'? .Vi l-W T 1 ' s IJ, V ' f a EVENING PUBLIC JilSDPPHniABEIiPHrA; TUESDAY, AUGUST Sfc 1920 Y,' t -i i w n i ir i. 31 I MfJ r.w-A jf & ! it1. X. l X " feuemng IJubliclEe&ger PODLIC LEDGER, COMPANY ,CYnU8 Hi K. CUKTIS. PnitKIDiiNT ..Crmrlrii Hi Ludlwrton. Vie Pr1!nt: Jnhi ChiiTlfii Hi Ludlwrton. Vie Prl!nt: John C. fisrtin, serrMnry and Tresursr: Philip fl. Collin. monn ii. Wllllnms. John J. Srunrron. Director. F'l M u . ' .nl' . i oniurnri s null r. xu.,i mm ii. wii llsms. John J. EDITOniAIj UOARDt Ctro II. K. Cditib. Chairman DAVID E. BMILEY Editor JOHN C. MARTIN.... General Business Mananer i ' ' ' . Published dll' at Pcnuo I.ckokii Ilultdlnc. Independence Square, Philadelphia. ... Atlantic Citt Press-Union BulMIni Nr.ir Toik, 3114 Madison Ave. Dittioit 701 Ford Dulldlnc BTi Imis .....1008 Fullerton Ilulldlni CfllciOi 1302 Tribune Ilulldlnr NEWS IIUItHAUSl WinlNOTO llUHTAU, ..... . N, K. Cor, Pennsylvania. Ave. ana 14th St. New Yobk IIbmcab The Sun Uulldlna London Ucnr.AO ... . t.oiidon Tlmrs MUlSrlUPTlON TERMS T.ie Etbxino Pi'BLlo iJtnoim Is aerved to aab crlbers In Philadelphia and surrnunrtlne towns t the rate of twelve (12) cents per week, payable to the carrier. ... . . , , . . . Rr mall to points outside of Philadelphia. In the United States, Canada, or United States pos aesslnns. postane free, fifty (.101 cents per month. Bis (Id) dollars per ear, payable In. advance. To all forelun countries on 'ID dollar a month. Nonet Subscribers wlshlne address chanced must give old as well aa new address. BELL. 3000 WALNUT KEYSTONE. MAIN J00 K7 Address nil communication to Kvrnlna PubHo Ledger, Independence Square, rwllodslpaki. Member of the Associated Press 1 TUB JNSOClATEt) rKESS I rxclustvelu en. titled Iti the use of lor republication ot all news f, dispatches credited to It or not ofJirnoUe credited " In fills pajier, and alio tile local iieuis published All rights ot republication o special dispatcher nerein nrc also rfinrro, ---SF Philadelphia, Tueidiy, Autuit SI. MS A FOlH-VE.Xlt PltOOUAM FOR a I'IIIUMRI.IIIIA Thlnas on which the people eipect the new ndmlnlMrntlcm In ronrmtrate Its nttentlom The Delaware river bridge. ,. ,. A dnidock Mo rnouoh to accommodate tn JJevefirment it the rapid transit system. A convention hall. ... A building tor the Pree Z.vrarv. An Art Museum. Enlargement ot flie.toater supply. Homes to accommodate the population. MR. HAYS'S STATEMENT CHAIRMAN' W'UA. HAYS'S statement concerning the Republican campaign fund before the Senate investigators was clear cut aud straightforward. Its candor and completeness will convince all but blind ' partisans of the Democratic party. It dls I poses very effectually of Mr. Cox's foolish exaggerations. Mr. Hays's counter charges that the Democrats are raising a much larger fund and that the liquor interests are involved undoubtedly will engage the attention of the Senate committee. I'ntll the truth or falsity of' them can be determined by supporting evidence, fair-minded people will prefer to reserve judgment. Already the reconvened sessions of the committee have served n good purpose. They should continue until every scrap of evidence bearing on cither the Republican or Demo cratic drives for contributions can be ex amined and weighed in the light of the publicity that beats upon its proceedings. Before they are ended, it is a fair guess that politicians of high and low degree in both parties will learn new lessons in the Tirtue of conducting the presidential cam paign with decency and respect for the truth. The boomerang is already on the re turn flight. AUTO SAFETY AND SENSE Of COURSE, if the regulations regarding automobile traffic were made prohibitory the police department could point with prido to the security of the city streets. We should be as free from motor accidents as Venice. Superintendent Mills may be dreaming of ome such relief to shattered nerves when be contemplates, as he is reported to be doing, the promulgation of a rule forbidding persons from riding in the front scats with drivers of automobiles. Such an edict if enforced would be an effective way of riddinc the town of virtually nil of its two -passenger cars. Riding alone Is almost as much fun as occupjiug two seats at the theatre. As it is, motoring in Philadelphia is rather more a necessity than u recreation. Narrow streets are the root of the difficulty and many of the restrictions, though vexing, jare warranted because of peculiar physical conditions. The one-way traffic rules arc warranted in many instances and have on the whole worked well. IJut the multiplication of restrictions is not an engaging prospect. Public snfetv. which naturally is a paramount isue, can be maintained without an invasion of the social rights of auto owners nnd drivers. It is to be hoped that Superintendent Mills has been doing nothinc more harmful than giving a free rein to his fancy. TARDINESS IN SMYTH'S OFFICE TO SAY the least, it is regrettable that the law department should hamper the work of classifying salaries and positions in the municipal .crvic' Citv Solicitor Smyth's department is the only branch of the city government which has not yet supplied the classifiers with the necessary data as a basis for the proposed standardization Mr. Sirryth's chief clerk explains that vacations have interfered with co-operation bctu i the law department and the (orp of experts engaged by the -Civil Set vice Cummission. Rut the i it V soh ifor s office is not unique among citv offices m enjoying vacations. The chief clerk also says that the classi fiers have been tardy in sending the classifi cation cards. To all this, the manager for the classifiers intimates that the real cause of delav has been a icrtain remissness from the beginning on the pnrt of the law de partment. The classifier, therefore frankly express the fe.ir that tin maj not be ablf to include recommendations (oncerning the lnw d -partment in the tiuiil report to City Council, which must ii' made b September 1.". A desire to forward the work of standardiza tion would not pei mil the classifiers to be bampcrtd either b u lack of data or by pressure uf time Ic is unfortunate that this particular office, of all offiies under the law, was not among the first to help in the standardiza tion movement. REGISTRARS AND THE SEXES TIIK doubts that are expressed over the iiM.ilalnlity ot women as registrars ap pear to be grounded more in the embarrass ment resulting from a rush of political novel Hen than in any consistent interpretation of the law. Commissioner Fell is inclined to think that the i tile requiring registrars to have lived for a year within the division from which they are appointed temporarily ren ders a woman ineligible, since, as sin. has not been an elector for a your, sh,. ,Us in tfie technical sense not "lived" in the dis trict prior to the ratification of the suffrage amendment. Such reasoning may be questioned. If such u reading of the law can be justified, then whut becomes of a womun's right of vote In the coming election? The statutes insist that sho shall hnvo lived In the state or n year, Uy strict analogy her voting privilege Is shadowed by the fact that she 1itt wot dwelt In the rommonwculth for twelve, months in the. capacity of elector. Such a quibbling deduction, however, will oUrlotwly not hold hi this caw and there seems to bo little sanction for Its operation In .the other. The registration commissioners are not compelled to appoint women to serve as registrars. The right of option in this mat ter exists and it is likely that it will be exercised to prevent nn already difficult situ ation from becoming still more complicated. Thfe nssessors and tho registrars vlll have their hands full this week. Experienced officials are needed. The appointment of the .170 new registrars had pcrhnps best bo drawn from the tex that has had practical political training Rut it is certainly twisting what seems to bo the clear intent of tho law to imply that the regulations stnnd in the way of wonen appointees. As a matter cf fact, when nil the technical machinery is adjusted excellent results may be expected from, women registrars. At present however, members of the newly enfranchised sex enn afford to be patient. They have n number of important acts to perforin. Care should be taken today nnd tomorrow to see that their names hare been placed upon the nssessors' lists. On both days the nssessors will alt in the division polling quarters. Thursday is tho first registration day. The women will be kept fairly busy complying with the formalities. Ily the time another year rolls around it may prove n desirable thing to balance the sexes in the posts of the registration officials. COAL IN THE GROUND, BUT CELLARS ARE EMPTY Is There Not Skill Enough Somewhere to Get It Out When Needed at a Price That Is Not Extortionate? IT WILL bo gratifying to every believer in responsible government thnt President Wilsou has not been inlluenced In his course by the threat of a strike by the anthracite coal miners. Representatives of the miners adopted a resolution in YVllkcs-Bnrro last Sunday de manding that tho President approve the minority report of the Anthracite Commis sion and announcing that unless he approved it on or before Wednesday of this week they would stop work. The minority report was made by tho labor representative on tho commission. It recommended an Increase of 27 per cent or more in the pay of the miners. The majority report recommended nn in crease of 20 per cent for contract miners and 17 per cent for company miners, with a minimum of .V-M-i cents an hour. The majority report which tlie President approved, in addition to recommending an increase in wages, rejected the demands of the miners for the closed shop and the check off system nnd npproved n two-year con tract. It was made in pursuance of an agreement between the miners nnd the oper ators to submit their disagreement to arbi tration. The miners cannot refuse to abide by the findings of the commission without discrediting themselves in the minds of every believer in the principlo Of keeping faith. If the threatened stilke should take place it will not have the sympathy of the public. There ought to be good sense enough, among the miners to induce them to reconsider their rash threat of Sunday and stay on their jobs, especially ns the wage award is retroactive to April 1, the date when the Inst wage agreement expired. The award will add SS.",000,000 a year to the wages received by the miners. The commission anticipated that this would be Used as a pretext for increasing the price of coal to the consumers, because the report definitely declared that the award "offers no justification for any advance, but on the other hand is consistent with a decline in prices." This is because the award, in ad dition to granting an increase in wages, makes such modifications in the conditions of work as ought to increase the productivity of the labor. An Increase In the price of anthracite to day would be Intolerable. The householders who have been buying their winter's supply are discovering that they must pay nearly 31f) a ton for it. This is more than the war-time price and double the price that prevailed five or six yeurs ago. The differ ence between it and the prii e paid at the mines is excessive. The mine price has in creased vilv about 00 per cent, according to the figures prepared by the Anthrncito Bureau of Information. Rut the consumer is paying nn increase of 100 per cent over he old retail price. It is difficult to escape the conclusion that somo one somewhere along the lino Is prof iteering at tho oxpenso of the public. An official inquiry into the subject might dis close the guilty and hold them up to public condemnation if not to civil or criminal prosecution under tho Lever act. What the public would like to know is where the money goes. How much of it does the miner get? That is, what is the labor cost of producing a ton of anthracite under average conditions? How much goes to the operator to cover his overhead charges and what part of tho sum he gets is clear profit? Does be earn 10 per cent or 100 per cent on his invest ment? What does it cost tho railroads to move a ton of coal and how much do they get for it? How big is the surplus left after paying all fixed charges? How much of a rako-off do the commis sion men get for tho business of acting as intermediary between the operators and the retailers? They do not mine coal and they do not sell It to the consumers. Their chief business consists in keeping a set of books. And lastly, what Is the margin of profit between what the retailer pays and tho price at which be sells? What does it cost him to handle n ton of coal from the time It is delivered to him in a freight car until he jlumps it into the cellar of tho consumer? . If these facts could be discovered with any degree of accuracy then the public Mould know where the responsibility for $1.1 coal Is to bo placed. No one objects to a living wage for the miners and no one is opposed to a fair re turn on the capital invested in tho mining industry. Hut the impression is widespread now, just as it has been for years, that tome one is getting too much profit out of the necessity for artificial heat in the winter. The issue has been confused with so many figures and percentages that no one outside of the coal industry knows the truth. Public smpnthy has seldom been with the operators and never with the coal-corrylng railroads. And there hne been times when tho miners have forfeited their right to popular support. It is possiblo that n largo part of the trouble lies in the wasteful organization of the coal Industry. Mr. Hoover remarked a few months ago that no other great industry In the country was managed with leas em. clency. We all know that the mines are I no worked coptinuously. We know that tho miners are idlo so often that a minimum wago of fifty cents an hour is deceptive, for tho net income for n year is not anywhere near so much as that wago would give to a worker employed twelvo months, Tho operators, however, have explained that they cannot run tho mines at their full capacity when thcro is no demand for coal. They have no storage facilities, they say. They charge tho railroads with failure to provido them with enough cars to carry the coal away as fast as it is mined Rut some of them havo been charged by tho Pennsyl vania Railroad with bribing railroad employes to show favoritism in the allotment of cars. Tho public is awaro that when they havo expected a striko they havo piled up vast quantities of coal to supply a certain de mand. Instead of solving tho coal problem, those, counectcd with it seem to havo devoted them selves to finding excuses for tho existing muddle. If no better way out can bo found the public would welcome tho appointment of a commission, with Mr. Hoover, or some other qualified expert, at its head, to study the whole question and make recommendations, tho adoption of which would not only re duce the price of coal to the consumer, but would enable him to get it when ho wants It. At present, tho small householder is find ing it difficult if not impossible to get coal for his kitchen range, to say nothing of coal to feed his furnace with next winter. With coal enough In the ground to supply the nntion for hundreds of years it seems as if we ought to have ingenuity enough in the whole country, if not In Pennsylvania, where the nnthraclto beds He, to find n wnv to get it out at fair prices ns fast as needed. LABOR IMPERIALISM? rpHOSi: who really hope to see economic justice done in tho United States through tho evolution of a better system of ethics among men who work nnd men who organizo industries will prefer to bcllevo that it is not tho Federation of Labor that speaks In tho astonishing documont which, issued as a political guido book from labor headquarters, Is clearly intended to Bwlng all trades unions Into the campaign on the side of Mr. Cox. This open order to tho labor vote sounds more like the work of headlong leaders still intent upon reckless experiment with dangerous elements. Let us suppose thnt the bankers of the country, in a solemn session, should take off their high huts and announce that all bankers ought to vote for a particular can didate. Suppose that these bankers were to say : "Wc are for this man because he al ways gave us what wo asked for. Ho has a one hundred per cent record for efficiency in our service." The country would then have a right to believe that we are no longer n democracy, no longer either sane or just. The qualification of n presidential candi date cannot be judged by what he docs for labor or for capital, for doctors or for law yers, for the farmer or the Industrial wage earner. If what the federation report says' of Cox is true then Cox for reasons best known to himself has been a consistent up holder of special interests. And if a Presi dent is to be anything but a misfit in his office he should be a man who recognizes no class and grants no special privilege. The Federation of Labor, which has been earning nn enviable reputation for sanity, risks a good deal by putting a wreath on Cox. Cox. we are informed, gave labor what it wanted. He is not praised in this in stance because he was just or fair-minded or courageous or wise. The federation docs not accept him for any such reasons. It does not suggest thnt he is better qualified for the presidency than Mr. Harding or that he might do as much or more than his op ponent for the country nt large. "Ho always voted for our claims!" That is the nub of tho argument. So, because Mr. Cox always voted for the claims of unions and not because he is good or able or just, the federation would give him to the United States for the presi dency. Wo do not know what claims Mr. Cox voted for so consistently as the friend of the working man. Hut he is credited with voting "right" In nil cases. Now, though we have always been ready to admit the Tightness of most of tho claims advanced by the federation, we arc not prepared to be lieve that any organization of men with ex clusive purposes of its own to serve can be I .........,, nbui nun luYuniiuiy ucservmg ot help nnd sympathy. Those who know politics and the prac tice of politics will perceive that Cox bos been no amateur nt the game. Rut what happened to cause men like Mr. Gompers to permit their organization to become a tool of job seekers? Is this the way in which the federation is to exert its influence for a better order of society? The outlaw strikes in Rrooklyn nnd on the New York docks nnd the nttitude of the coal miners who tried without success to "hold a stop watch" on the President would make it appear that one of two things has hap pened. The conservatives in the federation, despite all their boasts of influence, nreloslni; power or else they have drifted iuto the imperial mood to go out for spoils as other imperialists have been doing for centuries without any lasting happiness or enduring 1 he president of the Allied Teach ers Council M,ys the new superintendent of schools should be nn nhlo executive and an educational specialist; should bo so wise that all his recommendations would be accepted without question ; should be a diplomatist and should have personal mag netism and should be capable of hnrmonlzin all the interests in education. Rut such a rami could easily get a bigger job than the school board has at its disposal. The world is looking for him to show It the way out of its present troubles, but has not yet found him. With nil due respect to those who be lieve that the old-fashioned bathing suit hi prudish, wo lire not prepared to belieo that unripe tomatoes like those hurled the other day by tho bungalow folk at Wnshfngtoir.i Crossing provided any Intelligible answer o an indictment or any justification for on individual point ot view. In other words tomatoes, when they are hurled, arc not convincing. Somo folk in England nn complaining because tombstone epitaphs are becoming frivolous Yet it was only logical to ex pect some such development in a time when professional humorists tend steadily and certainly toward a gravity that might almost be called dull. What would'thuse young men, who liks to give their best girls a ride in their run abouts, do if Superintendent Mills's propo sition that no one be allowed to sit in tho same seat with tho driver of a motorcar should be adopted? Cox says thnt he will continue to make his charges of a Republican corruption ftit.d "until the Ides of November nre here." Hut why does he plan to keep It up for ten days after he Is to be defeated? Docs li uot knoW thnt the Ides are November 13? "Bolshevist offensjve" is no novelty. He always Is. Q . OIL ACROSS JHE BORDER Mexican situation Still Insecure and' Administration Continues to Flfjht 8hy of Problem TN SPITE of nil tho efforts of Secretary -L Daniels to gunrantec nn adequate supply of fuel oil nnd gasoline for nnvy uao, the whole petroleum question remains unsettled, nnd every user of an automobile, a truck or a motorboat, to say nothing of tho big shipping Interests, with their oil-burning vessels, is likely to feel tho effects of tho growing shortage. Secretary Daniels, of courso. hna been in terested only in tho nnvy's supply. An. nounccment is now made thnt tho problem on the Pacific coast has been solved, but what will now go to tho nnvy must bo taken from the general consumer nnd tho general consumer himself has long been crying for more. Ever slnco the start of tho war American oil interests in Mexico have been trying to mako tho Wilson administration pay moro attention to the great petroleum fields about Tomplco. Thcro Is nn almost unbelievable situation there. It presents tho spectnelo of a district, financed and largely managed by Americans, capable with the wells already in operation of supplying every need of tho navy nnd more besides, and yet being con sistently avoided by tho authorities nt Washington. Our fellow countrymen hnvo been ruth lessly robbed, murdered and maltreated down thcro with impunity and great glee on the port of the "greasers"; tho Stars nnd Stripes havo been openly insulted in the streets J tho Mexican rabble has been per mitted to parade with big banners urging the public to all forms of violence against Americans and tho government at Wash J ington has done practically nothing. Nowhere In tho world is the Wilson ad ministration so heartily despised ns along the banks of the Pnnuco nnd Tamesl rivers nnd on down the coast as far us Vera Cruz. It has been mnde very evident, In tho opinions of these men, thnt they need ex pect no support from tho present authori ties at Washington because these authori. ties arc seeking to avoid becoming embroiled in a Mexican quarrel. "7T2T this stretch of Mexican coast :oun JL try is tho petroleum marvel of tho day. Before tho war, tho average shipments of oil from the Panuco river were 4,000,000 bar rels a month. When wo got into tho fracas, tnnk ships were, for somo mysterious rea son, diverted from this run In spite of the urgent need of oil, and the shipments fell to nbout 3,000,000 barrels monthly. Yet the wells, which were nt that time in operation, were capable of supplving over 1,000.000 barrels a day. Since tlten other wells have "come in," the great operation nt Port Lobos hns been put through nnd the potential production of the district ennnot be far short of n mil. lion and a half barrels every day of the year. But the shipping sltuution is such that the wells cannot be allowed to flow at full capacitv. There is probably not a valve In the whole Mexican oil country thnt is moro than quarter way opened. '" Tho oil eould not be shipped and there are not suffi cient storage facilities. These wells cannot be entirely closed. Mexican oil comes through nt such n tre mendous pressure thnt, when the Cnsianb No. T, for instance, wns shut off, geysers of oil spouted up out of the soil for a dis. tance of 100 yards about. This well, by the wny. is one of the show wells of the dis. trict. It "enme in" in September, 1010. with n pressure said to have been 280 pounds to the squnre inch. It hns been flowing 2.1,000 barrel;? a clay ever since, only pnrtly opened, and the pressure hns not diminished n pound. Over 1.000.000 wis spent before this well wns completed, but it has paid for itself many times over. Ttrf capacity is probably in excess of 05,000 barrels a day. During the time it hns been opened. Coslano No. 7 has, it is claimed, produced moro oil than any other well in tho world. Another great Mexican spoutcr, but n yocnger one, is the Cerro Azul. with n capacity of no less than 20.000 bnrrels of oil dairy a flow which has not, of course, ever been fully utilized. The Potrero del Llano Is another great gusher capable of supplying IW.000 barrels a day when fully opened. IN THE old days oil tankers used to run into the Pnnuco river nnd take on hnlf a cargo. Then, being as deep ns the shnllow rlvcr chnnnel allowed, they took tank barges down the coast into tho protected waters behind Lobos island, and finished loading there. It was an excellent harbor, but, of ccflirse, this method was slow and costly. Later the Panuco chnnnel was dredged deep enough to permit tankers to go all the way up to the last compnny dock nnd the Lobos Island anchorage was abandoned. Now wells brought in farther south, how ever; again attracted nttcntion to this good bit of deep wnter. and the big island pro ject was put through, carrying tho oil by Immense pipe lines from the wells to tho const and creating a city where before hnd been only the scrub sand plants of tho shore. Still further south, at Trxpan, thexe is nnothcr oil port which is ready for greater development. Here the tank ships have to lie off about two miles from shore and mako fast to two mooring buoys, but in such a wny that tho hawsers can be immediately slipped if one of the characteristic sudden Mexican northers comes up. Once moored they pick up another buoy which is fast to the pipe line, tho hose Is connected, n whistle is blown and the station on shore commences to pump. WITH all this tremendous supply of pe troleum and probably ns much more not yot tapped, thcro really should be no reason for the United Stntes navy to worry about its fuel. All the Americans down there nsk is enough i-hlps nnd n decent prospect of not being murdered without n rhnnce to flcht back or, nt least, to arrnngo for their widows to get some compensation. This chance to fight back is their princi pal desire. Every American .Tackle who gets shore leave in Tnmplco is wnrned that the slightest sign of trouble will mean the permnnent withdrawal of all shore leave for everybody. Consequently, no American hos been nllowed to fight, no matter how bitterly he may be Insulted. And the Mexicans havo learned to lovo the sport of bnlting tho gringoes, for they know they nre safe in doing so. The result is n deeply rooted contempt for America and Americans throughout tho whole oil district. The peons openly boast realize that the Philadelphia Hoy Scouts could go down there and clean up their dirty, pujama-clad littlo "army" if Biven a chance. RETREAT AQARDEN filled with briar nnd yellow r08C' 1,11 Pale lavender nnd drooping Jessamine, An arbor where the honeysuckle grows. A corner where the yellow sunflowers shine. A cottage with small windows open wide To catch the whisper of the quiet day. A little wood beyond, where branches hid A river, singing nil along Us way. All these are mine and here the noonday min, With pensive beauty nil the garden fills. And after sunset, when tbo day Is done, Tho wind blows softly from the cloudy hills. And all tho leaves are lifted in tho vale, To the long music of the nightingale f- .1 l.l..pfu 1. tlm Vn... It'll s jjuruuijT' i u ius ivii it humBoh that any Jlexlcon sonuer can wnip any tnreo Americans barring the Texans. They have a wholesome respeVt for Texons. Hut they ..... nt the ordinary crlngo. They do not hi i "''fiitiniiYfTriiillf ilmitffriilTtilf. 4Lssssflslsflss? MUf. liStnflMiArPvr!!?x mmGKP "QflHsKssmlBsssbflissa s sif'tei'-'V rWi"' i 'SssBsMsB!ita:r'ininisrrr i'lVfftfPnF sXv3ftfe&Sfe WtSLW rill mmfm I'TMlkmmi ' VssssHsHbl Nlr' 1 ' frrVJBMlfBBB JfMrlrfMuPP'lB''- '. ' TsMssKBS'iKfiirsCft" y UsM?)k.?& ''wir'SiiF'rTnl'ftSftu eEPrMwiSitGt SftSfll fcyrS3Sffls?5fj ffsWrrWfWlsWsCswfflWI JvirMWittrUvjUai ' -jHtrJutn . tmEjWi tffiM B Xl stfTrt&Pftf JtjllicvW IKt iLtaaxrtui rrffw gkaflfr VYriWwlUiZmLWJifHw r? P n VtsTTnslBsBBsrin ffirTlrffi uli NOW. MY IDEA IS THIS! Daily Talks With Thinking Philadelphians on Subjects They Know Best CONSTANTIN VON STERNBERG On the Influence of Jazz TAZZ is not only one of the most pernicious influences in our music nnd musical life, but it also spreads its blighting effect to the very woof and fiber of our social, moral, ethical and esthetic fabric, in the opinion of Coiistantin von Sternberg, pianist,, com poser and an active writer on musical mat ters. "We have nlways hnd jazz or its equiva lent," said Mr. von Sternberg. "At one time or another in our history wc havo some counterpart of this vulgarity In our music. One time it may have been 'Tho Arkansas Traveler' or its equivalent, then we hnd ragtime, now wo have jazz. "Probably jazz in its present form will pass in tLc nenr future, but something else will take its place. Tho trouble is a funda mental one and until good music is more universally regarded as a paramount factor in our everyday lifo we shall continue to bavo it. "The problem of jazz or its equivalent Is a baffling one. Not only has it undermined this- country in regard to tho musical taste of Its people, but It has recently extended Its baneful influence to tho European countries. Englind, Franco nnd Germany in particular have fallen victims to the crazo. Italy, I am not so suro of, and Russia is a Bplcndid bulwark against this invasion. "Japan has too much of tho innate artist In Its ordinary people to succumb to this musical virus and the other Asiatic countries don't mako so much difference. They havo little music to spoil. "I unhesitatingly lay the onus for our musical decadence, ns shown in jazz, on the men of the country. Tho cavo man etill exists in music, with his iunato prejudice that It is a feminine subject only and not to bo tnken seriously by his sex. Women Hnvo Hotter Taste "Women for tho most part want and strlvo for the best in music, but they are compelled to sacrifice their desires to tho wishes of the men. For instance, tho young girl entertains sovcral young men in hor homo. She plins an air by Schumann or a Rccthoven number for her guests. 'That's all right, but don't you think it'u a little heavy?' one or moro of tho young men says. 'Can't you play us something livellor?' "Now in this group ono of the young men may bo her potontial husband. Tho young woman loves her music, but sho dot's not want to offend and drivo nway n wcl. come suitor. They havo not that thing in common, but thcro must be harmony. So she makes tho sacrlfico and plays somothlng unworthy, that moro nearly pleases hlj uneducated musical palate. "Sho later gets even with him when she raurries him. She then has more power than sho formerly had, Sho has landed hor hus band, so she asserts herself a littlo moro. Then tho young man escorts her to the opera or to an orchestral concert or to some other musical function. Hut he docs It now to please her, not because he wants to. "As a striking proof of what I have been poying, I have in my musical schools IL'0 pupils. Of this number, fifty are young men, the rest ate girls. "The average father is anxious to see his childron better educated than himself in everything except music. He considers it n thing of frills and usually sends his girls, if any one When he docs send them, he wants to hear tho music ho likes and understands, not the uplifting nnd en nobling kind which tho teacher would have his pupil master That, to the average man, is 'highbrow stuff ' "And tho result is thnt ho often interferes with tho work of the tencher, directly or In directly, to suit bis desires or limited knowl edge of the subject. Musicians Rroadmlndcd "The hope for n better influence to curb the jnw tendency rests In the moro ex tensive education musically of the boy. Thoro Is an impression that musicians nro in favor ot musical training and against all other forms of education. That is en tirely wrong. MoBt of tho greatest artists of our tlmo are men of broad 'culture nnd education, practical men, well-informed men, widely rend and ftistmKfe men of the H "Paderowskl, as wH3 tiki his place us a national In Poland. Josef Hofi 1 0L.U10 greatest artists "SOME SCRAP!" but he is n man of many parts. Mr. Ilof mnnn is a keen nnd deep philosopher, nn en gineer of nbilitv. n very nbln blolopist. hn, hc is also a better mechanic than most of tliniln ...La nu AnBtu 1 1 .. f 1 f'. , i...,-,u miu uiu ruining II living at lLsjouay. 'He builds his own automobiles, lie can repnir almost any kind of machinery, he is a general handy mnn. He is a first-class electrician aud nn inventor. His latest in vention is nn automobile shocl? absorber, which will soon bo placed on the market. "Thcro are other broadly cultured and nll-around practical men among musicians without number. "So if the average father and mother will learn to realize that their boy will not become nn effeminate or vislonnry or incapable young man by n musical train ing, prcifrnbly in some instrument, they will have gone n long wny toward overcom. ing this ancient prejudice nnd removing tho chief obstacle in the way of having a better national music. "Jazz appeals' to the shallow minded and tho unthinking, the lazv nnd the shiftless. because it requires no attention. It comes4! to you whether you will have it or not If you miss nny of it, it doesn't matter; thcro is no loss. "Hern is the direct connection between jazz and national bad manners. It is ag gressive. It is not content to have itself heard aud tako its chances. It forces itself on one. The bnd-manncrcd man works on the same principlo. He pays no nttentlou to cbnversation, to tho wishes of others, even to their rights, no not only does that, but he. actually forces his bad manners on other people. Ja Loads to Worse Things "Jazz has not only sprend Its bad influ ence around the world, but it hns ascended spirally upward from our so-called lower classes until it hns reached our so-called better classes. "Good music remiircs nttcntion. Good things as a rule do not come to one. Ono mus go to them. The reverse is truo of the bad thing. Tho roso that blooms on the bush must bo sought to be obtained. If limburgcr cheese were on a bush, this effort would not bo necessary. It would pursuo ono ns far us Its Influence on the olfactory organs could bo felt. "Hut jazz goes further. It has an effect on the ethics of people. Much that Is uncthicnl arises from n tendency to be care less, to be rfhaccurate. It is but n step from that to lying and other forms of bad ethics. When ono studies music nnd learns to bo careful of tho value of every note to nn eighth and a quarter and a sixteenth, they are not so likely to offend. "There Is n direct connection betwe-ui jazz nnd bad morals. The life of Jazz or any of such music outside of its discords is rhythm. Rhythm Is the nearest thing In common with animals thnt we have. Jazz then affects the motor senses, which nro our most animal ones. "Just to the extent that jazz is vulgar, just to that oxtent will our movements bo nffected. Music then Is the controling ele ment in the dance. Havo your music vulgar and syncopated and to just that extent will your movements bu awkward and suggestlvo and even Indecent. This is quite npart from the standpoint of Its effect on the ear. "Music is the thing above nil others that strikes closest to the soul. Clergymen, teachers 'and speakers enn use their utmost eloquence, but they con never hope hv, use of words to strike tho feelings with tho same force nor ns deeply as inuslc. Plenty of Good Music "To mako Itself felt wo must create among tbo pcoplo n musical consciousness. Wo miiBt got beyond the mero cnr-tickllng musto and have something more substantial, somn thing that lifts one up to a higher plane than thnt reached by tho mero appeal to the organ of sound. "I do not mean that music should neces. earlly be 'high brow.' AVe have a great deal of music which is being written today thnt la musically sound and fine and yet within tho grasp of every one, the type of tho music that Is wrlttenJ"or parlor consump tion, for the home." "Amongjoit small classics tako 'Dixie, ihlcb AiKltb the best music that has I tho Inane llonfc, Sweet lisses with the worst. It that saves. Our prima It make the samo concossion girls do to their men." SHORT CUTS Tho effect of Kelly single sculls was ln deed deadening. It is no news that Samuel Gompni is a Democrat. The situation: Hard coal miners, hart coal operators, hard coal and a soft, sold public. This is tho time when folk return home to rest and recover from the effects of their vacations. ; Tho trouble with all charces. as Mr. Cox may In time come to realize, is tint they are inherently costly. Sir. Gompcrs's mind is just about open to new impressions as that of any man who has for years voted tho sami party ticket. Wo all envy Magistrate Price, who jot a chance to fine u trolley-cnr conductor who got into a row with n passenger wnom lie had told to "step lively." Doctor Furbush's warning against Ilia inherited from vacation seems to he soma. what in tho suspicious spirit of "Everj thiug's been very pleasant so far." Why all this speculation about the war women nre going to vote? Does not evetr husband know that his wifo will follow hi! example at the polls? Don't all bpea .it once. ' Thnt man who dropped dead after b had ordered his meal In n restaurant wu a littlo premature. If ho had waited unui , ho got his check thcro might havo been soma cxcuBO for him. The next thing we know tho antis will bo saying tho newly enfranchised women cannot vote because they have notk'en rest' dents of tho stato for a year since tm constitutional amendment was ndoptea. A ship was steered Into New York har bor by wireless. Now, if her cargo could be put aboard by radio impulses the newi would have a practical meaning for snip pers who nre iu a WW to be ruined by out law strikes. You will observe, of course, that new and marvclously efficient safety appliances, guar nntccd to put u certain stop to the slaugMW at railroad grade crossings o being w stalled in Pennsylvania and hew Jcriej ., You can see the Camden bridge going uft too, can yoo not What Do You Know: QUIZ 1. Namo thlrtoen monarchies in Kurop. 2. Nume ton republics In Europe . 3. Is a naturalized American cltUen ellgiw to the presidency? ,? 4. What Is a policy ot "laissoz faire f I iV-;!: .,tri,i tho nhrnHH bo nronounceaj SI Of what mato la Charleston the enffi, 7. How many degrees cquul a great ciru" 8. What is u syrinx r , . 0. What cabinet officer served under " Kinley, Roosevelt and " that ( 10. Whon is tho "entento, corcllale, ' tnat tha particularly Jntlmato naUon friendship of Franco and Kngland. ' to havo been established? Answers to Yesterday's Quiz 1. Tho namo gypsy ..Is. derived from w th earlier Gipcyun- ior - ''""" dJnth the gypHlca appeared in liffland'nv. curly sixteenth century they " posed to havo come 'rom ?syi ' 2. "Undo Tom's Cabin" was l'''51'B1l'e'1CKil years beforo the opening ot tne , War. Mrajstowo-s propagand an o began to appear ns a se WnimlnKton ,Nat onal Era m J 1851. Tho work waa publlsneu in "" In 1852. ,,) guitu, 3. Two possessions, of tho United a Alaska and Hawaii, havp tho i torlal form of governme it. 4 4. Jenny Llnd, tho famous singer. k. Swede by birth. She was born In an a holm In 1820, nnd died in kmsuw 5. TheTne ."Lonl, what fools these imjgjj ne line huim, u ""- , ,n tflias be !" Is spoken, by Puck In wir Bpearo'n comedy "A Jlldsurow Nlghfs jiream." ..,, 6, Halloween falls on October 31. 7. Qenaral Grant wua elected 1 resti 8. Sydney and Melbourne nro the two Wr. 111... In A ISO (! 1 111 A 9. A pctltVuV Is a jury of M", try a cause and deckle "',? dlitUv facts xin dispute. '"!" which KUlahed from a grand Jury. ";" -J; Fequlred .to hold private lnqueW f 10. The apso ot a church Is the wre.y or iipiyiiuntti ruueoo. jroorootf . V J. E23 k"''.,., ,i.-TV.. k2f , "V- I
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers