The evening world. Newspaper, December 28, 1918, Page 10

ESTABLISHED BY JOSEPH PULITZER. Pvbmhed Dally | xcept Sunday by the Press Publishing Company, Noa. 63 te 7 - 2 Park Row, New York. up President, 63 Park Row, TUNE OS MTAWe Treasurer, 62 Park Rowe | JOSEPH PULITZER, Jt., Secretary, 63 Park Row. MEMBER OF THE ASSOCTATED PRNSS, seociated asively ef lo the 1s o Avenatchee ip hreetated Fett sel icl SUS et and take Seal new pena orem | OLUNE SDs ivi deccvvvecdsecveveccvccvevevseuNO, S008 | FOOD PURVEYING AS PUBLIC UTILITY. 8 IT any less a matter of public utility to feed hundreds of I thousands of people than to light their houses, supply them with telephones or transport them daily to and from their work? Governor-elect Alfred E. Smith appears to have asked himself this question. His answer is expected to take the form of a request to the Legislature of the State of New York to pass a law putting the supplying of all fundamentally neccssary foods—such as eggs, milk, butter, bread, vegetables and meat—into the class of public utilities, thereby vesting the ultimate control of the prices and distribution of | these necessities in the public. | It will be objected, of course, that, unlike other recognized public | ‘utilities, the business of supplying food to consumers is in the mae of a large number of private concerns and individuals whose methods ‘and dealings it is difficult to systematize. The answer to this is: That the progress and development of | gommunities have been marked by change after change whereby com-| imon necessity, convenience and saving for the public have become | ‘paramount to private business methods and profits long regarded as| immutable. | And what has the whole country been doing for the past two) years but trying to regulate the production and distribution of neces- sary food exactly as if both were functions of public utility in every- thing but name? + —____——_ THEFTS OF PARCEL POST AND EXPRESS PACKAGES HE EVENING WORLD’S disclosure of the fact that, on the * authority of the Chief Inspector of the New York Post Office, ' nearly 100,000 packages were lost or stolen in the parcel post during the past year is supplemented by statements from merchants | and insurance company officials tending to show that losses in the ease of packages sent by express have increased of late, if anything, | faster than those noted in the parcel post. | _ This state of things is one that deserves special notice at a time | when the Government has vastly extended its functions as a general | ‘carrier by undertaking tg run the express companies and the railroads in addition to its postal service. Government control is very much | on trial at the present time and no evidence for or against it can be ignored. An officer of an insurance company that does a big business in ring parcels sent by express is quoted as asserting that “so many losses have recently occurred that we have been compelled to cancel ‘all insurance of certain lines of goods sent by express.” i As to the reason of these multiplying losses the insurance man ‘thinks it possible that “in the old days when the companies were in | ition they used more care in the selection of men than officers working for the Government are likely to use”: | “Uncle Sam, you know, is a rather indefinite chap. Besides, when he controls all the companies there is not the incentive to give good service that a private corporation feels when the { better service of another corporation may take business from since Government officials are only human after all, | it may be supposed that many of them don’t roil up their sleeves quite as far as men do. whose income depends on the kind and amount of work they do. In short, so far as the conduct of the express companies is concerned at the present time, my observation warrants me in saying there is absolute lack of system in it.” This is a kind of criticism which Government operation is bound | to encounter and which it can only meet by pointing to euch satis- faction as the public may show with the service Government operation provides. That wholesale losses by theft must have a decided effect upon the public’s judgment in the matter is obvious. | It is no doubt true that military service has taken away many. express company employees. But assuredly the Government would not maintain that military service has emptied the country of honest workers. ‘ | __ HOARDED AND REDEPOSITED. HE greater part of $5,000,000 deposited in New York savings banks since the signing of the armistice is shought by bankers to represent money which persons of foreign birth withdrew from the banks during the time this country was at war and hoarded until the fighting was over. ; If there was any appreciable t:ndency of the sort among the gountry’s foreign-born population the results would, of course, be more noticeable in this city than anywhere else. The estimated sum seems scarcely large enough to warrant the conclusion that any con- siderable number of the foreign born in the United States were | i. frightened into taking their savings from the banks and sewin into their skirts. At the same time, the story is a reminder—especially for New | York—that patriotic demonstrations, war speeches and Liberty Loan gampaigns by no means completed the job of Americanizin, elements in the population. While an immense amount in this direc- tion was undoubtedly accomplished, there is every reason for keeping on with the work. | If we are ever to have every worker in America putting his earn- | ings in the bank or intrusting them to Uncle Sam as a matter of | course and with abiding confidence, there must be no mistaken notion that the great task of making Americans out of the foreign born has ‘been rushed through and brought to an end by the war. Hits From Sharp Wits Inclination is the only proper guide te choice of a vocation.—Albany Journal. 5 g them ig alien | Ny oa the worst ts yet to come,—| - phia Inquirer. » gervalaae eee The kids of the future wil) hi more history to study, but they'll also get another holiday, and that half-bad 50-50 basis for tho, verage kid.—Philadelphia Inquirer, 8 f Take care of the pennies. If you 0! to be pound foolish rhe pt ae well to be at least penny wise, : Record, » Virtue is its own reward, so don't ook for it ‘fh the Lost and Found column.—Philadelphia Record. rere) These high price times it 1s hard to one en meet, much less both, mercial Appeal. ‘ |All Ho A muster. to face the future with fortitude these women as they take task of drawing the threads of things together—something that will stand them in good stead, something that) will stiffen their backbones and aid them heaviest on them, might soothe their sorrows and suf ferings more than the letter that the} greatest man of all the ages wrote to! a mother, Mrs, Bixby of Boston, Mass. | mother of five sons who have died | | EDITORIAL PAGE | Saturday, December 28, 1918 | Thrives tw The t ng Co, (The New York Kvaning Worlt,) By J. H. Cassel | ToMothersofSoldiers' The By Sophie Irene Loeb . ° Copyright. 1918, by The P.ess Publishing Co, nr to You Who Gave a Son on the Field of Battle| (Tho New York Bréning World.) That Others Might Live in Freedom. | & the New Year approaches old memories and new hopes re mingled. Although the battles of bullets are over, | there is consider-| able conflict with- in the human heart of those who have lost loved ones, Many stories came to me from the hospital of dis- embarkation, ind ee Sitanetine of all those vho| Guffer most, it 1s the mothers of sons. To behold their dear boys in band- ages when they had sent them forta strong and whole takes such courage hat the bravest of mothers can Yet only mothers know how I should like to say something to ap the in the work that will fall But I cannot think of anything that Here it is: “Dear Madam: I have been shown In the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant-General of Massachusetts that you are the gloriously on the field of battle, | feel how weak and fruitless must be any words of mine which should at tempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss 80 ovegwhelming, But I car not refrain from tendering to you th: consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died t eave. I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of Freedom, “Yours very sincerely and respect- fully, ABRAHAM LINCOLN.” In the last few lines of this letter he has set forth the great source of con- particular period of the year is to look back, to reflect on one's worries, to question to store up bitterness, yet it is all wrong, dear mothers, e* take unto yourself the solace and the strength that come with recog- nizing over which the human has no con- trol, the disaster Show the stuff of which you are made by raising your head proudly and realizing that you are one Who has “laid so costly a sacrifice upon comfort. you have given a son, who died that| others might live, | | Have you not been rich in the pos- | And when you, dear mother of the While the general tendency at this Tears cannot change matters, Rath- the inevitable—the powers Bow your head to the decree and that has been yours. the altar of freedom," No greater privilege has a mother than this, no greater glory, no greater Weep no more, Look to the living. The Father of the Short Story. HE father of the short story wae Giovanni Boccaccio, an Italian Novelist and poet, who died at Certaldo baa years ago. His “Decameron,” @ collection of short | tales, each complete in .tself, prac- tically marked the beginning of tho short story, Boccaccio was born about 1313, and his works reflect the immoral—or unmoral—spirit of the times in which he lived, and e na- jority of his tales are of a character which would now land the avthor in jail, if he could find a publisher tc offer his works for sale, Despite their immorality—possibly because of it—the “Decameron” has been trans- lated into nearly every language and ts still widely read, Literary erit rank the work as a masterple Balsac and many other modern authors have found inspiration in the works of the celebrated Italian, His solation, The solemn pride that must be yours,” dear mother, ah, the: something to which to cling, ‘woman, ‘That oyt of yourself, deur faults were those of his time—and, for the matter of .hat, of a much later time, for as recently as ® cen- Jarr Family By Roy L. McCardell Copyright, 1918, by The Prees Publishing Co, (The Now York Evening World) Now, After Christmas, Comes a New Problem 6 ERE'S letter from Uncle said Mrs, Jurt. ys, now that Christ- mas is over, and he's disappointed at session of such a gon, richer than the| What we sent him, that Aunt Hetty woman who had none to give? and he are going to celebrate their golden wedding next month, and wounded one. gather him up in your| they have sent us an invitation again arms, and your tears of regret fall unbidden, let them be mingled with tears of joy that something of him has been spared. requesting our presence?” “Requesting our presents,” repeated Mr. Jarr, “P-r-e-s-e-n-c-e,” replied Mrs. Jari, spelling out tee word, “but I guess he meant presents. “Yes, it Is all the same,” said Afr, | Jarr wearily, Mrs. Jarr rubbed her chin reflec- tively, “Well,” she said slowly, “If they have our presence they can’t expect any presents, Because if we pay our carfare down to Hay Corners and back we will not have any moncy to} ones, Still, we could hardly go down there without bringing something, and if we stay away it will be ali the more reason we'll have to send some- thing. ‘That's always the way. I wonder if Uncle Henry would pay our car fare down and back? And then we could get them something nice, and is wouldn't cost us any- thing. Ob, dear! I suppose we'll HAVE to send something, or bring something, There goes the little money I had saved to have a new dress made, I kept that money for @ dress and even denied myself things for Christmas, too!" “Maybe we have something around the house of gold we could send Aunt Hetty and Uncle Henry for their siden wedding,” said Mr. Jarr, aven't you a gold thimble you do not use?” “Of course I don't use !t—it's too nice to use!” sald Mrs, Jarr, “I want to give it to little Emma when she grows up. If you are so anxious to give something of gold that's arvund the house, why don't you let them have your gold watch?" Mr. Jarr thought a moment. “I saw a nice gold plated watch for $7, “Seven dollars!" cried Mrs, Jarr. “If you have any $7 to throw away | on relatives that never give us any- thing, let ME have the money! suppose we'll have to send some- thing, though. They've got lots of and if we remembered them 1 tury ago stories were told 'n mixed company which would now a be tolerated by a “stag nicely they'd be sure to leave seme- thing handsome to che children when died.” } bring any presents, especially gold | “Their crayon portraits?” suggest- ed Mr, Jarr, “That reminds me, Couldn't we send them a picture in a gold frame? There is a special sale of framed pic- tures at one of the big stores to-ay— Mona Lisas for $2.98," ventured Mrs. Jarr, “If we could make him believe it Was the one stolen from the Louvre,” said Mr, Jarr, “But do you think Uncle Henry and Aunt Hetty would be enraptured by Mona Lisa's enig- matic smile: “Or her astigmatic glance?” replied Mrs. Jarr, “For if she isn't ross- eyed I never saw such a thing.’ “Cross eyes are not astigmatism, The precise name for that affliction Is strabismus, I believe,” said Mr. Jarr. “Oh, it doesn't matter,” ventured Mrs, Jarr with a sigh, “We can't satisfy Uncle Henry and Aunt Hetty with a picture in a gold frame, I know. Clara Mudridge-Smith is al- ways leaving her gold mesh purse around so carelessly. should lose it and I should send it to Aunt Hetty? It cost several huadred dollars, But no, what would Aunt Hetty do with a gold purse in Hay Corners, especially when Uncle Henry takes even her butter and egg money from her? Besides, if Clara was to lose her gold mesh purse and I should tind it, it would be better if I kept it. 1 might give it back to her if t ever was able to afford to buy one eyself, ‘That would be the only honest thing to do, wouldn't it?" “If it were done in haste, yes,” re- plied Mr, Jarr, “Oh, you needn’t grin at me!" eried Mrs, Jarr. ‘She peally deserves to lose her gold purse, the careless way she leaves it around, and her rings, too, She never Washes her hands but what she leayes that beau’ ful big emerald and dimond ring om the washstand, Why@ls it people who h beautify! things are so » suc sless of them %& Mr. Jarr couldn't pay. “1 wish 1 knewewhat I could+get for the golden wedgithg that would be gold and wouldn't ge expensive,’ “L have it!” emg™imed Mr, Jarr, t us send thém@or bring taem a id tish,@immey are selling in fpr.” Do you tniniggil™ey'd Uke thaty asked Mrs, Jar 4 Well,'? said farr, tion I am | “upon ree Bround the guld Uncle Henry, fish were ul would let them “What would en raged livesivel, death,” suggest for rs. " da goidea with tarvos. 4 How Great Wars‘ Were Ended By Albert Payson Terhune Copyriett, 1918, by The Press Publishing Co. (The New York Evening World.) NO. 17,—“ THE SEVEN YEARS’ WAR” HIS fs the story of a conflict that proved Pr “to rank for all time with the Great Powers. calls it “The Seven Years’ War.” In 1740 Prussia was a North German kingdom of no especial size or power. It had a population of only 2,240,000. Then came to the throne a wizened and cranky man who had vast genius for war and for state. craft and whose brutal lack of conscience and of heart and of honor has served as models Uy German rulers ever since, He was Frederick the Great. He found Prussia, as 1 have said, a second-rate German state, with no world power and with little money or repute. When he died, forty-six years later, bis genius had seized for Prussis an added territory of 29,000 square miles, a treasury containing more money than any other in Europe, a population increased by 3,600,000, an army of 200,000 veterans and a bigh place among the nations of the earth. Frederick did all this by seizing everything he thought he could hold whether he had a right to it or not. That was his way. And his admiring fellow-Germans nicknamed him “The Great.” : The rich provinces of Silesia chanced to be held by feeble hands early in Frederick's reign. He had no more right to them than have you to your é neighbor's watch. But by sheer military supremacy Wreaertek arabe he grabbed and annexed Silesia. H Sile } oA! Austria wanted Silesia. So Frederick raised av alliance against the Austrians and in 1744 invaded Bohemia, The Austrians, helped by the Saxons, made what stand against the marauders they could. But a peace treaty was pres- enuy signed whereby Frederick not only kept Silesia, but wrung from his foes a heavy indemnity as well, Silesia was still a tempting bait for other kings. Eleven years later Frederick learned that Austria, Saxony and Russia were making ready to combine against him for the purpose of taking away Silesia and any- .= thing else of which they could deprive the arch-highwayman. Frederick did not wait for his enemies to strike. He forestalled them, in 1756, by invading Saxony. And the Seven Years’ War began. This, in direct practical results for Prussia, seems to have been one of the most use! conflicts ever waged. Frederick's genius was keen enough té prevent him from being overthrown. But he could make no hea way against his opponents, He lured England into coming to his ald. France > Promptly joined his foes, and the fighting in various » f q ramifications spread through Europe and the Amert¢ can colonies, Though the war did little for Frederick, it did much for England, whose seven years of clash with he foundations of the future British Empire in Canada France Joins Foe. France won for he: and in India, At last In 1763 both sides had fought themselves pretty weil to a still, Frederick had gained no new territory, but he hi on to his beloved Silesia and to make all Burope unde fearfully dangerous man to attack. 1 A peace conference at Hubertusburg called the Seven Years’ War a draw. In other words, the combatants adjusted thelr quarrel on a “status” quo ante” basis, and weary Europe was once more at peace. : } Frederick emerged from the struggle outwardly as well off as ever. But Prussia was badly battered by the long years of fighting. Frederick Inet ished his own enormous private fortune in repairing these ravages, then | started in again to increase his country’s wealth and territory, Before his death he had succeeded in raising Prussia to #0 high a pinnacle that only the strength of Napoleon and of the Allies in the present’ war have ever succeeded in shaking it, nd- ad been able to hang rstand that he was @ How to Bea Better Salesman And Earn Bigger Pay By Roy Gritfith Tho Evening World's \uthority on Successful Salesmanship, Copyright, 1918, by The Pres Publishing Co, (The New York Evening World.) Mr, Griffith's salesmanship column is published on this page daily. Instructive articles like to-day's alternate with answers to questions which salesmen readers of The Evening World are invited to ask Mr Griffith in letters, Address him in care of this newspaper, THE SALE IS ALREADY MADE, OMETIMES I like to start an|From that point on your business is S argument. Perhaps I am start- | to follow, ing one to-day. Maybe some of] You may think that this orinctoie 4 f Al! my readers will disagree with what 1 am about .o say. I hope they will, An argument is always beneficial, Two heads are always better than one, Much has been said and written ‘about persuading customers, leading their thoughts In the direction you wish, managing the interview and 80 jon, The mind of the customer has |been likened to a piece of putty, to applies only to retail salesmanship, where customers come to you instead of you going to them. Not at all. We will assume you are a wholesale salesman calling on the trade. You call on @ prospective customer to show him something which he can resell at a profit. He desires ‘o make money, You did not and “annot “erea’ this desire. Your business {18 to prove to him that voar goods Suppose she | be shaped and fashioned at will, The; Will accomplish the thing wnich be |scientific term for this ts “creating desires—make money for him, desire to buy.” Suppose you are selling a specialty It is my bolief that there can be no|—® vacuum cleaner, for example, Por- | such thing as “creating” a desire to: haps the housewife on whom you cal! | buy. A sale is*made because of a de- has never given a thought to pur- | sire which already exists in the mind, Chasing one of them. But she does of the customer, You cannot create|W4Nnt something with which to keep this desire—the best you can do ts to her home clean with a minimum of AROUSE it and transform It into;time and effort. She has already pur Sanat chased a vacuum cleaner in her mind, When a customer walks into a store |Pecause she has purchased, mentally, he or she has already bought, men-|the work which a vacuum cleaner tally, the merchandise which the sales will accomplish: She is searching for | person may later show, Customers |her mental purchase. Your business ‘come to a store to find something! as a salesman ts to help her find {t \\wnich has already been purchased in} 4nd prove to her that sho has found | their minds. The business of the sales|!t in the article you are presenting, Ago believe that) persqn is to assist in the search, | Saleymanship 1s a knowledge of the | needs and desires which exist in the human mind and the ability to erys- ltallize these needs and desires into action. Selling customers merely what you THINK they want ts not, of course, all there is to salesmanship, Very often they want and need something which they. did not realize they wanted or needed un‘'! the sales per- gon brings it to their attention and proves by convincing argument that the need exists. Desiro can often be aroused by sugsosting merchandise the customer hadn't thought about, But always, if the desire or need oxists at all, the customer has already bought the merchandise in his or her own mind, And always, If it is pos- sible to arouse a desire, it was there | all the time. You didn’t “create” jt. | As @ sales person you should pe concerned solely with helping cus tomers find the particular nerchan- dise which will fill a need or a desire in their minds. If you are to do any “leadh at e'l you can lead o |: up te the point of arousing desire. It would be possible to go and pat- ticularize every single article that anybody ever bought. Despite all arguments to the contrary, I hold that every satisfactory purchase {s bought instead of being sold. If you forgot that you are a salesman and think of yourself as being an assist. ant searcher for the things which will Isatisfy the needs and desires of humanity, I believe you will be a ie xt deal moro effictent, Monday—Salesman questions an- swered by Mr. Griff, eo WRONG DIAGNosIs, YOUNG MAN engaged board and lodging in an extremely devaut private family, Before each meal a long grace was said, ‘To their horror the newcomer sat holt upright while all the others revers ently bowed their heads, When om the second day the young man evinced no disposition to unbend, the good lady of the house could endure the situation no longer, “Atheism?” ghe asked, sharply, “No, madam,” humbly responded the new boarder: “boll.”—~Tit-Bita ’