wmb&Be m-i!$i yW T-TTsEf Ywq& r 1' I I 10 EueninQ public le&acr PUBLIC LEDGER COMPANY ' CYllUll II. K. Cl'llTlS, l'KMiniiNT Jehn C, Martin, Vlc rreldnt and Traiurr; Charles A. Tyler, Secretary! Char'es II. I.inlln. ten. Philip B. Ceiling. Jehn B. Wllllami. Jehn J. ftpurwen. deeraa K. Goldsmith, David K. Smiley, Director. OAVID K. RMIt.KT Editor .101 IN C. MARTIN Oentral nuilnese Manager Fubllehed dally at PcaLie Lideeb Butldlnx Independent bQii-e. Philadelphia. ATtANTIO Citt Preti-Vnlen nulMlnr . Nkw Tonic .184 Madlnen Ave. Bmieir 701 Ferd Building r. Leuis 013 OloluDetr.eerat llulldlnc Chioaeo 13 2 Tribune Uulldlnc NHW3 Ol REAL'S. TOsniNOTes Dcacir, Jr NAK. Oer. Pennsylvania A. 'id 14t, S' Nir Tebk DDRHC The Sun Hulldlni Londen Ucuctu Trafalgar Bulldlnj SUnsmiPTlON TKRM8 Tht Eik.nine rcst.ie Lirxiax 1 served te sub erlbern In Philadelphia and nurreundlm towns at th rate of twehe (12) cents pr week, payable te the carrier. By mall te points outside of Philadelphia In the. t'nlted States. Canada, or United States pos pes pos len. pestaie free, fifty (60) cents per month, el (J01 dollars per year, pivable In advanre. Te an foreign countries one fill dollar month Xo-tieb--Subscribers wishing address changed must Cite old as uetl ns ew address WBi.i.. ;noe ttai.m t mamem-. main m D.tMrcsJ all communications te Evening Publio tjddaer. Indevendenee Fquare, Philadelphia. Member of the Associated Frees rnn associated rRms is cxeiutivtv f'(f te the use far rcvublieatlen of all news dispatches credited te It or net efhrrtctas credited 4n fnls raver, and also th- local newt tmbHshei fftrretn. .411 rlphts ef republication of sp'dal dispatches rrt are also reserve Philadelphia. 1'rlJ... October 7. 121 STATEMENT OF THK OWN HUSH 1 1 . MANAGEMENT OmciTLATTON. ETC. of the icucning public Ulcibgcc AS OF (""It'LlKR I. n '1 1'ublldTieO Uail; iveept .-.iinday .it l'i .l.ul-l-Iilila. 1'r required by the act of Ausju.-t z, mi:. Frliter Uah E. Smiley. rinlutteliii. Managing Editor Merris M. Lee. Philadel phia. Oeneral Dullness Manager Jehn C. Martin. j'hlladcluhla. Publisher PUBLIC LUDC.EIt COMPANY, Philadelphia. Owner PUBLIC LKDGEIl O O M P A N T .Stockholder holding 1 per cent or morn of total amount of stock Cyrus II. K. Cur tis, Philadelphia. Known bondhe'ders, mertgagees ard ether Security holders holding 1 per cent or mere of total amount cf bends, mort gages or ether impurities Pennsylvania Company for Insurances en Lives and Granting Annuities, Trustee for Estate et Antheny J. Drcxel, deceased. Average number of copies of each lsue of this publication sefd or distributed, threugn the malls or otherwise, te paid subscribers durlntr the six months prceedlne: the date Of this statement Dally. 154. 31S. Tite circulation figures in this report are absolutely net and represent the actual number of paprft selil bv the PL'HLIC I.EDGEU COMPANY for cash All dam aged, unsold, free and returned copies have be i d' ducted from the totals given In this statement. Jehn r. mautin. General Ru'Icchs Manager Bwem te am subscribed before me this alxth day of October l!:i. . . Charles E. Johnsten. fSeall Notary Public (.My commission expires January' ", 192".) A CARD INDEX WON'T DO IT Till' only Impnrtanr tunctien of the In employment (.'einmittee in this city will hv its conference with employers for the. purpose of (indin-; plnces for men ami women out of work. The representatives of business and trade organizations who authorized the appoint ment of the cemmitte? voted that it should register the unemployed and classify tliee registered ns voluntarily and inveluntiiiily idle, nnd obtain information reganllng the -involuntary which wili enable the committee te place them at work. This bookkeeping i. de-.irab!. but it if. net of the tir.t iiiijHri.t!i c. Kery employer of labor knows hew nmnj men and women he has discharged, lie knows where they Hte und he can readily reach them. If he is disposed te cai-c the burden of unemploy ment be can rehire a part of the men without the Intervention of anv committee. The committee cat: accomplish nothing unless the employers ,m disposed te hire men out of work. The most perfect card index of the unemployed that experts can prepare will net give work te nny one save these engnged in making it. Jf the local business men will act upon the recommendations of the Washington conference thousands of workers who are npw earning nothing will set a pay envelope rery week. It was suggested that the manufacturers no far as possible turn out goods for future sale; that they increase the number of hands Ity; reducing the number of hours a day or (lays n week during which nny individual may work, und that they take advantage of the present slack times te make repairs t.. their plants or make such enlargement- .is may be needed. 'I'his plun cannot be carried out mtheut the co-operation of the men already at wurkfi But it is better that a hundred men be employed part time than that seventy -tie Ji employed full time while the ninainin twenty-five are Idle. . BEHIND THE SCENES WHILE, most of the world is talking of u Conference for the Limitation of Anna inents anil hoping almost against hope that Borecthing will come of it, a conference for the revival and expansion of armament seems te- be working overtime and with dazzling bUccess somewhere behind the scenes in Europe. frhe Balkan States are apparently en the cdpe of uuethcr conflagration. This time Heme of the Balkan rulers seem te be mys teriously involved with the extreme aspira tions of the Poles and with the fantastic lream of a new Slav corridor down the middle of Middle Europe. Marshal Fech Is pretty generally recng. nled as the enthusiastic godfather of the ltrtver Polish militarism. The French pee jilt outside of Paris are caid te be bewil. flereil by the increasing signs of their (iov (iev ttnjiment's activity i.i the new zones of trouble. -1'ech neu- rules tue most powerful nrmy in Europe, and he. ibn't afraid te beast of it. lie is te be one of the chiefs of the French delegation at the Conference for the Limita tion of Armaments, and a formal announce anneunce jnnt fresh from Paris implies that he is coming ;iet te talk against militarism, but te -"prove that It Is necessary." f , THE BIG BROTHERS "fTUlE acceptance by President Ilnrdnig of Ji the honorary vi ( presidency of die Jlig Brether Federation calls uttentieu te one efl the most beneficent philanthropies in the t:mintry. frhe Big Brether Associations in the vari ous, large cities- there is such an association lk Philadelphia. are eiiRnged in the work of tawing boys te society who otherwise would tidceme incorrigible criminals. They work through the Juvenile Courts, through which tljeir nttentien Is called te bejs who have Jutt begun te go wrong. jllew they operate is illustrated by n tfpicul case from the 'ecerds of the Phila delphia usboclutieu. It is that of a hey ten 7ars old who wns taken te the Juvenile Jurt by his parents as nn incorrigible. The life was sent te the Glen Mills Scheel. lie .stored Ills time, but "as full of resent men t ifiatnst bis parents for sending him awar. lie bfcaiim really Incorrigible and was sent ' te the tlfceel1 a secenjl tin. He was sent WHY NOT A REAL CUT IN THE TAX RATE? Commissioner Stetesbury and Controller Hadley Can Help, as Well as the Mayer and Council, if They Will Release Unnecessary Reserves New Isolated in the Sinking Fund By GEORGE NOX McCAIN TT IS conceded there is te be n reduction in the tax rnte for the coming year. Fer once there is unnnimity of purpose between Mayer Moere and City Council. After consultation with his Directors, the Mnyer hns issuftl instructions for n budget of the most rwd economy in the various departments. When presented te Council the budget, it is believed, will represent ultimate safety in the city's operating expenses. As it was an "Organization" Administration that boosted the tax rate te its present level, the "Organization" majority in Council is only doing the consistent thing in making an effort te case the burden it imposed. It has been intimated that the reiterated premises of the majority in Council te reduce the tax rate is a lure te attract public attention away from a contemplated manipulation of the new gas contract. It is a reflection en the intelligence of the people of Philadelphia. It is a. crude intimation that it is net possible for them te fellow the reduction of the tax rate and at the same time keep an eye en Council's action en the gas lease whereby they stand te win or lese millions of dollars en their gas bills. Controller Hadlcy has set forth in an alluring and attractive form the possi bilities of a reduced tax rate. He points out that it is possible by soul-paring economics te reduce the tax burden of the people anywhere front twenty-five te fifty cents for the coming year, that is te say, reduce it frdm $2.15, the present city rate, te .$1.90 or even $1.65. Hut why does Controller Hadlcy fail te point out where it is possible te reduce the rate at least seventy cents te $1.40 instead of a paltry twenty-five or fifty cents? Mr. Hadlcy is the chief fiscal officer of the municipality. He i3 presumably the watchdog of the Treasury. Is it possible that Fide has gene te sleep? It has been pointed out by this newspaper en several occasions recently where the Sinking Fund Commission, the majority members of which arc E. T. Stotcs Stetcs bury and V. B. Hadlcy, holds large exces reserves of city money. Mayer Moere is also a member of the Sinking Fund Commission. He would undoubtedly indorse any suggestion te lower the tax rate, even if it went se fari3 te take a few unemployed millions from the sacrosanct Sinking Fund. Fiscal experts figure that for every million dellnrs saved te the city the tax rate of the people is thereby reduced five cents. Several years, back Councils compelled the Sinking Fund Commissioners te release their grip en a million and a half dollars or se. The tax rate was thereby reduced seven cents. That is a matter of record. Controller Hadlcy, even at the command of Council, has declined te reveal the mysterious secrets of the Sinking Fund. It is estimated, however, that there is at the present time between $4,000,000 and $5,000,000 of excess surplus, which means money in the fund that is net work ing except te draw a low rate of interest from some of the favored banking institutions. If Commissioner Stetcsbury and Controller Hadlcy would only release this fund and turn it ever te the City Treasury for the general running expenses of the municipality, sec what would happen ? It would be the same as money saved. The tax rate for next year could be lowered an additional twenty-five cents. Instead of the rate being cut down from $2.15 te $1.65, it could be brought down te $1.40. Cannet Council pause from its amusing pastime of learning hew te make gas long enough te beseech Commissioner E. T. Stetcsbury and Controller W. B. Hadlcy, majority members of the Sinking Fund Commission, te aid in reducing the people's tax te $1.40? Mr. Stetesbury is recognized as an imposing figure in Philadelphia finance. He is a member of the firm of J. P. Morgan & Ce., of New Yerk. He is the titular and actual head of the Philadelphia firm of Drcxel &. Ce. It should require no special pleading te point out te such an eminent authority what a financial advantage would accrue te every property holder in Philadelphia from auch a material reduction in the tnx rate. Mr. Hadlcy, the Controller, is an expert accountant, tic is familiar with municipal finance. He will coincide, as he always does, with Commissioner Stotcs Stetcs bury in any action that may be taken, en this tax-relief measure. la there any reason, therefore, why the tax rate for the ensuing, year should net be reduced from $2.15 te $1.40? It can be done if the Mayer, Council, Commissioner Stetcsbury and Controller Hadlcy will get together and de the right thing by the people. home en parole and the attention of a 131g Brether was directed te him. The man secured a job for him at work that inter esiej him. uud he kept track of the youth. The latter was surprised and grateful te discover that any one cared about him, nnd he responded iuickl. He became contented with his work, at peace with his family and at the last report was in the way of becom ing a useful citizen. The liig Brethers are kind-hearted men Mho are willing te put themselves te the trouble of looking after a boy who needs a friend. The President is tee busy te find time te leek after any wayward boys in Washington, but his acceptance of an office in the feilerutien ought te be followed by the volunteering of a large number of kindly men te co-operate with the Big Brethers in every city where they are active. MORE JUDGES NEEDED IV CONGUL'KS fails te pass the bill pro viding for eighteen new Fcd ral Judges it will net be for the reason that the new Judgi- are unnecessary. Chief ,Iutice Taft has urged the Senate Judici.iry Corumlttee te make n favorable report en the bill, and his recommendation Hi- been seconded by the Attorney (rencrul. .ledge Sate, of the Southern I'istri.'t el i ili'.. chairman of a special committee of Ic(eral Judges and United States District Attorneys te consider the congestion of the Federal courts, told the committee that it would take ten years for the present Judges te clenr the calendar in ew Yerk ami five years te clear it in Chicago. He said thut men new have te stay in jnil from six months te n year before their cases can be renched. Part of th" congestion of the courts is due te offenses against the wartime laws and part te violation of the prohibition laws. But since 1000 Congress has extended the jurisdiction of the Federal courts se rapidly that '"O r""1 rent of their business arises from this enlarged jurisdiction. When the of fenders against the wartime statutes nre disposed of there will remain mere business than the present Judges can handle ex peditiously. It would be far better for Congress te authorize the appointment of three or four mere Judges than are needed at the present time than te permit the existing conditions te continue, for delayed trial of n cause fre fluently works greater harm te the litigants than the original efftiiise. SENATE VAUDEVILLE POLITICS Is beiucliines responsible for curious distortions of logic. Senater Sheppard. of Texa's, has been arguing voluminously against the separate treaties en the ground that the only honorable ceur.-e for die I'nited htates is te ratify the Treaty of Versailles and join the League of Nations." As n matter of fuel, the pact between the Allies and Germany ifl repeatedly respected und many of its most important previsions are adopted by the ('tilted States in the Ilre-el-l.ering iigieeim tit negotiated under the Harding Administration. There is noth ing in this document which forbids this country from becoming a League member whenever sufficient pepulur sentiment sup ports the assumption of such a role. On the ether hand, Senater Moses, of New Hampshire, rejoices in the new pacts ns guarantees of isolation His chnmplenshlp of this Instrument, which Is inevtricnbly bound up vitli Versailles accomplishments. Is, it is true, n bit clouded by fears of thy reserved privilege of participating in the lleparatiens Commission and alarm ever Secretary Hughea' alleged advocacy of dls patiVng a representative. But en the whole MrJlMeses delights in what be considers EVENING PUBLIC LEDCiEll PHILADELPHIA, FRIDAY, OCTOBER '7, American emancipation from Old World in famies. Is cither the Democratic Sheppard or the ftepubliciin Moses actually nware 'of the contents of the new pacts, or are they con sciously discounting tacts in their zeal for staging n tepsy-tury turn in the vaudeville of partisan politics? A DISASTER AND A LESSON TUII necessity for electric traction in long tunnels is poignantly demonstrated In i shocking railway disaster in Paris. The underground section of the State railroad leading te the St. Lazare Station is low vaulted and ill-ventilated, nnd in times of heavy traffic, as during the commuting hours, smoke clouds perilously limit the vision of engineers. Tunnels of the cramped, restricted type are commoner in Europe than in this coun try, where most of the railways, originally hastily and cheaply built, have been flt some time reconstructed. There are, however, especially In the elder sections of the United States, subterranean survivals vapor-choked and badly lighted, potentially almost ns dan gerous us the specimen se horribly discred ited In Paris. Baltimore, with its electric engines, was n pioneer in a reform which has been conspicuously carried out elsewhere in under-river tubes and urban subways. The lessen of the Paris tragedy will net be adequately learned until steam locomo tives are excluded from all tuunels of any considerable size. Ne system of bignals, however expertly operated, is proof against the confusion that can be wrought by dense billewb of meke confined in a narrow pas sage. ELKTON MARRIAGES STOHIICS of hasty murriages and bitter regret unfolded monotonously from day te day in the Demestic Relations Court end tee often with the acknowledgment of the disillusioned that "they were married in Elkton." Llkten marriages sometimes turn out happily enough. But the marriage mill that has made the little Maryland town famous has an extraordinary number of miner do mestic tragedies te answer for. C'ertnlu marrying parsons in Likten have frankly commercialized their calling. That has al ways been plain, llul the udmissien of one clergyman that he euf-red into nn agreement te share the profits of his ehupe with taxicab drivers who brought him business i)Ils u most unpleasant sound. This particular marrying parson, the Rev, Mr. Westrcn, was ordered deposed by an ecelesinstlcal Jury at Wilmington after he admitted the performance of IJOO marriage ceremonies time he set Un m "the wedding business" last August. But Klkten will remain. It has become a filed Institution. If marrying pursens are kept in check there will be justices of the peace ready te go Inte partnership with the taxi men. The churches can de most te put the marriage mill out of business by robbing it of the prestige which it ,ns gained by a guarantee of chapel ceremonies. lCvery marrying parson ought te be squelched ns the church jury in Wilmington lias just squelched Mr. "Westren. In a race with .laclf Peter. Peter, Frest cranberry pick- Piinliln Kater eis in the begs of New Jersey are hav ing some juicy pickings. Twe and three dollars an hour is what some experts are making. We'll all get official notice of the fact before Thanksgiving Day. And at that, there is little likelihood that cranberry prices will fly high enough te meet the incoming turkeys. Oh, well. Some of. us will com com premise en liver nud onions. And pie maybe. ' AS ONE WOMAN SEES IT City Doesn't Loek Hair Dad After a Season In the Country, Though the Country Has a Charm All Its Own By SARAH 1). LOWRIK COMING buck te town after a long vaca tion I wns struck by three changes which marked this coining back as unique. The streets actually looked clean. The taxicabs seemed new and were measurably less expensive te drive In. And the police force, represented by the traffic officers at all events, hud nn air of ml'itiiry spruccness thnt was what you might call convincing. That is, It convinced me that the advent of Mnjer Warburton en the Mnyer's staff of commissioners wns becoming visible te the naked eye. If tinder nn efficient officer nnd a City Trooper the Slate Constabulary could get a snap and spirit that made It an honorable body te work in and n splendid model for ether States te copy. It would be reasonable te expect that, an officer of as wide cxneri- ence ns Mnjer Warburton could bring a new impetus te the reorganization of our city police force that would be as much te the liking of the men themselves ns te the rank and file of the citizens. THKRI2 Is no reason why a policeman should net be ns honorable as a Judge. He enforces the law: se de they. His pay nnd bis power entitle him te as much re spect as a clergyman or a school teacher. He receives better pay te begin with thnn a clergyman nnd has n chance of earning mere In the course of his promotions than most college professors. lie can establish himself quicker than most business wen, for he receives within n few-months of his ap plication for membership en the force n salary higher than an ordinary beginner can aspire te. His traluing is n very manly one. He must excel In physical tests, and he must display quickness of action, bravery and judgment if he is te forge ahead. He has te be an out-of-doers mini, nnd it is part of -J'8 duty, te dress well and carry himself finely. .Mere than te any class of American citizens It Is te his class that the newly arrived weuld-be American must leek for direction. It Is his duty te arrest law breakers te be sure, but It Is also his duty te protect helpless or wronged or lest or foolish people. Better than most can he even protect feels nnd sinners against them bclvcs. Any man who can come up te the reason able requirements of police regulations nnd who is between twenty-ene nnd thirty-nine years of age and a citizen In geed standing in the community can apply nnd stands a ceed chance of being ncccpted en the force After passing the by no means severe ex aminations nnd taking the three months' ifie:Slinary ,raln'R' "" officer's salary of $1825 n year is his. His steps of prefer ment, if he makes geed, will be from police man te sergeant, and from sergeant te lieu tenant, and from lieutenant te captain. The city department chief under which he serves Is the Director of Public Safety, an np- peintce of the Mayer. Directly ever the pel ce force is the Superintendent of Police. t'ndcr h m is nn assistant superintendent or commissioner. rpHE city is divided Inte five police divi .r7fii?Ils' ver which nre five police captains. M thin these districts ure forty-two dis tricts eyer which are forty-two lieutenants, hnch district has three sergeants, with n varying number of men under them. The rule Is new te divide the twentv-feur hours into three shifts se thnt ench group of men. after being en duty, can go home for rest and recreation. The highest salary In this climb upward is nbeut S4500. iVlth each promotion the responsibility increases nnd the hardships of the profession decrease until the duties nre principally office work The force is no hanger dependent en the generosity of the citizens for old age pensions that is. it Is against the Jaw for them te held up the householder for sick and old age benefit entertainments. The city new arranges a schedule te provide n pension fund. NOT long age. I remember, a very rheu matlc policeman, who could net have chased a cat successfully, let alone a thief, used te appear regularly twice a year with bunches of tickets for the householders en our block. It happened that we employed n private watchman in our neighborhood te protect us, besides, of course, paying tnxes for police protection, and that twice yearly assessment for the pension fund, disguised as bright-colored tickets te a show toefar away for nny one te attend, was hert of a last straw. Or, nt least, I uncd te think it was until one day I received a bunch of tickets in a letter with nn unstamped nnd directed envelope. The letter I saw te my astonishment was apparently from mvsclf. I., nddressed en unknown police captain ns Dear Sir. and asked him te find inclesed my check for the amount due en the tickets und was signed "Yours respectfully." with my tiiune spelled wrong typewritten be neath it. THAT was tee much! And the tickets and the letter and my pretest went back te some one higher up who wasn't quite en his job. I fancy the men did net enjev getting their pensions and sick benefits t'hat way. nnd nre thnnkful that that peer makeshift practice has been abolished. Much that is mere agreeable than begging for own pension has te be abolished for the sake of practicality in this grewingly bigger town. One regrets the garden patches of bpring Garden street having te go en the bcere of safety first, hut when one considers that this city was designed for some .'100,000 Inhabitant and thnt It has new some 2,000,000 living "In it, and another million and a half pusslng in nnd out of it every weekday. It is small wonder that some charming old obstructions meet the same fnte ns some ugly ones-. It is net se much the two millions who live In the town who jam the approaches of Bread street from Spring Oarden street us the million and a half meter commuters who live out of town uud who come in every day for business or pleasure at about the same hour, and then speed out nt about the same hour. IT IS almost an amazement te me the way these country people cannot stand the daylight hours In the country. I have been .visiting in the country this week, and every morning my host and hesiers nnd nil their offspring iiiaile n bee-line for town. They regarded me ceiiiiiiiseriitliiKly when I sug gested staying out In the country by myvelf nnd enjoying the late splendors of the gar den, and a book In the mellow sunlight of the vine-cevered perch "What iUl you de with yourself nil day?" said my hestuss in such a bewildered and Had tone that I actually felt in n panic and clapped en my hat and went with her te town et the last moment. Having nothing vital te de there, I shopped for things I did net need and lunched in n crowded, het place, and bought tickets for a show, and met nil the ether people from the country doing the biune thing, and slopped nnd talked with them und agreed that it was very depressing ueather for this time of year. Se I de net te superior or blame any ene for crowding into the-town, where there is already tee much of a crowd, anil se muking It necessary te make Spring (inrden street as much of a misnomer as Spruce or Pine street, for I've dene it myself. But I de think ilie people who live in town nre mere logical. They knew they nre fend of it, and se they live in It and arc at home net only ut night hut part of each day, which is a great advantage te the home and te themselves. They, tee, enjoy the city streets, but in a different way unil with mere gaycty, Last hummer ItO.OeO of them used te dance twice u week en thu bread asphalt bpaces before the bandstand when the City Pqllce Band plfcyed for them en summer evenings under a Warllt and1 moonlit' sky. 9 NOW MY IDEA IS THIS Daily Talks With Thinking Philadclphians en Subjects They r Knete Best GEORGE W. ELLIOTT On Fire Prevention "C1IRE -PREVENTION DAY should be X made one of the most important days of the entire calendar, according te Fire Mnr nluil Ocerge W. Elliett, because if Is a day which, if properly observed and its lessens taken te heart, will have a bencficlnl Influ ence upon the lives, and the pocketbooks of the whole American people. "Fire-Prevention Day," said Marshal Elliett, "falls en October !) each year, but this year, as the Oth is oil Sunday, it will he observed en Monday, October 10. The date was fixed in order te commemorate Hie anniversary of the greut Chicago fire of 1871. "The day is each year becoming mere and mere generally observed. The President of the United States, the Governors of many of the States, including our own, and the Mayers of most of the great cities, again in cluding Philadelphia, have issued proclama tions calling upon the citizens te observe the day, in nn endeavor te get the citizens te co-operate in fire prevention. "The annual fire losses In the United Stntcs hnvc grown te such n tremendous ex tent that nt last there seems te be an awakening of public interest in this mo mentous problem. The 'National Ash Pile,' as it has been well termed, has new grown te $,"00,000,000 a year. "Of tliis enormous total, Philadelphia's contribution last year was $8,000,000, re sulting from 4055 Arcs, ns against $3,918,e45 in 11110 and $.'1,0)1 ,1150 in 1018. Most Fires Preventable "Of the 4055 fires in Philadelphia in the Inst year, it is conservatively estimated that the causes of fully 00 per cent of them were easily within the control of the householder, the business man and the factory owner. Of the remaining 40 per cent, there is net the slightest doubt that a qoedly number may be classed us 'crooked' lires; that is, where there was a deliberate fraud practiced upeu the public. "Fire prevention nlms chiefly at the pre. pre. ventlen of these fires which result from carelessness en the part of the citizens rather than these which are caused by design or intent, and nt the enforcement of lnws and ordinances in the matter of building erection and occupancy. Then, tee, an effort which may net be entirely within the scope of fire prevention is new being made in order thut every citizen of the United States may be brought te realize the enormous per capita cost of the tire waste. "In Philadelphia, based en a population of 1,825.000, the per capita less Inst year was $4.77. and this, it must be remembered, is a less In created values which hnd te be replaced. This less of $4.77 per person in this city does net include the per capita cost of fire protection or suppression, by which I mean the cost of maintaining the fire de partment, the cost of water and the many ether items which entei into the extinguish ment of fires. "This per capita lire waste is a direct tax upon each of our citizens, nnd If the Phila delphia less Iff very heavy the cost Is felt by the citizens of the whole United States as well. "When I say a direct tax I mean that everything we use, everything we eat and i very thing we buy Iiiih figured into it ns u part of the cost of production, this amount te cover the cost of fire waste. Therefore the matter of fire prevention has come te be an economic problem which must be con sidered seriously In the economic life.ef the Natien. Must Pay the Price "The citizens of Philadelphia must awaken te tlir fact that they cannot have Jlfll fires a year resulting from the careless use of cigars and cigarettes, 811 (ires each year resulting from the cureless use of matches, 212 lircs every year caused Jjy mis chievous boys and 1(10 fires each your re sulting from rubbish, without paying the cost of them, and that cost Is high. "As direct evidence of the carelessness which is usually manifested in our everyday life ami the huge pail which It plays in the great national fire waste, reference need only be made te the tabulation of the origin of the various fires in this city. "Tills table shows very cleurly the part which soot iu chimneys and uncleanly Hues play In the year's tire record. It shows that fires from soot Increase month by month, from one iu the month of August te twentv live In the month of January, and that, similarly, fires from defective chimneys in crease from one in the mouth of August te sixteen in the month of January. Prem this It is easy te recognize thut if the chimneys were cleaned properly, as they .should be during thb wnrni weather, a large propor tion, It net all, of tut fires would hare Len prevented. 'Fire always lias Its erhdn at some par- 1021 "SINCE NOBODY LOOKIN'!" T ticulur place and for sj;ne particular reason. In order te prevent them it Is only necessary for each citizen te learn that the rubbish pile, the bonfire, the careless bundling of matches, the carelessly used cigar or cigar ette, the oily fleer mop stored in a closet, the putting of het ashes into woellen boxes nnd similar everyday conditions cause fires which contribute very largely In a seemingly small way te the great waste that is caus ing n heavy direct tax upon every individual in the country a tax which Is unheard of nnd unknown in nuy ether great civilized nation of the world. "It tnkes a very little thirfg sometimes te start a very big fire, and it is this fact which Firi. Prevention Dny seeks te in culcate into the minds of the citizens of the Nutleu. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure in nlmest nny case, but In the cube of fire above all ethers. "American resources have been taxed te the limit within the last thirty years te replace the property destroyed by fires. And In these figures the less by forest tires is net included. This, tee, Is a very heavy less, and in many cases results from entirely preventable causes. The Government Is nlse put te very heavy expense te guard against forest fires and te maintain a force sufficient te fight them when discovered. "The only way in which te reduce this enormous less is te hnvc fewer fires. And the best way te de this is for every citizen te learn care en Pire-Preventlen Day nnd te practice the lessen then learned through out the entire yea. Cure in the small things is the greatest of all, especially in the care ful bundling of fire in all Its forms und the preventing of the accumulation of lurge piles of rubbish of any kind. This is the best und, in fact, the only, way te reduce the absolutely useless and unnecessary fire waste which is "becoming u staggering lead upon the Natien." Today's Birthdays Geerge P. McLean. United' States Sen Sen aeor from Connecticut, born at Slmsbury. Conn, sixty-four years age. Frederick Hale, United States Senater from Maine, born in Detroit, Mich., forty seven years age. Jeseph K. Rnnsdell. United Stutes Sena Sena eor from Louisiana, bem at Alexandria, LiH.; sixty-three years uge. Patrick II. Kellcy. representative in Con gress of the Sixth Michigan district, horn in Cass County, Michigan, lirtv-feur venra age. What De Yeu Kneiv? QUIZ Hew many poet laureates of Kmrlnnd have followed Tennyson and w'he were -. -W hut is meant by the "pens nslnerum"? . Name two of the most celebrated sleaes of the American Civil War S 4. Of what nar party Is the present Conserv.i Censerv.i tlv. Party of Kuitliind an outgrowth" w many planets nre there In the solar n tit fill , E. He system 6 who v.-an Klnrr of France .it of the Amerlciin n..wV.v,-. the time -. s,.i.. . -'- -f..-w---. ,' ...."'" " 'eeani ny :i '7.i .-r?rt-t e. nui is piumlian-j" 0. W here and what wvt-c 'hary bills'.' 10. What is u myrmidon'.' ScjilR ai.2 Answers te Yesterday's Quiz Alfonse d'Albuquerque. the celebrated Portuguese navigator, conqueror an founder of the Portuguese Kmplre ', :'.ri!;V w" k"vn us the l-ert.i guesn Mars. II.i n horn In about M5 and died in lf.15. In Cen. I.ISIIOII India, "The far.-..' tli.it hunk a thousand i.IiIi.h" was lh.it of Helen of Trey, uiestm- P uzeii u,us in I'liilsteu her MuH,,,.,,'., Play, "Pr. Kaustus": "Was ti.u ,f, ..w,.wW ..Miiuii'ii in C HIM HTM Ijurl Themas A Hendricks w, Vice I'ris , Li t el the I titled Stliten during th llre Icrm of (irever ClevKlmc Var" .'J SI1 liri it iijf 1 1- i. ,i, (1.. A. I t . . it.. .... Alcaics Is the name given te several 1,1 ,.i' cf Vr rrtmi A !. .... i. ''( llrV im.l tl...l.. - ..,.". """'Ill . ... ., ., (iiuirun. iiii ,. .. v ". ... ii-jiiw-ii inventor h. Senater kenyen from Iowa ' 7. The first convention te consider , American colonial confederacy '.'' held In Albany en June 19, i7-f ,V" Hampshire. Massachusetts, lthede Is land, Connecticut, New- Yerl' i syhanla and Maryland were tin- cut !" iiIck represented lu" 8. The invention of tbe hydre-alrnlain. i.. li.ll I, ascribed te Ulenu 11 ' c'iV ,a's cricket a " ' ll BruBf,hel'I'tr or 10. 'tre'Mllterally.reaepn te be) U ftit eSSunU ter or usfifl' '? SP'SgP. 1 Inally caused a thing's existence. hurlil the teples.-i towers of 1 1 1 ,,,""" u. .Malabar oust Is a rianni often given i ' ihe western coast of Urltlsli l, , bordering en the Arabian ,. "J "8 i:iiii iii.ii uiiiiii i. ii.. i -'"rttimmfcl SHORT CUTS It isn't generally known, but lets of things happened In the world yesterday be sides baseball. The strictness with which Japan ketps aliens away from her possessions robs her plea for social equality of much of Its force. , The Shipping Beard has apparently net yet made up its mind whether the Leviathan is a whale of a ship or just a white ele phant. The endocrine balance may be check-fall of interest, but said Interest (save te a savant) lb net quite se evident as that of a bank balance. j The resignation of the Prohibition Di-' .rector of New Yerk State betokens a Hart bowed down by weight of wee. The job is distasteful te him, he says. There is little comfort for business and small encouragement for its revival in the declaration of, Sinuler Penrose that the pending Revenue Bill Is merely a temporary measure. One unexpected thing the Limitation of Armaments Conference may bring about li American recognition of the fact that thera Is in existence a body known as the League of Nations. It Is, of course, yet tee early te decidt whether the prophet who picked a Peckln paugh for popular approval picked a peach or a prune. There arc still several games te be played. 6 Vi France will defend her present army at the Limitation of Armaments Conference, und Hindcnburg, Ludcnderff and Stinnes hnsten te brenk into the news te furnish her with geed rcusens. Sylvia Pankhurst, expelled from the Britisli Communist Party, is said te have joined the (jcrmnn Red group. And once upon a time we hail u notion that nil Sylvia wanted was the vote. If the man who had monkey glands transplanted in his innards could, as a tc suit, pitch winning baseball in a World Series he would have no difficulty In keeping en the front page of the newspapers. i Scientists at Celd Spring Harber, L. L. have developed a coal-black chicken. Which prompts one te quote the kid whose father has just concluded a successful game of soli seli taire: "What are you going te de new, pep?" The latest bloc is composed of "Baby Congressmen" members young in service who are out te down the "ruling oligarchy. They have pep; the country will stand for them till they ask for imp. Then the bloc will pep oil like ii pup with the pip. Ilindcnburg's demund that Germany keep up her fighting spirit takes en the as pect of n hope capable of fulfillment when taken In conjunction with the French declaration that every Ocrmun regiment al lowed uu.lei the Versailles Treaty has three tiundrtti nun -commissioned ettlcers, two hundred of them serving ns privates. Funs urc said te have been fooled en the day of the opening game by reports that it was impossible te get into the Pole (IreuudH, but the fact that there were 6000 empty seats at the opening gnme would seem te show that It was the management that was fooled. Alse, the enthusiasts who waited in line through a long, cold night. I.erd Net'thelilTe wns Indulging in no idle dream when he told Australians that if they wished theirs te remain a white man fl country they would better get busy nt "nee end promote immigration. Occupation would se obviously solve Japan's prebleni of over population that the seMng of England s problem of the same nature in the same way seems the only possible course for them te take. Mike Marien, u New Yerk manager et freaks, announces the forthcoming marring of the champion middleweight lady wrestler and the champion free-style eater of hard feed, including carpet tacks : and in an open letter te the president of the Eugenics so ciety of (ireat Britain he wants te knew if such a union should net result in some of (hem there new what you call 'em super men. Sure, Mike! the kind of superman Hint throws a tit when his wife .asks him te wrestle with a carpet. Tins champion lady wrestler uf the next gcncrntlen m7. be the offspring of nn anemic carpet weaver and a neurotic novel, writer. Dan Cupw loves te threw the hoekolnto eugenics every once In a while. -JL amm Kaami