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EVENING LEDGER-PHILADtoLPillA, MONDAY, APRIL 30, 1017
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rUULIlj LibUObH tUWl'Art I
CTOU3 IL K. CURTIS. rM!Dc
Chatlni H. I.udlngton. Vlra rrrtlntl John
C. Martin, Secretary and Trurr Philip 8.
Colllna.John II. VVIIIIama, John J Spur iron,
r. H. Whaler. Directors.
EDITOIUAIi nOAHDl
CtBcn It. K. Ccitis, Chairman.
r. It. WHALEY.. 1 Editor
JOHN 0. MAllTlN.. general flmlnesa Manneer
rubllnhed dally at TcnLia la-nnm llulMInc,
Independence Square, Philadelphia.
Linoita Ccitiui..,. Broad and CheMnut Rtreeta
ATl.iNTio Cur Pmit-Vnlnn Ilulldlnr
Kbit York 200 Metropolitan Tower
Ucthoit 4ni I'nnl ItnU.llnji
St. Lous. 400 Hobe.irmoernt Itulldlnc
Chicioo l'jos Tribune llulMInc
NEWS nUIlHAUns
WAsm-toTr)" T)CRn ni Tlulldlnit
New York Ilmmu ... .Th Tlmri ilulldine
mm is llinrAl' r,o rrlcilrlcli.'trno
l.ntnov IU'Rkac . Marconi Home. Strand
Parii IltniiU 3J Hue Louis le Grand
sunscniPTioN tkrms
The ErrMso I.kimier fa served to aubacrlbera
In Philadelphia and surrounding totina nt the
rata of. ttvelto U-) cents per week. pi)aulo
to the carrier,
Ily mall to point outilde of Philadelphia, In
the United tUatea. Canada nr United Statei po"
aalona, postniro free, fifty (3u) cents per
month Six (90) dollars per scar. paable In
advance.
To alt forelcn countrlei one (Jl) dollar per
binnth.
Nonce Subscribers wlahlnc address chatigeJ
toust site old as well ns new address.
I1EI.L. 1000 VV.U.MT K1A STONE. M 4 IN JCOO
W AUdtem all ronimwnfcftffon fo Evrnino
Ledger, Irdcpcndencc Square, Phlladelithia.
ivtered at the iint.A rKt riiiA rnsTorriri! AS
tECUMl-rlASS MAIL SIATTr.H.
THE AVEllAOn NET TAIO DAILY Clll
CULATIO.V OP THE EVE.NI.Nll I.EDUE.t
for. MKt'ii was ioo.fi;i
Philadelphia, Monday, pril 30, HI!
It 1 a f.i t lellectioii on civ lllzatio-'
vi hen gunfTowder instead of Hour becomes
the staff of life.
It is possible that the gloat footl
shortage is a blessing in fllisgulse clinging
In the garden will liarilen the industrious
citizenry for the gtc.it tasks which come
with actual warfaie.
Sow that Joffie's Islt help Is as
sured, 'Trench Veibs nt a (J lance" and
other similar aids to Gallic speech aie
giving the fictional best sellers or the it o
ment a run for their money.
Count Tarnowskl will sail for Aus
tria on May i. By that time tho former
Ambassador should have seen enough
erious preparation to convince, middle
Europe that we mean business.
Facing ti wheat shortage as wo are,
It might be well to consider Sweden's
latest plan for utilizing a certain propor
tion of barley flour In bread. The Ameri
can barley crop this year promises to
be one of tho largest on record.
Imagine tho surpiihc of the late
Genet al Howe, who spent n winter In
this city considerably more than a hun
dred years ago, could he return to see
the profusion of British flags now tossed
by Philadelphia's; pattlotlc breezes!
Those persons In doubt about where
to spend the coming summer vacations
will do well to remfmber that thero Is no
better place than aboard a well-equipped
battleship or I'-boat chaser, where there
Is always an abundance of good breezes
and no mosquitoes.
, "Gales of unexplained laughter,"
Bays the Xew York Times, greeted Pen
rose's vote for an anti-liquor amendment
to the army bill In the Senate. Prom
inent distillers vho contribute to Organ
ization campaign funds will wnnt a very
prompt explanation, difficult as It may
be to produce.
Pan-Americanism has become more
than a union. It Is a fraternity. Guate
mala has now Joined It by severing rela
tions with Germany. Her act not only
aids the progress of civilization's victory
over barbarism, but It tightens tho links
of American brotherhood and Western
"World peaco that nobly help to Justify
our entranco Into tho great war.
Every year wo kill thousands of
soldiers tight hero In Philadelphia with
out turning a hair. They are not old
enough to wear uniforms, and perhaps
that accounts for our Indifference.
"Baby Week" begins today nt Stan
Garden Center, which sent out a great
"Children's Crusade" on Saturday against
pestilential files, and tho annual city
clean-up week starts next week. AVe
can win victories right hero at home.
"Tho Delaware nivcr Is so badly
polluted that the shad fishing Is ruined."
Allowing for tho exaggeration that
usually accompanies honest indignation,
this statement by Edward Hatch, Jr..
chairman of tho Commltteo on Pollution
and Sewage of tho Merchants' Association
of New York, emphasizes a crisis In tho
food situation that demands Immediate
attention. Mr. Hatch adds that "flsh Is
destined to become tho principal food of
tho world's peoplo" and that tho food
possibilities of the Hudson, tho Passaic
and the Connecticut rivers are being de
stroyed In the same way as tho Del
aware's. Wa talk a great deal about
earth's bounty and tho need of preserving
It, But we don't even have to cultivate
rivers to make them yield a food supply.
All we have to. do to make these Inland
waters productive Is to keep them clean.
The most criminal form of waste Is dealing-
our streams.
The old feeling that one mind should
control the grand operations on the west,
rn front will not down. Rumors are
current that General Philippe Petaln,
who has just been made chief of staff
of, tho French forces, may bo given
iprerte command of the British, French
I, Belgian armies. Hatg and Nlvelle
, fee, thu outranked, and tne grow-
' uapUrSN that the new offensive has
Ufr to expectations would be
Clearly the French are In
nfPot previous reputations'
$. Jc-ffre won the Marne,
Uiat.Tlctory was in
jpaiwjjyj
hour. I'otaln himself refused tho post of
French Generalissimo becauso he was de
nied control of Allied forces ns well. It
Is hard for us In America to Judge of tho
wisdom of his original lequcst. This
much, however, Is certain: tho Allies seem
no longer nfrald to sacrifice anything
either men or pride to achieve victory.
If 1'etaln Is honestly thought great
enough for tho task, he should, and pi oh
ably will, bo given tho chance to prove
himself worthy. Tho time for cuddling
tcputatlons is past,
AN AMAZING VICTORY
rpili; national Indorsement of the selec
tlve army draft Is a stunning blow nt
the Prussian military clique's nttempt to
belittle the effectiveness of n democratic
nation in n crisis. Merlin had every teason
to believe, fiom n leading of American his
tory, that we would cling to voltinteerlsm
for many months. The autocracy had
guessed wiong about the psychology of
all Its foes, but none of Its ijuesses was
so wild as those about Amo."irn
Democracy was on trial It had be
come a bywoid for muddling. Ingrained
In our natuie, habit of thought and
training Is a deep tesprct for a personal
Initiative that scorns any suggestion of
coetclon, a. trait, Indeed, th.it explained
our war for Independence and all our
freo Institutions. This ery ftecdom of
speech and action had peimltted loud
mouthed neutrals and even pro Germans
to create the Impression that tho peoplo
weie not taking the world wai and the
plight of civilization sqilously. Hut after
a few days of debate and discussion this
whole cloud nf doubt has been swept
away,
Thu lctor.v for t Is as much .i vie
toiy as a tilumph In the Held nr on the
sea was expected by only a nanow mar
gin. The sensational ten-to-one and
tvventy-to one majorities piove that Sen
ators and Kcpipspntntlvx leeognlzcd n
gieal popular demand for the measure.
The leaders of the volunteer pait.v, in
cluding such nstutc politicians as Speaker
Clark, who predicted the defeat of selec
tion, made tin attempt to conceal their
suiprKe Their mistake can only be ex
plained by the fact that It was not Con
gtcssmen who decided tho Issue but thu
people back of them.
THAT "lmilH.K OP 1JOATS"
OL'It "bridge of boats" to cany food and
munitions to the Entente has passed
the i calm of speculation. A heady the
Government has aw aided to n shipbuild
ing company on the eastern coast the
contract to turn out an iudellnito num
ber of wooden meichantmeu of 3000 tons
each. It Is planned to complete tho "pat
tern" ship within ninety days. After that
It will bo possible to finish a new ves-el
every ten das. These ships are all to
be "standardized " Each one will cost
$:i,")0,000 nnd will have a speed of six
teen knots nn hour. Tho plans are said
to havo been fully approved by General
Goethals.
This ono ship aril Is only a beginning
Great reliance Is being placed on Pacific
coast timber wealth and Oiegon will
doubtless launch many mom commerce
carriers. The work of bul'dlng enough
ships to make German victory thiough
submarine efforts Impossible Is gigantic,
but happily it Is being met In a gigantic
way. When the seas ate dotted, as thev
must be, with "handy," reasonably capa
cious and fairly speedy American mer
chantmen, German U-boats seeking to
starve Entente Euiopo will havo the
most monumental task on tecord.
TWKNTY-FOUK DAYS OF WAR
WE HAVE had twenty-four days of
war. "Most Americans do not yet
reallzo that we are In tho conflict" Is a
phraso on many lips. Our fondness for
self-criticism Is salutary, but this attitude
should not blind us to the teally im
menso amount of accomplishment on tho
part of tho National Government. Uncle
Sam Is fully aware that wo aie at war.
and taking stock of what ho has done
may stlmulato that senso of realization
which wo accuse ourselves of lacking
Thus tho record runs:
We have seized nearly a hundred Ger
man ships.
Our navy has rep aced the Hrltish and
Trench patrols along our coasts.
Our sincerity of purpose hns won us
Cuba as an active ally.
Congress has passed a $7,000,000,000
loan bill.
Industrial and agricultural organiza
tion has been speeded through the ener
gies of the Council of National Defense
nnd other potent Influences.
The Shipping Board has already set to
work on the construction of wooden mer
chantmen. Impottant conferences with British
and French commissioners havo been
held.
Conscription has been Indorsed by both
houses of Congress,
Certainly In all these things thcro Is a
wldo extent of achievement, oven If the
Mongolia's Parthian shot nt a German
perlscopo represents our solo authenti
cated encounter with the foe.
When all these Important Inaugural
seeds begin fully to bear fruit, not boast
fulness but simple, truth will proclaim
tho last three weeks and thrco days us
among tho most busily belligerent In
American history.
MAY DAY
MAY DAY In recent years has como to
bo the signal for revolt. In all Con
tinental capitals It sees tho streets full
of soldiers. Labor demonstrations on this
day have more than once ended In blood
shed, The "Bed Day" comes this year nt
the "psychological moment" for Germany.
For days tho German newspapers have
been pleading with the workers not to go
out on general strike on May 1. '
Forewarned by the serious strikes of
the last fortnight, the Secret Service Is
no doubt well prepared for trouble. There
has been too easy a tendency In Allied
countries to call every bread strike the
long-heralded "German revolution." It
would prevent disappointment and en
courage earnest endeavor among us to
"forget" this German revolution. The
Prussian Government can spare several
hundred .thousand troops from the needs
of the front to put down revolt, and the
Impoverished and undernourished work
era, with none of the big strike, funds of
'ipsa 'time ,Wk' otJfcfWU. would, prob-,
TIGHTENING
GRIP OF WAR
It Is Showing Itself in tho
Changed Attitude of English
men in the Last Six
Months
Hy GILUERT VIVIA'N SELDES
Kptelnl Correspondence Ilienlng J.rigtr
LONDON-, April 12.
IT IS e:
Englati
exactly six months slnco I came to
ml to report on conditions here for
the Evknimi I.t:tnt:n. In that tltnn so
ntntiy changes havo taken placo that I look
back upon the England I came to very
tnueli ns I look back on the Philadelphia
I left behind ns another country Since
the changes which have come here are
destined to be teproduced In somo degree
In every part of the United States, I am
setting down the moro striking of them.
Tho first must be tho increased severity
nf living I do not mean that there is suf
fering or pilvatlon to nnv notable extent,
hut that life Is considerably more rigid now.
more ordered from above and decidedly
moro directed to winning the war. Sep
tember, lDIfi a foreigner might havo landed
here, ns I did, nnd hardly ho conscious of
tho war at all People talked of It and
therei were soldiers on tho streets, but on
the surface llfo went along easily and gayly,
there were few regulations, few restrictions
and tho ordinary mnn or woman, who was
Ineligible for war work or did not go Into
It. lived tho davs without contributing posi
tively or negatively to shortening the war
one bit
That Is charged. 1 do not Know a houc
ho'il today which W not compelled to do
something. Usually It Is In the form ot
don lug itself something. There Is a short
age of sugar in some dltrlcts, largely a
fault of distribution, because on the days
when I have to drink my coffee without
my fi lends can offer me tea with plenty.
Or It may be a question of lint getting qillto
so gorging a meal at the Italian restau
innts In Soho, since meal" are limited to
two or three courses. Fur thu poor It is
a question of g ttlng along without po
tatoes, and rime the poor of England live
on vegetables, which they call "vegges,"
that is a privation These, things are all
exceedingly superficial, hut tho tiling to ho
remembered is that It took neatly three
e,irs ot war to blilig them Into force. Six
months ago there was not a whlper of
these things
German Invasion Still Feared
At that time the lighting of London was
a difficulty Toil.i ou cannot get a bus
conveniently because certain routes havo
been discontinued. It is hard to travel
beond the suburbs, liecauo trains havo
been taken off As nn alien 1 was com
pelled to go to the police station and reg
ister, in addition to the perfunctory teic'.s
tratlon at landing. In a thousand little
vva.v.s the war closes in about tho Island
Englishman.
Ilo K apparent!. In fear of Its coming
much closer home another nnd deeper
change Last September tho "German In
vasion" was a Jol.e. almost as good as tho
one about the Ilusslan.s being transported
through Scotland. And the d;i's rumor
has been so prrslstcntly occupied with Scot
land again that Mr. liou.ir Law was com
pelled to dispel the fog by making a state
ment in the House to the effect that there
was not a wind of ti nth in the whole stoiy
Hut the story Is still believed; it Is still
circumstantially cleei ibed A German in
vasion of Scotland, apparently, under the
guns of the second Heel, Is supposed to have
taken place In another story the landing
was at Norfolk. In another the Grand
Fleet had been sunk. And with tliee a
host of stories coming out of the Get man
retirement in Fiance.
I do not want tc suggest that the people
have lost their nerve They realize that
the are on the verge of great events it
worries them considerably, and. shieo they
haven't the good Ameilcun method of parad
ing mound and burning red flie when a
victory comes In, they bottlo themselves
up pietty tightly, and tho slzzlnir mh
out In the shape of neivous juniors These
are much moro frequent and more wide
spread now than they wero half a ear
ago: especially so In London Travel out
to St Albans, nnd there, in the shadow of
the gatevva which was old in the fifteenth
century, people are walking about serenely,
nfrald of nothing and ncv more worried
about homo defense than thev would bo If
the old Roman Wall, which "is still there,
wero barbed-wire entanglements fifty yards
deep.
British Stolidity
To a friend of the Allies tho apathy of
tho Hritlsh public Is appalling and Its ten
dency to look nt the worst side of things
Irritating be.vond measure. TJie German re
tirement seems now to havo como to an
end temporarily at least. The military
critics havo wisely warned their leaders
not to conceive It as a tremendous victory
! an,1 nn, in ,l,l,l- ,1..,. U. ... i.. .
... ..w .rj .,,,,,,. .,,,.,, i, lv ar ci over.
But from my experience I .should say that
there was no need for such a warning.
Everywhere you hear tho most skeptical
remarks The old man at my tobacco store
told me what I had heaid on the busses and
In the subvva everywhere:
"Thev say It's good news. Not arf, I
sa. W'nt do wo get out of It Wo can't
carry on. They'vo left us loose, waving
around in tho air. No proper victory, that
here, sir."
It Is probably the result of the long
stialn and tho repeated disillusions, this
feeling of suspicion It doesn't help tho
average man to have half a dozen papers
clamoring now for tho court-martial or Im
mediate hanging of tho men who wero in
charge of the war a year ngo That la
exact,!' what happened when tho Darda
nelles report came out, and tho readers
who were disgusted by attacks on Lord
Kitchener generally began to wonder
whether their present leaders might not
bo making qulto ns had mistakes.
Tho lack of enthusiasm produces tho
sort of "nerves" which I havo mentioned,
but It seems to havo no effect on the slow
determination of most people to see the
thing through. Tho pacifists are tho only
real pessimists. Tho optlmfsts havo taken
to their maps again and are planting (lags
with the vigor of September, 1015, when
the Champagne drive took place, There
Is a courage prevalent now which Is no
longer that of other people's sufferings.
There Is perhaps the greatest change of
all. Six months ago the losses of the
Somme wero not over, and many not yet
reported. I was told to look forward to
a hard winter, tho real winter of discon
tent, wlfen Britain would reallzo her losses,
and thero would bo trouble. There has
been no troublo. The fall of the 'Coalition
Cabinet xvas net a protest against the "fall
ure" of tho Somme. And tho full misery
of theso losses has been felt. I have In
tentlonally written about the superficial
changes, because the deep things have not
changed. They have gone In deeper, they
are less open to the Inquiring eye. Hut In
theso six months the nation has learned
how to Buffer, moro than It learned In the
first two years of tho war. It Bhocks me
sometimes to hear fathers and mothers
speak as If casually of the children they
have "lost." It takes Borne time to realize
that this same apparent Indifference Is
what you hear every day from cripples
and blind soldiers, who speak with their
eternal Jest, their Inexhaustible courage.
I could not belisve before I came here
that In a democracy where patriotism and
service to the State were not taught, as
they are taught In Germany, so lanre a
percentavof the people could understand
wb tiSHf w".0.ulfj -f. wow. twin.
Tom Daly's Column
ltlLBY llECllUlTS
...9.mcAa. A"r" 28 Tom nily. of West
I Ifteenth mreet, wan told ttl tho recruit
.' "!?"n on dnv last week thcit h was
too olej to flsht, although ho bc-mred for, an
opportunity to. enllat, Ilo went away and
In tho Interval moro than twenty-die hus
kiea haio coma In, nn)lna: they vvera "re
cruited" by lorn lllley.
Sunday's Ledger.
Itcic, Uncle Sam, sec the bunch I'm pre
aUittn' je
Ullcu Itccruitsl
Take 'cm or Vavc 'cm; there's nothln'
prcitntin' ye
Cannln" the brute.
I'm not tho uan to sec beauty at all in
thlm,
Afthcr the icav I've M pokln' an' maulln'
thlm;
rhcif'rc my oxen makln' an' that's chy
I'm ratlin' thlm
"Jlllcy Recruits."
Hark to me, now, an' I'll tell ye the rea
son for
lUlcy's HccruUs.
77if, nt yo know, f,i f?ir rambunctious
sea ion for
I'lphtln' galoot i
"He for the army!" scz I, rV they sneer
at vie;.
"Back to the Old Men'" Milium!" they
jeer at me.
Gobs! In thr end 'fit firri trite that'll
cheer, at ma
nilcy Ilccrults.
Out In the street teM Ms rye full o' fire
now
Ullry recruits!
Dlnll a substitute helper he'd hire now,
(Join' cahoots.
Ml be hlmiclf an' hU flshti that arc
studded wld
Kuuchlri like knobs, an' wld muscles
red-blooded: wld
Half a day's effort the place 1 soon
flooded wld
Itiley Recruits!
I.ookln' nil
over for two-fisted flyhtin'
men,
Hiley recruits:
An' to be sure o' the wiony an' the right
In men,
Punches their snoots.
"J'ut up yrr mitts! If ye've pot th' ould
Sick in ye.
Let it come out an' whin I have done
llckln' ye.
Mebbr the arm it'll be choosln' an' pick
in' ye
Hiley accrutts."
Thai's hme it started, an' still I'm pur
suin' thlm
alley Ilccrults,
Save for mashed noses an' eyes black tin'
blue in thlm
All o" them's beauts!
This isn't ill of it; hark to' the pledge I
meant:
line wld this flsht, that's as pood as a
slrdpe, I meant
Shortly to briny yc the full of a iepl
ment alley Recruits.
He was a black nnd white shcplicid
dog, fat and apparently prospctous, but
very, very tlied, He btopped In thu mid
dle of the Hag pavement of 1010 Chestnut
street, turned around three times and lay
down. Ho closed his ees nt onco nnd
stretched himself full length. Tho Sat
urday afternoon crowd surged along on
both sides ot him, but didn't distil! b him
a bit. His fotty winks took him about an
hour, and nt tho fortieth ho arose, javvned,
stretched and went his way.
77;; so, or i'ijaxvi;
The soil of France is drenched with blood
That ran from youthful, noble veins.
A million hearts, too brave, too pood,
hie silent 'ncalh her hills and plains.
The forms of those ire love lie. theia
With faces turned touaid the stars
Unbailed in the still nlpht air
Granf them street sleep, oh pod of icars.
The soil of France in after ycais
Will be rcicicd as holy ground.
Tlie dewdrops, like an angel's tears,
Will icct the preen of each rough
mound.
And oh! the fairness of the blooms
That from the sacred earth uHll sprlnp!
What stiange rare scent! schat sweet
perfumes
The night and morning irtnds will bring!
The soil of France henceforth will be
An altar, holy and dlrlrtr.
To it the woild will look and sec
A mighty universal shrine,
rroud land of France! Your bounds in
close The caith's most precious, priceless sod.
The dust of heroes' hearts of those
Who fought and died for us and God.
VAKL13Y.
Dear Boss A couple or three days ngo
n friend of mine came down from N, Y.
via auto nnd left friend wifo at .
Coming out of they were moiing
right along nnd a copper saw 'em. "Hey,
thero 1" tnld he, "What's yer rush? Hurry
ing up to enlist?" And a x-olce from tho
back seat, "Naw, tho feller drlvln" left his
wife In town nnd he ain't takln' no chances
of beln' called back."
"On yer way," shouts tho cop, "and God
speed yo !"
A southern poet, whoso pronunciation
may accomplish wonders of which our
rougher tonguo Is Incapable, presents
these rhymes:
And sweep thy land with fire and
sword ;
He keeps not faith with men nor God.
However, In' the stress of wartime much
may ho excused. Under similar circum
stances Whlttler yoked "war" with
"America."
City hotels may have elevators, writes
Yost, but they ain't got no proprletoresse
like In Plnckneyvllle, III.:
TIIK HOFFMANN HOUSE
UNDEH NEW MANAGEMENT
CLAYTON & WAtKUP, 1'JiOrP.IBTOnnSSE
PLAZA BAlUlErt SHOP
Strictly sanitary: John Improved: shav
ing Inside and outside. Fifth street south.
(Adv,) Florida Contemp.
s CHICAaO, April 28.
Chicago Is ready for Itoosevelt and
"the speech of his life" that he will de
liver at the stock-yards amphitheatre
tonight. News dispatch.
The time, the place and make your own
wheeze about it.
BUT the Colonel can't be pushed off the
front page, though the passage of the
selected service bill may make him
"shorten his lines' He's aa tough as
Von Hindenburff. And wf-wt? , Each
THE "TRY-OUT" PROVES THE OLD BOY STILL HAS THE PUNG
f -' ry .Ljr-,ir-i.i- V'jr.i .' ViVj"?1 '...'l-i.'J.-'-.C'iliiASM&
THE VOICE OF
THE PEOPLE
Single Tax in War Times Pa
triotism and the Negro A
Plea for Prohibition Laws
This Department is frc tn all renders who
it is, tn frprevi their opinion on subjeitn of
current intnctt It is on open forutn nwrf tlie
I'roiiiiff hetlger n&nnrs nn icsponsibilitv for
thu 1 icwi of its coi respondents Letters must
he signed bj th name and address of the
uritn, not necessarily for publication, but as a
guarantee of pood faith
TAXING MOTHER EARTH
Tn the Rditnr of the livening Lalncr.
Sir To one reading the proposed plans to
tax by X'exatious and costly process every
thing In sight nnd to solve the food problem
by xacant-lot and back-yard gardening a
feeling of sadness must como over him if
ho has ever given any thought to economic
problems.
The proposed plans, however, havo n
value. That wiltie Is the demonstration
that will be made to thousands, perhaps
millions, of pel sons that all their food,
clothing and shelter como out of the earth
and that a ery small portion of this
"mother earth" can be made to produce a
very large amount ot food.
The Good Hook leaches us that It is
wrong to steal, and in none of Its many
verses do I find that communities or govern
ments are exempt fiom the prohibition; In
fact, governments are especially enjoined
to take only what Is theirs. Justice, moral
ity, scientific truth and even common pense
declare that every man ha.s an equal share
In tho natural gifts of land, water, air and
sunshine and that every child born Into tho
world has nn "unnllensiblo right to life, lib
erty and tho pursuit of happiness."
Given a government founded on the equal
right of all Its citizens to use these natural
gifts, docs any ono suppose that, with mil
lions of acres of land untouched by the
hand of man, we would be even seriously
conslclcilng n proposition to cultivate vacant
lots nnd back-yard plots?
Why do not our governments and "lead
ing citizens" try to ac in a sane and rea
sonable manner when considering wnnt may
become a xery serious problem? 1 nm sure
I don't know. OLIVEIt .McKNIGHT.
WHY THE NEGRO SHOULD FIGHT
To the llditor of the Vvening Ledger:
Sir Somo time ago I lead an article
In your paper headed "The Negro in Peace
nnd In Wnr," xvrltten by a "genuine negro."
This article told us that In the tlmo of
peaco the negro Is forgotten, but In the
tlma of war he is called upon to defend the
Stars ai d Mrlpes. The writer also states
that on all sides ho hears tho remark,
"The negro has no country " Indirectly he
asks, "What has tho negro to fight for?"
This Is the question that thousands and
thousands of negroes In this country are
asking themselves.
I am a youth "f nineteen summers and a
Southerner by birth. My homo Is Itlch
mond, Va. I realize that I haven't the
same opportunity that tho white boy has.
I realize that my rights aro cramped nnd
that tho negroes' political status Is crushed,
but regardless of this I contend that wo
havo something to fight for. What havo
we to fight for? For the hons and daugh
ters of those who sacrificed their lives that
wo might have liberty, to those brave "Feds"
who now are lying In their last resting
place.
Tfio better class of white people in this
country has proved that It loves the negro,
and even tho lower class Is realizing moro
each day the true worth of his black
brother. Now that our country (for breathes
there a man with soul so dead who never
to himself hath said, "This Is my own, my
native land"?) has been forced Into a war
that has superseded all other chronicled
wars, It Is our duty as loyal Americans
to sacrifice our life's blood, If necessary,
to noia up mo cuiors mat nave never
trailed me ousi. uunr.iii n, hmitH.
Coatesvllle, Pa., April 18.
WANTS WAR PROHIBITION
To the Editor of the Evening Ledger:
Sir As a lover of your country, it ..
without Baying that you realize the Im
portance ac mis iimg oi tne conservation
nt the snlrltual. mental, nhvsleal una .
w - .-,- . - . --w -.---. ..,. B-
twin resource oi our country. . i therefore
,l, kUKuan. rwiwpiM.w
mQVjir-' --" ite
liquors throughout the nation, which traffic
causes waste of billions of dollars yearly
and is destroying soul, mind and body of
tlie drinker
Tho King's business demands haste.
HENRY S. DULANET.
Haltlmore, April 23.
UNPATRIOTIC YOUNG MEN
To the lUhlor of the Evening Ledger:
Sir Aro we a dead nation? It almost
makes mo weep to see and hear the un
American actions and salngs that I seo
nnd hear dally.
I said to a biight-looklng young man
whom I picked for a thoroughbred Ameri
can tho other day, "Young man, do jou
think America is worth fighting foi ?" He
said: "No. I do not ovvo America any
thing. I woik and pay for eveiythlng 1
get, and if wo want to fight send tho Wall
street bunch and President Wilson nnd
Congress They did not ask me. This is
their war, not mine."
This Is invariably tho answer I have
been given by oung men whom I picked
out in tlie unvwls as good, stanch Ametl
cans. Men nro enlisting, to bo sure, but
not as we would llko them to enlist
Whole theio Is one thcro ought to be B00.
In 1S01 tho recruiting olllces wero crowded,
thousands were turned away, but we do not
seo this today
Why" Who is responsible for this shame
ful condition? I think the oung man's
homo llfo is to blame, and also theso cop
perheads, or pacifists.
This nation is full today of cowards,
who, If they had their just dues, would be
stiung up by the thumbs.
To my mind, a pacifist Is moro of a viper
than a German submarine.
Young men of America, may I ask,
where would nu be today If tho men nf 'Gl
had talked peace nt any price? AVnuld
you be enjoying the freedom you liavo
today? Would this nation be tho mighty
nation sho Is If our mothers had sung
in those das, "I Didn't liaise My Hoy to
He a Soldier"? HOY OF 'CI
Philadelphia, April 26,
BIRTH MONTHS AND THE
PRESIDENCY
7'o the Ilditar of the Evening Ledger:
Sir I wonder If tho birth months of a
man havo anything to do with his chances
of reaching the presidency? Hero Is the
birth record by months of our Presidents:
January, two Fillmore, McKlnley.
February, three Washington, Lincoln.
W H. Harrison,
March, four Madison, Jackson, Tyler,
Cleveland.
April, four Jefferson, Monroe, Buchanan,
Grant.
May, none.
June, none.
July, one John Qulncy Adams.
August, one Benjamin Harrison.
September, one Taft.
October, four John Adams, Hayes, Ar
thur, Roosevelt.
November, four Taylor, Polk, Pierce,
Garfield
Decembor, three Van Burcn, Johnson,
Wllon. n. B.
Heading, April 9.
THE HAND THAT ROCKED THE
PRESIDENT
Helen P.. Martin, tho author of ari In
teresting series of novels about the
Mennonltes, lived In LnncaBter. Pa., when
sho was a girl. Her mother lived In Chlll
cothe, O., when President Wilson's mother
was a resident of that town. The two
women were Intimate friends. One day,
when Mrs. Martin wns a girl of seventeen,
Woodrow Wilson, then an -obscure pro
fessor at Princeton, went to Lancaster to
give a course of lectures. Mrs. Martin
and her sister returned homo from the first
lecture full of enthusiasm over tho bril
liancy, wit and charm of the unknown Ice
turer,
"Why," said their' mother, on learning
his name, "he muSt be the son of my old
school chum, Jane Woodrow I Don't come
home from the next lecture without asking
him whether his mother's riame was Jane "
So after the next lecture Mrs. Martin's
Bl8.tfr fw1 up t'mldIy t( the lecturer and
aald: "My mother told me I was not to
come homo without BBklng you whether
your mother's name was Jinc." wnetnep
Mr. Wilson laughed and said if ...
"Then," continued the girl, "mv mmii.,'
mm that I should ,tell you that ."oxui
--2Xt
"I
What Do You Know?
Queries of aeticral interest trill to annewfl
In this column. Ten questions, the aicn
which evetu ucff-f?iormcci ncrtjn should Im
are ashed dallu.
QUIZ
Im inline of iticiii- rnnslilpreil a
1. Is
win- nmiimiun.
s
-. llliern nro Tiisrniiy" nml I'mbrli, rtflSBJ
rrriiu.i liMifii n,i an e.irinquuke;
I. vtliu h.w Jlrs. Itlvbv, whose rase RtfifP
M-ntitlin li.ihn, n f Californli. ritejTw
uiKutiit-Ni iiKiunfti ine loiciniftr
lein of r.ilsliic nn nrnu?
i. Mill It II evneitril that there mar ba 1
M
riots in (,rrimu on .May D.iy partial
in . , .
1, lth.it and where lire the Cnlnrnmh.?
. tllmt rrient policy or tin. Ilrltlh OoTffJ
ment Is imiiiIiu iircitesN from LomM
m-iti ipers.
T. ttlnit N the nr.iiilng of Hi? rtnreulim.
jorilliie tu HfDlr," u ml how did it
Hill.', .
s. nr .t, ,. ,.. ,, .... i.... '
i,,mi,i,, ,r. i.i'rill- HIP riipilllf- .
II. tllm huh Cliarlei M.irtel nml nhr ia
Mimrl lines rererrnl to ns "the itttdUt
of lirlstDniliim".' I
10. tViir reimrts mention Senecnle(i top
the 1 renin nrnu ns tnkliiB pari la trt-1
in-, i) nn nro tho enec.ilef .'
Answers lo Saturday's Quiz
I. The nniomit of the first American !.(
.ri-.,i i.riinin wan s';iio,oou,OIKi.
". An .tclnilnlsfrutlmi tail l rum-ini W
tlllllll.(-,l fir k,,nil(...,l I., tt.m l.alju.ft
Ills milicrilliiales who make im the tn
him it. nun in nm linvernment.
.1. 1 rn tilers nre ileep-sr.t llshlnt; lentil
..",.',". ''in-e eis or travtls lire ufd.
IrltMi ntilln tlirm us n.ilrnl Inula.
n,nrirrn, t'le.
I. A "ttur rliest" Is nn neruniulaUeii
iiiiMirr in ii iioirrnment for the pn
thiii of war. It eMs in scleral i
without ilrtuill helm: In n ihest.
, 3. Vt Innlrifir. rnnlt il or tlm ,,rn.ln, nf :
."I'a, J'.iiiiiIi. Ins u population of H
vii,iniu persons.
o, --.iriiiy hertlce. .uniform, (). I).." maat
iiiiionii or iimiwlriili rlotli whim III
liv the United .states nrmy. i
7, Alluil.il soli U muilr up nf nnnil and I
urimsiirci ny ruer currents.
8. The New York Nntlon.il I.eacue ba
team Is tnlled Ilin cl-mln. Ar niut I
most of tho pln.irr were ereptU
.;.. men, tiueiico ine name,
0, Andrew Jurlcaon. setenlli President
J'lilted Mates, nnd "Mtniietiall" Jan
in iiccierain enteral, were noted Amei
niiiii iry men, vg
... .....I ,.. t ., . ... . . x
in. im-iu.iiiiiii i rniiKiirrs utitninncranny ii.J
.nunc uiuciy reau nuiooioRrnpiiy
h) mi American.
Press Censorship'
W. M. It (a) Strict military cei
ship such as Is In force In European
ugerent countries will not bo adontt
this country, nccordlng to tho nnnoui
policy of tho "censorship" committee
pointed by Picsldcnt Wilson. The ,1
of tho board tho Commltteo on P
Information indicates that its functioawl
bo that of publicity moro than of eel
sorshlp, although It Is empowered to fo!
mulato tegulatlons for the restrlctl6n t
publication of facts that might have valul
for tho enemy, (b) George Creel, chalrJ
man ot mo committee, is n newspaper mm
and amagazlno writer on political an
sociological subjects. Ho is ex-dlrcctor ol
tno public .Safety Department of Denvej
and In tho 191C presidential campaign was
n publicity agent for tho Democratic na
tional committee, Secrctnry of State Lan,"
sing. Secretary of War Ilaker and Secre
tary of the Navy Daniels, members of the
committee, may appoint subordinates to act
in their stead.
Moslem Crescent
S. J. Tho crescent orlelnallv was not tha
emblem of Mohammedanism. MohammedJ
did not live to see It used ns such, n wasj
tho ancient device of tho Christian city of
Constantinople, founded by tho Roman t-m-i
pcror Constantino. When the Mohammedan
Turks captured tho city they adopted th
crescent ns their symbol, Tho crescent
to the Moslem what tho cross Is to
Christian. 1
k
Officers,' Heserve Corns 1
Q.' II. The object of tho officers' training!
camps to he established May s ror wj
months' training Is to furnish officers 'f
the army to bo raised. Fourteen bucii can
will bo established. PennBylvanlans-il
directed to enroll for one of two caW
one at Fort Niagara. N. V.. the other
Madison Parracks. N. Y. Phlladeipn
should enroll for Fort Niagara. -v
i- '
IL S. Nnvv
V'. a. It is Impossible to give exact,'!
uros for the navy's enlistcq B.rqigtn
cause of tho constantly increasing
Thu- Naw nnrtment announce At)
tht that anllsiid tranrill .WU !.!
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