Evening Star Newspaper, August 7, 1921, Page 28

2 — e ———————————— ey “THE EVENING STAR, '_?\\'lxh Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. SUNDAY........August 7, 1821 THEODORE W. NOYES. . . . Editor The Evening Star Newspaper Company Business Office, 11th St. and Pennsylvania Ave. New York Office:~ Tribune Bullding. ational Bank Building. ¢ St., London, England. with the Sundsy morning is delivered by carriers within the city 60 cents per month; daily only, 45 cents per month; Sunday ouly, 30 cents per month. Or- ders may be sent by mail, or telephone Main 6000. Collection is muade by carriers at the end of each month. Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. Dally and Sunday..1yr., $8.40; 1 me Daily only ¥ .lyr.u.oo;xmo.soe Sunday only -1yT., $2.40; 1 mo., 20c All Other States. Daily and Sunday.1 yr., $10.00; 1 mo., 85 Daily only 1yr., $7.00; 1 mo., 80c Sunday oniy 1y, $3.00;1mo., 25¢ Climate and Goverment. ‘This has been a warm season—in- deed, a hot season—hot all over the world. It has been hot in Washing- ton, as elsewhere. Those who have been here throughout the summer have sweltered and suffered. but, if they have read the papers, and most of them have, they have seen that the residents of other places were suffer- ing and sweltering just the same, and that indeed Washington's average of the word of the publishers of “The Freeman,” a New York weekly, is to be credited, for in that periodical of current issue appears an article en- titled “A Comedy of Climate,” in which one who signs himself “Silex™ wittily and warmly sets forth the theory that an appalling blunder was committed in the heginning when the capital of the country was established here on the banks of the Potomac. For “Silex” is said to be a resident of this city. It would be an injustice to an ex- tremely interesting and skillful paper to paraphrase or abstract it. But per- haps its thesis can be gleaned from the following extract: “Many a man of his kind has come to ‘Washington planning great plans and committing the blunder of trumpeting them abroad in the papers. The ex- pectation he has thus aroused lives on to mock him, whilst he himself has sunk to rest amid clerkly inertia, to be mocked at again by the demon of cli- mate, The wonder is that any gov- erning is done at all. How much of the wind in the Senate is really Potomac airs?” This is not the first time that the climate of Washington has been at- tributed as cause of slowness of gov- ernmental action, or even of the mistakes of statemanship. Indeed, it is the favorite alibi. But it leaves much to be desired as a proof. In the first place most of the governmental work—that is to say, legislative—is conducted in the winter and the spring, ‘when Washington is not sweltering. Is there some peculiar quality in the winter airs from the Potomac that ‘causes nirvanic lassitude, that halts ambition, that stays performance, that discourages progress? Any criticism or commentary upon the influence of climate upon govern- ment should be really accompanied by tables. What have been the tempera- tures on the occasions of great de- cisions? What have been the averages of heat or cold during periods of seem- ing inertia while bills have been in process of committee consideration? What has been the meteorological mean during the long debates in House and Senate, particularly the Senate? ‘We here in Washington—"Silex,” if a genuine Washingtonian, should know— have always had an idea that hot ‘weather has tended to speed up legis- lation rather than retard it; that the lawmakers were more prone to action while the temperatures were high in order-to get rid of them. “Silex” says that Washington pro- duces a dullness of spirit, due, he inti- mates, to the climate. But would the government service be any more joy- ous-if performed anywhere else? It 18 & grind, a routine, and it would be Just as drab and colorless in Maine or inTexas as inexorable circumstances have made it here. It is to be feared that this entertaining commentary upon the effect of climate at Wash- ington upon the character and the quality of government is a by-product of a hot summer. ———————————— ‘Lenin and Trotsky are expected to quit before the food shortage in Rus- sia - becomes a practical incident in their personal affairs. *‘Liquor Contraband Carriers. A lively international question is in- volved in the recent seizure of a schooner of British registry off the American coast on the charge that she ‘was engaged in the carriage of liquor for transport into the United States. ‘The ship was lying some distance be- yond the three-mile limit, which is the ‘boundary of national jurisdiction. That she carried a cargo of liquor, part of ‘which had been sent ashore in small ‘boats and part thrown overboard just before seizure, is not disputed. The owners of the schooner contend that there is no law for the capture of the | ‘vessel and are moving in court for her release. Orders have been issued by the Department of Justice to proceed with a libel against the schooner on the ground that she was engaged in smuggling, and that any vessel that enters within twelve miles of the coast of the United States is under the law of this country subject to capture. The three-mile limit is a standard of national jurisdictional boundary in in- ternational law. claim jurisdiction beyond that limit for any purpose? That is the ques- tion Involved in the case of the Mar- shall. Upon its determination will de- pend in large degree success of the measure now being taken to enforce the prohibition amendment and the en- forcement law to prevent the entry of liquor into the United States by sea. Knowledge of the law is supposed in all cases. It is, of course, obvious that every ship owner and master| knows that the laws of this country prohibit the importation of liquor. All, temperature has been if anything a of their being taken and confiscated shade more endurable than in certain|under the federal laws. And mean- other cities, even northern ones. But|while, as this new question of the somehow the heat has got under the|twelve-mile limit is under considera- skin of at least one Washingtonian, if!tion, it may be doubted whether many are supposed to know also that the Revised Statutes of the United States set a twelve-mile limit against the ap- proach of any ship laden with con- traband goods consigned to this coun- try. It will be plainly very difficult to en- THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C.. AUGUST 7, '1921—PART 2. Politics at Home|Only Americans Have Right ‘which would not rejoice in a visit from him. And when it comes to the presentation of his case for indorse- ment at the polls, he will be, if he chooses to play the role, his party's Lest spellbinder. Mr. Roosevelt took this view of the force the prohibition act if ships cln.quesllon. and acted on it with profit bring liquor within three miles of and pleasure to himself. While Presi- shore for transshipment to small boats dent he moved about a good deal, and and landing upon the coast. It will be!in his breezy way—all the more forc- much less difficult to enforce it if the limit of approach is twelve miles. But should there not be some way, re- gardless of the number of miles of.ap- proach, for a ship that is engaged on contraband traffic to be permanently denied entry into an American port? It is believed that much of the liquor now being smuggled by sea into this oc | country is carried by ships, both steam and sail,,that do not actually enter port or even cross the three-mile line. They run from some foreign port spe- cifically for this purpose. Other ships carrying contraband are known to dis- charge their illicit cargoes outside the line and then proceed to port with an innocent consignment of goods. If such traffic can be proved against u ship in those circumstances it would seem to be justifiable to hold her upon entry as having been engaged in smug- gling. The way to break up this liquor smuggling game is to take the ships. A few seizures will quickly put a de- cided crimp in the practice. Ship owners will not risk their vessels in the traffic if there is a large chance of the liquor ships will venture to drop their contraband into small boats within twelve miles of shore. — School Teachers’ Pay. In The Star yesterday was printed an article which told of the return in great numbers of school teachers to their old positions in the grade and high schools throughout the country. In consequence & shortage in teach- ing talent which was acutely felt some years ago and until this season has continued to embarrass educators has ceased to be a problem. Nearly 600,- 000 are mow preparing, it is stated, to take over classes at the beginning of school next month. This return of the teachers to their former duties is due in large part to the fact that the teachers’ compensa- tions have been considerably increased. 1t is due also to subsidence of the com- petition stimulated by the war for the services of trained workers. Wash- ington suffered seriously from this cause when teachers were drawn away from the schools in great numbers by higher pay offered in government and business lines. It was then sharply developed that the average teacher’s pay was much lower than the pay of even unskilled workers and far below that of artisans. No teacher could be blamed for relinquishing a work re- quiring long training and study for an unskilled position in which she could get perhaps twice as much money. Nothing could more distinctly demon- strate the inadequacy of the pay of those to whom the education’ of Amer- ican youth is entrusted. Everywhere in the country teachers pay scales were revised, until today they are more nearly equitable and sufficient than ever before. ‘The marvel during that period was that any teachers at all remained on duty- That most of them did so through love of the work and a sense of loyalty was a high tribute to them. ‘Washington suffered with other com- munities in this respect, but it was gepecially favored by the continuation on duty of a large number of the teachers, perhaps a larger percentage than in other cities, for there was im- mediate prospect of relief in the form of better pay. Yet at times it seemed almost impossible to continue the schools. During 1918-19 particularly the local school system was handi- capped by a teacher shortage. The hope is that there will be no future failure in this respect. The les-| son that has been learned during the past few years should be permanent. Communities should realize that teach- ers, perhaps above all other municipal workers, deserve good pay, not merely just enough to keep them alive and decently clad and comfortably housed. but to enable them to improve them- selves by study and by research dur- ing their vacation period. They are charged with a weighty trust. They have in their care the molding of the characters as well as the minds of the younger generation. If they become discontented they are reduced in ef- ficiency, and to the degree that they feel that their services are appreciated and properly rewarded they remain active, helpful, progressive, instructive workers for the welfare of the country. ¥ It would be perhaps too much to ex- pect a peace conference not only to check warfare, but to eliminate all rossible topics of future debate. f The English interviewer may not mold public opinion, but he can exer- cise a great influence on the writers of guest cards for banquets. l England has earnest sentiment for plain commercial ship as well as for ‘one of Sir Thomas Lipton’s yachts. The term “destroyer” as it relates to naval programs does mnot in itself suggest constructive enterprise. The President and the People. In his address at Lancaster, N. H., ‘Thursday the President said: “I think it is a perfectly natural and ‘commendable trait of the American peo- ple that they like to see and know those | Can any ccu-trylwhou they commission to places it is a mighty a little better the Ame er r- thority. On the other hand, good thing for those who aathority to kml.{' I‘ ‘way, if the would only permit, I woul how to come in contact with all the peo- ple of these great United States.” Mr. g may have his way later. After he gets matters—those of the most pressing character—straight- ened out—say, next year—he may be able to swing around the circle, and swing often. There will never be a lack of invitations. He has shown his quality as mixer and speaker, and there ia no section of the.country ible because of its unconventionality— brought the people close up to him and the great office he was holding. ‘When one thinks of Mr. Lincoln—of his charm as & mixer and his felicity as a speaker—the suggestion comes pat enough that had not the war inter- nosed—chaining him to his desk in ‘Washington, and making all condi- tions throughout the country abnor- mal—he would probably have set the pegs for visiting while President, and endeared himself to the people in that way even more than by the diligence and patience he exhibited as the matchless conductor of the war. His heart was warm, and as the head of affairs discussing affairs with those who had put him in office he would Fave been inspired by the crowds and carried all before him. —_——t—— The Broken Streak. “Can’t win ’em all!” cried the philo- sophic fari yesterday afternoon, when the winning streak of the Nationals was broken on the twelfth game. That is the fundamental fact of base ball. There was never yet a winning streak that was not broken. Otherwise there would be no concern in the game. Even a hopeless tail-ender will win a game now and then, and the most determined and accomplished and re- sourceful pennant-winner drops a con- test occasionally. That is what makes base ball so interesting. Washington’s aggregation has had a remarkable run of good fortune during the past fortnight. There is solace for yester- day’s defeat in the fact that the eleven straight victories put the team in a position of reasonable security for third place and gave it a chance for the much-coveted flag. And now comes the opportunity for another winning streak. Perhaps the next onc will be longer. Followers of the sport well remember that record-breaking streak of seventeen straight games, some years ago, broken by & home-run hit over the wall in the ninth inning. Maybe this season will see that per- formance duplicated. If so, there will be reason to get ready for a world championship series here in Wash- ington. And even in other circum- stances. You never can tell in base ball. ——mt—————————— Jazz for the Phone Girls. There is hope for an improvement of the telephone service in London. Americans who have visited the Brit- ish capital know something about that service. They have come back home feeling that the average American switchboard operator has been a veri- table Puck for nimblenese and intelli- gence compared with her British sis- ter. It used to be said that one went er on one's lips, as to a veritable rite. Nothing was hurried. Nothing could be. Now even London is.getting a bit impatient with the leisurely service and ways and means of putting a little life into it are being considered in the house of commons. The other day a member of that body seriously pro- posed that a little *‘jazz” be introduced into the lives of the hello girls. Ten minute band concerts and frequent dances, he thought, would give the jaded operators some much needed pep. He also suggested that good re- sults would come from surrounding the plug pullers at central with “snappy” pictures. He did not specify, but the imagination is let free. Be- tween jazz and snappy pictures per- haps the London phone service may be brought to life. This is an idea for American telephone managers in case the system here ever gets run down and in need of tonic. ——t——————— No Secretary of the Treasury has dicovered a form of taxation that he could commend positively as accept- able to all types of citizenship. —— e Tn a few cases exploited in the courts the lawyers are entitled to ex- tra fees for their services as assistant press agents. .SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Fickle Audience. An orator in accents proud, Exclaimed, “Behold, I get the crowa!” & Then suddenly to his dismay, His auditors had turned away! There had arisen some new cause For laughter and for loud applause— An organ grinder came along And hypnotized the listening throng. Mental Feats. “Has your boy a retentive mem- ory?” 3 “I'll say he has,” replied Farmer Corntossel. *Josh knows the names of more race horses and motion pic- ture actors than anybody else in the county.” Jud Tunkins says he wishes he hadn’t learned to like tobacco when he was young, because it has spoiled his taste for cigarettes. Strange Possibilities. In toil obscure much influence may lurk And help to complicate a plot that thickens. Some coral insect may be at work - Upon an island that will raise the dickens. Comprehension Not Essential. “Do you understand the theories of that- philosopher whom you read so much?” “Certainly not,” replied Miss Cay- enne. “I don't pretend to understand the plot: of a musical comedy, but I enjoy it.” Unpoetic. “Why did the Arab fold up his tent and silently steal away “I suppose,” said the camper, “it wvas the same old story. . The mosqui- toes got to be toomuch for-him.* ~ to a telephone in London with a pray-|. “Forward, Not Backward.” The slogan of Harry St. George Tucker in the recent Virginia primary was, “Back to,the Constitution.” The slogan of his competitor, State Sena- tor Trinkle, was, “Forward, not back- ward.” Mr. Trinkle won easily by a majority of over twenty thousand. Mr. Tucker is verging on seventy years. His opponents declared he was too old for office, and quoted his slo- gan as supporting their declaration. His mind, they said, was dwelling in the past. He was riding with his back to the locomotive. Mr. Trinkle is in bis middle forties— a young man, as politicians are reck- oned. Hence his slogan. His sup- porters asked for votes on the decla- ration that he was living in the pres- ent, and thinking of the future in the light of existing conditions. He was forward-looking. He was riding with his face to the locomotive. Is there any meaning, any lesson, in this Virginia primary for democratic politicians on the national stage? Some of them—Mr. Bryan among the number—have adopted the slogan, “Back to Jeffersonism.” Are they dwelling in, and too much on, the past? Are they riding with their tacks to the locomotive? Others have adopted the slogan, “Forward, not backward.” They do inot disparage Jeffersonism. They con- cede its excellence when it was pro- mulgated and applied. But that, they contend, is in the past. The country, they insist, must ride with its face to |the locomotive, and note the ap- proaches to things. The democratic party, to be a going concern, must think, and act, “in the living present.” ‘Will this new ism be known in 1924 as Wilsonism, or Coxism, or McAdoo- ism, or some ism to be developed be- fore that time out of the commotion which is now shaking the political world to its center? Women and Office. At a special election held in Mis- souri Tuesday three constitutional amendments were adopted. At the bottom of the poll was the amendment permitting women to hold all state offices. Why, now that they have secured ithe vote, there should be objection to women in office or in the jury box is not clear. And yet there is objection. Some men who favored putting the ballot into the hands of women are opposed to their holding office, or do- ing jury duty. The right to vote they seen to think covers the whole case. And there are women, strange to say, ‘'who stop there, too. The ballot alone contents them. They declare they have no desire for office, either legislative or executive, and prefer to keep out of the jury box. In this, however, they are not with- cut company. Many men, highly qual- fied, avoid office; and it is a familiar story how earnestly men seek to avold jury service. A summons to that service throws them into a cold per- spiration. But if the benefits promised and ex- pected of the enlarged electorate are to appear and be enjoyed, women must share fully in all the responsi- bilities of citizenship. They must help make and execute the laws, and help try cases in court. If sacrifices of per- sonal comfort, or éven other sacrifices, are necessary, they must be made. The new order is a very large order, and both men and women should ex- ert themselves to see that it has a fair jand unrestricted trial. —— Democratic Perkiness. The republicans would do well to take note of the fact that where there are campaigns this year the democrats are making a “front.” There is no lack of aspirants for office. Men are figuring on nominations as if con- vinced there is something for demo- crats to fight for. This perkiness grows out of two things: (1) A calculation that last vear's extraordinary combination is bound to go—indeed, is already going to pleces—and (2) the divisions now appearing in the republican ranks over legislative propositions. The combination which swept the republicans into power was extraordi- nary both in the matter of size and in that of its elements. It was a record as to the number of vetes it com- manded; and many of these votes were found in quarters where hitherto the republicans had appealed in vain. There is some warrant, therefore, for a belief that disintegration is bound to set in, if not now in progress. s As to the republican divisions over congressional questions, they are in the nature of things. It would be im- possible for any party to take up such issues as the republican party now kas in hand and escape lively conten- tions. Nevertheless, there is danger in those contentions. Unless kept within reasonable bounds and handled with care they may spread beyond Capitol Hill and affect the spirit of the party organization throughout the country. There is work for the harmonize: and the sooner he gets busy\the bet- ter for legislation and those responsi- ble for it. He will be well advised, too, if he goes into all the questions at issue, and those likely to enter later ifito the appeal for control of the next Congress. % \ The domiciles for our diplomats abroad are regarded as adequate. It seems a little unfair to allow the high cost of living to intrude itself on at- tention that should be strictly avail- able for grave international subjects. $ The leading item in a questionnaire is, after all, the simple inquiry, “Are you able-bodied and willing to work?” i About all the -nvlhtl!tllcln now ex- pect to do when a meeting is called is to get together and tell their troubles. ) Utoplan enterprises invariably call for a large and complex capitalization that bars the practical business man. ’ ‘War taxes are nothing new to Ger- man citizens. They have been paying them all their lives. l A tariff debate is often likely to pro- mote patience as well asiadustry, THOS. R. MARSHALL. Former Vice President of the United States, E are 20 young, as his- tory counts time, that our divisions into class- es are more artificial than real. I trust we are not yet divided into patricians and ple- ‘bians beyond the ability of democ- racy to destroy the wall. If that . state of society should arise it ‘would render still more difficult the solution of pressing problems. For no man speaks with his voice alone. He talks as well with the aura which surrounds him. Should we ever become definitely divided, the’ attempt to voice an honest opinion would subject the utterer to serious criticsm. If a patriclan, for instance, impressed with the justice of some plebian cause, should voice his opinion he would be accused of having deserted his friénds; should he keep silent, he would betray his own conscience. Likewise with the plebian. We have not yet reached that point. Of course, there are always cer- tain cock-sure men who cannot be mistake These, however, consti- tute but a few and have slight in- fluence. The average honest Amer- jcan knows and confesses that at times he is right, that at other times he is unintentionally wrong. Between the extremes of thought :l. found the medium of just con- uct. * x k¥ It is difficult to determine what is a capitalist. At what point a man ceases to be a worker and be- comes a capitalist has never been fixed by law, and I doubt if it ever will be settled by opinion. If it depend upon money or ownership of property, certain labor leaders were capitalists at their death, judging by the inventories of their estates. This is a problem in def- inition too large for my solution. It is on & par with what is a living wage. Unable to define a capitalist and a laborer, I choose to think myself to be just a plain worker at the only task I was ever taught. 1 thought I found right and wrong in both grades while I was Gov- ernor of Indiana. After my ex- perience in that office I became more than ever convinced that it was the individual and not the station in life that counted. I was harassed by two strikes. Fortu- nately they were settled without bloodshed or destruction of prop- erty. In one the labor union was wholly to blame. In the other the employer was aitogether at fault. To those of us who care neither, for Trojan nor Tyrian there seems to be mistakes by both capital and labor. * kK X Human nature will associate. Men of like minds will combine. Doctors, lawyers and dentists have their labor unions, but do not de- nominate them as such. It is an inherent right of men to organize if they choose. No one has the right to break up their organiza- tions in order to say that they cannot exist. On the other hand, no labor unifon hag a bit more right to tell me that I cannot work un- less I join the union than a church has a right to insist that I must become a member before I can hope to do business. A just solution of these prob- lems will test the intelligence and try the patience of the American people without having a disturb- ing element thrown into the equa- tion. I hold no briet for Mr. Gom- pers, president of the American Federation of Labor. Indeed, he has needed no lawyer. He h been able forcibly to present his own cause, not only to the public, but to the radical elements in his own ranks. Whatever opinion may be about many things he has urged, it cannot be disputed that he has been an individualist. Be- fore Mr. Gompers, in conjunction with Mr. W. E. Walling, wrote “Qut -of Their Own Mouths” he must have read from the ancient writings of his people, “Take us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines; for our vines have tender grapes” His volume dis- closes from official documents the horrible story of the red rule in Russia, the history of the throt- tling of free speech and a free pr:‘:;. of compulsory labor, or crimes wort tha fn ll'lyllh'el.md .g an o blerised “peopie. ana" then re- veals the lying promises of ty- rants to reform the abuses in the hope of obtaining foreign trade. * % * ¥ ‘Whenever we are unable to reach a man in any other way we try to do business with him. If ¥ can convince you that it is to your ma- terial advantage to transact busi- ness with me you will speedily forget my religious, political and economic views. The soviet gov- Of Free Speech in America ernment of Ru: , having failed to convince the American people that it was an expression of the free and untrammeled thoughts and de- sires of the Russian people from a political ‘standpoint, is now exerting every effort to convince us that we are losing trade and consequently profits. It is to the everlasting honor of both President Wilson and President Harding that they were not decefved by this new and in- sidious attack upon our system of government. The discussion never- theless goes on. Thoughtless edi- torials are written. Immature opinions are expressed that we ‘would not be giving our consent to this autocracy of mob leadership, but would simply be doing business with the Russian people. It is quite apparent to me that the pur- pose was not trade, but the destruc- tion of our system of government and of all government that is not based on the military-supported will of a few ambitious men to de- termine who is and who is not a workingman. That _determination thus far has depended upon whether the man was in favor of the rapine, pillage and murder instituted by Lenin and Trotsky. * x % % ‘We may consent regretfully that the Russian people must abide by this horrible system of government until they have the power to change it. But it is no part of our duty to have diplomatic or pre- tended business relations with a government that avows its inten- tion to put the world in a like con- dition to its own. I have no right to criticise Mr. Lloyd George. He does not represent me. But I ven- ture to assert that one of the mis- takes of his administration was his trade agreement with the pres- ent ruling classes of Russia. The little money that the British people may get out of it will be but slight compensation for the dis- turbance which will inevitably arise among British laborers and for the delay of the Russian people in expressing a free opinion as to the kind of government they desire. We consent that it is the right of a people to establish and or- dain any form of government they may select. As a necessary corollary to this proposition it is self-evident that it is the duty of a government to maintain its sys- tem. If it is unable or unwilling to do this it is already in the throes of dissolution. It is not of much use to speak of law and of liberty if men are to despise the one and fail to defend the other. Among the guaranties of our sys- tem of government is the right of free speech and free press, the right openly to advocate the al- tering, reforming and changing of our system of government. No one who knows anything will deny that the great basic principle of individualistic democracy is the right to the free expression of in- dividual opinion, not categorical- ly, but for the purpose of having the opinion tested by the calm and dispassionate thought of one's fellow men. LR R Tt is necessary now in the inter- est of good government and the perpetuity of our institutions to determine how far this right of speaking and printing goes. It may be that this right was a right that was granted to mankind. It may be that though a man owes no allegiance to this government, despises it and refuses to obey any of its laws, he may, merely be- cause he is what we call a human being, have a right by his voice and his pen to instill discontent in the minds of the ignorant, the idle and the thoughtless. For myself, a believer in and a defender of the right of free speech and free press as the one sure guaranty of preserving the liberties of this people, as the pop valve, so to speak, that will prevent the ma- chinery from being destroyed, I must insist that this right belongs to American citizens and to Amer- ican citizens only. Insidious statements about loss of trade, about the glorious con- dition of the workingman in Russia and the brutality of the employers of labor in this coun- try should come, if they come at all, from men who are American citizens. They should not be per- mitted as paid expressions of opinion, planted and germinated by the press bureau of the soviet governmnet. We are going to have trouble enough, alas, in settling our labor disputes through the advice of those who believe in our institutions, with- out consenting to the darkening of the minds of our workers with the false tenses of how the ty- ranny of Hhssia is the liberty of the laboring man. (Copyright by Thomas R. Marshail.) BREAD CAST ON TRADE WATERS How bread cast upon the trade waters comes back to the American consumer in truly biblical style is shown in the work of the Porto Rico agricultural experiment station, un- der the supervision of the federal de- partment, because while the benefits to labor and for the most part to owners are local, the consumers in this country profit because they would have to pay higher prices if wasteful and costly methods of production con- tinued. Emphasis is laid by the specialists of the department upon the fact that from Porto Rico there comes into this country each year a large contribu- tion to the sugar, fruit, vanilla and tobacco supply. The prosperity of the island for five centuries has been dependent upon agriculture. As there is no coal or water power, Porto Rico will never become & manufacturing country, and in the economic scheme it is proper that this country should encourage the trade barter of their agricultural produce for American ‘manufactured goods. * * *x It has been found extremely diffi- cult to get Porto Rican planters to grow rice and other crops in rotation with cane in order to benefit the soil. Becau! of recent high prices for sugar, the lands have been kept in cane too long. Specialists in the ex- periment station at Mayaquez have ‘warned the planters to prepare for & fall in sugar prices. Rice cultivation is unpopular because special machin- ery has to be installed. Legumes give as substitute rotation crops with cane. The tobacco indus- try is thriving, and capable of great expansion with less attention than other agricultural projects. The re- lation of the Porto Rican tobacco crop to American industry is inter- esting. It is an important source of supply for the cigar manufacturing interests in Tampa, Flg, and it works in well with the American shade- grown wrapper tobacco produced in the Connecticut river valley. The live stock industry of Porto Rico is poorly developed and offers a promising opportunity for American ¢lfltll and American specialists to bulld up an important line of trade. * * % Probably the fruit production of Porto. Rico interests the American consumer more than any other crop. Pineapples, grapefruit and oranges are the main products. American capital has recently become interested in the local canning of surplus pineapples, the bottling of grapefruit juice, but owing to the lack of shipping facili- ties there is an immense annual los of citrus fruit which might be placed on: the American market during a period when it would not come into height-of-the-season cqpnpetition with the citrus crops of Florida and Call- fornia. Specialists in the experiment sta- tion believe that by their constant dissemination of agricultural infor- mation, by the production of foods other than those native to the island— such as the common temperate-zone vegetables—and by scientific investi- gations aimed at the correction of ad- verse agricultural conditions, general standards of life and production in Porto Rico may be raised with a re- flex the comsuming public in this country and the lessen- ing of dangers that threaten from lower standards of living in other countries which are coming into com- mercial competition with American industry. Sunday question is being fought. Here it fs a question of Sunday papers and of passing the Sabbas of it as was not given to divine wor- One of the worst steamboat disasters n the history of the country occurred Sunday, July 30, 1871, Steamboat When the Staten Island Z ferryboat Westfield was Disaster. piopm up at her dock at the foot of Whitehall street, New York. mostly Sunday excursionists. The botler exploded just as the steamer was about to leave her slip, tearing open the decks and causing the most terrible havoc. The engineer of the steamer said that he tried the cocks of the boiler a few moments before the explosion and found the water at the upper cock. There were at that time about twenty-seven pounds of steam in the boiler and the steam was blowing off at the safety valve. He believed that the cause of the ex- plosion was probably the breaking of the joints of plate wires with which the boiler had been patched at the rear end. In later i{ssues of The Star the ques- tion of the responsibility for the dis- aster s discussed. An examination showed that the boller had broken at the point of being patched and that the iron had been eaten out around the rivets until it was s thin as four sheets of letter paper. The Secre- tary of the Treasury expressed the opinion that the inspector of steam- boats must have been at fault, and! he ordered a rigid examination. 'Sub- ( sequent details confirmed the belief that the boiler, though passed for service by the federal officials, was in a bad condition, and that the acci- dent was attributable directly to in- sufficient care of inspection. * * * The Sunday question, which has been considerably agitated of late as a result of reported Contest Over Plans for the enact- ment of laws for Sab- Sunday LaWs. o0 observance, is by no means a new issue. It was being fought out rather sharply fifty years ago, as noted in The Star of August 1, 1871, as follows: “Washington is not the only city in which the never ending battle on the Sunday shaving. In New Haven it is the Sunday horse car_question—set- tled here long ago. Poor people in that city who find it too hot to walk to church in comfort want the cars to run. The good people who have their own carriages oppose the run- ning of public conveyances on the Sabbath and the community is greatly agitated. In Cincinnati. however, where it is « question of Sunday mu- sic and Sunday beer, the fight rages with bitterness. It has been the habit there tor some years with many of the people to make Sunday more a day of recreation than of mere re- liglous observance, and the large Ger- man leaven in the population has maintained the transatlantic manner h, or such part &hip. in the numerous beer gardens. which, according to European custom, have been enliveyed by music. But the powers that be have put an end to all this and are determined to en- force the recent legislation declaring both the beer and the music criminal upon this one day of the seven. It is DIGEST OF FOREIGN PRESS German Pacifists. The Frankfurter Zeitung declares that the decisions of the allies re- specting Silesla and other questions will have a great effect for good or evil on the elements that are sup- porting the Wirth government. It speaks of “the quiet, peace-loving German, who forms the background to the Wirth cabinet,” and expresses the hope that this type rather than the “noisy, chauvinistic talker” will be encouraged in the future by the allies. The paper sa: “Germany has now a government which honestly desires an understand- ing. Understanding, recomstruction. reconciliation were the determining points in the program of Dr. Wirth's recent speech. Possibly his words were spoken more for the world out- side than for the German people. And from the world outside the echo re- turns. Not as if words alone could open our hearts. by no means, but in important places opinion becomes stronger that it is possible to work together with such men as are now in the cabinet without using force or threatening words. The solution which Germany's home and foreign policy has found seems to have brought satisfaction to men in the ad- versary's camp who are not preju- diced against us. For two and a balf years we in Germaany have wanted Teal peace, the peace of one nation to another, of one humane being to an- other. We trembled with weakness and desire to break with the past, but the strong arms which could have re- ceived us shook fists at us. Europe might have become & new idea—but it remained in groups of states and wers. pt“‘flld the possibilities, which pre- sented themselves. the great chance of a real peace witha great conquered nation been understood in the con- queror's world roundabout Germany much would have been won for the Present, and for the future. The Ger- man military state existed no long- er, the people were there (the peo- ple of whom it had been said that war was not being carrid on against them), they were defenseless and weak, but yet strong enough to take upon themelves the ‘weight of a peace which started like a new war. The German people wanted peace even at the price of great sacrifice, they wanted still more, reconciliation. ‘This absolute desire for peace ‘which existed in 1918, has been subjected to the greatest shocks, and it is indeed wonderful that it has not been quite uprooted. In spite of all this it is almost incomprehensible that we in Germany have a_democratic govern- ment, which desires an understanding With our former enemies, not only for political reasons, or from recogni- tion of our own weakness, but from an inner conviction that only real peace can lead to happiness. The irth cabinet may pledge the world for a democratic policy—it is difficnlt to know how long or how short it will Tast. It is of special importance that just now our former adversaries should recognize that the last great political decision in Germany, the ceptance of the ultimatum, is still quite undecided in character; wheth- or it will be en episode or a boun- tone. d":l"lle. next weeks will bring deci- sions of the greatest importance for Germany,”continues the writer, “what is decided about Upper Sileria, what will be done about the sanctions, th will all influence tremendously the Inner political development of Ger- many; not so much German politics as the German individual ‘who desired to have done with force and was the burden which the The German whom the men of the entente_could depend upo! noisy, chauvinistic talker, who is still to be found in many organizations, nor the radical-utopean pacifist to whom nothing matters, but the in- dustrious, guiet, peace-lov! Ger- man, who form: e the ‘Wl;lh ul:ln‘ has- undergon ment and is ready to recog! Joss Of the war. This is very im- portant, for this recognition implies h i to hinitr a means jpportunity arises. . decisions will be king of thin ‘un FIFTY YEARS AGO IN THE STAR |. More than eighty persons were killed and as many more were severely in- jured. The story of the disaster was told in The Star of July 31, 1871. The steamer carried about 300 people, argued by the opponents of the lax that it 18 no more harm for the poo man to drink beer in a public garde than for the rich one to drink wine & home, and that music, one of the mos elevating and refined enjoyments loses nome of its charms on the da set apart for worship and rest, a proved by the emulation among th churches to secure the finest choirs A convention of thirty German socie ties met and adopted resolutions de nouncing the Sunday laws as an en croachment upon idividual rights, in compatible with the state costitutiol and the American idea of personal lib erty. Against this movement th evangelical churches held larg meeting last Thursday., which wa also attended by a number of promi nent laymen. to take action the proposed repeal of the laws.” * * % Judge Wylie of the District Suprem: Court opened the hearing on the im provement bond injunc Bond Issue tion August 1. 1871 s ed and after four days o Eljom * arguments rendered decision granting the injunction. Thy Star of August 4, 1871, prints tin news of this briefly, noting the fac that the court held that the old debi must be computed in the caiculatior of District indebtedness and that the bond issue would increase the tota indebtedness beyond the point per mitted. The Star in its issue of nex day, August 5, said: ‘'Without presuming to criticise the judicial decision reached with suct suggestive promptness yesterday it the famous injunction case. we think the spirit which so bitterly and cause lessly assailed the board of public works and secured that mischievou: result will be deplored by the popu- lar voice, not of Wa alone, but of the count “That the movement had its origir in political feeling no sane persor can doubt an dno honest person car deny. Whether this state of thing: could or could not have been avoidec by a more liberal course at the outsel on the part of those having the direc tion of affairs, 't is neediess now te discuss. The result is the same. The fight has been made and the eagles 0! victory hover for a while over tie standards of those who resist prog- ress, just as though their movemen| had its foundation in the purest of motives and had been pushed forward solely in the interest of the public good “Of course the case cannot rest here What course the board (of public works) will pursue now we are noi advised. But the work of improve- ment must g0 on by some authority and under some regulation which wil accomplish the end in view and at the same time keep within the letter and intent of the law. A spirit whict opposes this is the baleful genius of laborers without work of grass- grown streets, of vacant house declining populatien, decay, and death. “As was well said by Mr. Cook ves trday, in response to a misconception on the part of the judge as to the epirit in which the board will under- take to carry out their much needed work. ‘Improvements must go on, by the taxpayers, through the taxpayers or over the taxpavers, if necessary. This is the true ground. Those who favor it are the friends of Washing- ton; those who oppose it are the enemies, not of Washington. but of the country at large. and the spirit of the age, and they must be swept away.” o of stagnation the sanctions. Lloyd George's words concerning ‘fair play’ made a zreat in pression in Germany: it was a ne kind of victory, uch as in future will be won without cannon. But if these words are not followed up it will be a terrible overthrow for the demo- cratic idea and 1t Europe ' which are inevitably bound together™ 013 Age Preventable. Following hard on the heels Bernand Shaw's “Back to Methu- selah.” the idea of which is that hu- man beings will have to live longer and grow wiser if civilization is to improve, the eminent French biolo- gist, Dr. Carrel, now declares that his experiments have proved to_him that old age is nothing but & “pre- ventable disease,” and that there is no biological reason Why people xhould not live forever. The Paris Matin. which gives an a count of Dr. Carrel’s theory, some detail Dr. Carreds COnciusioas are 1t says: “The average duration of human life is less than fifty years. the num- ber of proved centenarians is very low, and it is almost certain that no human being in modern times lived beyond 120 years. That Seems to be the rigid limit of human longevity, “And yet, according to discoveries recently made at the Rockefeller In- stitute, there is no reason why this should be so, since the tissues of the body are proved to be immortal. “The first idea for this r search is due to the famous physiologist Loeb, who succeeded in hatching a number of unfertilized frogs' eggs. That led him to study the cellular life of the frog itself, and he succeeded in keeping sev- eral fragments of the animal's Lis- sue alive outside the body for con- siderable periods of time. “Shortly after, Dr. W. H. Lewis of Baltimore and his wife discovered that the tissues of an embryo ¢ en could be kept alive outside organi in _completely inorganic solutions’ (such as hypochlorite of soda, Ringer's solution, etc.). But Dr. Harrison remarked at that time that tissue-culture proved nothing. £o long as life was not maintained for a period superior to the normal life of the animal itself. “It remained for our compatriot Dr. Carrel, and his collaborators to meet this objection through a demonstra- tion that has now been completed. “Dr. Carrel began his experiments January 17. 1912, by taking sixteen fragments of the heart and blood ves- sels of a chicken embryo eight dais old. By March only five of the frag- ments were still alive. In the follow- ing months these cultures (which might have been more numerous in the first place) suffered various acci- dents and bacterial infection, so that on September 25 only one remained. “This was a fragment of conjunc- tive tissue derived indirectly from the fragment of heart, which, according to Dr. Ebling (who followed Carrel in these experiments) “was still beat- ing after 140 days of life outside the organism.” This culture has_ been growing vigorously ever since. Every forty-eight hours it is divided into four parts, which are carefully washed ip Ringer's solution and placed separately on fresh glass cul- ture plates, which are kept at a tem- perature of 39 centigrade (102 F.). “The culture substance used con- sists of equal parts of chicken plasma (extracted from the blood of an adult chicken) and liquid extract of chicken embyro. . “Various calculations show that the surface of the tissue under cultiva- tion increases from four to forty times in the course of forty-eight hours. It is mow certain that tissue cultivated outside the organism can live much longer' than the animal itself and indeed for an almost in- definite period. Moreo it is shown that the vitality of these tissues, and particularly their growing capacity. is as great, if not greater than, five years ago. ‘Furthermore, & striking anology is shown between the development of tissues outside the organism and the growth of cancerous tissue. “However that may be, it is proved beyond doubt that the tissues of which we are made are practically immortal. Thus old age is. as Dastre uessed, nothing but a disease. If she cells and tissues of the old change and weaken, it is not the cause, but the result, of old age.” = of