Evening Star Newspaper, December 25, 1921, Page 40

THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C., DECEMBER 25. 1921—PART 4. “WhyNot Special Holidays [CONSTITUTION OF NEW REPUBLIC For All Married Folk?” Asks Ring W. Lardner. O the editor: Well friends this is the holidays but when you come to think of it it ain’'t really holidays for nobody only the boys and gals that goes to gchool and their teachers, as the rest of us that half to work for a liveing works just as hard dureing the hol days as any other time and maybe harder it seems kind of silly to call it holid just on acct. of it be- ing school hol and I been trying to think of a way to it so as it would be some kind of holidays for we grown ups as well. so Weil 1 don't believe it would be much use to suggest for people to close up their stores and offices and etc. from now tiil after the New Yr., and besides that would just make it a holiday for business and prof. men and their employs and it wouldn't | better continue liveing in the home “PRETEND LIKE THEY WASN'T HUSBAND AND WIFE, BUT JU MAN AND A GAL, WHO HE WAS MAKIN mean no holiday for the wifes of same and what I been trying to dope out is a holiday that will effect both sexs alike and I have came to the conclusion that the scheme which would cover the most ground and do the most good would be to declare a Nuptial Holiday for all married couples, the conditions of same be- ing that for the next ten days all wifes and husbands would be expect- cd and allowed to behave just like they had never been joined together in the holy sea of matrimony. * ok ok ok N OW this is one of these idears that Y when it is first sprang on you it sounds like it was something risky and people is libel to throw up their hands and say my goodness and etc., but as a matter of fact behaveing like n't married don’t nessarily mean that you have got to raise he—I1 at all hrs. and on the contrary some of the best behaved people in the country is single and don’t make no pretence of being nothing else. Personly I can remember before I was married when the most immoral thing I done for wks. at 2 time was smoke before breakfast. And as far as the wifes is concerned, I guess the big majority of them spent their girl- hood some other way than shakeing dice with a dutch bartender. So the Nuptial Holiday, if adopted, won't mean no wave of crime or lapse of public morals but on the other hand the scheme is suggested with the idear of kind of relieveing the marital strain znd maybe offording husbands and wifes a little amuse- ment and who knows but what it might make a lot of them more con- tented with the nuptial yoke. Well in a proposition like this kind they can’t no one man be expected to take a hold of it and run it and tell people what to do because for one thing I don’t pretend to be acquainted with all the married couples in the world and couldn’t guess what all the different ones and would do if they was to suddenly find themselves free from the conjugial bounds. But in order so as people can get a idear of the spirit of the plan I will suggest a few gen. rules to govern same and the gen. program I sug- gest will be based on personal exper ence and observation of a few of the I ) f 1 ! ' | married couples with who I have the pleasure of their acquaintance. * oKk Kk HEY would be 2 different ways of enjoying the holiday and one of tkem would be for the wife or hus- band ‘o go away somewheres and Lot see or hear from cach other till the 10 days was up. Arnd wile they was parted they could behave them: =elfs as they seen fit with their con- fence as their guide. But the other way to play the game would be more excitin namely for the husband and wife to pretend like they wasn't husband and wife at all tut just a man and a & was making a play for, and this way of doing it is the way which 1 w lay down a few gen. rules for same. 1. For convenience kes the wife BY JOHN DUNCAN PAGE. He ship of state of the new Central American Federation, which was launched on Oc- tober 1 of this year, and will be placed in full commission on February 1, 1922, is not likely to founder on the shoals of a dictator- ship as so many similar craft of Latin American construction and registry have done. amination of the constitution of the federation discloses the fact that those who wrote it guarded carefully against any such misfortune by vest ing the exccutive power in a federal couneil much like that of Switzerland. To this body, otherwise known as the “exceutive power,” is delegated such al who he!functions as ordinarily are performed by the president of a republic. The president of the Central American Federation will be such in name only; he wlil act by the consent and in the name of the federal council. His op- portunities for the seizure of add be almost mnon tional power will existant; under the constitution no man can govern the couniry after the manner of Carrera of Guatemala, or Porfirio Diaz of Mexico. The delegates to the federal council will .be three in number. In Switzer- land they are seven. In the Swiss federation the members of the fed- cral council, in practice, are always from the two legisiative the council of states and the; vational council. The Central Awmeri- cans will clect the delegates Lo their council by popular vote, and congress- men are incligible for election as del- egate during the term for which they were elected to Congress. In the ciccted A PLAY FOR.” and the husband can find some other lodgi 2. The husband can call his wife up 2 or 3 times a day or send her candy or toys or write notes to her and make a date with her and etc. but he must not give her no money and she must not ask for same. 3. If he calls on her they can shake kands when he gets there but after- wards if they want to turn out the light and hold hands or exchange a kiss it is O. K. provided he has got | the nerve and she will stand for it. 4. He must go home at a quarter fter 11 but can begin saying good night at 10.30. 5. When the husband is caling on the wife they mustn't neither of them pick up a book or a magazine and read to themselfs but when one of them is talking the other has got to pretend like he or she was listening to every wd. You will be surprised how interesting your husband talks sometimes if you pretend he ain't your husband and listen. 6. The wife should offer the hus- band some fudge and he must eatl same and you will be surprised how good fudge is if you pretend that the gal that made it ain't your wife. 7. When the husband begins hint- ing about turning out the light the wife should ought to pretend like she don’t understand why and it's so much pleasanter with it on and besides mother ‘wouldn't want the light turn- ed out and etc. * %k %k N\[AYDE once dureing the 10 days 4% the husband can cut loose and ask the wife to go to the theater but he must be sure the show is O. K. for a gal to see and he must take her right home afterwards. ‘Those is just a few tentive rules for one way of carrying out the scheme | and as I say. another way would be to have the couple keep away from each other entirely for the whole 10 days. But either way the holiday was conducted, I bet in the majority of cases it would lead to married life being resumed with less crabbing on both sides as it would learn both parties that they's a whole lot worse places to live than the so called nuptial state. RING W. Great Neck, Dec. 23. LARDNER. | MAKING USE OF THE USELESS 'HAT to do with the amount of furnace slag that ac- V immense of production is desired the action of setting can be accelerated by arti- cumulates in the iron foundries was |ficial means and the goods made ready successfully solved by concern, which converts this slag into paving flags, paving tiles, bricks, etc. The process of making the paving flags is about as follows: The slag is carried to a crusher, having a capac- ity of about 100 tons daily, where it is broken up and then taken to screens, where it is graded, the coarse being run into cars to be used as ballast and the rest subjected to further crushing. The excess dust is removed by screening and used for the manufacture of tiles. The slag suitable for paving flags is mixed in a dry state with a cement- like material and then water is added and the whole thoroughly incorpo- rated. A pressure of 400 tons is ex- ercised upon this mixture by a hy- draulic press and all the moisture is forced out, leaving a hard, dense block of uniform character. A different cementing material is employed in making tiles from the dust, the effect being to give the mixture a certain amount of plas- tiolty, which allows it to be molded by mechanical means and permits it setting inte & dense mass, Ifrapidity an English | for use within twenty-four hours. The addition of coloring matter al- lows the construction of building blocks of varlous hues. Experience with these slag materials shows that exposure to cold and frost has no ef- fect except to produce a greater hard- ness in the material. —_— An Archbishop Ten Years 0ld. You may remember that at the recent crowning of the Arab Sheikh Feisul, as King of Mesopotamia, the ceremony was attended by the arch- bishop of the Nestorian Christians. But this high and mighty ecclesiastic owes his primacy to inheritance rather than to election, and turns out to be a youngster about ten years of age. This serves to recall that George III nominated his sec- ond son, Frederick, Duke of York, to the titular bishopric of Osnaburg, when he was but a few months old, Swiss republic members of the fed- eral council hold office for terms of three years each, but commonly are re-elected for life, or for as long as they wish to serve. There have been but two exceptions to this rule since 1848, # Central Americans regard such a practice with misgiving. Their dele- gates will serve five-year terms and be ineligible to succeed themseives, even though they do not coutrol the election machinery. The president will be elected by the three delegates from among their own number and will serve for one year, when another delegate must be elected. It is ex- pected to work out so that the three members of the council will rotate in the presidency, but it would be pos- sible for two of them to combine and alternate in the office, thus keeping the third man out. There seems little fear that this will be done, as the president is given so little power that it hardly would be worth while. * %k ok X THE federation at present is com- prised of three states—Guate- mala, El Salvador and Honduras, each having one delegate to the federal council. They are Dr. Julio Bianchi, | the minister from Guatemala now stationed in Washington and who will | sail on January 7, 1922, for his new | post; Dr. F. Martinez Suarez of EIl; Salvador, and Dr. Policarno Bonilla, formerly president of Honduras. One of these three will be the first presi- dent of the federation. Nicaragua and Costa Rica have standing invi- tations to join, and the latter is ex-| pected to accept membership when | her congress next meets. icaragua has thus far held aloof, apparently desiring a greater freedom of action than individual states within the fed- eration are allowed. In the event these states join, the federal council will be increased by one delegate from each, and will number five. One rea- son for setting the term of office for delegates at five years is so that, when the five Central American re- publics zll have become members of the federation, the presidency can fall once to each state during the same term, thus forestaliing jealousies. At each election of delegates there are two elected from each state, a proprietury and an aiternate. The proprietary will take part in the de- liberations of the council when pos- sible, and vote. The alternate will deliberate but not vote, except in the GIVES EXECUTIVE POWER TO COUNCIL RECENTLY Organized Federation Not Likely to Founder on Shoals of Dictator- ship, as So Many Similar Latin American Craft Have Done — Federation Comprises Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, Each With a Delegate in Federal CouncilfMember of That Body to Be Named President—New Constitution Does Not Allow Soldiers, Sailors or Policemen to Vote—The Liquor Problem and Other Features of Document. terms of service in the army, navy or police force; sentences; accept amnesty; rehabili- tate themselves in conformity to the law, or renounce any foreign nation- ality they may have acquired through naturalization in other countries. The constitution declares that the maximum working day for laborers shall be of eight hours, and that for overy six days of work-there shall be one of rest. It also specifically gives to them the right to suspend work or strike, but admonishes them to use no likewise or to commit acts of vic- lence. Strikes are forbidden when in violation of contract. Another liberal feature of the con- stitution is its declaration with re- OF THE NEW CENTRAL ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE the chamber being two years. By many this sidered preferable to the complete turnover in our own House of Repre- sentatives. Each chamber is the judge of the qualifications of its own members, formulates its own rules and desiz- nates com to act officially for it in matters and at places where it would not be possible for the cham- ber to be present in a body. The chamber of deputies is charged with the initiation of legislation hav- ing to do with the changing or the repeal of tariffs, taxes and imposts. In it also must be presented charges against delegates to the federal coun- cil, secretaries of the cabinet, magis- trates of the supreme court, diplo- matic agents, senators and deputies to the federal congress for offenses alleged to have been committed in the exercise of their functions. The lower chamber shall decide whether there is basis for impeachment proceedings, and if cause be found pass the case on to the senate for trial. The power to declare war is given jointly to the two chambers of Con- gress, likewise the power of making peace. The approval, modification or rene; ons absence of his proprietary. Addi- tionally, the federal congress will elect designates, one for each state, who will serve in case of the death or incapacity of both proprietary hnd alternate. It will be observed that, while the proprietaries and alter- nates are to be elected by popular vote, the designates, less likely to serve, will not be so elected. The federal congress will be com- posed of two houses, the senate and chamber of deputies, patterned rather closely after the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States. Fach state is given three senators, who serve for six years, and the term of one senator expires every second year. Proprietaries and al- ternates are elected, as in the case of delegates, but by the legislatures of the states, instead of by popular) vote. The lower house is the chamber of deputies, or representatives, as they are referred to at least once in the constitution. They are elected in the proportion of one for each 100,000 in- habitants or fraction of more than 50,000, and by popular vote. Pro- prietary deputies also are provided with alternates, who vote in the ab- sence of their respective proprietaries. * %k ¥ X HE federal district (Tegucigalpa, Honduras), which corresponds to the District of Columbia, is given membership in both chambers of the congress, with the provision that it shall be entitled to at least one deputy, even though its present popu- lation is less than 50,000. Deputies from the district will be elected by popular vote and senators by a joint session of the congress. In each chamber of Congress three- quarters of the total membership con- stitutes a quorum. This is not a high figure, for the the reason that each member is provided with an alter- nate who votes in his absence. Both senators and deputies are eligible for re-election indefinitely. = In the Central American congress, as in the American, a bill, before be- coming a law, umst be passed by both chambers and approved by the excutive. In the chamber of deputies an absolute majority suffices for pas- sage, while iri the senate a two-thirds vote is required. In the event of dis- agreement between the two chambers, which led Sidney Smith to remark of him on one occasion that he un- derstood that “the right reverend fathér in God is in the process of being wearned.” 2o conference committees are appointed. By approval of thé executive is meant the approval of the federal council. Deputies are elected for four years § 1 disapproval of treaties and conven- tions rests jointly with the two bodies, instead of solely with the senate, as in this country. The de- creeing of martial law also rests with congress, rather than with the execu- tive. Other powers given to the Cen- tral American congress do not differ greatly from those exercised by the United States Congress. * ¥ % X )[EMBERS of the cabinet will be known as “secretaries,” as in the United States. There will be a sec- retary each for the foreign affairs, treasury, war, marine, public instruc- tion, fuel, labor, agriculture and health departments. In order to be- come a secretary or undersecretary it is required that one be more than twenty-five years of age and a citizen of the republic. ‘When called upon by either chn.mhel"that a young English artist sat at his of congress, the heads of government departments must give any informa- tion in their possession, except that which pertains to the conduct of war or the negotiation of foreign treaties. Even then they must give the re- quired information if it be demanded by a two-thirds vote. The federal judicial system will be comprised of a supreme court, with seven justices, and other courts cor- responding to our own system. The justices for the supreme court will be elected by the senate from among a list of twenty-one candidates to be presented to that body by the federal council, seven from each state, and will serve for life. In addition to the seven justices, or proprietaries, there will be three alternates, who will serve in case of the temporary in- capacity of proprietaries. If the in- capacity becomes permanent a new election must be held by the senate. The federal constitution, while con- taining many features borrowed from the constitutions of Switzerland, the United States and Argentina, has sev- eral novel provisions not previously written into any similar instrument, but which are indicative of the lib- eral tendencies of those who drew it upéuflrlse, for instance, is dealt with very carefully. It is obligatory for men and voluntary for women, who also are eligible for public office. Voluntary suffrage is extended to married women or widows of more than twenty-one years and who are able to read and write; to single women of twenty-five years who have received primary instruction and who have certain incomes. While it is ob- DR. JULIO BIANCHI, A MEMBER OF THE FIRST FEDERAL COUNCIL | AMERICAN DERATION. leach, one-half of the membership of |ligatory for male citizens to vote, ved every | the constitution provides that, after is con-|seven years have clapsed from the| l l gard to the alcoholic traffic. It is declared to be the duty of the fed- eration to gradually restrict the use {of alcohol and of the states to su pend the revenues now received from ( the sale of liauors as soon as it can conveniently be done. American federation will be watched with a great deal of interest, mixed with some skepticism, on account of constitution of w! in November, 1824, and adopted April 115, The federation which w | then formead hza a stormy time of broke up in ragua and Honduras retived from | it and signed a treaty of ali both for the maintenance of their own | separate independence and sover- eignty and for the defense of any other state against interference from the federal government. * * * N 1840, not discouraged by the for- mer failure, Honduras, Salvador and Nicaragua once more attempted a confederation, and issued an invi- tation to Guatemala and Costa Rica to join it. But when the constitution was framed Salvador and Nicaragua [both refused to abide by it, on the ground that it created a dictatorship. Other attempts were made from time to time with the same object in view.| but all were abortive. i The State Department hes had the constitution of the new federation under inspection for some time. Al special mission is now in Washington urging the recognition of the new republic, and several conferences have taken place between its members and officials of thefdepartment. Dr. Julio Bianchi, the Guatemalan | minister, who hzs done much mis- sionary work for the federation, as weil as much of the actual work inei- | dental to its organization, is enthus astic in his predictions for its future. He declares that recognition from the United States is the first essential, and has to on that topic “That the United States of America will accord recognition to the United | States of Central America, freely and | date of its promulgation (October 1,| Without conditions of any kind, is my 1921), the voter must have the ability | it belief. . The recent revolution in Guatemala, FEDERATION. HE MAY BE to read and write. By implication, - % therefore, it would seem that every | Which resulted in the overthrow of literate man in the federation is{!N¢ Sovernment headed by President expected to learn to read and write| HEreTra IS mot expected to prevent, and it may not postpone, the con- within that period. Another article e e makes primary instruction obligatory | SUmmation of the federation which Central Americans so long have as well as free. 2 e {dreamed of and worked for. The Gt inewly established government has TI“'} vote is withheld from soldiers, | jost no time in making it known that ailors and policemen in active it service. This is done in order to; wiil not k to prevent Guatemala keep the armed forces of the country | from joining it. out of politics. The vote is also sus- pended in the cases of those— 1. Sentenced to prison. 2. Sentenced to the loss of political in Guatemala which does not declar itself in favor of federation.’ S Dr. Bianchi, “and the only hope of rights. the military group which is tempo- 3. Judicially declared “fraudulent|rarily in control of Guatemalan af: debtors.” fal fs to announce adhesion to the 4. Judicially declared of “notori- ously vicious conduct.” constitution legally adopted by each of the three states of the federation.” The vote is lost to those who ac-{ A refercndum upon the adoption or cept decorations from foreign coun-inon-adoption of the constitution is tries without permission from the fed- not unlikely, according to latest ad- eral congress; who accept employ-!vices from Guatemala City. Such a ment of a military or political nature | referendum, in the opinion of the from foreign governments. | Guatemalan minister, would resuit in complete their prison| compulsion upon other workers to do | {with each The present cxperiment in Central {here with him. hich was completed | when | ¢ not hostile to the federation and | “No government can maintain itself | -— Secret Service Official Explains French System of M. Georges A. F. Vanaise. Connected With French Delegation, Tells of the Centralized System of France — Police Depart— ments of the Cities and the State — Studies Washing- { ton Identification System. By JAMES MARTIN MILLER. GEORGES A. F. Vanaise, commissaire special de police, ministere des regions liberces, is the head of the | French secret service in Washington {with the French delegation. When j Premler Briand and M. Viviani returncd to France, Monsicur Vanais sent one of the men he brought He brought two com- missaires and two inspectors. M. Van- aise will remain in Washington until the conference adjourns or until all the the faflure of the original union, the | French delegates return home. Vanaise speaks English well. Five United States operatives were detailed ssist him in his work of protecting French the state nen attending ¢ to b officials ice and . gives high pr {attention accorded him by the of the United the police officials of Washingion. Act- ing Superintendent Sullivan of the Metropolitan police department, In- spector C. L. Grant and Capt. A. J. Headley, chief of the traffic bureau, ex- tended M. Vanaise and his men every courtesy. They explained the Washing- ton police system in great detail. The visitor was also given an opportunity to study the United States secret serv- ice organization by Chief William J. Burns at the Department of Justice. This gave M. Vanaise the opportunity those of France. M. Vanaise, perhaps, learned more about our secret service and police organizations than most Washingtonians know, for the reason that most of us do not take the time to inform our- {selves thoroughly about municipal and governmental affairs. In a city not far from Washingion one of our foreign visitors was address- ing a high school. He was making a study of municipal matters and he had become pretty weli informed regardin; this pariicular city. The principal of the high school wanted his students to get ail the benefit they couid from the talk on practical civics. The polite lec- turer from a forcign land asked: “Where does the water supply for this city come from and do you have a fiitration here to purify the water? There was no response from his big audience of high school students of all grades. After a considerable wait one big bo; & Senior, arvse d said in a facetious manne! “l only Lnow that the water comes out of the faucet.”” The entire school laughed heartily at this answer. But the incident spoiled any benefit that might have been derived from an in- uctive talk. asked the writer afterward if 1 didn't {think there w on the part of the young people of Ameniea in their studies. M. Vanaise is an intelligent and ob- serving Frenchman, making some- thing of a study of those particular (hings in his special line during his sojourn in the United States. He con- he benefit of the readers of The Sun day Star. He said: * % vou certainly have a very efficient police service. 1 H New York, now living in Washing- ton, is to be credited as a master mind in helping to bring ubout the {nigh efliciency here. Capt. Headley Ihas built up one of the most etlicient traflic bureaus here in Washington Both full citizenship and the vote. its adoption by a popular vote of are restored to ail who complete their more than two to one. | THE FIRST CHRISTMAS CARD EVERY vear brings its new supply |covered church, with a spray of of Christmas cards, certain as the | crudely colored holly wreathing it; merry day itself and more certain|and another scene showing a chill, than the mistletoe and the holly. So|wintry road, flanked by gaunt, snow- widespread is the custom and so|covered trees, along which walks a used are we to See it year after year |bent old man under a heavy burden that Christmas without the Christmas | of fagots.” card would be a thing unheard of.| In 1880 the Christmas card had a Yet our grandfathers knew nothing: new birth, for it was then that a of this timely token. | Breat London firm offered 500 guineas The Christmas card is not old. 1t |in prizes for the most artistic design. was in 1844 that the first pictured Many of the greatest artists of the symbol of Christmas was prepared|day responded with their best ideas. and committed to the mail. ! Thus the little flower of art expanded It was on a cold December evening |until, almost a whole generation after its beginning, it bloomed into its greatest beauty. Artists were glad to express them- selves in this helpful way. Millais himself was one of the first to catch the idea, and he was followed by Marcus Stone, George Boughton, James Sant and others equally famous in the world of art. The young painter of the first card desk trying to write something new and original by way of a holiday greeting, to please the taste and touch the heart of a friend. The young writer was hard to satisfy. After some serious thinking and repeated planning, the idea came like a burst of sunshine. Taking a plece of cardboard about twice as large as the modern postcard jbecame a famous R. A., but nothing he began to draw. In the center of |he afterward created was so original three pancls into which he divided|and impressive as that little three- the design he sketched a family group, | fold picture. raising glasses to the health of dis-! In the meantime, the literary artists that I know of. “In France there is more centrali- zation, however, in the police organi- zation, as well as in the sccret ser' ice. For instance, the federal gov- ernment here seems to have secret services for each of the principal de- partments. The Department of State, the Treasury Department, the De- partment of Justice and the Post {Ottice Department each has its own { secret service. In France the national i secret service is ceniralized and there is only one organization for all de- partments of the government, except the military. “A centralized police organization has authority over all the police in the eighty-three departments of the {republic, except the cities of Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Tulouse and Nice. These are under the minister of the }interior, at Parls. The mayors of the cities in France have no authority over the police. This operates to keep the police out of local politics, for one thing. “I was very much interested in the fingerprint system for the identifica- tion of prisoners here, which seems to have practically supplanted the Ber- tillon system. Mr. Sanberg. head of the identification bureau, is an expert in fingerprints. We ure beginning to use that system in France and I was much interested in inquiring into it. tral police station, about 3,000,000 This foreign gentleman | s a luck of seriousness! | Eno, formerly police commissioner of | In Paris we have, at the Cen- | Maintaining Law i | | he desired to compare our systems with j resent the executive authori i | sented to give his impressions forDrigades of gardiens de la paix, GrHE traffic regulations in Wasi- | potice. who: ington are almost perfect and|legal natur 1 understand that Mr., an arrested individual to pr | same brook. | (and cities of the Un | supply {in {de paix in command. tant friends, within a wreath of holly and mistletoe, and on the side panels smaller pictures that suggested char- ity and good will to man. This card, carefully folded and covered, was dispatched without further thought. But _the delighted recipient was so charmed by it that he showed it to all his friends and proudly claimed for it the admiration of his acquaint- ances. Everybody begged for a copy of it, or another card as beautiful, and be- fore the next Christmas the artist made a new design, and, wisely, had it lithographed. That was the begin- ning. In the following year there were other picture makers, and the Christmas card was launched on the tide of popular favor. But it was not until the idea had growh out of favor among artistic and literary circles that it was taken up by a business man who saw money in the pretty pictures. In a little while the mails were filled. a A modern writer has told of his de- light on receiving a Christmas card in 1860—*“such a crude affair, & snow- | given to the beauty of the painting|the front and profile of each criminal. had seen their opportunity and had|photographs of criminals. We take the music of their words. Many well| While occasionally we have a tough | known writers were not above this|American prisoner, I am glad to say blessed work of making people happy. | they are not as numerous as the sun- Thousands of pounds were spent in|jects from other nations.” finding the right poems and suitable “What do you think of prohibition Christmas sentiments, until at last!in the United States and do you think these Yuletide offerings reached the | France will ever adopt prohibition?” climax of their literary and artistic|y Vanaise was asked. excellence. “It would be a delicate question | Cultivated folk of today may laugh!eor me to discuss the prohibition law at those white-winged angels Withi, ¢his countr,, and I would rather | their golden harps and shining halos; | . ‘eyeused irsm commenting upon at the ivy-covered church, the happy| ;54 subject. ..ut as to France, I can home scenes, with blazing fires and| .., tnat wheu you prohibit bables groups of pretty children. They may|, .y chilgren from drinking cow's sneer at the old pictures, brand them|, ., i, the United States, then France as “poor art,” as bourgeois, “senti- ” “ B | will prohibit the drinking of wine. mental” and “mid-Victorian.” Never- hildren drink wine in France. eless, the Christmas card fulfilled [ School ¢! :h mission, and its influence will be|There is no present more acceptable counted as one of the moral and artis- | to_elderly people than a bottle of tic forces of the nineteenth century. | wWine. x £ “We have prohibited absinthe In France. We still are great consum- Indian dishes 300 years old, and|ers of brandy, as well as all kinds of supposed to possess the “magic”|wine and beer. But there is no properties of breaking in bits if|drunkenness in France. It Is a dis- touched with poison, have been sold |grace to become intoxicated in by auction in London recently. France. It is s0 rarely that wesever —_— and Order see a mative under the influence of liquor in my country that such a sight would be something of a sen- sation to neighbors and friends. * % k¥ STAND there is an effort being made to organize a central police agency here in Washington for the purpose of co-operating with the pol departm s of all t towns cd States. Police Commissioner Lnrizht of Jew York and fear Admiral Dillingham of Nor- folk, Va., and Washington, I am told, are interested in its promotion. It would certainly bring about a better co-operation in checking crime and apprehending criminals. No doubt there is a very great advantage in a centralized system. The work cen- tralized in the Paris police is multi- “1 UNDER:! tudinou bz o is divided into twent rondisscments. Bach arrondissement is divided into four quarters, each of which nominates a member of the municipal councilors. These eighty councilors, together with twenty-one additional ones elected by the cantons of the rest of the department of the Seine, form the departmental counci There is no elective mayor in Paris, but each arrondissement has a mayor. so Paris Lias twenty mayor: “The ma act as registrars, draw up electoral nd recruiting lists ane ud the poor relicf of their arrondisscmer There + justice of the pezce (Guze de paix) nominaied by the government in each arron- dissement. The chairman of the mu- nicipal council, who is nominated b, his colleagues, merely acts as chair- man of their meetings. 'When occasion requires the func- tions of mayor are discharged by the prefect of the Seine. The prefect of the Seine and the prefect of police are both magisirates named by the government, but each with quite a distinct sphere of action. They rep- v as op- posed to the municipal council, wh latter has no power, but it can ref; h a vote of credit to stop a pu service, the maintenance of which legally devolves on the c In case of such refusal the minister of the interior m. officially insert the credit in the budget. In like manner. he may appeal to the head of the state to cancel any decision in wh the council has exceeded its 1l¢ functions “The prefecture of police includes the whole department of the Se; and some neighboring communes ir adjoining departments. Its sphere embraces the apprehension and pun ishment of criminals (pclice jud ciare). general police work. includin police service, and municipal poli ing. “The state. in view of the nos nicipal functions of the Par Tepays a propertion of the annu budget, which this prefecture rec: from the city. Besides numerous du- ties conseguent on the maintenan:. of order, the police have supervisio, over the inspection of weight: measures, authority over public s tacles, surveillance of markets, w sewerage, etc. “It indicates the power centralize: the police department of Pari ve 1 when it is considered that the prefcc- ture of police has attached to it tiu conseil d’hygiene publique et de salu- brite of the department of the « “The municipal police, consisting ot divided among the arrondissem in each of which there is an o In nearly every quarter there is a commissaire de duties are of a semi- ; the police must have Lis sanction before they can commit id on, he also fulfilis magisteriai functi in minor d Lost Rivers. THERE is something weird in i1 very word ost rive some- thing sugg e of caverns and of the dark, and, incidentally, of tre ure. In the cases of some departed streams there are caverns and dark and treasure truly enough, but tie rivers “lost in the streets of London” have gone forever, choked up by the great overbearing city which knows no check in its mighty growth. In the ancient days numerous rivers, rivulets and brooks ran through the | 1and now paved so closely and crossed and recrossed by streets and ways. Some of these rivers of past were o large as (o cause serious inundations. Now they have totally disappeared, and men walk easily on asphalt pavements instead of picking their way over stepping stones or cro ing small foot bridges. In digging London cellars sho often uncover evidences not only of land but of water life. In 1595 a man excavating at Cheapside, fifteen feet below the pavement, came on the channel of a brook, on the bank of which was a tree sawed into five steps, so that one could step over the In 1884 a river channcl was uncovered with an ancient land- ing stage of mosaic pavement. Laying the foundations of the Na- tional Safe Deposit building brought to light at the depth of forty feet the ancient course of the Wellbrooke, in the bed of which was found an enor- mous quantity of broken crockery and kitchen utensils—evidence that the careless cook or maid of English Rome had ways of concealment not unlike those of today. The banks of the Wellbrooke were favorite sites for fashionable villas. The River Fleet formed an imy tant part of London topography. Ex- tensive gardens ran down to the river's edge. Old bridges and piers have been discovered, anclent wharves and anchors, all hidden under the hurry and stir of modern and dry London. sub A Census of the Sea. OKE authority concludes, in his study of the conditions of life in the sea, that fishing operations, as at present conducted, appreciably di- minish the stock of fish on the sea bottom. He also regards it as proved that there is a gmter productivily of ocean life in high than in low lati- tudes. To explain this, he presents the suggestion of Putter that animals inhabiting warm waters live faster than those inhabiting cold water, and 50 consume more food, and since the food supply is everywhere limited, a less numerous population can be maintained in the warmer than in the colder seas. .