Wr V&&i i. c :c I IS w E !: ip . -f il Ifcetitog; ledger foSdfe3fe& PUBLIC LEDGER COMPANY cxrus n. it. Conns, riuimm ! Jt. LuAtncton. Vic Prnldcnll John artln. Secretary nnd Treaaureri l'blllp 8. .John B. , Wllllama, John J. Spuriwm. wnaiar. uireciorn. EDITOntAI, COAHDl Ctiui It. K, Ccmu. Chairman. "miALET... Editor C., MAItTlN. .Ocntrat Bmlnm Manartr hA rial! at PraMfl T.lDOaR Rulldlnr. Indapendanc Squara, Pblladalphla. CiirrBAt.. ..Ttroad and Cheatnut Rtreato 10 ClTT ,.lYa-ln(on Dulldlnff TolE,.,.. too Mftropolltan Tower IT f,, ijiviW jrora nullum loos ninenon uuiiumc newb numuuns KOTOW nnlaiiT .... . ... .ntrrs nulMlnr Tons llciiAU.......Th TlmM llulldlnc IIcbiad 00 Krladrlchatraaas 1ST BniBAn... Marconi lloune. Strand ii Diuid 83 Ilua I-oula Grand SUBSCniFTION TERMS fffce Ersstso) Xttxixa la aarved to aubacrlbera Philadelphia, and aurroundlnr towna at th l' t oi twtlT US) canu per sK. paraDio thft earrtar. Br mall to polnti ontald of Philadelphia, In unlUd Hotel, Canada nr United Statea pea- lona, poataro ire, nny mui cma pr to. BIX (UJ aouara per rear, payaujo in 1HML Va all fnrtm countries nnA f 11 ) rinllr rtr With. , Molica uticrlbeni wishing- addrrit chanced Jmt ly old aa well at. new addreaa. teix.tpoo'WAmuT keystone, main moo BrAddrt9 on communication to 7Hnitia rfaer, Jndrpma'fftc at:arr, IViWfldrpita, aamii-D at to a pniLacxLrnii. rosiornca xt ncoro-cxm mil. UATTita. 1KB AVERAGE NET FAID DAILT CHI CUUITKW OP TUB EVENING LBDC1EII for may was loi.iio Phll.d.lpblt, Frld.T. June 15, 1917 "What Is so raro as a day In Juno?" JrVhy, one that's dry all afternoon. We're getting tho ships, wo'vo got tho. men and wo'vo got tho money, tool VBIest bo tho bonds that tie" two billion dollars worth of Americanism to the -cause of liberty. Let thcro bo no slackening rounding up tho slacker who tried mako registration business slack. Tho recent Russian victory on tho Caucasus front Is clear proof of Pctro grad's determination that tho Kurds han't havo their way. Wo aro Inclined to suspect that tho Kaiser's Idea that tho war will bo over before America can get Into It may turn into tho fact that America will bo over beforo tho Kaiser can get out of It. Does tho German paper which fore shadows tho English Government's aban donment of alr-raldcd London realize that an occupation of Berlin by Georgo tho Fifth would also very neatly fulfill such a prophecy? Little-Italy Is preparing to give tho Italian envoys a royal reception next Wednesday, and with Its usual generosity is preparing something moro than cheers. Ita Red Cross fund Is expected to leap above the $50,000 mark by tho mlddlo of next week. Ono of tho German air bombs crashed straight through a crowded Lon don school, with results that need not bo retold. This Is tho manner In which Germany asks for peaco on her own J terms. And peace sho shall havo on her own terms tho terms of flro and sword. Although tho, French aro having grta troubles with General Pershing's name, somo of them calling it "Pnro-Bhang"- and others "Peurchigno," they aro at least braver than Champ Clark, Who sidestepped tho difficulties of "Joffro" entirely and merely Introduced tho lllus trious soldier to tho Houso of Reprcscnta ttrea as "Tho Marshal." Washington's proposal to Berlin, through tho Spanish Government, that German and American officers taken pris oner shall rocolvo tho samo rate of pav as officers of corresponding rank I-. tho cap turing forces, In accordance with Tho Hague Convention, Is not to bo taken as a concession or a parley. On tho con trary, it wtUenggest to Berlin that wo aro prtparefl for JuBt such a long-drawn-out conflict as tho Gorman Government fears, a. aonfllot fa which both Germans and Amtrlcana -win, take thousands of prlson ,m conoernlnjr Vrhoso treatment it Is nec essary to flx rules In advance. Incldcnt B this, proposal may remind Berlin t&atln thot swapping of prisoners wo can afford to lose two men to tho Germans' one. Right at tho start General Pershing has-achleved a superlatively brilliant vic tory. Ho has arousod Paris. Before the war such enthusiasm In tho French capi tal was common. Paris was ready to cheer a dethroned tribal monarch, a dis solute) Shah, a popular actress or a Bal kan princeling. Nothing was easier to play upon than tho so-called fickle French temperament. But the war converted Paris into a city of stoics, so reserved In deed, in her expression of emotion that superficial observers have even called her altitude one of apathy. In the dark days tafore the Marne, during the epic months Verdun, at tho dawn of the Somme of- t ftmalve this same passionless calm pro- ftlled. That Pershing has broken it is unanswerable proof of the deep sincerity tho reception accorded to the vanguard ef America's army. Paris permits horsolf a thrill over tho scen,o. French fisarts tbrnti n thft thnuirht thnt fhplr Inml nrwl EK' fe x. RwwSL V ' I'MUb F -vi&ir YES BO. P d Jbaerica, long one In Ideals, are at last i in bxhib. oureiy mere was seiaom ler excuse) for loosing the floodgates emotion. The success of the Liberty Loan, fisMfiured as It was by many Indications, oula unaouoteaiy nave Deen maue cer tain far earlier in the campaign had there been any modern American precedents to uio the workings of the great under cut it waa something altogether ipA. stWaC fc ovr history.. . ts takes there doubtless wore In the first advertising rind explaining of tho loan, but every other Allied nation has had to CO through this apprenticeship and has profited by experience This Is proved by tho fact that tho later loan of Englnnd and Franco woro vastly moro successful than tho earlier ones, Tho campaign of education has laid tho foundations for efficient work In collecting futuro loans. It was not only the pcoplo who needed educating, but tho educators themselves. Tho loan salesmen Itnow now Just how they mado their big hits and uhcro and why they slipped up. Tho public will realize, when foreign comment on tho loans begins to arrive, tho truth of tho star nrgumont, "Germany Is watching ui," for Germany did watch nnd pray that our first loan would falter. THE REAL ISSUE IN TRANSIT i TN HIS report of March 20, 3016, Dl- rector Twining mado tho following statements: All tlio subway nnd elevated line In cluded In tho Tnylor plan cnn lo built and tho two systems unified without nny Incrcaso In tho tax rntc. If tho people aro willing to pay an average fnro not to exceed flvo and three-'iuaitcr cent commencing in 1921, which will take cnto of tho city's Interest and sink ing fund charges. The estimates mndo In this department show that tho Idenl condition, the profit nlilo operation of tho unllled system on a five-cent fare, may eventually bo actu ally possible. Citizens (.hould not delude themselves Into the belief that tho nverngo faro Is only fho cents now. Tho control and solution of tho entire problem center in tho fare. Wo bcllovo that wo do not err In stat ing that tho opinions then expressed b Director Twining aro his opinions now. In his mind, tho big dominating difficulty In that of fare, a problom occasioned wholly by tho fart that temporarily moro than flvo cents' worth of scrvlco would bo given by tho high-speed system for a nickel. Mr. Twining, In other words, docs not beliovo that tho comprehensive system Is lacking In feasibility, but only In Imme diate feasibility on a five-cent fare. From his public statements wo gather that nil difficulty between tho company nnd tho city would dls'olvo overnight and an op crating ngrccment quickly bo I cached wero It agreed that an nverngo basic fnr3 of fcoventcen tickets for $1 would bo instituted If returns Indicated tho neces sity for It Moro than Ahat, tho Director Is convinced, wo venruro to say, that tho superior scrvlco rendered would Justify such a temporary fare, particularly at, In his opinion, reductions would bo pos slblo within a few years. Tho essential difference, therefore, be tween tho views of Mr. Taylor and those of Director Twining is this: Mr. Taylor, who has Invariably maintained that there would bo deficits In early years of opera tion, believes that no increase of faro should bo levied to meet tho city's In terest charges on transit bonds, slnco later surpluses will mako up for early deficits, and offsets. In tho form of In creased tax receipts, etc., will Justify tho nickel fare; Mr. Twining thinks that tho deficits should bo met from tho begin ning by a faro equal to tho co3t of the scrvlco and that tho amount of Increase in faro In theso circumstances would bfe at tho worst but a fraction of n cent, tho Incrcaso being only temporary. With tho views of either adopted tho company would bo fairly protected. In either caso It is admitted that no deficit would result from tho operation of tho Frankford elevated, and that tho necessity for providing for nny deficit would not appear until tho Broad street BUbway and the rest of tho new system camo into operation. Tho. whole transit muddlo, therefore, resolves Itself Into very slmplo elements: There will be n deficit In tho early years of operation: shall it bo met by nn in crease In tho averago fare, taking tho form of a temporary transfer chargo on tho high-speed lines, or out of offsets such as Increased tax roturns resulting from the improvement in transit? Ono method or tho other is necessary, and either assures thlu magnificent public Improvement. Wo suggest that with tho Issuo In this form there should bo little difficulty in reaching a solution of tho wholo problem. THE FOE IN OUIt MIDST There Is but ono cholco. We have mado it. Woe be to the man or group of men that soeks to stand In our way. President Wilson. Tim day has gono past for leniency to the nagging pacifist. This nation Is under arms. Tho armed forces must havo nothing but open foes to contend with. Disloyal persons nnd malcontents In tho rear of our troops, sowing dissension and discontent, will bo ostracized by all pa triotic citizens. By tho civil law they havo freo speech. But thcro is no restriction upon the application of the unwritten so cial law, which Is moro powerful than the written law. Let each social circle read out of its midst those Individuals who keep whining their one little quostton, "But won't some body tell me what wo arc fighting for?" Tho answer Is: "No! If you don't know what wo are fighting for go tell your trou bles to the police. Perhaps they will be able to analyze your delicate doubts." Vaguely these disloyal ones protest they are "for peaco." So does Germnny want peace. "Peace, peace, peace has been the talk of her Foreign Offlco for now a year nnd moro," says tho President. Yos, peaco that would make us pay an Indemnity or consent to somo similar disgrace that is tho kind of peace that Germany wants. The typo of pacifist who wants peace on terms humiliating to the United States had better learn to do his wanting In si lence For ho will havo to bo silent in the time soon to come when our thousands aro on the firing, line and we begin to pay tho cpst of standing for tho. right. t EVENING LlDDOERr - PRESENT STATE OF GERMAN ARMY Six Million Men Cnn Be Counted On Enrly Allied Victory De pends on U. S. and Russia By HENRI UAZIN Staff Correspondent of the Vvenlno l.edatr tn France, PA111S, May C. IN AUGUST, 19H. Germnny had available In armed and moblllznbla force. Including partial effectives nnd tho classes of 1917 18, both of which it wns novcr thought would bo called, n grand total In round fl Kin 03 of 9,000,000 men. Today sho has a grand total of B, 000,00b to tho last avail ablo mnn; and of this figure 1,000,000 nre virtually tireless ns trained soldiers cither through youth or age. Theso figures nro not haphazard. They aro based upon careful notes I havo ob tnlned permission to mako from administra tive nnd military recotdg la Paris, for tho purpose of determining Just what tho prcs cnt status of tho Ilocho army Is In men nnd possibilities, nnd also Just what the losses of tho laft thlrty-thrco months ag gregate. Tho reports I examined nro mi nutely careful in detail and linccd on pro war and Information obtained slnco August, 19 H. They nre, I nm told, within 2 per cent of the actual number of men who can still fight 'nnd men who will never fight again. Thoy cover In tho former category tho present strictly effective units of Gor man armies on nil fronts and behind them They show that tho Iomsc? In men killed or taken prisoner slnco 1011 total l.iCn.nno, and that tho wounded and mutilated who lll never fight again tital 1,200,000 men. If, tho figures Mate, the falling iff of tho birth rnte In n-rmnny is consid ered. It creates a totul decrease In tho popu lation of tho Kulser'h realm of ".100.000. It Is therefore safe tn Bay that tho land of the Uoche hns never been bo bld In Its history, oven In the Thirty years' Wnr Dosperato Sacrifico of Men All reports from tho western front tell the same tale of enormous Oerman loxxcs and ruthless sacrifice nf life in counter attack. I huvo iicrsnimlly looked upon Its evidence, witnessing the other day on the l'rcnrh front fully L'.'OO men out of 1000 monn down like grnsw under n farmer's scjtho In less than an hour. They had ad- anccd In counter-atlnck In their usual cioxo formation, each man touching his neigh, bor's elbow. They hac alunyn ro ilnnn. nt tho Marne, at Ypres, nt YRcr, at Verdun, on tho Konime. Their method rtcBconds from tho teaehliiBS of "Corporal Srhag," as tho father of Frederic II was known. It la based upon moro direct control of tho men by tho officers, giving the noncommis sioned and cnininlsdloned the nge-olil right of goading on tho file, who, with certain death from behind If thry hetiltnte, go for ward In oIno order to possible death. It was with thin nienvuy In mind of something I had Been, nnd Its benrlng on the great conflict, that I asked permission to make tho Inquiry upon which this article is based, to the end of determining Just what tho Horho nrmy Btlll has nnl!iilpo nnd also Its loss during the duration of the wnr. In a study as to the significance of these figures, it must always be reinembertil that In warfare a defensive Is but n hnprd-fnr provisional condition adopted by the lenst strong of two belligerents until the wearing down or material decrease In power or num ber of tho attacking sido readjusts per centages. And it follows Hint If this cannot bo secured automatically a wnsto of ma terial, living or otherwise, results, lending. If unstopped, to certain defeat and dis aster. Ilindcnburg's Retreat It would bo silly to assume that defeat Is Germany's Immediate portion, or oven near Immediate portion. But it Is ulti mately undeniable It Is logically Impossl blo at this writing for Germany to under take a great offensive of the very first magnitude. Her so-cnllcd strategic de fensive Is a wild failure. Tho conclusion a3 to final results Is consequently self-evident. How soon Hint will be depends very largely upon th" I'nlted States I,et It bo remembered that In March, when tho ISocho retreat began. It was Bprenil broadcast in German public prints tliut "Illrdenburg re cedes his center for ftrntcgjc leasons. Ho establishes a new zone between Arras and Solssons for military reasons. He retains everywhere at will the power of Initiative." Against these itntement.s are tho cold facts of official communiques. They record undeniably letorlous drles by Kiunce nnd Kngland : tho massing of thlrty-thrco Bocho reserve divisions on the field of battle, this dictated by superior force ; tho losg to tho linche of Vlmy Heights, the line to Oppy, tho plateau of rhemln-dcs-names with Its appending California Hill, of Crnonno nnd its heights of Vlllo-au-Iiols, of tho heights at Moronvlllicrs, of more than 000 pieces of artillery of all calibers, nf 10,000 prisoners, of 200,000 dead and wounded nil In thirty days, and I hao not named all tho towns and villages redeemed Xor have I men tioned that beyond Craonno the country is a plain. This Is of especial interest. In view of tho far greater Allied forcn, of futuro pro rata Ilocho loss, of tho nctlvo participation in battlo of fulled States troops On all fionts Germany has today 1,500.000 fighting men, with GOO.uOO on lines of dliect communication and l.OOO.OnO In barracks. Theso las-t Includo tho classes of 1017-1S that Is bovs as voting ns eighteen years. Within tho last thirty days tho Prus sian Ministry of Wnr has sent to the west front new reserves amounting to two nnd a third times as many men as wero engaged in tho wnr of 1870-71. which Involved EOO.OOO. Theso approximately 1.200,000 men aro Included In tho front, communication lines nnd barrack reserves. And It has been decreed that only males exempt from military servlro can bo employed In agri cultural pursuits. Henco It Is certain tho 1,200,000 referred to aro In tho main able bodied of all ages who havo been working In munition factories Tliclr number could bo partially replaced by physical exempts nnd by men freo from military duty through largo families. Reduced Size of Army Units A German battalion today numbers 750 to 800 men, ngainst 1200 In 1914. And each battalion unit Includes 100 men who aro noncombatants. 'Wholo fighting battalions havo been taken by tho Kngllsh where the total was but COO men. Tho German nrmy consists of 250 such divisions In maximum quantity todav. In mlddlo March It totaled but 219. of which 143 wero on tho west front and soenty-slx on all other fronts, Including tho Itusslan. Macedonian and Rumanian. Of the forty four divisions In rescrvo on tho west front, thlrtv-threo have been engaged In the last two week3. That means three-quarters of the reservo force wns employed In defensive tactics and counter-attacks. All this in forty days And every man-resource is In nrms. The thlrty-thrco new divisions referred to havo been Identified through prisoners taken and by neroplane scouts Also, twelve divi sions transferred from the Russian front, theso last In the last eight days. The Rus sian front and the Russian situation gen erally Is tho weak link In tho Allied chnln. The strongest link In tho Allied chain is tho United States ilut It is only In the forging. Army for nrmy. the Roche is In ilno for fur ther driving on the western front. If Russia holds, tho barbarian will bo trimmed before tho United States can place BOO.uoo men In France If Russia does not hold, the 500.000 will get real action ; they and as many moro soon to come from England, plus all France Btlll has to give. In round figures 1.000,000. Two weeks ago, to my Way of thinking, based upon careful records, the end of tho war was nearer than today. The Russian situation Is grave enough to warrant re ceding that end, provided It does not ameliorate. And, despjta It, victory U as certain for the"'AlUWi.f BVMk sunshine, flooding rny I i-Z.TlM r ' PHILADELPHIA, FEIDAY, JUNE 15, 1917 Tom Daly's Column A.XD OAN TIIV DEAD KOT BEEt It re knew n poet well enouth to tux sett in Idea to him, wn should tell him to writ a poem about General Perwhlns about what lia la thtnklnc three dan of acclaim anil welcome. Tor ureal honon are hie, and cre-ittr ones are likely to conio to him. And what Oeneral I'erehlns tmit In thinking these dale la the pride It would hum nen hie wife nnd Ma three Uauffhtera, who were burned to death a year eo last Auxuat, to read of thoea honors. r. r. A., In New York Tribune. And can the dead not tcct Do they not hear The rustling of the leaves in April showers, Tho futile chiming of our carthlu hours And tho low moan of men when death is near? Do thev not sec our eves dilate with fcart Havo thru forgot tho fragrant smell of flowcrst And do they sit and gaze in distant tdtccrs At somo more glorious -and undying sphcrcT The dead aro here; they sec and under stand. . They lead victorious armtcs in the fight; They linger on with old, familiar things, fly flrclcss hearths in empty rooms they stand; And when I go adventuring in the night I feel tho rushing tumult of their wings 1 WILL LOU. YOU KNOW what tho editor means, of course, but only nn Irishman could bo oNpcctcd to put it in quite tho way tho Tyrono Courier nnd Dungnnnon N'ews makes this nnnounccment In Its lssuo of May 21: Wo havo been able this week to reduce tho slzo of tho paper to four pages with out omitting any of tho news. The rav ing of paper Is considerable, but our renders can rely on our giving them the full news of tho district and i everting t'i tho larger paper when necessary for this purpose. At present paper Is not obtnin able nt any price, and any i-acd in this way insures publication golrg on much longer than would otherwlso be the caw1 .May Hpidcrs nnd liens on his hide walk! Tho cuy who throws gum on the side walk! And this Is a bit of tho news that wasn't omitted from tho four pages: llnine-rntnlnic or Dr. Ilenttle, M. .. mill IiIh llrlile. (in Tuesday ns the shades nf eve ning were iKKlnnlnB to fall preparations er nindo bv many nuni? men of liallKnw ley ana neighborhood, who ulns hio a d.'itro to hi.nor all , these who cntf-r tho bonds uf matrl mnni y, to KlMi.a tlttlnK welcome to Dr. 1 aiil.. nnd his bride nfter his mirrlaue to Miss lle.-nrrs. lrfiUBhnns. daughter nt tho lato Hob. rt llinvirs, i;s'i , and nlie oi me laic Jtoblnson Heavers. Ilsn Torbnrrels were sot aid iro opposite Dr. Ilenttle linitse nnd Inrco gntiierinir or people nss. rnbled. nnd elM.TS witc KiTrn for Ur HcHttle nnd his bride. Dr. Ilenttto, In a short speech, thanked thiol for inn Kruno Honor snown mm nnu nm bride (A nlrp Vou nre worthy of It all!) lie was not In n position tn mnko a lone ad dress but he thnnked them for tho honor show n him on thin nn entful day In tha hlsiorv of his life, tbnt of his marrliKe. Tho company then left for Messrs Fnlr' cstab lishm. nt whero they wero entertained. Trono Courier. For midoccan's nethermost cave meant! The slouch . who throws sum on the pavement. Tho German word for Honor Is Khre, which, as tho Germnns pronounce It, Is almost "airy," but even closer to "error." UP TO DATE May winds and these June showers llring I'ourth of July flowers. D. J. IV, Housewives who carry their pocket books with 'cm but lcavo their brains nt homo when they go marketing should bo interested in tills sign in a chain grocery stoio on South Sixtieth street: "Sugar S cents per lb., 12 lbs. for $1." Indeed, it's the absolute crass fault This throning of gum on the asphalt! WHAT TEE HEUj SAID YESTERDAY In my youth my lusty voice Bade the nation to rejoice That it was forever free Erom the lands of tyranny, Iltng, ting, ring, To all lands this message fling Amctlca shall know no king; lilng, ring, ring. When our war-embattled sires Passed triumphant through the fires 1'rom Columbia's altar stono I their covenant made known. Peal, peal, peal, Xcvcr more dare monarch's heel Tread our blessed Commonweal Peal, peal, peal. Now, again, at duty's call I appeal to patriots all; Cracked ami agc-ieorn though I he, Still I sound for liberty. Lend, lend, lend, lend To the foe this challenge send, Elag and fireside I defend; Lend, lend, lend, lend. OEOEOE B. KINO. Ungallant THIS happened at a breakfast tablo In Wayne on Sunday morning: "Hilly, did you clean your teeth this morning?" "Yes, mother, I did. All the tooth brushes nro wet but Harriet's." W. Wny! Way! for our viols of wrath! Way! That creature threw gum in our path way! LAST day for tho Liberty Bond. Yes, and last call for contributions to tho fund to purchase young Philip Cotumacclo's painting for tho Red Cross. Having $9.25 on hand, wo only need three more quarters to mako up the $10. Who'll send 'em In? If wo could get you Into this office nnd show you Philip's painting wo'd get your quarter, all right. Tho masterpiece reached us yesterday. It's tho best oil painting of Its painter's age that wo ever saw. You'll find a repro duction of the painting on another page of this paper, but that will give you no notlqn of the really praiseworthy color scheme nor of tho Ingenuity of the young man. His stretcher he mado of pieces of a soapbox nnd for canvas he used tho roverso side of a piece of oilcloth table cover. The painting nnd the money will be laid in the lap of the Red Cross on Saturday. And, speaking of .soles, hero's a soulful Invoking of everything doleful: Msy Fate. him to Evil Chanco.tethcr m . r' : jl THE KNELL ARGUMENT FOR A SMALL SCHOOL BOARD It Increases Efficiency, Concentrates Responsibility and When Elected the Interest of the People in Educational 'Affairs Becomes Moro Intimate w IIY should Philadelphia havo a smaller school board? First. Ilccauso n small board can nnd docs work moro effectively and expedi tiously, dealing with largo problems of policy and giyng heed to tho broader needs and purposes of tho public school system. Second. Because tho chango will break up tho system of committee administra tion, Inherited from tho early times when paid experts were unknown. Tho commit tee system is largely responsible for tho cumbersomo administrate e methods that havo held back and nro still holding back tho Philadelphia schools from the posi tion In tho educational world that should bo attalaed by tho third city In tho coun try. Third. Because In a small board re sponsibility is centralized and fixed. Less of tho personal element Is brought into administrative affairs, and there Is less opportunity for a small group of members to become tho dominant Iniluenco In the board. Why should the board bo elected at large rather than appointed, ns at present? First. Because the appointment of such officers Is Incompatible with tho primal Idea of tho functions of the Judiciary. Second. IJecauso n body of men charged with tho duty of collecting and disbursing a quarter of tho city's entire revenue houd be directly responsible to the people who are taxed to raise this money and in tho Interest of whose chil dren It Is to bo expended. Third. Because the school comes nearer to the homes nnd to the real Interests of the peoplo than any other public Insti tution, and tbcreforo the people should hnvo a direct shnro In tho choice of thoso who manage It. Under the present form of organization of the Philadelphia School Board the duties performed by Its numerous committees nro occasionally of large Importance and con cern the policy of the school department. Such matters should bo handled by the en tiro board. More often, however, tho mat ters handled by committees consist of dctnils that should be disposed of by principals, superintendents and heads of departments, without reference to the board or its com mittees. In either case the" intervention of tho commltteo Is a hindrance rather than a help. The word "committee" appears 180 times In the rules and bylaws of the board. The record of every meeting of tho board consists largely of long recitals of admin istrative matters, approval of the acts of committees nnd other trivial Items that In any city of 100,000 Inhabitants would never come to the board's attention, but could bo disposed of by tho board's paid administra tive officers. Experience of Other Largo Cities In a recerjt study of the largest fifty cities in the country the Public Education Association of Philadelphia finds that thirty-four havo school boards of from three to nine members, the commonest number being five. Twenty-eight elect them at lnrge. and In every enso report satisfactory results. Among, cities having boards of flvo to nlno members: Louisville reports five members elected at large for four years "Very satisfactory." Cleveland has seven members, elected at large. "Formerly had a large board elected by wards." Heports from cities having boards of from twelve to thirty members follow: Bt. Louis has twelve members elected for six years at largo. The strong point claimed la; "Representation of tbe whole voting population." Providence has thirty members, elected by wards. Weak pointer "Scatters respon sibility, obstructs effectiveness, does not In sure election of those best qualified." Detroit has twenty-one members elected by wards. Strong points "There are none.'1 Weak points "Obviously the impossibility of having the city properly represented. The peopla have voted to abolish the prea- em ribuiuu uu cBiuuusn a, uoa.ro. of seven Dinian cieuiou m jarEB.- ptirj mwtmtiimtifuxtium last month, has passed a law reducing the N'ew York city board from forty-six to seven members, Pennsylvania System All second class school districts In Penn sylvania bao nine members elected at large. Itcports fiom home of them follow: Scranton suggests "i,cvcn Instead of nine ; election ut large satisfactory." Chester reports- "Slzo and manner of cholco satisfactory." Lancaster "Would prefer a board of five members, elected at large." Altoona Is satisfied with tho number, and reports: "Our directors nro elected by tho city at large, which Is certainly the best way." Harrlsburg 'thinks tho size Is right; If any change, it should be smaller. The elec tion nt large Is all right." Heading teports: "Slzo satisfactory; would prefer election on nonpartisan hallot." York "Satisfied with both tho number and election." Wllkcs-Bairo says "sl or seen mem bers ; smaller hoard can do moro efficient work. A few men do tho work. Manner of choice best to be bad, according to my notion." What nro tho objections raised against tho changes proposed by this bill beforo the General Assembly Against tho reduction In number of mem bers only one argument has been brought forth, nnd that by members of tho present board; namely, that fewer men would not havo tlmo to pcrfoim all tho necessary work of the board, fnconsclously, theso gentlemen havo presented the great argu ment for a smaller boaid; namely, that It would of necessity reorganlzo upon a mod ern basis, give up Its tinkering with admin istrative details, devoto Itself to the larger conception of tho problems of education and tho broader aspects of administrative policies Against election nt largo only one ob jection has been raised; namely, "that It would bo likely to thtow tho schools back Into politics." Upon this point It may bo said that thcro Is a kind of politics, known ns school poll tics, based not upon party affiliations, but upon personal relationship, Influenco and prejudice, whose effect upon the schools Jh ns baneful as that of out-and-out party politics. That sort of personal politics Is most likely to thrlvo In a system where great responsibility and largo appointing powers are vested In a group of men who nro be yond the reach of tho electorate, cither di rectly or Indirectly, and whoso tenuro Is virtually perpetual. That this form of politics has not been unknown under tho present system In Phil adelphia Is evidenced In many Instances by tho open records of the board's proceed ings, as well as by countless minor Inci dents that are never written Into tho record. As has been pointed out earlier In this discussion, the experienco of other large cities In the country is overwhelmingly to the effect that the election of n small board at large secures men nnd women of the highest typo of citizenship, who, whllorecog. nlzlng their accountability to tho public and the electorate, aro yet so broadly repre sentative that they are not susceptible to tho approaches of petty local politicians. Tho crux of the whole discussion upon this point lies In the distinction between a large board elected by wards or districts and a small board elected at large. Philadelphia has never had a small board; neither has It had a board elected at large. Henco It Is an error to speak of the proposed plan as a "return" to any for. merplan. ' Finally, tho success of nny great public institution in n democrncy must rest ult . mately upon the honesty, interest and In telllgence of the electorate. To admit that an institution so universally sustained by the whole public and so closely related tn the homes and lives of tho whole people cannot be Intrusted to the care of a body of citizens chosen by the people, but must Jf,Sy.tn.hCar0 ot,ay f men In whose selection tha people have no voice and who are completely beyond their reach is to confess the failure of democracy Against the. restriction ,, ... . , &tTm$iji tjffig, What Do You Know? QUIZ Mlm U the official United Htntea rmre sentiitlie with the Italian mltmlon? linn- Hindi ilhl Prentilent Wilson aubtcrlbt to the I.lherlv Loun? What freaks of fnlilon are doouird to co lis ll wnr efenomj? t lint Is tho Committee of Tnhllc Informa tion? Who Is John SnarKo? lint new lino of emlenior Ima the CnlteJ StutfM Jint entered? tWm h Tumi Cld-Jlu? When wna the first Ml pen ued? It hut Is the largest cltv In Canada? Mliiit Mate Is known ns "the mother of rreMilenlH"? Answers to Yesterday's Quiz llrlc.iillcr Oenrril Vnnk Mclnljre Is mili tary censor or the War Den irtmrnt. Count Jlnrlti: i:te-ln- Is " new Hun carlan I'rrmlrr, Micrceillnc Tlsm. ,iirnlin ili-l) 30.0tMI.UOO milej .f nrlmnje nnil toll telrerileli nml felenhone lines. innneitliiB mure thin 10.nmi.000 lelenhone Ht-itlnna, nro now under (Joternment con Irol. Than .lu-lln. miv MlnMrr ef l'orelrn Af- '"'rs. Ih ii lied "the brains of tho thlne rebellion." The II N. I., Imiit ,v nn,,n r (eiitlv nirerteil In the fnlted Statu. lifter ilolnit tlitrt-nie miles nn hour. I our lutect dlrislhlc. The Allies occupied seventeen square mllei ii r llelglum until last week, 1)r. Ji' Neehiuns la In cllrrit rharice of dla. trlhiillnc miupMpm in lirlRlum. Submarines. In times of pence.. cathrr ora ten. Wntihrs were first ronntrurtcd In 1470. hlr Wilfrid I.aurler, leader of Canada'! Liberal jiartj. has resinned. AN IDEAL ISLE OF EXILE Tho idea of banishing tho Kaiser to St Helena In tho event of nn Allied victory Is often a fnvorlto sourco of imaginative ecrclso in Hngland. The conception Is grounded In historical precedent, nnd tho remoteness of this llttlo island Is still an Important asset, as It was in Napoleon's day. St. Helena Is familiarly regarded as tho most isolated Inhabited land on earth. As a matter of fact, howover, St. He lena's scclusidn Is far surpassed by lt nearest, yet far distant neighbor, Tristan da Cunha. In the South Atlantic. Except, lng tho polar regions, this little-known "colony" of England Is the most Inaccessi ble spot In any ocean. Curiously enough, a great war was partly responsible for its present Isolation. Tristan, which Is ono of a group of three small islands, lies In the South Atlantic on latitudo 37 south and longitude 12 west. It Is 2000 miles from tho Cape of Good Hope, 1500 from St. Helena and 4000 miles from Capo Horn. The firft permanent set tlement on tho Island was made by Thomas Currlc, an Englishman, In 1810. Some of tho later hettlers camo from Cape Colony, a few from Italy nnd Asia nnd from ship wrecked vessels. It was Americans, how ever, who gave a fleeting glimpse of pros polity to Tristan when they used It for a port of call and repair station In the great whaling days before tho Civil War. In that struggle, however, the Confed erate sea raiders destroyed American pre eminence In whaling forever. No regular liners, and even few tramps and sailing vessels, call at Tristan today, and the popu lation, who keep a few sheep and cattl nnd grow some wheat, potatoes, peaches ond apples, now numbers but ninety-five-souls. They navigate between the three islands In small canvas boats of their own making and are daring sailors. Sheep wool furnishes the Islanders with clothing ma terial. Occasionally they are visited by a British ship bringing needed supplies. The Islands were discovered In 1506 by tho Portugueso admiral Tristan, or, more properly, Tristao da Cunha, on a voyago to India. They rlso from a submarine ele vation, which rpns down the center of th Atlantic, and on which are, likewise, sit uated Ascension, St. Paul's Rocks and tha sAzores, The average depth on this rldB Is nbout 1700 fathoms. Tho depth between the Islands Is In some places 1000 fathoms Tristan, tho largest island, has an area of sixteen square miles, Is nearly circular In form and has a great volcanlo cone, 7000 feet high usually capped with snow in tlU center On all sides of tho Island but one rise precipitous cliffs from 1000 to 90 feet high On tha wholt, Tristan da Cunha r9UW be a reasonably safe nlaee of exile lOT'i Crtalnvjprent-day dwUr fejgftitofafc j , . . :,..- a U",
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers