation in the his- America’s “healthiest boy” says he eats parsnips: mt ust be too oS ee es E but he manages to keep himself being knocked off for the Christmas (Copyright, 1981, NEA Serviée, Inc.) e vay { Christiana’ | - o . By VIOLET A. CLARKE Christ Schoon returned home Wed- nesday from 8t. Paul. Ole Newland’s Saturday. Mrs. Martin Magnus is spending a} few days with her parents near Flasher. ‘Mrs. Jennié Clarke and Miss Violet Sterling Elder Elness and Raymond John- esday. Mrs, Edward Smith was a caller Priday. son were callers at the home of Mrs. Julia Clark Satu Beamon irday. Gibson was a Sterling call- Saturday. Harold Steig of Driscoll wi as 8D overnight visitor at the J. W. Beyer home Sunday. 3 nigi Many from this vicinity attended! parents, Mr. and Mrs. Christ Schoon. McK to live here, Grand and Rosalie wouldn’t consider living anywhere else, But 1 suppose my sister Ce- eily told you all about it?” Cecily had said, “My two sisters and I livé with our grandparents. They like to bave us call them ‘Grand’ and ‘Rosalie,” and noth- ing else. Barer evaded, “Yes, she did men- tion the old people, and—" “You'd better,” Mary-Frances warned, “not let them bear you call them old people. Grand is just el- derly, and nobody has any idea how old Rosalie fs, Mystery, you kaow, is part of her charm; Rosalte says. it is burt of every tady’s charm. Phil, my sister Ann’s fiance. says. that Rosalie exudes charm. Maybe I shoulda’t bave said that. Ann told me not.to repeat it. But I think Phil meant it for a compliment, don’t you?” Barry moved in his chair end fumbled, “Yes—surely. Of course.” Mary-Frapces said, “Won't you smoke, Mr. McKeel?” “Thank you,” said Barry, and took out his cigaret case. “Just blow the smoke up the fue, if you can,” said Mary-Frances, the pod th hostess, “because. Grand doesn’t approve of cigarets, though he will condone a good cigar. 1 don’t thik be'll smel! it if you'll sit a little closer and blow up the chimney.” ¢ Barry closed his cigaret case. “After all.” he said, “I have smoked too much today. If you don’t mind, Tl wait dntil later.” “Not at all.” calc Mary-Frances. 3 & Bares! : | toelg enone, ‘or 4 community and Daily Health Service le oense —Laicien ; LEPROSY NO LONGER DREAD DISEASE ones - OF BIBLICAL TIMES, f BARBS | Only 200 to 300 Cases Found in the United States | | husband, fn = DR. MORRIS FISHBEIN who is found to be infected. Such pa- ter-sult for divorce, eaks. $1,000 a baila, Soahat ths aheitinas: tients are kept in the institution un- Sort cate eat Ng ee Se ae ae stadt ei Palade Records in the Bible and histories |Ohd until the patient has been found One of H. L. Mencken's critics calls|0f epidemics indicate that there was |to be completely free of all symptoms sas sophomore. MT even|s time when leprosy was among the ai agg of not less than six 16 freshman * with th) In feck e. reey treanman’ [soot feared of all epidemics. ‘Today |" sete found in contact with the patient, everything that may pos- ‘sibly have been contaminated by a Schoon. Beyer’s Monday. Henry Olson called at the J. W. ‘Miss Mildred Hansen was an over- ht visitor Monday with her grand-| When toast burns, it gets a black look. 1931, by bleday, Doran and Co. . inte the kitchen to face Ann. | of carrots, see ronert said, “Do you believe in pre-nuptial influences, Mr. “Do you believe in prenuptia) in- fluences, Mr. McKeel?” Barry glanced at her feetingly. She was seraphically pretty, look- ing up_at him with her big, earnest eyes, and as somber gnd as serious asa saint. “I'm afraid,” he said, “that 1 baven't given the matter enough consfderation to be able to express a sensible opinion con- cerning it.” “Men,” said Mary-Frances tact- fully, “aren't as much interested in that as ladies, I suppose. Mrs. Hill doesn’t believe in it at all. Mrs. Hill is my friend's, Ermintrude’s, | 4878. mother. Ermintrude is my best friend because she is really very deep; not like most of the other girls at McKinley High—tfrivolous and flirts and all, But Rosalie be Neves in it, because before she was born her mother looked at a pic: ture of Raphael's Sistine Madonna all the time. Of course Rosalie didn’t: turn out to look much like that Madonna, but she was beautt- ful in another way, and she was the toast of the south when she was @ girl and everything. How old would you think I was, Mr. Me Keel?” “Well, shall we say,” Barry best- tated and lie@ handsomely, as he would have led “20” to a doubtful 30, “around about 17 or 18?” “Seo there?” Mary-Frances said to her absent family, and began again, “Well, now, Mr. Mo Keel... .” Cron took her band away from ber throat just before she went “Angel,” she sald, “I'm an {diot and a selfish pig. I don’t know what possessed me. But I’ brought the McKeel person home— invited him to stay for dinner.” “But, Cecily!” Ann said, and turned from the towel at the sink where she had been drying her hands, and repeated, “But Cecily!” and added, “Why in the world didn’t you telephone?” “I don’t know. I haven't the faintest idea.” Cecily picked up the kettle from the table and looked unseeingly at the scant inch “He was waiting out- alde the building to meet me, When we got into his car he said, ‘Where to? Before I thought, 1 said, “Let's go home for dinner. I must have been mad—or something. But, Just for the moment—the drizsly rain and all—home seemed a place to come to. Everyone seemed to be hurrying home. I must have liked the sound of the word. Home! I’m 80 sorry, Ann, I just didn’t think at all. Your week to do the work— Till help, every minute—" “Silly!” Ann came to put an arm across Cecily’s shoulders. “It is all right, Why shouldn’t you come home? Nonsense about the work. But—but, honey, there isn’t a thing in the house for dinner. 1 was going to fix up some soup— fake it, really—and make some toast. The shops are closed Row. We'll have to plan—" “But the roast!” Cecily implored. “That good beef roast, There was Dlenty of it left—and the caramel Dudding. I did have sense enough to remember them before I asked him. Grand and Rosalie never eat meat for lunch, and I hid the cara- mel pudding.” Neither of the girls smiled, Despair was deep in Cocily’s delt- cate blond prettiness. Tragedy marred Ann’s dark beauty. “Mary-Frances and Ermintrude came home hungry after school and lunched— “But, Ann, they couldn't eat all that food! They'd burst.” “They didn’t eat it all. But there {an’t enough pudding to serve, and there isn’t enough. meat to do any- thing with—not even make hash.” “Well, what is the matter with ber, Ann? I never heard of such a thing~ Monday she ate all the (ef left from Sunday, and now “She's growing so fast, Cissy. She's so thin—away under weight. ‘We should be glad she isn’t dieting, lke so many silly girls are nowa- We can’t ask her not to eat, Poor baby—she has little enough.” eee oT HAT.” said Cecily, “sounds ike Grand and Rosalie in chorus, It’s soppy sentimental. We provide plenty of food for her. She could lunch on bread and butter and sugar—as we used to. I'll ask ber to stop coming home early and eating the family dinner every eve- ning. [1 ask ber right enough. She makes a little pig of herself— that’s what she does. The idea!” Ann took her arm from Cecily’s shoulder and walked some 40-0dd feet across the kitchen and opened cupboaré door. “You're mean,” she sald. “It isn’t my fault that Mary-Frances ate the dinner, is !t?” “I didn't say {t was your fault,” Cecily answered, and wondered why there wasn't something amus- ing about Mary-Frances’s having eaten the dinner, and wished Ann - would stop pushii ans about on that shelf, (To Be Continued) sate ke: