INK SLINGS. ——Experiments with voting ma- chines in Philadelphia have been sat- isfactory, thus far, but the Vareville voters have not been heard from. —It’s an increase of taxes or a questionable transfer of funds in Phil- adelphia. In other words, it’s “be- tween the devil and the deep sea.” ——The President serves notice that whoever becomes Governor of the Philippines will operate along the lines laid down by the late General Wood. —>Spain is preparing to rejoin the League of Nations. The brief period of isolation has convinced the people of that country that the League is worth while. —Ruth Snyder and Jud Gray have lost their appeal and must die in the electric chair within six weeks.. It is a sad ending of two ‘lives that might have been very useful had they not been enmeshed by sin. —If it were ours to do we would revoke the license of every motor driver who fails to recognize the su- perior rights of pedestrians on street crossings. This thing of making un- certain legs do the impossible to car- ry one out of the way of inconsider- ate motorists is getting on our nerve. —It has taken us some time to analyze it to our complete satisfac- tion and, having done so, we want to announce that it was the Klan in Centre county that kept Lloyd Stover in the office of Recorder We refer to the matter merely because it is our belief that the hooded organiza- tion is a factor in county politics. —Well, our Burgess is going to “Big Bill” Thompson’s conference in Chicago. He’s not going in an aero- plane, however. As we said several weeks ago, we wouldn’t do that either, but we're not Burgess and, therefore, have the right to question the ap- propriateness of sending a foot and rail emissary into a winged -sym- posium, —Colonel Eric Fisher Wood's with- drawal as chairman of the executive committee of the Republican State Committee, admittedly to manage Senator Dave Reed’s campaign for re-election, presages a fight. It is admission that former Governor Pin- chot expects to be an aspirant for the seat. What else could it mean? Gifford and Cornelia are the only two persons with barls and following enough to make it necessary for any organization candidate. in Pennsyl- vania to have a personal manager. —So much are we a slave to a cer- tain diversion that right now we are probably be writing next January—if we are spared until then—than what is timely to write about now. To the first five readers who think they know us well enough to divine what is trying to chase all other thoughts out of the old bean at this moment and who send us merely the gist of a mental flash that has been captured for a three-line paragraph in.Jan- uary, we will give a year's subserip- tion for nothing. That ought to be easy. ——Nothing is more hopeful or re- freshing to us than 1mperturbable American youth. Governments may fall, quakes rock the rounaations of the earth, panics paralyze business, and moral decadence shock the social structure, but what of that? Tze happy, careless, joy-seeking age that leaves the real treasures in memory’s storehouse is the one that goes heas- long into the pleasures of today without thought of troubles tomor- row. The Lyon boys of Buffalo are typical. Yesterday they sent us this story: Godfrey said to Billy: “I was told today that there will be a short- age of maple sugar in Vermont next spring.” “Why?” asked Billy. “Be- cause,” said Godfrey, “the Sap chooses not to run.” —One of the blessirvs we had to be thankful for yesterday is the Red Cross nurse. . Thankful, not only for the service rendered but because or the rare personnel of the servitor. The annual enrollment for the Red Cross will start tomorrow and if only those to whose homes she has brought relief and good cheer were able to tell of it to those, who by reason of good fortune are able to secure their own nursing service, there would be a wonderful response to the call to enroll. God has given all of us much to be thankful for. Some have been more bles’t than others. If you are one of those fortunates, remember to give accordingly as you have re- ceived. —The new Socialist treasurer of the city of Reading says six thousand a year will be enough for him. The office is supposed to pay from fifteen to twenty thousand a year and Mr. Hoveter thinks that’s too much. We agree with him. And agreement with a Socialist is a rare occurrence for this pencil to record. However, we string along only with the idea that some public officials take down more than the service is worth. Inasmuch as few Socialists, outside of the parlor variety, know anything about life on a six thousand a year basis we have a suspicion that treasurer-elect Hove- ter is playing to the galleries down in Reading. If he wasn’t a “joiner” just to get an office, he ought to be offer- ing to do the work for nothing and rely on the rest of the proletariat to pass the hat to keep the wolf from his door. VOL. 72. Too Fulsome Praise of Tariff. In his speech at the Founders’ Day dinner of the Philadelphia Union League, the other day, President Coolidge “paid full tribute of devo- | tion” to the protective tariff. “With- out the influence of a protective tar- iff,” he said, “it would never have been possible for our country to reach its present stage of diversified devel- opment with its liberal rate of wages, its unprecedented distribution of wealth and its high standards of lv- ing. If these conditions are to be maintained that policy will have to be continued.” Later on he added: “Any material reduction in our general tar- iff rates would ultimately result in drastic deflation of agricultural and industrial values, in the rate of wages and in the standards of living.” That is a wide flight of fancy. Previous to the Civil war tariff tax- ation was levied only for the purpose of raising revenue and never exceed- ed a rate of three per cent. Yet the Republican convention of 1860, in its platform, ascribed to “the union of States” the nation’s “unprecedented increase in population, its surprising development of material resources, its rapid augmentation of wealth and its happiness at home and its honor abroad.” During that nearly a cen- tury of progress and prosperity there were no millionaires and few paupers. The wealth of the country was fairly distributed among the industrious people who created it and no burdens were placed on one class in order to afford unearned bounties to another. It was really and truly “a government of the people, for the people and by the people.” After the close of the Civil war the present system of exploitation was introduced. Protective tariff laws were enacted under the false pretense of improving labor conditions and en- forced for the purpose or “making the rich richer and the poor poorer.” The first high tariff law was enacted dur- ing the war “for revenue only.” But | it revealed to the exploiters the possi- bilities of graft and plunder in such a system and ‘has been carefully nursed and progress] ressively . Increased until it has become the most prolific source of plunder ever imposed upon a helpless people. Protective tariff has never contributed a dollar to the wealth and prosperity of the country, but ‘within ‘a quarter of a century | has robbed the ‘industrial ‘life ‘of the | people to the extent of billions, ——The ex-Kaiser is said to be in- censed because his sister married a dish-washer. But at her time of life it was probably the best she could do, and besides her family is no Tong- er in high standing. : nt — ee —————— Improvement in Party Platforms. — Senator Walsh, of Montana, who presided over the last Democratic Na- tional convention, has the right idea of a ‘platform for the party in the campaign of next year. In addressing the National Women’s Democratic League, in session at Washington the other day, he said if he were to write the 1928 platform it would be brief, confined to controversial questions only, so that “every one might be tempted to read it.” That in itself would be an important improvement in the construction of platforms, which are usually so long and tedious that nobody reads them. But that is not the most significant feature of his platform scheme. He offers a. more appealing proposition. The first plank of the platform Sen- ator Walsh would submit for popular approval would declare for “farm re- lief, including tariff reductions, con- struction of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence water way project, and rigid enforcement of the anti-trust laws.” He would recommend a radi- cal change in the foreign policy of the government with the view of “re- gaining a little good will from the other nations of the world,” the re- organization of the Federal Reserve system, “because it has become an agency in the hands of the very in- terests it was designed to circum- vent.” He would also recommend fur- ther legislation “to restrict the use of the writ of injunction in labor dis- putes.” That farm relief will be a leading issue in the coming Presidential cam- paign is plain to all intelligent ob- servers. But such relief as that pro- vided in price-fixing and bonus-pay- ing legislation is not the remedy that appeals to clear thinking men and women. The relief farmers need is wider markets for their products and lower prices for the commodities they are compelled to buy in the operation of their farms. A reduction in the rates of tariff taxation will provide both these essentials, High prices aa farm products are of little value if the proceeds of their labor is taken from them to pay bounties to the manufacturers of the implements they use and the clothes they wear. STATE RIGHTS AND FEDERAL UNION. Women Voters Moving on Right Lines. The Pennsylvania League of Wo- men Voters, in session at Williams- port last week, declared in favor of legislation providing for a modern county tax collection and assessment system and for the adoption of vot- ing machines in Pennsylvania. These are worthy objects to strive for, The existing system of assessments and collection of taxes is not only archate ; but palpably unjust. Voting machines afford the only hope of honest elec- tions in this State. But the political machine with which most of the la- dies who compose the Pennsylvania League of Women Voters are uffili- ated with is opposed to both these re- form measures. Yet the ladies are likely to support the candidates of the machine as usual. But it is gratifying to learn that the League is on the right track. A modern system of assessment and col- lection of taxes will eliminate from the political equation one of the most offensive elements available to the po- litical machine, and the adoption of voting machines will make corrupt voting much more difficult and in- finitely more dangerous. The pro- posed reform in the method of assess- ment and collection of taxes will probably be more difficult of achieve- ment. It will require new legisla- tion on the subject and though candi- dates for Senator and Representative in the General Assembly may profess to favor it before the election they will be subject to the orders of the bosses afterward. The question of the adoption of vot- ing machines is more directly under control of the voters and the League of Women Voters may help it along amazingly. The General Assembly has reluctantly adopted the 'resolutfon submitting it to the voters. The value of the measure has been impaired somewhat by the provision making it optional in counties. The sections most in need of the machines may refuse to accept them and thus in State-wide contests control elections by fraud as heretofore. But the trend is in the right direction tion of the pending amendment at the election next year may mark the beginning of the end of government by fraud in Pennsylvania. That is something worth while. Melidl Lp gh lL HT ——Which recalls the fact that a more or less conspicuous guy named Belshazzar also gave a feast. ——————e——————— Interesting War History. In a preface to a new war book, en- titled, “The American Reinforcement in the World War,” about to be is- sued, Newton D. Baker, who was Sec- retary of War in President Wilson's cabinet, reveals some interesting facts which have been subjects of contro- versy ever since. Among them is the authorship of the draft law. Resort- ing to that method of recruiting an army at the beginning was new and elicited a good deal of popular com- plaint. The idea was variously at- ‘tributed to President Wilson, Secre- tary Baker and others, and it was nearly as bitterly condemned as it was widely discussed. Major General Hugh L. Scott, who was at the time chief of staff of the army, was the author of the plan, At the beginning of the war Great Britain undertook to recruit its army by voluntary enlistments. The draft- ing system had never been employed and was repugnant to the people of that country. But after an experience of two years it was found impossble to keep the ranks filled and the draft was resortegl to. When this ‘country entered the conflict the authorities | were afraid of a similar break-down if the volunteer system were depend- ed upon, and General Scott proposed the “selective draft” to Mr. Baker, who submitted it to the President and it was promptly adopted. “Have the law drawn at once,” the President told Mr. Baker; “so that 1 ean refer to it in’ my message as ready for consid- eration.” Mr. Baker also states that neither ; Great Britain nor France expected a large force of men from this country. Marshall Joffre, of France, expressed the belief that we might furnish 500,- 000: men and when Balfour, of Eng- land, and Viviani, of Paris, visited Washington soon after the declara-' tion of war by Congress, they asked for immediate financial assistance but had no expectation of a large force of men. General Pershing was chosen to command the force “because of his robust health, energy, his tact and self-restraint, in addition to his mili- tary ability shown in the punitive expedition into Mexico after the Villa border raids.” This is real history and in the course of time all the truth will be known. ———Anyhow Bill Vare will have his picture in Smull’s as a Senator, but the price will be rather high. and the adop- | BELLEFONTE, PA.. NOVEMBER 25. 19 ! : The Colonel Wood Dinner. 1 -_ “Belshazzar the King made a great feast to a thousand of his lords,” to | pay the tribute of his appreciation of: their fidelity to his person or their complacency to his vices. Similarly a thousand of the political friends of Colonel Eric Fisher Wood gave a great feast, the other evening, to ex- press their recognition of his ability | 3 a party manager. The feast of | Ishazzer turned out rather bad. A ! ‘mysterious writing on the wall of the festal chamber, according to the sacred historian of the event, “the King’s countenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him so that the joi ts of his loins were loosed and his knees smote one against the oth- er. At the feast of the friends of Colonel Wood there occurred no such dramatic incident but there were more or less reasons for troubled , thoughts and shaking joints when the function was transformed into an ovation to William S. Vare. The | Colonel proved that he is a “game , sport,” however, by declaring infer- -entially that he doesn’t need help for the reason that he has already ‘been amply rewarded by State con- tracts while Vare is in deep trouble. It is not certain that the subscribers {to the expense fund of the feast are : as completely reconciled. Those rep- j resenting sections whieh voted over- | whelmingly against Vare may enter- {tain a resentful feeling that they have been deceived. : Colonel Wood made a speech in which he served notice of his resig- nation of the chairmanship of the Ex- ecutive committee and Mr. Vare spoke in his usual bombastic manner. But Senator Dave Reed was easily the comedian of the occasion. He said “the question of seating Mr. ; Vare ‘is far bigger than the person- alities of either Mr. Vare or my- self, but that it is one of the great- est crises of the American constitu- tion.” What absurd bunk to hand out to a thousand presumably adult- ‘mindéd men and women. If ratify- ing-a stolen election is necessary to the constitution this country /is in grave danger. The dumping of Lorimer a few years ago refutes the “challenge. ; { | ——It may make a millionaire feel | big to treat a subpoena with con- tempt but at the price Mr. Blackmer paid the elation is expensive. | Vare Hopes Vanishing. As the date for the assembling of Congress approaches the ‘“cock- suredness” of Mr. Vare’s friends that he will be admitted to the “partly- stolen and partly-purchased” seat in the Senate, which he claims, is van- ishing. Senator Norris, of Nebraska, j leader of the insurgent Republicans i of the Senate, says he is “persuaded (that Vare and Smith will never be | permitted to take their seats in the , Senate.” Other Republicans, many .of them adherents to the administra- tion, are “anxious to dodge another i Newberry issue in the 1928 Presiden- | tial campaign,” for the reason that , they know it “would not only affect . the national ticket but would serfous- ily jeopardize the numerous Repub- lican Senators up for re-election.” The plan of attacking the claims of the “gold dust twins,” Vare and Smith, agreed upon by the Demo- cratic and insurgent Republican Sen- ators, is to offer a resolution, upon their appearance to take the oath of office, to refer their credentials to either the Slush Fund committee or ‘the Standing Committee on Priv:- leges and Elections. Only a majority vote will be necessary to adopt the resolution and the majority is cer tain. Senator Norris will take the initiative. He has expressed a pref- erence for the Slush Fund committee for consideration of the question but | has strong faith that in the hands 1of either committee the result will be the disbarment of the fraudulent claimants, onlin who voted for the admisston of Sen- ator Newberry, of Michigan, in the face of evidence of scandalous corrup- tion and excessive expenditure of money, have since been retired to private life. The considerable num- ber of Republican Senators who as- pire to re-election next year are wisely apprehensive of popular indig- ination in the event they follow the {example of the supporters of New- jberry. The right-thinking voters of the country are not willing to have popular elections for Senator con- verted into auction swes, and the | seating of Vare and Smith would | clearly indicate the presence of such a danger. For these reasons the friends of Vare are growing despond- ent. ——Philadelphia public opinion is { now being turned toward a city man- ' ager, Nearly all the Republican Senators 5 27. NO, 46, The Village Survives. From the Philadelphia Record. In view of the general impression that all the young folks are leaving the rural districts to go to the city, it is interesting to notice that the village still maintains its existence and shows no signs of disintegration. Through the country are scattered countless thousands of small towns, frequently located well in the interior and at a great distance from any siza- ble city at all. These were settled, or at least founded, a long time ago. It might be thought that since cities are constantly growing and devouring more and more territory these towns would be drained of population. But instead of disappearing the average small town has calmly main- tained its existence, not always grow- ing rapidly, perhaps, but not losing ground either. Now and then a new house goes up, or a new business opens its doors to local employees, or a new store brightens the main street with its attractive display. Some of the residents take up lives in the faraway city, but others move into the town. These may be either city people who are satisfying a life- | long wish to live in the country, or they may be farmers who have sold their acres and retired to spend their late years in the sociable atmosphere of the village. : So the life of the place is renewed, refreshed and invigorated. Near the city, of course, real estate subdivisions inflate the little settlements, and they grow out of all recognition of their former selves, going well along the way to becoming cities - themselves. But farther away the contributing factors to continued existence are some extremely modern developments which one would hardly suspect. The country depends upon the automobile; the country people learn that it can take Shem away From their isolation and provide that temporary escape so necessary to a tranquil existence. Very well, then, what need to move away permanently from a familiar and pleasant location, where the fam- ily is comfortably settled? If they wish to go anywhere for a change there is the car. xe Then, of course, radio is another influence, for it brings to 2 a full meast sens ; ) information Ww DINE- times has its monetary valne.. and also a vit of that sophistication that is most prized of all. Electric ma- chinery both in the home and in the farm buildings makes existence more pleasant and less arduous, and the telephone connects friends and rela- tives. ‘| land. |1to the grain elevator. | acre of young timber. «fond year thinning and he plans to con- - | tinue. the. work “every SPAWLS FROM THE KEYSTONE, —Ralph Rothrock, 20( is in the Mifflin county jail charged with forgery. Roth- rock was paroled several weeks ago by the court when he was up on another charge of forgery. u —The job of city treasurer in Reading pays $500 a’ year and fees’ make the office worth between $15,000 and $20,000. William C. Hoverter, Socialist, treasurer-elect, thinks $6,000 is enough salary for any job at city hall and all over that sum he intends to turn over to the city. —Frank Laubschr, a farmer residing at Swissdale, three miles from Lock Haven, has discovered oil oozing from his farm But thus far he has rejected of- fers made by interested speculators to lease his land or agree to putting down an oil well on a royalty basis. . —Members of the Spring Hill Grange, in Bradford county, recently held a field day at which time they landscaped the grounds around their hall. Native ma- terials were planted. The men did the work and the women prepared a sumptu- ous dinner for the whole group. —Milton E. Reese, 23, fell fifty feet to his death at the north plant of the Lancaster iron works on Sunday. He was at work atop a steel framework when he lost his balance and plunged into an fron tank below. Reese was to have married Miss Margaret Long, a nurse, on Wednes- day. —When J. H. Dunkleberger, of Lycom- ing county, had a new well drilled, the stream which fed the A. C. Durrwachter well, several hundred rods away, was tapped and later went dry. Mr. Durr- wachter was compelled to sink another shaft, drilling to a depth of 108 feet to obtain a sixty-four-foot level of water. —William. Murphy, 32, of Erie, asked last week to have his job changed from the ore unloading machines at the docks He reported to work . Monday on his new job. Monday night he was missed and when the trap- door in the side of the elevator was opened Tuesday his body was found buried in the grain. —Robert Lawyer, age 12 years, of Ty- rone, will probably lose his left arm as the result of a shooting accident when he was shot by a young playmate who pointed a 45-calibre revolver. at him, the bullet striking young Lawyer in the left arm just below the shoulder. A number of young lads were playing “Indian” when the accident occurred. —While walking out a dark passageway of an apartment building in Ambridge, where he attended a sick child, Dr. E. J. Aten was slugged by an unknown as- sailant, knocked down a flight of steps and suffered a compound fracture of the left leg. The man did not attempt rob- bery, but ran away. It is believed by the police he mistook the physician for another man. —John H. Stoltzfus, Berks county farmer, thinned one acre of his young timber last winter. He put seventy hours of labor on the job and got fifteen cords of pole wood ready to saw. The wood was worth at least $3 so he got $45 worth of wood for his work and has a better This was his sec- © Jacob H. Moul, well "known resident of York county, will round out his fifty- fifth year of continuous services as a teacher and superintendent of Mt. Car- mel Sunday school with this calendar year. For more than a quarter of a century he has been teacher of a class of young ladies at that school. He has Taking these things into account, the vitality of the village is less puzzling. It has survived the era of change and mastered a difficult situa- | tion by adopting the changes itself in- | stead of resisting progress. The Unit- | ed States is still full of small towns, and it is safe to predict that this fortunate circumstance will continue in force for many generations to come. $100,000 For Ruth. From the Pittsburgh Post. ' When you take a pretty girl and add the glamor of almost flying across the Atlantic you have an object of intense public interest. It is not sur- prising, therefore, to learn that Ruth Elder has been signed to appear on a vaudeville circuit for one hundred days at the very handsome figure of one thousand dollars per day. No wonder she didn’t hurry back to Bal- boa with friend husband. ! But the engagement of Miss Elder on a contract that will total $100,000 brings home with new force the finan- cial sacrifice which Celonel Lindbergh has made. If Ruth can drag them into the theatres at a rate to warrant So neat a sum—what would “Lindy” do at the box office? Or better yet— the country’s largest auditoriums couldn’t accommodate the crowds if they were to team up, and put on an act together. Nobody can doubt for a moment the sincerity of Lindbergh’s interest | in aviation. He has given proof posi- | tive that he places its progress above personal advantage. In fact, this is so true that his friends are fearful that his altruism will be carried to an extent that will deprive him of some of the deserved fruits of his great exploit. Vare’s Seat in the Senate. From the Harrisburg Telegraph. Thoughts turned to William S. Vare at times last night at the Colonel Eric Fisher Wood testimonial dinner, as they will be for the next fort- night on Mr. Vare’s seat in the Unit- ed States Senate, a precarious emi- nence for the gentleman from Phila- delphia, and one which some of his fellows of the senior house are not inclined to permit him to occupy. But Mr. Vare has had a way, ever since he and his brother began doing things in Philadelphia, of getting what he wants, and there are seers who ex- pect to see hin thoughtfully regard- ing the serious visage of Vice-Presi- dent Dawes from that section of the Senate until recently graced by ‘the presence of George Wharton Pepper. Of course, there are likewise many forward-looking souls’ who say that Mr. Vare has just as good a chance at | the Senate as Mr. Smith, of linois, | and complete this wise comment with | a hearty guffaw in their sleeves. i i learn the modern dance steps. it was part of the parish program to ; at present among his Sunday school schol- ars some of the grandchildren of former pupils. —A dancing school, where all the lat- test steps are to be taught by competent professional teachers, is the newest ad- . dition to St. Peter's Protestant Episcopal church, in Pittsburgh. The Rev. Waldo Amos, rector, said the church hall would be used every Friday night for the young people of the neighborhood who desire ro He added make the church interesting for young folk. Those who enter the dance class will pay nominal dues to defray the ex- penses for an orchestra and instructors. —Within a short time after the Dauph- in county court ordered her separated from her 12-year-old daughter, Mrs. Cora Wike, of Royalton, was prevented on Mon- day from committing suicide by jumping into the Susquehanna river. County de- tective Yontz halted the woman after he had persued her from the courthouse. The court earlier ‘in the day ordered Mrs. Wike to be separated from her daughter. The girl followed her mother to the riv- er bank screaming and threatening to jump into the stream after her. Mrs. Wike lost custody of her daughter after Judge Wickersham held she was not x proper person to have charge of children. —Unable to open the safe after binding and gagging John Mason, the watchman, at Miller Brothers’ bakery, about 2 o'clock Thursday morning, six armed ana masked bandits stole a truck from the bakery garage on which they hauled the safe away. State police several hours later found the safe in the woods near Tamaqua, blown open and the truck de- stroyed by fire. The loss was about $5,000 in securities, but what worries the Millers the most is that the safe contained all their insurance pelicies, State licenses for their 14 delivery trucks and other valua- bles. At least one of the thieves un- doubtedly was familiar with the bakery, for he took a key from a hook to open the gas station, so that they could fill the tank on the truck before departing. This was the fourth time in a year that the safe was robbed. —Suffering for some time with an inch long point of a surgical instrument lodged in her lung, Miss Olive James, of Blue Ball, a teacher in the Spring Valley school, was rushed to the Jefferson hos- pital, Philadelphia, where the object was removed with little difficulty by Dr. Jack- - son, famous for his skill in removing for- eign objects from the throat and lungs. By means of the X-ray, it was found that the object had lodged below the seventh rib. ' An instrument was pushed down the patient’s throat to the place where the point was lodged, and’ it was drawn out, relieving Miss James of the great distress which she had been suffering, Miss James had been treated by a Clear- field physician for an obstruction in her nose, and in some manner the point of the surgeon’s instrument became detached and was drawn down into the patient's left lung.