rv tv-is S--f?!"3Fjm a 'V Hi 'a i; EVENING PUBIO LEDGEiPHILADELPHIA, TUESDAY, JULY 12, 1921 faientng public ledger . PUBLIC LEDGER COMPANY : - i CYHl'S Ii. Ii, Cl'IlNK1, 1'iizsinr.XT , e'-on C Martin, Vice I'risld nt nnd Trenaurorj I ' Ctisrlss A. Tyler, Secretary: Char'es II, Lulling ,7 tn. Philip 8, Coiling, Jnhn It. Williams, John J, 'IfurKfon. Otorgs r. Goldsmith, David V.. Srnll', JSrjauir, JDAVm K, BMIT.nV. .Editor JOKrt C. MArtTlN....O-ntral Huslness Mnnager J!PublliheJ dally at 1'i'iir.io Lkdoeb Building InrieniMidcnca Himr, l'WInilolphln. Atlantic Chi Press-Union DuttJIng titir York 301 Madison Au. DmteiT , 701 Ford nulldlng Bt. Loris 013 OlobcDemoernt llnll.linc Catosoo 1302 . Tribune Building '" NEWS UL'IlEAtis: wismKHTOM ncnrio, N. TS. Cor. IVnnsylvanla Ave. nnil 1 Ith St. Ksw Yonie Hi-reav Th Sun nulldlng JLoNt-ox DCBKiV..- Trafalgar nulldlng huhpchution tkiims The Ki imi.no Puni.10 Lr.noKR la served to sub scribers In l'hllnrtelrihla mid surrounding towns t the rate of twelve (12) cents per week, payable to the carrier. By mall to points outaldo of Philadelphia. In the United Btatea, Canada, or United Stale nos. salons, postage free, fifty ISO) cents per month. Mix (JO) dollars per year, payable In advance. To all foreign countries oni ($1) dollar a month. IoOtios Subscribers wishing address changed Must glt old as well as now address. BILL, J00O WALNUT KLYSTONE. MAIN 1601 .sCMcMrtss oil communications to Kveninp Publlo .". IMdarr. Indrpendence Square, Philadelphia. 4 Member of the Associated Press STfB ASSOCIATED rnnss Is exclusivity en titled to the use or rrjwlWfcnMon 0 nil news tit patches credited to it or not otherwise crtdited in this paver, and also the local news published therein, Alt right of republication of epecial dispatches mtrrin are also reserved, ' rhll.J.lphl.. Tuodsj. July 12. 1921 WEGLEIN AND GAS COUNCILMAN WEGLEIN'S comments on the situation produced by tlio Mayor's suggestion that the Council appoint a cominitteo to confer with the City Solicitor, tho Gas Commission nnil tho U. G. I. re garding a new lenso arc far from satlsfac 'tory. The President of Council professes to be lieve In the co-operation between the legis lative and executive branches of the city Government. "It was my hope," says he, "that the Mayor and the Council would be able to nit around a tabic and discuss mu nicipal affairs." But when it comes to the gas question ho ays, "As the Mayor sent tho gas subject to Council it is hardly likely that Council will flow send it to a special committee to con fer with the Mayor nnd the United Gas Im provement Co." It thus appears that Mr. Wegloln believes In the principle of co-operation between the, legislative nnd executive branches, but is opposed to its practice. DR. BROOME EXPLAINS '.Superintendent broome's expin- O nation of the new regulations for the appointment nnd promotion of supervising principals of the schools ought to be rens curing. The rules provide tbnt nftcr September 1. 1D2T, a person to be eligible to appointment as a principal must either be a college grad uate or must possess such professional at tainments ns will enable him or her to pass ajS examination under tho direction of the Imperintcndent. ) These rules npply to appointments after the given date. They do 110J apply to any principal now on the rolls'. They do not threaten the position of any one, nor do they Interfere with the promotion of principals from one class to another. The salaries pro vided In the new schedule are to be paid to those qualified to receive them. j Tho only persons affected by the new rules are possibly thirty or forty who may seek pi be promoted to the highest grado among the principals. Hut Dr. Broome explolns that there is time for them to qualify before the new standard is fully applied. J I The purpose of the rules is to secur'e better equipped principals in the future, and inducements are offered which ought jtp lead those anxious for promotion to qualify themselves. CHIEF JUSTICE TAFT tlTILLIAM HOWARD TAFT, who took J" the oath of office ns Chief Justice of the Suited States yesterday, is. the first mnn whp has ever been the head of two of the three great departments of the Government -executive and judicial. In the nature of things there can bo no head of the legisla tive department, for that is mado up of a rarge number of representatives of the J'eople. ' Mr. Taft enters tho Supreme Court with t, broader experience thnn that of any of his Sredccessors. Other members of the court uve held Cabinet positions or have served in the Senate or have been Governors of States, but none of them has ever been com pelled to consider legal and political ques tions from so many different angles as Mr. Taft. Ills experience ought to enable him to enlighten his. colleagues on the practical bearings of many questions which they are b) Die to consider only theoretically. AS TO SAVING YOUR SKIN eOLONEL HARVEY'S remarks that we , fought in tho "World War to save our Bitlnn has been repudiated by every represen tative American who has had occasion to talk on tho subject since the remark was pade. 3 General Pershing is the latest to add his Objection to the long list. In an address oyer tho bodies of more than 7000 soldiers Just brought from France he said: "Thcj fought for eternal right and justice, ns did the founders of this great Republic. The freedom of mankind was their battlecry." ,fTho general was on the ground, so ho Must speak with authority. A Men aro not in tho habit of giving their lives to save their skins, for they can save Jhem nt much less cost. Borgdoll, for ex ample, saved his skin. But he did not save inucli else. Ik N ANNIVERSARY OF FREEDOM fflWrONTII of Liberty" is a patriotic 1YJL Latin-American metaphor for July. In cosmic vein our Southern neighbors cite pur own birthday of independence, th-i opening move in the French Revolution on July 14, 1780, the proclamation of Vcno uolan freedom from Spain on July 1-1, 1811, and the establishment of Peru ns a ijivcroign State on July liS, 1SU1. SIt Is the last-nnmed event which, perhaps, j$oniH largest of nil in the lower half of this continent. Tho vicero nlty of Peru was the major scat of Spanish powervln the New World, nnd Lima, "City of tho Ivings," the Cfnter of IIIspano-Amerlcan culture, nris tocracy and civilization. Tho centenary of freedom which this an cient nnd charming capital is to celebrate yflthln a few weeks is. therefore, no Inslg Wllcant anniversary, and it is gratifying to IHite that President Harding hns suitably recognized its distinction. Ills nppoiutinent IrDr. William Fnrahee, one of the curn ira. of tho University Museum, ns a member et. the national commission to participate lu, the commemoration admirably coincides with the dignity of the occasion. 'kI)r. Furabeo is not onlv n noted cth fehloglst, whoso learnln: nnd abilities won , $c him n place as one of tho scientific ex MrU in the American peace delegation in jtyirls. but he Is a 'specialist in South American jiffnlrs past nnd present and tin i. ftiptorer JKffliue of tho least known regions ,,( this jXnont, He is a) personal friend V'VrL2m, Lesula. ot Peru, and uii honorary uctnber of the University of San Marcos in Lima, the oldest institution of higher learning in tho Western world. Intelligent and appropriate nominations of this chnrncter ore precisely what is needed to develop that psychological entente so necessary to the good understanding of the United States and Latin America. Dr. Fnrnbee's sympathies and scholar ship lire sulliclcntly brond to render him nn ideal legate of n Nation Hint cannot nfford to overlook the magnitude of the step taken by Peru 100 years ago, when the gallant Son Martin landed his metuornble emanci pating expedition on her shores. Some day, perhaps, tho fifteen decisive battles of the world will be reclassified by a chronicler with n broader vision than that possessed by Edward Creasy. Ayacucho, which virtually broke the last vestiges of the Spanish royal power in America, deserves a conspicuous place upon the new list. That memorable victory was rendered possible not only by Sucre, Bolivar's resourceful lieu tenant, but by thnt daring proclamation of freedom heard upon tho Plaza tie Armas of Lima on that historic July 2S n century ago. HARDING'S CALL AWAKENS HOPES OF LASTING PEACE Already Broadened Scope of the Disar mament Invitation Suggests World Reconstruction on a Major Scale THE world is ready for a new Pence Con ference. It Is this heartening fact which stresses the disarmament nnd convention proponls advanced by tho State Department on behalf of President Harding. Tho possibilities of this forthright nnd direct endeavor of the Administration nro significantly revealed by the scope of tho suggestion. Admirable in theory ns was the sentiment ngainst costly and perilous prepa rations for war ns a sequel to the grea'test conflict in which humanity hns ever en gaged, it was evident to nil realists that disarmament could not be practicably con sidered apart from the host of delicate problems left unsolved by tho first peace convention. Tills point has been rceognized in the call of this country for n treatment of Pacific nnd Far Eastern questions by the principal Allied and Associated Powers. It involves comparatively little strain upon the imagi nation to picture the inclusion of numerous other international issues. The dangers of a piecemeal nnd Incom plete pence have been demonstrated. There is scarcely a problem affecting the diplo matic policy of tho chief nations of the earth which is not in some way related to tho situation as a whole. Once the meeting is called and there is every indication that It will be exclusionlst tactics arc little likely to prevail. The reopening of cases in dispute in evitably makes the highest demands upon good will and mutual understanding. But the difficulties involved, formidable as they are, would be secondary to those engendered by policies of conflict or drifting. The enthusiasm with which the Hnrding Hughcs proposals have been officially re ceived in Great Britain foretells co-operation, echoes of which may be bxpectcd in France, Italy and ostensibly even In Japan. As the reluctance of the last-named nation to participate In any reconsideration of Pacific affairs has been unfll':uised, it is reasonable to assume that forcible necessities es pecially those concerned with the status of tho Anglo-Japanese treaty are at work. The imperial conference in London has been making history at an almost unprece dented rate. The pleasure vOiieh Mr. Lloyd George expresses in President Harding's "wise and courteous initiative" is full of meaning. The implication that Japan will be forced, into 11 position of compliance is unmistakable. The opportunity afforded the contemplated meeting of broadening its vision is plainly exhibited In the immediate expansion of its purpose from merely tripartite disarmament questions into those involving all the major nations and the limitations of war prepara tions of all kinds. It was Senator Borah's belief that the presentation of military disarmament in quiries to France would immediately meet with opposition in that country still nourish ing feors of a German recrudescence. While the conjecture hns plausibility, it forbids the possible settlement of the very problems which have prevented the return of France to a convincing basis of peace. What is imperatively required is not merely an isolated disarmament agreement. but a process of world stabilization which tho original Paris conference was unable to enrry to completion. There were many rea sons for this failure, nnd several of the most potent of them reflect loss discredit upon tho diplomatic methods of 1010 than is some times supposed. It is Idle to deny that tho nations, victors and vanquished alike, were dazed after the armistice. The multiplicity of problems which immediately arose was staggering. The demands for even nn approximation of settlement could not be rejected. The specter of a Snvlctizcd Europe fre quently appeared unbidden at the peace table. Feurs of a red Germany were omi nously entertained. The power of Bol shevist Russia had not jet been accurately estimated. The Held Kun uprising was dis mally timed. The Treaty of Versailles righted many historic wrongs and many of its provisions are of permanent constructive value, but the pressure to dispose of tho business in hand lis speedily as possible wns marked. Serious blunder, some selfish nnd cynical in origin, others unavoidable under the condi tions, were made. It is not too late to repair many of these errors. Such evidences of militarism, for example, as exist In Franco today are due in part to tho incompleteness of tho Ver sailles settlement. An nuxiliary pact, the Anglo-French-American treaty, was aban doned. Tho principle of world co-operation and mutual protection outlined in the League of Nations was imperiled by the re fusal of the United States to ratify the covenant. Given assurances of a new partnership, under whatever title, it is moie than prob able that chauvinism in Franco, a blight and jet explicable, will be speedily exterminated. The Paris Peace Conference was a grim necessity. If it is broadened in scope the proposed convocation in Washington will answer n universal appeal. The character of the will to make peace has utterly changed since the statesmen convened at the Qua! d'Orsay. Two years' experience with some ugly facts lias been of chnstenlng value. A supplemental parley approved by an eager, an anxious and n ready world prom ises 11 substantial aud enduring perform ance. LOVE A LA GASOLINE TO KNOW how wickul this world is be coming you have to be a justice of the peace in New Jersey with Jurisdiction in areas traversed by the new concrete piko he twren Camden and Egg Harbor. Squlic Jackson, of Magnolia, has been seeing modern life as It is reflected Jn the panorama of shoreward motor traffic and he isn't iilenscj with it. Gentlemen, he said, often turn" steering wheels' over to lady companions nnd then proceed to embrace the drivers. They drive with one hand, keeping the othcrytipon tho shoulders of damsels in the ottir front seats. "These girls," suld the BoltM," "will bo arrested and fined. Hugging In motorcars is a dan gerous practice and it will have to stop." Of course, hugging lu motorenrs Is a dangerous practice. Fine tho hugger nnd the huggco by nil means. But tho very rational decision of a typical Jersey justice in this instance goes only to provo that the automobile, marvelous ns its development has been, la still nn imperfect mechanism. The folk who offend tho sensibilities of Squire Jackson nro In all probability tho sons and daughters of the folk who onco went driving in old-fashioned buggies. And one of the great needs of tho world, there fore, is nn automobile that will nnswer to verbal instructions, nnd go right or left or fast or slow ns It ia told nnd find its own way around corners nnd home In the dark and blow its own horn softly In wnrnlnc to the occupants whenever it se a Jersey squire spying from nfnr. JERSEY AT BAY DARK ns a summer cloud nnd quite ns suggestive of thunders nnd lightnings to come, tho prospect of ten-cent trolley fares hangs over New Jersey. Tho new Public Utilities Commission hasn't been nble to iriake much progress ngainst tho forces thnt work in behalf of tho trolley corporations. The Commission denied tho right of the Public Service lines to cstnbllsh tho higher fare, and its ruling was almost immediately nullified by n counter decision of the State Supremo Court. The new Utilities Commlsolon has the confidence and sympathy of tho public. It promptly turned to tho Court of Errors nnd Appcnls. Chancellor Walker, who presides over that court, refused to call the needed special session. Now the question of car fares Is being submerged ngnfn in tho miro of State politics. When tho leaders return from their vaca tions, when the public recovers from tho lethnrgy of summer nnd when business men begin to look for the promised return to normalcy in labor costs nnd industrial bal ances, there ought to bo high old times in the vicinity of Trenton. For even now the peo ple nro demanding to be told whether tho State is being ruled by elected representa tives or by the friends of tho Public Service Corporation. Their curiosity seems to bo in many ways justified. Railway men generally nro seek ing ways by which to reduce passenger nnd freight rates. Tho motorcar manufacturers, who nro coming more and more to bo direct competitors of trolley companies, have lost no opportunity to equalize production nnd selling costs nnd to bring both down. But motorcar makers have no monopoly. Their business is competitive, progressive, alertly managed and modem -minded. They appear to have realized long ago that out of busi ness, as out of life, you get in the end about what you give. " The factors that determine the cost of motorcar manufacture are timllar to the factors that determine the cost of street-car operation. Tliey are the prices of steel and of skilled and unskilled labor and an In creased patronage. But trolley fares stay up while the cost of motor transportation has dropped. There appears recently to hnvc been n dream among some of the big holding com panies which control "blocks" of trolley sj'stems to make a ten-cent strctt-cnr fare a national institution. That dream has been nlmost entirely dissipated in most parts of the United States. But in New Jersey it continues to assume forms approximating reality. THE EARTH'S ALL RIGHT PARIS bizzlcs at Oil. Heat records smash into the nineties nt Quebec, famed for its frigid pastimes. San Franciscans are doffing their summer overcoats and tlicro is consternation in the premier climate-boasting State of tho globe. England is parched and burning. Gibus hats make way for Panamas. The excess of temperature in Philadelphia since Janunry 1 of this year is OSS degrees. Mitcors arc falling into the sun at a great rate, and the melancholy belief that the whole earth has tumbled into n stew pan is prevalent. As the "scorchers" pile up the scientists may bo expected to grow increas ingly vocal, and to analyze, If not prescribe for, the ailments of this distracted globe. And yet, is this solicitude j-cally needed? One antidote for worry about high temper atures and humidity on this perverse old earth is to look south not merely to New Urlcaus or era Cruz, but beyond. It's winter in Chile, winter In the Fnlklnnd islands, winter even in Tierrn del Fuego. Valparaiso, as usual, is dreading tho blasts of its icy "southers." Reflections on these themes will not keep one's collar from wilting, but' It will at least reduce tho fears of a planet gone wrong. Some day perhaps the fact of two hemispheres will be grudgingly admitted, though it may jar tho empiricists and the provincials. THEY NEEDED IT AN EXHIBITION of paintings done for tho most pint by American artists of the sort ordinarily called "representative" is being shrilly ridiculed by the art critics of Paris. This news will bring to sophisti cated minds on this side of the water un impression that the younger set of painters in this country should exhibit oftcner in France for the good of their own souls. Never since the Indians dropped out of the field of art and put away their pigments has painting been so sickly lu the United States or so much a matter of moods, man ners and foolish pretenses as it is now. More and more people paint. Fewer and fewer people learn to draw, If you aro of the brisk young modern group you will, by merely chnnglng your summer painting camp, develop a new "manner" cvary yenr. You will potter. You will daub. 'Ton will make "sketchy" things because you do not know how to finish a picture. You will not bo able to paint what you see. You will paint nnd paint aud Imagine into the canvns a meaning that is not there for any one else. Since American critics are notoriously un critical, jou will, as the saying goes, get by. You will bo credited with a personality and with tho ldiosjncrasics of genius. Good humored or believing folk will buy yonr canvases. The newer generations of artists are drift ing badly. Abroad, the critics ore not so easy to get along with as they aro In this country. They are frank and sometimes they are brutal. And, in consequence, almost every country in Europe produces n few really great pictures each vear. It has been n good many years since a Teally great picture was painted in the United States. We have the assurance Thin JSwl of the chairman of n of tho Wedge Nashville, Tcnn., church committee, which will urge on Congress the passage of n Federal law prohibiting among other things, tho operation of interstate Sunday trains nnd excluding Sunday papers from the malls, that tho proposed law will not "stop n man from klsMng his wife and babies, nor from viewing the landscape nor watering tho cows." This would be n great relief if it were not generally known that one thing jes' nnchnll.v leads to another. Because in Rusila bolshevlsm dlsor- f-gunlzcd the state and saMary rules wero IIS a consequence IKIIorcil, WsJ imacriiuii 111111 the present visitation of W'ra was horn of bolshevlsm Is far from IVjJr far-fctchea. THAT DESERTER LIST Major Murdock Is Preparing a List That Will Bo Worth Perusing. 'sTom" Paine the Infidel As to State Societies That Func tion In Philadelphia By GEORGE NOX McCAIN MAJOR W. O. MURDOCK, who wns United Stntes drntt official at Harris burg during tho Wortd War, Is unofficially engaged upon a very meritorious piece of work. Ho is compiling n list of nil the dead, wounded, honorably discharged, enlisted and distinguished names that have been, nnd nro being, listed in Pennsylvania ns draft de serters. It's a splendid Idea. Tho lnjustlco as well as tho .danger of publishing these "slnckcr" lists was pointed out in these columns weeks before there was a "peep" on tho subject from the swivel chair veterans in Washington. Major Murdock was the Inspiration for the objections then registered. He realized the danger. Ho sensed the injustice. Ho even went to Washington nnd protested but In vain. And It has all come to pass. Just as ho predicted. He pointed out then that the? publication of the draft board lists, without complete and careful verification, would result in the grnvest and most indefensible libels on tho names of men who had died or had suffered for their flag on tho fields of France. THE rank injustice of it all has been thnt it put the burden of proof that the dead, wounded or gassed hero was not a slacker upon tho man whoso name has been glorified lu the Argonno Forest or on the banks of the Meuse. Whnt mattered it If to emblazon tho' shame and infamy of a thousand Bcrgdolls tho names .of ten heroes were to bo be smirched? The whole proceeding, ns Major Mur dock pointed out in emphatic language at its inception, is one of which the bureau crats of the War Department should bo heartily ashamed. Not 10 per cent of tho newspapers of the country have published the m-culled "slacker" list. Why? Because It was rec ognized as a travesty on justice, even if tho War Department did issue insistent re quests to publishers to print the names. IT WAS my fortune, or perhaps misfor tune, to be present nt a religious gather ing recently in which the name of "Tom" Paine was mentioned. Needless to say it was uttered with de rision and scorn us that of tho "Arch Infi del" nnd skeptic of his time. Aside from his authorship of the "Ago of Reason," every act and Influence of l'nine's life was for tho betterment of hu mnnlty. I felt like rising in my place and sub jecting the young chap who berated the dead patriot to a categorical inquisition ns to just what ho really know of this intellectual giant of the American Revolution. For thnt Is what Thomas Paine really was. There was the ilaming disposition to in form tho denunciator that only within the Inst ninety days a delegation of Philadel phia's best, most conservative and unques tionably religious people had visited, in n pilgrimage, tho site of Palne's home in Bur lington County, N. J. TOM PAINE was one of the original ad vocates of independence for the Ameri can Colonics. lie was a Quaker by birth and training. And here is where the practical presenta tion of Palne's theories comes in. While Paine was clerk of the Pennsylvania Legis lature In 1770 he donated his entire salary for the relief of the Continental Army. Chalk that up on the credit side when you are estimating the value of Tom Palne's bervlces to tho struggling Colonies. Did this "Arch Infidel" stop at that? He was so persuasive and successful in securing loans for the struggling armies of the Colonies from France uud Holland thnt Congress voted him n sum of money ; for he had spent every dollar that he possessed in trying to raise cash for the Continental Treasury. I wonder how many present-day patriots of the professional political stripe that con trol Philadelphia would have done as Tom Paine did? Some day nnd it's more than n possi bility these gentry will have monuments in the parks or busts along the Parkway, while Tom Paine, the splendid patriot, will continue to be anathematized as "the Arch Infidel of his time." WE HAVE the New England Society, tho Delaware Society, tho Ohio Society, the Daughters of the Confederacy and heaven knows how many more State societies and organizations "in our midst." The New England Society, first under Postmaster General Charles Emory Smith and later under Cyrus II. K. Curtis, has left a decided impress upon the character of these extra -Pennsylvania, if I may bo denominate them, organizations. The acme of all endeavor was achieved, I think, when the British Anibassador was induced to come to Philadelphia and address tho last meeting und dinner of the New England Society. Sir Auckland Gcddes "topped tho pile," bo to speak. And he spoke to n purpose as thoc who heard him are willing to swear. rpHE muse in this instance tunes its lyre A. to tho Now Jersey Society of Pennsyl vania. There are a lot of interesting things en compassed in the annual designs of these historical, heraldic, patriotic, military and civic organizations. They dine, and walk, and orate, and or ganise auto pilgrimages. Speakers of national fame come from nfar to light the fires of patriotism or an cestral pride. Hut the old New Jersey Society of Penn sylvania does Itself honor by its pilgrim ages. When men like J. Bertram Llpplncott, Thomas W. Htflme, William J. Conlen, C. Stanley French. Louis B. Moffett, George II. Armstrong, John II. Hutchinson, James B. Borden, T. Munroc Dobbins und Walter E. Robb, real sons of Jersey, join up to do honor to the State of their nativity or nncestry, depend upon it that the "sons of sires who conquered there" are on the job. They nro cultivators of the spirit of patriotism. More so, I think, than some of the other State societies lu Philadelphia. Possibly it is because they aro nearer the heart of things thnt happened a hundred years ngo. They cross the Delaware and, presto! they arc in another State aud another ago, Howard It. French once said to me and he's a Jersejinau by birth, training, tradi tion and business acumen "A Jerseyman can never dissociate himself from tho soil. Onco n Jerseyman always a Jerseyman." From what I've been of the breed In a generation and more of Intercourse with them I'm Inclined to admit thnt Howard B. French Is right. JOSEPH M. HUSTON rises to protest. He is n contestant In the struggle for the location, plans, designs and artistic scheming for the scsqul-eentcnnlnl, Harken to his declamatory dcelarotion: "My pluiiH submitted are not for a Coney Island or a Venice to be torn down by u 'wreckers' crew.' "I contemplate a permnnent land, water and air improvement for the city." Good! The fact that Weston once walked a thousand miles lu twenty days, n feat not equaled by any horse ever foaled, does not lessen the honor duo Private John Mc Gregor, who tramped from San Antonio, Tex,, to Denver, Col., a. distance of 1100 miles, In forty das. McGregor made tho innrnii in full field enulnment nnd nveraited thirty-five miles a day for the last 000 mllca. .! "jt ,... itsstfnwriiiwifi.' NO W MY IDEA IS THIS Daily Talks With Thinking Philadelphians on Subjects They Know Best JOHN K. SNYDER On VacanfLot Cultivation "'IIVING a man or n woman a chance VJ to show their individuality and help themselves Is one of the best possible ways of helping people In this world," in the opinion of John K. Snyder, niperlntendent of the Philadelphia A'acant Lots Cultivation Association. "God helps them who help themselves," Fnid Mr. Snyder, "and that is our motto, too. The reason so many people need as sistance is they never have had an oppor tunilv to show their Individuality. "Tho vacant lots cultivation idea had Its inception about twenty-five years ago and has continued without a break ever since. Its value was discovered at the time of the great unemployment situation in 1S00 1807. In Detroit. Mayor Pingiee inaugu rated the Pingree potato ..patches to ic lieve the general distress. They proved such a success that tho experiment became a permnnent thing nnd the vacant lots culti vation Idea spread rapidly to other cities. Co-operation Plan Failed "At first the plan wns made n co-operative one. Men and women were employed nt n nominal salary and given work to do, which wns disposed of on a partnership basis. UJhls developed a tendency on tho part of borne to Met George do the work,' so the plan was ultimately abandoned in favor of the present one. "Each individual IS given a small plot of ground, which for the time being he is to regard as ills own. Wo try to make it an individual proposition and interfere as little as possible. We allow him to work out his plot on his own initiative ami according to his own ideas. We direct only when we see him going wrong. "At first the plan was designed only for the benefit of tho uneinplojed. But we broadened our scope and extended it to the aged individual who could not obtain self supporting labor. At present we have one man ninety-three years old, another eighty eight and twenty more than seventy tilling their little plots of ground. Not only does It enable them to ninintain themselves in food, but it does yeoman service for their health. "Widows who arc not able to devote all their time to self-supporting labor also are Included. In many cases they have the help of their children. We also take care of unfoituiiatc "cripples. Some of them aie in a convalescent condition and some of them are permanently disabled. Some of our men n-e night watchmen who, with their culti vation work during the day, are enabled to support themsehes more comfortably. Must Furnish Own Funds "As tills is purely n proposition of help ing themselves, our individuals are given no money except in special crises. We some times lend them money, but then only in cases of absolute necessity and where we know they are going to earn and pay it ' "H Is our idea that in compelling them to help themselves we help them malntuin their self-respect. "Just now there are about 200,000 unein ploved in Philadelphia. We cannot give all the help wo would like to. If we had more money we would endeavor to carry the work Into the congested districts now heavily affected like Kensington and Krimkford. We shall try to extend our work to these sections next year. "At present we have about 100 acres of vacant lots. Each gardener gets a plot r,o bv 100 feet. We have about 700 on our list this season, which is slightly less than last vear. During the war, when patriotism was n factor, we had as high as 1100 gardeners. We arc giving out guidons even at this late date. "When wo piescnt n piece of ground we first have it nlowed and then furnish the seed and fertilizer. A normal charge I made for these things to cover their cost in part We find that this develops a desirable tense of responsibility. "From time to time we Inspect the gar dciiH. We then cheek up on the work of the gardeners und give them advice if it in necessary. Few Failures Reported "Although we do not permit the shiftless or tho Irresponsible to put things over on us nnd nunlsh t h s klml nf .w.il ...m. V fi.tnro for all time of the gardens, we have afrrry small percentage of failure. Two per cent is about the highest we have Vyd, ,.,.., .. (..iniuoit in iimiire. 'pivn rim. "SAIL HO!" mtsmemSSZ and it often falls well below 1 per cent. "We find thnt the gardens on the aver age yield about $K3 a season, nlthough wo nave hail gardeners who succeeded in pro ducing ns high as .$l'-'."i to ffloO worth of vegetables. In cases where we find an un usually proficient nnd successful gardener we sometimes reward him by giving htm an extra piece of ground to work. "The Idea is based on using idle ground throughout the city, and ns the overhead costs of tho organization aro small, tho whole cost of maintenance Is moderate. "One Incidental to the proposition is the' effect that vacant lots cultivation has on raising real estate values. As the lots are developed they present a nice nppearanco so strikingly dilTeicnt fiom the weed-covered patches frequently seen that tho prospective buyer is impressed to the point of going further down into his pocketbook to get tho land." What Bo You Know? QUIZ 1. Whnt Is an amphora? 2. How should tho word be pronounced? t. Who Is tho present Premier of Italy? 4. Where and what is tho Solent? B, What nra noils? G. When did the rnlted States acquire the Philippine Islands? 7. Who was AJhx in classical mythology? 5. What Is tho meaning of tho musical term prestissimo? 0. Why Is seltzer water so called? 10. What kind of an animal is a hoopoe? . Answers to Yesterday's Quiz 1. Dependencies of Great Krltaln ofTiclnllv styled Dominions aro Canada und Now Zealand. 2. The highest municipal building in Amer- lea Is the City Hall of Philadelphia, the tower of which is .147 feet high. 3. John D. llockeftller Is eighty-two years old. 4. Amphibious literally means "both-llfe." tioin the Greek "amphl," both, nnd ' lilos," life. Hence tho adjectivo dc sci Ibes animals living on both hind nnd water D. The Synoptic Gospels) nro Matthew, Mark and I.uUe, so called from their many agreements. Tho word synoptlo means affoidlng n general view of the whole. fi. An upiiLMhpse i.s a revelnllon. 7. Tho constellation of Vrsa Major or the Great Hear, contains tho Dipper. 8. Yucca Is an American plant of the Illy family, having long, pointed, often rigid, leaves, on a woody stem and licni Ing white blossoms. 9. Queen Victoria reigned from 1637 to 1901 10. Yawl Is the mime for several kinds of small bonis, especially a hIiIji'm JoIIv boat with four or six oars ; also a ftlna of small jacht of thu cuiter class, Today'o Anniversaries 1S17 Nullum C Meeker, founder of the town of Gieeley, in Colorado, born at Cleve land, O. Died In Colorado, September 111), 1S70. 18111 General Daniel II. Hill, celebrated Confedeiatc commander, born in York Dls- N!1'V'..SAprIlf'!,r,"8ffl Dk'd '" Umr,0". IS."." Queen Vic tmia took her first cruise on the rojal jacht Victoria aud Albert 18."!) The Pope appealed to Euiv against Sardinia. ope . 1S71 The Orangemen's parade In New lork led to a liot in which sixty lives were lost. ,i.in7i'TT1v ("r"','1 ot 'i10 1rl,,co hnperlal (killed in ululuud) took place at Chlsle- i ,1,s!)lV7.Tl10 Ami'rl,'an Bimetallic League Indorsed the nomination of William J. Brian for tho presidency. J Today's Birthdays George Eastman, millionalie inventor re- 'fi' u h.T!i"',!,,,y ,,l,u ,,,n,,n" (!f'vcrnmct for his philanthropies, born at Watcrville N. 1.. sixty-seven jenrs ago, t m"'.'1 V.lrl,,"'",'". Lord Chancellor In tho I rit sh Government, born nt Birkenhead England, forly-nlnc u-urs ago. '"uum"'1' Irving T. Bush. America's greatest an thor ty on terminal facilities and heir o eration, horn at Rldgeway, Mich , ilfty.two j ears upo, ' "' l"" Jbi,lU 1,V",!,,"J'. " UeDevItt, Cath oil. Bishop of Ilnrrlshurg. born In PI delphla, slxfy-threc years ngo.a Newell Sunders, former fi4t.i cj... '....,.... m . '!! nunc States Count, InZTyZonT In Owen ra ago. tMirmrmxrttmiH SHORT CUTS Belfast, presumably, truce hud been declared. didn't know t What tho saw makers want Is a tariff law with teeth in It. Mr. Harding steps with due dellbtn tiou, but, ns usual, lu the right direction. The price of paterunllsm is a Govern ment hand forever in every taxpayer! pocket. It may comfort you to realize thnt the present heat wave will only be n memory next Christmas. Those who officiate at tnr-and-feathtr parties arc usually feather-brained moralist! nt hysterical pitch. As the press agent sees It. all that ii needed to turn bathers into hula-hull dancers is enough seaweed. And, of course, nil diplomatists ail aware that China- must be handled carefully at a disarmament tea party. An important step toward peace will have been taken when Belfast can iaj, "Curfew shall not ring tonight." Tljc world's n cold, unfeeling ore, dli gruntled fellows say. Don't listen to their ravings, son. They're feeling hot today. Though the Reparation Commissioner! can make the American dollar dnnre, they can't always tell whose toes It will come down upon. There Is every indication that the eeopi of the proposed conference will he wide 1! the Pacific and, of course, as pacific ns it Ii broad. The favorite expletive of General Davrfl Is "Hell and Maria." Are we safe In pre sinning thnt thnt of his able lieutenant, Mr. Kilkenny, is "Suffering cats!"? Chief Justieo Taft, having rcallwd hli ambition In life, will now proceed to he th same scholorly. humorous and kindly gen tleman ho nlwoys has been. The fact that the customs autlioritlei have classed bees sent by parcel pott from the Mediterranean as wild animals may Is dicatc that somebody has been stung. Book publishers ot a Chicago book fslf say the best sellers are the Bible 0HU "Mother Goose," An instance of how pop ular favor runs from the sublime to tn! ridiculous. Reading, Pa., has a frog ns big good-sl.eil chicken. Oh, well! Such tljlnfj will happen. Wo have aforetime ordered eggs nnd been served with a chicken a "' us a good-sized frog. We refuse to find fault with the I"' ford insurance man who Inveighs bitterly n blondes und girls with bobbed hair. A mn is entitled to bo (is foolish as he ar'lM pleases this hot weather. It is a safe bet thnt the first nmtorlit to bo arrested in New Jersey for embrnrin a girl while she holds the steering wlie" will solemnly declare that he was MinPiJ giving her n lesson in driving. Tho story of tho Astrld. which majj ' port twenty-eight days oftcr her crew n patched a hole made by on Iceberg. Kcy prove that while enumerating brave s dogs tlit: great Dane cnu't he Ignored. One of Supreme Court Jimtlcc Toft'" first jobs will be to help to devise nln"(; J clearing the Federal Court dockets now swamped with prohibition cases. '"" Barleycorn Is a restless guy ; he never put. Wo have no sympathy with the nllj" mornlists who rnll nt the poor girls '1"! meager plttaucos do not allow them tow' bathing suits of more than one l,pce .,. who nro restricted to skirts that bare!) co their knees. When fivo men, who sold they wert Philadelphia painters, were arreted in . tlonnl Park. N. J., for "holding a nog. ccionrnuon, it was muim ;" , $ money they could musteywoi six cen"1' "A ..,,....,.. ii,.,, ni,,iii. d.n inu-n red en svj rents is n Job for professionals! ',1ZJ money talkH.. those nl.x browns w w,,$ Burcdly vociferous. ,j. 7. i.v "V. .,-lv- iM
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers