fronting
ift&gcr
JPUDLIG LEDGER COMPANY
' ctnus Jt. ic cunns, Fiestas.
Ifohn C. Mnrtln, Trentutf i Charles It Ludlnrton,
Vhlllp 6. Collin. John tl. WJIIIm, Dlrertnn.
I I Til IT . .
SMTOIUAL bOAItDI
Cncsll. IC. Cumis, Chairman,
1. K. WHALE.. . .. . . Executive Editor
ii r.i.
3011M C MAItTlM., . . . i . .Central nustntsa Manager
"
PaMlshed dhy at Finuo mm Building,
Jhaoj7nac Bqlitre, rhlladdrhla.
tttxjKa Crirattl. ......... .Uroafl und Chetftnut Rtrwts
Atumic Tlrrv,. . . ....... . ..I'rcjs-Union nn(1dli
New TdBtc 170-A, MetrapoUlfin Tewr
Chicago. M? Heme iMnriDiM nnlMftii;
XojtpoN .B Waterloo Mace, Toll Mall, S. "W.
St-flSUT.EXTJSJ
IitiiiiiDnlnM....,.,,,, ...,Th ffttrtot piilMlnff
w.eiiiK(!Ter Brwair.,. ........... ..The Poi nniMitiic
NKW Tons: rtTlrtVn... ....... ... Ttw VYnnt nnltiHnr
fisnUx iiomstj-. ......... ....... ..no rriniriennrapM
fc ... :
.2 Frill Xill Kart. S. TV.
,S2 Rnt Ixnils It Grand
fAita Uoimv. .....
wrnscmrrttw Ttims
fty carrier. Dti,t OM.1. alt wnta. Tiy mall. fiortrmM
Dnulde of T)i(nelfhlft, Merer svhera tortltn pontnee
Sa required, Un.Y Om.t, rowrth, ttmnty.flvc ccnia.
IJAitT O.vr.T, cm. s-pur. hm fttfiars. All mall null
erlptlona payable tn navanee
EtL,3000VAlJ,T!T
KEYSTONE, MAIN 3000
D A&Btvm an coDWHiniteartons to Knnlno
Ix&Otr, Hn&rpmttenct Stun, PMIedetpMa.
r rr'M'fnVi.M'i'ir, : ,, clvv ti:
BNirara) it ararwrMtMXt'ffi rosTomcr. ak hjcono-
CIA MMlSltttt.
niiLADtimiA, T.fiTsnxY, jamjaiiv 27. ma.
Komo people lvcc& iWiContent by the tncanxUU
eratc icny in tcMch Ihcy flaunt their
xecll'Jci. tend. icctt-Arcnscd pros
perity in the faces of Vic
7c. fortHTtatc.
Title of Prosperity Is Coming In
EVERY report of large numbers of unem
ployed In tills or that city must be dis
counted. Notwithstanding that the superin
tendent -of a poipel mission In Washington
Bays that there nre between 30,000 and 50,000
men seeking work In the national capital, It
Is Impossible that there should ho that num
ber. Washington haw 350,000 population and
about 70,000 heat's of families. The astringent
of a little arithmetic applied to the unem
ployment figures will shrink them to credible
Izq.
But there is a distressingly Marge, amount
of Unemployment, not only in Washington,
but In all other centres of population. It Is
Impot'tnnt thnt every poaslblo effort bo nv.do
to relievo the consequent suffering for tho
few remaining weeks of winter.
Permanent relief, however, la in sight.
Business Is not so good as It ought to be, but
It reached Us lowest ebb many months ago.
Tho tide has turned, and It is coming slowly
tip the beach. The war has raised a high
tariff wall around the country, and while It
lasts there Is bound to be demand for American-made
goods. It Is already reflected In
the mills and factories. The uncertainty of
tho future delays the return to conditions
that prevailed before Congress upset all busi
ness enterprises, which must come soon or
late, either by an adjustment to the new situ
ation or by a return to a tariff which will
meet tho heeds of national Industries as well
as the necessities or the national treasury.
Not only has the war shut out foreign
made goods because the making of them has
been Checked, but it has created a demand
Tor Amerlcan-mado goods needed for carry
ing on the war. Russia has recently com
pleted tho expenditure of $30,000,000 here.
France and England have probably fprnt
much more. This money has gone Into tho
' pockets of American workmen. The farmers
are getting good prices for their crops, all
but the cotton growers, and conditions are
Improving for them every week. Confidence
in the solvency or tho nation and In tho pur
chasing power of Its people Is behind the
slow but steady revival In business. This Is'
a time for optimism and good cheer, and Tor
ft manifestation of faith In the future, wlth
dut which no great enterprise can ever be
come successful.
What the "Great Northern" Means
WHEN the Great Northern sails for San
Francisco today it became a magnifi
cent floating proclamation of tho greatness
of this port. It Is a splendid passenger
Bteamer, and It was built at a Delaware
River shipyard, whero there is a sufficient
depth of water to float the great ocean-going
craft. It docked at the Philadelphia wharves,
and at these wharves it took on its comple
ment of BOO passengers from the Eastern
States anxious to muko the voyage to tho
Pacific through tho Panama Canal.
Tho Great Northern demonstrates the ad
vantages of Philadelphia ns a Bhlp building
centre, as a port of departure for ocean trav
elers and as a great commercial metropolis.
Patronage the Perquisite of Greatness
MR, BRYAN apparently thinks that he is
a better Judge of Pennsylvania "deserv
ing Democrats" than tho chairman of tho
State Committee. Ho has ono candidate for
aurveyor of the port of Pittsburgh und the
State organization has another. Ho Is doing
his best to persuade tho President to name
his man, and Chairman Morris and Repre
sentative Palmer aro urging the claims of
their candidate.
But -why should not Mr. Bryan decide who
Js to be appointed to office here? Has not he
been the candidate of his party three times
and have not 6,000,000 Democrats voted for
him, and did not Mr. Wilson put him In the
Cabinet as the greatest living Democrat?
The perquisites of greatness are patronage.
Bo why should any one complain if Mr. Bryan
wishes to spread himself over the whole na
tion, as well as oyer San Domingo?
Siege Conditions in Germany
THE only meaning in the order of the
German Federal Council to seize all stocks
of corn, wheat and flour Is that tho Govern
ment openly admits that siege conditions are
Upon the German people.
Foodstuffs are to be held by the Govern
ment and doled out in a fixed ration, pro
portioned to the population of the communi
ties. The order announces that with proper
conservation tho nation can be fed until tho
time of the next harvest. This may or may
not be true. But the available stock is now
Mo small that hunger would oyartake the
people In two or three months unless this
drastic action were taken.
This condition was foreseen from the be
ginning. It has been part of the strategy of
the Allies to cut off all supplies from the
outside and to starve Germany Into sub.
mission. This is a brutal polloy, If you
aioose, but It Is war. It is what Germany
was doing to Paris In 1870 and 1871. The
Parisians ate what they could get. and they
irtendered when they could hold out no
longer. The present conflict is conducted on
rt'h, a large Bcale that the investment of all
fsaany now Is comparable to the siege of
m The AiUas have accompIUhed their purpose
it am far without proclaiming a blockade of
jwrnan poru and without tylnjf up their
rblps tn an attempt to prevent provisions
getting through. Instead, the? urn fcwceplfig
Iho stfts tot pt&vlsltm ships ftfttt oW getting
ready to maintain that there Is no civilian
population In Germany for which food can
be Intended, as tho whole nation Is In arms.
And food intended for an army Is contraband.
Tho Germans Justify their stjlBuie of food
supplies us they Justify violation of Belgium,
on the ground of necessity. And tho Allies
will Justify their Interference tvltll neutral
shipping on tho same ground. If they aro
to win, they must cut Germany off com-
I plrtoly from tho rest Of the world. There
j foro, as tho weeks go by, a tightening of tho
I lines may be pxuectcd, and a more rigid
search of neutral vessels will be made, lo tho
Mid that It Germany cannot bo brought to
her knees by bullets, she can bo starved Into
surrender.
March Election Still the Issue
rpiIE determination of the leaders At Hnr--
rlsburg to concentrate on the transit and
port amendment and kick the "conflicting
resolution" off the track should not be per
mitted to contuse the Issue now before the
pcoplo of Philadelphia.
The action at the capital In no way lessens,
but strengthens, the necessity for n March
election. Indeed, It leaves the obstruction
ists with no legs to stand on. They must
acquiesce In the March election or come out
Into tho open and lay bare their reasons for
postponement.
Tho question Finance Committee of Coun
cils hns before it Is, Shall the digging of the
subways bo begun this summer, or shall It
be postponed to an indefinite dato?
Just Foolishness
IT IS unfortunate that a Judge learned In
the law should attempt to hold up to tho
ridicule of tho community tho Director of
Public Safety, confidence In whom Is a pic
requlslle to offlclent work by tho police of tho
city.
Tho trouble seems to be that the Director
has too much documentary evidence. IJe lini
repeatedly substantiated his specific attacks
on tho laxness of some of the minor courts
by citing the record. Ho has been able to
show lamentable miscarriages of Justice
through the device of tho suspended sen
tence. Yesterday, too, ho brought forward
tho caso of a man who, It appears, con
fessed that ho was guilty of arson on eight
different occasions, and yet was sentenced
merely to tho House of Correction ami for
ono year only. The essenco of discipline Is
tho certainty of punishment. Let criminals
onco get tho Idea that they can beg oft and
there can bo no limit to their depredations.
Judge Sulzberger need not expect either
the Superior or the Supreme Court to review
his Judgment of the Director. It Is not ofll
clal and It Is not regular. Resides, a Judge
who has lost his temper does not wish to bo
reminded of it.
Learn-to-Buy Show
TO LEARN how to mako money Is a good
thing, but to learn how to spend It is bet
ter. Mankind is naturally credulous. The
average person takes his fellow at 100 per
cent, valuo until the contrary Is proved.
Tho Bureau of Weights and Measures has
done excellent work In Philadelphia, l'l
searching eyes have sought out many dis
honest dealers, dealers who have based their
hopo of fortune on short weights and short
measures and have believed that 33 Inches
to the yard is plenty for a buyer, or 14 ounces
to tho pound. Measures with false bottoms
in them havo been found. Honest dealers
have been made to suffer by the competition
of dishonest dealers, who hnvo been able to
offer lower prices per pound because their
pound was a lighter pound than that used
by tho honorable merchant.
Tho Learn-to-Buy show, which opens to
day in City Hall courtyard, exhibits some of
tho cheating devices. Its purpose is to teach
people how to get what they pay for, how
to Identify the unscrupulous dealer, how to
tell tho honest one. It shows the public how
to buy and it assures the reliable merchant
some defenso ngalnst the competition of
cheats and defrauders. Tho rows upon rows
of false measures and weights which havo
been confiscated and aro on exhibition offer
ample testimony of the need for such an
exhibition.
"You're Another" Is Not an Answer
SOME kind friend cf tho Unlontown banker
ought to get the ear of his injudicious de
fenders and tell them that they aro not help
ing hlR case by saying to John Skolton Will
lams, "You're nnotlier!"
The financial history of tho Comptroller of
tho Currency Is not nn Issue In this case
and he may havo been In entanglements ten
times more disastrous than those which havo
enmeshed J. V. Thompson and his business
associates, without In any way exonerating
Mr. Thompson or, Indeed, without Increas
ing his responsibility. Tho Unlontown bank
Is closed, and if It can bo shown that Mr.
Williams neglected his duty and allowed It
to contlnuo accepting deposits when It was
In such a condition that Its affairs should
have been wound up, then Mr. Williams may
become an Issue, but his responsibility for
the situation, If ho is responsible, will not
relievo the president of the bank.
The Germans may have n gun with which
they can bombard England from CaJalB, but
they have not got Caluls.
That Inexpert hold-up man who got only
7 cents and missed $1000 worth of Jewelry
ought to tako lessons of the political ma
chine. Senator Root took a good many words to
say It, but he let tho Democrats understand
that the President cannot be a successful
dictator unless tho Senate Is willing to be
the dlctateo.
Those in charge of tho "Learn-to-Buy" ex
hibition in tho City Hall courtyard have dls
covered what the housekeepers long ago
knew, thut housekeeping is the leading busi
ness of Philadelphia.
Does not the Fidelity Trust Company of
Newark know that It is a heinous offense to
make money in the banking business? It
would better watch out, or some statesman
from Washington will bo after It,
The German Government has seized the
entire stock of wheat In the country to pre
vent its waste, but Uncle Sam does not seem
to oare what becomes of his wheat, or of the
people who are dependent on it for bread.
If men off the Supreme Court bench were
polled, the same difference of opinion regard
ing the right of an employer to refuse to
hire union men would be revealed as tbe
court disclosed when it declared a. Kansas
statute uneonttitutlonal because it sought to
Interfere with the freedom of contract
WHAT DOES GERMANY
OWE TO AMERICA?
Things to Mnke War With, Things to
Manufacture 'With, Agricultural Im
plements, Even Efficiency Systems.
So Said n Man in Motor Car.
Ily VANCE THOMPSON
Tho Cosmos Club, of Jersey City, met and
listened to a lecture on the subject rnther
timely of the war. (I might remark that, to
mako auro the lecture was Just what It ought
to be, 1 gave It myself.) When tho lecturer
finished he sat down with what I thought
was an unpleasantly self-satisfied air.
Then up stood a tall, handsomo mail with
gray hair, a nervous mien and tho scar of n
schlnegor cut on his check. Having Intro
duced himself ns a "German professor from
Harvard" ho said he would mnko a little
speech. And ho did. lie made a great speech
too. Tho club listened Intently, And ho told
them (and their guest!) of tho debt this
country owes to Germany.
I motored back to Now York. The man
In tho motor car (it was his winter car) was
silent for a. long time. Then lie said ab
ruptly: "What In tho answer?"
When a man asks a question llko that ho
always means to answer It himself,
A Boot on tho Other Foot
"It Is plain as a plkestnrf," he said, "and I
know It. Llko a good many of ub I ImVo
spent years In Germany. And I say that wo
owo lean to Germany than lo any ono of tho
(4ll-.ll Il.lllUim. . U U!lU It HIT UI'llVllH UCI)l
to England, France and Italy. And Ger
many, murk you, has taken from us a
thousand times more than she hn given us."
"Go on," I said, "you Interest mo Rtrango-'
ly."
"Well, Just nt present Gcrmnny Is making
war. What la she doing It with? With In
ventions due to Amerlcuns."
And ho named them Maxim, Holland and
the Wrights, the Inventors of tho rnpldflro
gun, the submarine and tho aeroplane, which
latter was Invented at a time when all tho
German scientists were declaring a "heavier
than air" wns Impossible.
"There you are," ho went on, "oven her
own game of war Germany lias to play in
terms of American Invention. General von
Heerlngen, in command of the western
armies, was frank enough to admit a day or
two ago that without tho automobile, tho
aeroplane, the telephone and wireless teleg
raphy Germany would not wage war for
twenty-two hours. I think tho telephone is
an American invention, eh? And tho aero
plane. Now the automobile belongs to
France and the wireless telegraph to Italy.
The boot seems to be on tho other foot."
Education and Art
I tried to get In a word about tho German
pedagogues, the Harvard professors and tho
others, but the man I wns motoring with
knocked mo about the ears with a quotation
from Dr. Emll Reich, who was (he said) a
man of raro mental Integrity. And it seems
that Doctor Reich pointed out there was
nothing quite so foolish as the American
Imitation of German educational methods,
which was common in the last century, say
ing: "It is scarcely a. matter of doubt that
tho Americans entertain far too exaggerated
nu opinion of tho valuo of German methods
and German research in nil that applies to
tho humanities, such as history, philosophy,
philology, literature and art." That wns in
1007. It was a dark age in our universities,
heavy with German pedantry. That was tho
day when the unlearned, even In tho colleges,
spoko of tho "thorough German" nnd the
"brilliant but superficial Frenchman."
These things tho man In tho motor said as
the ferry bore us toward tho city. I thought
ho was done. It was good enough talk In Its
wny, but I wanted to talk myself.
"Art?" ho said scornfully. "We don't owo
them, much on that score nothing but tho
bad lessons of tho Munich school, which
ruined nn entlro generation of American
painters and illustrators.
He Kept on Roasting
"And Chemists. VOU SRV? Thero vnll mirm
homo to me. Our American chemists take
the lend everywhere except In France and
wo aro no bnd second to tho French chemists.
Out or tho ten million or so Germans In this
country I should be surprised if you could
find a dozen distinguished chemists. No, the
Americans lead."
"Don't boaBt, brother," I said; but ho
boasted on.
"What annoys me most of nil Is tho preten
sion of that professor from Haivard that the
Germans havo a systomutic and scientific
way of doing things which should be to us
an example and nn ideal. That Is tho great
est absurdity that was over put Into words.
Tho modern nnd scientific organization of
business In ns distinctly an American Inven
tion as is the reaping machine or tho steam
boat or tho cylinder rress or the daily nows
pnper. We have been tho teachers; wo have
taught every other nation. We've taught
them how to manufacture nnd how to sell
nnd how to total tho scoro on a cash regis
ter of American Invention, or mako out a
bill on an American Invented typewriter. Sys
tem? We made It and Invented tho tools for
It. What Is to Germany's credit Is that she
has been one of our nptest pupils In method
izing business and trade, just as the Jnpaneso
aro our nptest pupils in scientifically or
ganized manufacturing. Now this Is known
to every practical business man on earth.
Even a 'German professor from Harvard'
should know It."
"Why?" I usked: but he had no mind for
trlvlalltlesi he was waving the Stars and
Stripes gloriously.
American Efficiency
"What did he mean by talking of 'German
cfllclency' to a nation that first gave the word
efficiency a real meaning? As a matter of
fact we have Invented everything that makes
for efficiency, from tho sewing machine to
tho incande sent light that hangs above It.
Certainly v have bought dyestuffs from
Germany; but that was because we could
buy them cheap; It is not a debt to German
civilization. We owe the Eame sort of thing
to Hungary for paprika and to Argentina for
leather.
"In 'system' and 'emclenoy,1 as well as in
science and art, we owe the greatest debt to
ourselves. The real trouble with the latter
day American Is that he Is too modest, too
credulous, too diffident. That is a sad and
certain truth. When a foreign professor hec
tors him he says meekly; 'Oh, I'lf try to be
more UH6 you.' By the way, that Is one
reason why the Americans are so popular In
Germany; It is because they admit every
olatm to German superiority."
And here. I believe, we have come with
startling unexpectedness upon a great truth.
Should you look for the real causes of this
watt you might find them la the faot that
Frajice, England, Russia even Belgium
havo always laughed at these pretensions. I
don't say It Is the real causa causnns of the
war, but unquestionably It helped to foster
the military spirit in Germany. The Flench
wits made fun of everything Geimnn the
way the Gorman nte, his beer drinking, the
clothes ho wore, tho hats and dresses of his
womenklnd; and tho English stared coldly
nt his nttempts at sport and his Peculiarity
of wearing evening dress In the afternoon,
at his board and hair: and truculently tho
Gcrmnn retorted: "But, by Jingo! I can
fight!" He can: and he made his monstrous
war machine.
And whllo wo were talking the ferryboat
bumped Into New York.
Said tho patriotic man, "Let's go to
Luchnw's nnd drink somo beer and ent an
elngemachto herring,"
OF THE PARTY OF IDEA
How Sonic oT the IiIcub Have Worked Out A
Question That Deserves n Fair Answer.
From tho Iron Trade Hevlow.
There's a lot of humor In n lot of things
If wo only know It
And know how to extract the honey from
the flower,
For Instance, ,
A certain man
Quite a prominent man
Who admits It himself
Went lo a city near the centre of popula
tion of tho United StntcB and
Made an ".musing speech.
Among a great many other things ho said:
Tho political party that had been in power
for over 90 per cent, of tho tlmo In tho past
DO years had not hnd a new idea In tho past
30 years.
Apparently all tho new Ideas came from
the other party.
And In tho same paper wo read
An account of somo of thes' , "Ideas."
Ono had to do with the Indictment and
Wholesale arrest of 100 men In Torre Haute,
Ind., for conspiracy in the recent Federal
election In that city.
Ono hundred men constituted practically
tho entlro city government, composed of fol
lowers of the "party with ideas," from the
mayor down, and (to quote tho Indianapolis
News) :
"Tho men under arrest are all members of
tho majority party machine, most of them
Habitues of the red-light district."
And tho Indianapolis Nowb Is moro a ma
jority newspaper than It is anything elso.
These men all belonged to tho "party of
ideas," apparently
And their conspiracy to defraud must have
been
A real idea.
In tho same newspaper we havo much In
detail concerning the recent action of the
Governor of tho great State of South Caro
lina Who, because he could not do as he liked
with everything In the State, disbanded the
State jnllltla, canceled all the officers' com
missions, discharged and pardoned over 9000
convicts In the State penal institution, and
then resigned a few days before his term ex
pired to escape Impeachment.
Another "man of ideas"
Belonging to the great "party of Ideas."
But.
Wo would like to know
If tho United States could, In the 30 ytars
Referred to by this gentloman,
Gain in prosperity, wealth and population,
greatly exceeding all records of history.
With a political party In power "without
a single Idea"
What ought It to do In tho way of pros
perity With tho party In power
That is full of Ideas?
There should not be between 3,000,000 and
4,000,000 idle workmen in the country
Should there?
Seems to Us that's a fair question.
And deserving of a fair answer.
Back to Pompeii
From In Ticoraa Tribune.
Science is Introdupln rational color schemes
Into hospitals. Eventually they may Invade
our homes. Then we shall be back once more
to the point of interior decoration rtachld by
the Romans 2000 years ago and by the Egypt
ians 8000 years bafore that. Oo Into the houses
on ancient Pompeii, dug UP from the preserving
lava of ages, and you And no gloom, no iul
ness. You And room painted In wholcsomt
blues, and yellowi. and green), and orangi,
and reds, each room, a warm, pleasant glow
of welcoming light and color, with but a single
small, contrasting dcoratlva Xetch In the
centra of the wallalmost Identical with the
Ideal color arrangement that German science
has "discovered" In the 89th century.
' 27.
1015.
WHAT IT MEANS "ll
mJSQE&i vfcrr i fifth ii
MAKING THE PAWNSHOP "RESPECTABLE"
Kansas City's Municipal Agency Enables Its Patrons to Borrow With at
Much Pride as the Banker's Customers.
By RALPn PERRY
AilltUnt Suptrlnletitlrnt, Pledge Deitartmrnt, Wrlhrt Loin Afracj.
A WEALTHY man may go to hla banker
and borro-.,- upwnrd In tho thousands,
thereby receiving fitnn the public In general
respect and commondatlon; but whon his less
furtunato brother negotiates n loan on what
personality he may possess from his banker,
"tho pawnbroker," the public looks with dis
dain on tho transaction.
Hero wo aro confronted with a remedial
contrariety Interesting of analysis. Tho stig
ma connected with tho pnwnshop Is not ono
attrlbutablo to Its patrons. It is In a largo
measure duo to tho unscrupulous pcopto In
the business. Regnrdless of how merltoilous
a man's notions may bo In obtaining a loan
from tho pawnbroker, ho will exert every pro
amnion to avoid publicity, oftentimes rolylng
on the pawnbroker's honesty rather than ro
celvo a pawn ticket, for fear of having it
found on hl.i person or unconsciously expos
ing It. Now the pawnbroker, being awaro of
tho average customer's foellng in the matter,
takes advantage of such conditions and
charges usury with Impunity, knowing full
Well that his customer would far rather be
his Victim than resort to any legal prucosa
for help, thereby acquainting the public With
tho transaction.
No Alternative
However, tho pawnbroker's customers are
gathered from every walk of life nnd those
with this self-pride nre nlwnys to be found
In the minority. Tho greatest sourco of
revenue In this business 1 derived from tho
people who havo no nltornatlvo, those who
aro compelled to pledgo their personalty for
tho lack of other means of obtaining icndy
cash to fulfill their Immodlatn needs and who
vociferously denounce tho pawnbroker and
his usury but can find no relief.
It was, then, In tho first place, to relievo
theso peoplo of an unjust burden placed upon
them by clrcumstnnces. and to cnablo them
to transact tholr buslnoss of borrowing with
as much respect and pride as tho bankers'
customer; und secondly, to provide a substi
tute for tho pawnshop where money could
bo had on cqultnble torms, that tho Welfare
Loan Agency was established.
Two years ago Kansas City had more
pawnshops in proportion to its population
thnn any other city In tho country. Although
the legal rata of Interest in Missouri is 2 par
cent, per month, tho universal chargo was 10
per cent, per month. At tho present writing
10 of" tho shopB havo gone out of buslhoas.
Ono conforms to tho legal rato of Interest on
loans of $5 or mora and tho others now
charge in tho neighborhood of 2 per cent, on
loans of U00 and upward, nnd 5 and 10 per
cent, oh less nmounts.
Usury Evil Incurable
The work done by tho Welfare Loan Agency
has proved conclusively that no amount ot
legislation can cure tho usury evil. In less
than two years 15,000 loans havo been made,
eaoh one symbollo of relief and Rood done,
whllo tho criminal records In a like period
fall to show any prosecution by tho State
authorities for usury.
One unsatisfactory phase ot the work la
the lack of previous Investigation before
negotiating a loan, It this Could be satis
faotorlty carried out, Uib unnecessary loans
would be abolished and the borrower greatly
benefited. It would be far bettor for tho pub
lic to manage their affairs In such a way as
to avoid the necessity of a loan. But wo
muat cope with conditions as thoy are and tit
the meantime strive for Ideals and the grad
ual evolution ot man's customs and affairs. A
moat significant fact and one which must
constantly he kept paramount is the averago
borrower's willingness to enter Into an unfair
contract In order to obtain a loan. To benefit
tho borrower ho must be offered tho samo
amount of money on his pledge as tho usur
Ioun pawnbroker offers, and at a much lower
rate ot Interest.
Sound BuiiaeM Principles
The work of the welfare Loan Agenoy has
demonstrated that money can be loaned on
personalty at a reasonable and legal rate of
jntsrest, on ound business principles with
out assuming any of the aspects of a chari
table association, and that a return of 6 per
cent, per annum on the Investor's capital
can De mftae. i
In contradistinction to the private pawn- I
broker the agency exerts every effort to Pre
vent tho borrower from losing his pledfe,
Although tho law roqulres plodges to bo held
but SO days, It Is tho practice of the agency
to hold them from 6 to 12 months befort
disposing of them. All forfeited articles are
sold nt public auction ovory six months. Be
fore celling nny articlo a notice ia mallei
to tho customer and oftentimes personal calls
are made to his homo In an endeavor to sbts
his pledgo from sale.
Who Arc tho Borrowers?
Tho big majority ot borrowers who forfeit
their pledges aro those who livo In rooming
or boarding houses and hotels, or the tran
sient cIiibh. This Is not due to tho fact that
this alass of pcoplo are any worse off finan
cially than the permanent citizen, but Is par
tially attributable to their misconception of
tho terms of tho loan, believing, o most of
tho customers do, that their interest must be
paid every month and tho pledge redeemed In
90 days, In order to prevent lis forfeiture.
Numerous articles eolild be saved from th
auction sales if this transient class would
keep the ngency posted of their change ot,
addross, in order that tho notice would reach
them upon the forfolturo of their pledge,
A lemodlal loan ngenoy negotiating Icanl
on pledges nt equltablo rates and entailing
none of the disagreeable elements of a chari
table organization is but one step in tho na
tion-wide movement to better the living con
dltlons of mnn. To give a man financial as
slstanco with no obligation for the return
thereof on his part, Invokes a greater ulti
mate evil than to refuse him aid altogether,
An absolute gift of pcounlary aid tends o
decrease a man's sclf-respeot, pride, reliance
nnd ambition and onco he becomes the rc
clplent of this form of assistance he will of
tontimes relegato himself to that class of
people who make our charitable associations
necessary.
"If Italy 5hollld Fight."
Frank Btmonda, In the New Republic
If Italy should enter the war there wouia &
an instant moral effect which might bring
peace. If this failed, Oormnny would be forcw
to surrender her offensive on both fronts nj
probably to ovaduate not alone Poland n4
Belgium, but East Prussia and her tram
Rhonane territories. Prolongation of the '
would probably destroy the Austrian Empire,
hut Germany might endure all and oontlnue to
the end, confident that the dissolution of Aui
trla must be tho first step In a still more com
plete unification of tho Germans of Europe.
For Italy this last consideration might wen
make for continued neutrality, for if Austria
vanished sho would have to face a greater aef
many determined to retake Trieste and ootua
a window on the Adriatic, and at thf 'BJ
time a Southern Slav nation, eager to win
Dolmatlft. ready to challenge Italy's title t
Albania,
REVISITING
The Backward path to boyhood days
Is never very hard to llndi
You trod It quickly when your gasa
Surveyed old scenes of boyhood land!
While stronger passed and never guesiw
The growing turmoil In your breast.
That wall you climbed with all your ll)A
The whlla you tore your stooklng kneu.
Has shrunk to such a puny height
You mount upon Its crest with u.
The trea that wai too thick to "ihln
Uy some odd mean ha gotten thin.
This vast expanse you scanned with care,
Thth crossed with frlghtoned, hurrying "'
Lest trafflo overtake you there,
Is now a quiet village atreet.
Each doorway wide and ate-pot high
Beeni smaller to your startled eye.
Old friends that pass look up to amile,
whb used to greet you smiling down!
A maglo apell, In this brief whlUi r
Has somehow fallen on the town.
Yet strange! You asem to be again
As smalt a boy as you were then.
That backward path to boyhood day
le never oleaed to them, that eee,
It wind by old familiar ways
And leads you to a mother kn.
Whore boyhood' gentle king and aueta
DUpet the year that Intervene.
But If that path you oatinot find
Blnce they two laid their scepter down.
Yet othr paths there are that wlno.
Through valley to the Mother Town,
Where many dear remembered thing
Call childhood back on certain wings,
-Burges Johnson. In Harper" Megasmft