ljt tuening public ledger I PUBXIC LEDGER COMPANY V CTHL'S It. K. CURTIS, PnraiDtM Jehn C. Mattln, Vice l'tejlitcnt and Treniurtr; Chtrtra A. Tyler, 8crftrs Ctiariei II, I.utllnir Fan. Philip 8. Ceillnt. Jehn n. Wlllliims. Jehn .1. fpurfften, Otette V, Goldsmith. David n. Smllfv. Ilfetr. frPAVtD E, yMtt.r.T IMIIer ffiffiJWPT C MATtTtN . Ocnernl nunlnem Mnnrr e,vrwiina eauy si i'csi.ie LKDOta uuuain se: Jt1 Indeptndcncfi Strjare. Philadelphia. XTIO ClTT. rr. liHen Bulldlnc rawTeiK ,1(14 Mndlren Av. en T01 Kurd Ilul dlnr 9 ML1 .Fai BgiW . Lern flI3 CMftf-D'inecrfil nulMlr.jt FflWf Ktoieo 1302 Tri&unc Building , ST.WS Bl'nRACS 'wilRKgnN tlmtuu, .. N. K. Ce- lVnnlvanla Av nnd 14th St I1W Aenn numii' .. . The Sun Ilu'hllpc Londen Ucreau Trnfaljar Building pvnscniPTieN tehms Th Evr.MMi I'l iilii i.Kixin ih -ennl te ub crlbera In l'hlindlphla and aurreumllni lewm t tin rat of twelve (12) centi per week. payabU te the rt.--ir By mall te points outalde of Philadelphia In tn Un td Smt I'aniidn. or Tinted ytate po pe "I"", postage trr. fifty C.0) cents per month. Bll (fill dollars per ir riiS! m advance. Te all ferHrn ceintr n" JP dollar u month NOTct Subscriber wishing- nddrc.i chanjrd mutt gle eid aa wc:l a. new address. BEtU J009 TMMT KrYJTONE. MUN HOI tlTA ddrets all rODimiiifcoffeti fe Fvrnina Public Ledger, fnrftpftrftnc Dinar: Philadelphia. Member of the Associated Press. THE ASSOCIATED PI! ESS ( eicluslvelv ev ftfled fe (fce me r trpubheattnn e nil nni t dltpatches credit if te If or net etJirrirlse credited in fi( paper, mid il.e the local tinea piielljfieil therein. All rlehM of repi.oliceflon of t.'ctal dlipntchct are also resened. I'hil.dtlplil., iturdar. June 10. 12 ANOTHER MYSTERY LETTER W HARRY RAKER may reully be ut a . less te explain the internnl significance of the Inter written te a person of hi nnme and job by William C. McConnell. former Prohibition Director in thi- State te ex plain vh whisky pern Its could net be Issued te a firm Inter indicted under u charge of big-time bootlegging. But the question today is whether a innn se lucking in Imaginative perception can be either useful or ernnmentnl as head of the State Republican Committee It Is most unfortunate for Mr. Raker that the qneei IttNe missive un- discovered at this time. Fer. of course, it tnut have been another V. Harry Raker, unknown and unrelated te the candidate for the Republi can chairman-hip, who intervened. If any body did, te help the Imperial Drug Company te get whisky which the Imperial druggists seem Inter te have --old nt big profit te the thirsty of this arid land. And It may be that this ether V. Harry linker n close enough te a 1'rohibltlen Director who didn't direct te be addressed by him affee affee tlenatcly n "My Dear Harry." Strange things happen in this world The letter may have no meaning. It may be a bit of cede or it may have been dashed off te kill a little of the time that hung se heavily en Mr. McConnell's hands. But, ns we said before, its discovery is un fortunate. There nre many suspicious per son with a malicious turn of mind nnd gen erally sejir-llvered who will almost suspect that a respected public official occupying an extremely important position in the State Senate actually endeavored te ue his in fluence te help get alcoholic liquids out of bended warehouses. These dark -minded folk will be the mere uncharitable in their Tlew because the air has been thick with j rumors of political co-operation in the bootleg business. Every one knows that the high moral standard of the Vare Organisatien and the tern rigidity of its ethical cede would make ''-the thought of the act suggested In the Mc Connell letter intolerable te Mr. Raker. Rut there the letter 1. and Mr. Raker cannot for the life of him tell uhat It means. A PROSPECTIVE MUSICAL BOON THE project of giving orchestral concerts in the Park this summer Is -e obviously In accord with the sincerity of popular In -tereet in music that it is net surprising that Councilman Pemmer's admirable proposal is fast assuming practical form. At the meeting of the Council's Finance Committee this week the suggestion was re ceived with marked favor. Within a few days the measure, which carries an appro priation of Js.'O.OOO. will be formally pre sented for action. The co-eperatton of the Fairmount Park Commission is assured in the queries already submitted concerning the probable cost of new seund-iarrjing shells at Belmont, Lemen Hill ami Straw berr Mansion. In Chicago the orchestra under Mr. Stock is an all-year-round affair. With Hie execution of the present program, the Phila delphia organization would In part be Utilized in activities throughout the seas-ens The intention Is te obtain at least firty of Dr. Stokewskl s players for nightly pro grams through the week and a Sund.u matinee. Conductors of distinction nnd ability can unquestionably be secured for the summer series of open-air entertainments. devoted te compositions of high but net necessarily of austerelj "high-brew ' iluir acter. The stimulus te the musical taste nnd pleasures of the community would b im measurable. What is requited new is prompt action te enable the attracthe en terprise te be launched ibis summer. WINGS IN THE NIGHT IN PARIS and Londen they are granted and n little excited because a puenger airplane tlew at night aeiess ibe Kngli-h Channel, guided from take-off te landing by Bpeclally devised signal lights alen the route of passage The pilot is credited with a great achievement and his passengers feel that they participated in a historic event. and Kurepe is convinced that the future of commercial airplanes nnd air travel js loll h brighter than It was before. Reading of all this, jeu would net be led uCauppese that the terribU difficult silence of ight llyius was aihanced and bril liantly practiced years age in the Cnlted States or that flights which make the Chun jll crossing seem like a miner Incident were part of almost eery day's work for pilots In the I'nlted Stutes Aerial Mail Service. Filers whose names never appealed in the newspapers thought nothing of leaps ever the Recky Mountains, where there were no lights te guide them In the darkness and xbere such lights would be of no use be cause of storms and snow. One mail pilot took a plane In an emergency and Hew at . night half across the country upon an un- xamlltar course. The Mall Service did a great deal te pep. facj methods end devices of night flying "Vmiress did what mountains iirul darkness .F&ftf'Md the winter tempests could net de. It aped the airmen of the Mail Service who. ' Ijafire their department was starved almost yVsi4ii;ef existence, did and risked mere than vrHrsetncr group or men in tue world te '-"' ' " alrnianes and all the miner devices hhM'J- aerial navigation nvnllnble for the ?' Water convenience nnd comfort of folk who nafely upon the ground. 1 :r:mt END OF A FARCE 1 ratification by the City Council of u aPtHMauaeni .01 niemas 1. Arm- vASMt.,brin tu,4itt .WBjVwaitkat f '. . Jf c r. j had been found guilty of a technical offense In an mitl-trust prosecution and had been lined by the Court. The .Judge had pointed out te him that he might claim Jinmunlly, but as he had been connected with the combination he refused te take advantage of the opportunity . and elected-te stnnd or fnll with his asso ciates'. Ne question of mernl turpitude wns invehed. Men seeking- te obey the law found that they had net been able te com prehend what the law was and they were punished. Mr. Armstrong is thoroughly qualified for the pest te which the Mayer appointed "him. He will doubtless demonstrate tills before he has been In office a month. ARE MOTOR DRIVERS PEOPLE? ARE THEY REALLY RECKLESS? The Negligence of Public Authorities Is a First Cause of Many Traf fic Accidents ON MONDAY, ns usual, the newspapers of the country will print en their front pages what has come te be called "The Week-Knd Tell of Automobile Accidents," Moter picnics will have come te grief. Amateur drivers will have made the usuul attempts te pass machines lti front of them without turning te the right or te the left. They will have learned that wings nre neces sary te overhead flight. And the dismal news win be accepted ns ground for the assumption that gasoline is still a curse of sorts and that something stirring ought te be done about It. Something ought te be done about it, of course. It should have been done years 'and years age. The public authorities who make the laws of the reads should have awakened from their Intellectual slumbers. They should have realized that meters will have te be dealt with net through methods of repression, but In a manner likely te facili tate their movement and improve their use fulness. Like the women who led the early fight for the vote, the drivers of automobiles have a right te Insist thut they are people and net aliens te the common order of society. They have a right te object strenuously te the manner in which they are crowded and jammed and jostled because of inadequate thoroughfares and rules that suggest little but futility nnd bad temper in the places of authority. Thus ii few home-made street signals en the city streets, and en the country reads an occasional constable or squire like the cherished Yerkcs of Millheurne, represent all the efforts made by public officials gen erally te meet the requirements of a uni versal, revolutionary and expanding sj.tem of common trunspeit. Ne one ever seems te believe that meter accidents may be due te the recklessness of the public authorities, ns a usuni thing, rather than te the recklessness of meter drivers. Yet there was actually In the City Council a movement te prevent Superin tendent of Police Mills from obtaining the money necessary te install really adequate traffic signals en the busiest streets In cen tral areas. Meanwhile, the absent e of such a system has made meter driving unsafe for drivers and their passengers. If automobiles continue te be used In the busier streets of cities It is because they have become Indispensable te business and professional people, nnd net bemuse there is nny fun In maneuvering them about in the thickening nnd dangerous jam created by the inadequacy of the streets, backward police equipment and the forward movement of the meter industry. A complete revision of official philosophy will be necessary te accommodate meter traffic in and out of cities and te make life safe for the people in and out of automo biles. Thus, while reports of meter acci dents may seem significant, no one objects when n driver is killed at some death trap that might have been made safe with an Inexpensive police signal. Seme of the most dangerous corners nnd street intersections in this city nre still net only unguarded, but without adequate illu mination at night. The signals which the police are nbetit te lnstnll en the central thoroughfares will have te be extended in the very near future te every important thoroughfare, and, of leurse, the 1 1 attic squad will have te be largely Increased. In the course of time similar safeguards for motorists anil people afoot will have te lie p'aced en open highways whbh m.w ,ue i timing te have the aspect of rniliends with out an operating system. Automobile manufnt Hirers me making better antl cheaper cars, nnd esppciallv In this country the automobile is regarded ns a necessary adjunct te even- sort of busi ness Motorcars carry mere people than the railroads. Piegressive antl censtnuuve rhlnklng Is necessary In effn lal quarter- te reduce the meter-accident tell ("rent highwavs when they are built must be preperh policed. Laws, once they are made te gevei n meters, '.tight te be enforced. Speed limits should be fixed, ntterdlng te the nature of the reads and the country through whuh thev puss, and then maintained And ln cities the liutheiltles should tease te lielinvp tla( lenstnnt repression will solve what thev call tne moter-trnnic problem Thm will have te widen their streets and plan for great meter thoieughfares and use evetv si-,.ntlfic muheil that will tend te innlie the movement of all wheeled tniflit safe and easy If they don't, then the multitudes that ride m auto' mobiles will move gradually out of the nar row streets te places in which, even new. wide and tenverilent highways are being pi (quired for iheni. The time is coming when it will SPem quite as foolish te shut out moienars as It would be te shut out railroads or trolleys. SIGNIFICANCE OF SUGAR NO TWO families have been mere ilescly Identified with the sugar Industry in the I'mied Slates than the Huveineyers anil Oxnards. There U curious Interest, there fore, lu the death of a prominent member or each family en the same day this week Jehn C. Havemeyer, who died at the age of ninety years, had net been actively con nected with the sugar business for a number of years, but he was a descendant of -William Havemeyer, who opened a surar re. finery In New Yerk In the early da.vH of the last century, and he conducted the business of his ancestor for 11 long time Henry Themas Oxnard, who died at (he nge of sixty-two years, belonged te the third generation of Oxnnrd sugar men. Tne family erlglnnlly was engaged in the re fining of cane sugar, but sold out te the "be-culled Sugar Trmit. Then Henry Oxnard it8r$tfa,.el'ulfJfl(tnt;.i!yel()pineji,e'((,the, B4Mt-sugar lnaiaw,-vM sought sucb tar 1 retectlM for pa M nut It IBMjMi 1 . " - .i. 1 I thiSiiMd. r - t-r te compete with foreign producers. Men beyond middle life will recall hew he wa denounced by the free traders for his alleged efforts te enrich himself nt the expense of the peer working man, Rut it was through the efforts of Mr. Oxnnrd that the production of beet sugar grew from less than J.OOO.OOO pounds ln the eighties of the last century te mere than .',000,000.000 pounds in lO'-'l. He created a new industry and provided n market for a new crop raised en the farms, nnd the effect of his efforts has been te keep the price of sugnr down te a reasonable figure. When he begnn his campaign for beet sugar the Pnltetl States produced two or three hun dred times mere cane than beet sugnh When he died the production of beet sugar was mere than five times that of cone. The increase in world consumption of sugar within the lifetime of Mr. Oxnnrd is astounding. The tetnl world production fh 18(1." wns less than 4,000.000,000 pounds, The consumption In the I'nlted States nlene last year was nearly 0,000,000,000 pounds. The per cepltn consumption was between eighty and ninety pounds. What wns once regarded as a luxury has become an every day necessity. Indeed, refined sugar was erlglnnlly regarded as n drug and wns ad ministered ns medicine en n physician's pre scription. This was two pr three hundred years age. When the Natien wns put en sugar rations during the war every one thought he was suffering n great hardship, whereas, there was mere sugar available for every one than there was in the seventies of the last century. It would be easy for a student of social progress te write an essay en the state of civilization ln n Natien as Indicated by the consumption of sugnr. The backward nations use little. Their arts nnd industries tire undeveloped. As their prosperity in creases their consumption of sugar Increases nleng with the development of the arts. It could probably be shown that the consump tion of the honey of Hymettus by the nncient Athenians reached Its maximum nt the time when the Athenian State wns most distinguished for intellectual activity. OUR LIVING LITERATURE DISTANCE, either in point of time or space, familiarly lends enchantment te exhibits of the creative impulse in art. This Is one of the rensens why we have classics, works which, in literary form. Mark Twain described ns "books which people praise but don't read." Classics ns a rule are old or imported, sometimes both. At the present time there exits little dis position te deny that American literature net se long age. yet nevertheless in the past, was once flourishing. Within the memory of persons net yet venerable Is that period of native production of which Hew ells, .Tnmes, Mark Twain. Bret llnrtc. Aldrlch. Joel Chandler Harris. Marlen Crawford were conspicuous figures. They nre nil dead, though some of them but compara tively recently. Fer pens that have passed there Is no shortage of reverence. Ner i respect luck ing for what contemporaneously Is produced in ether lands. Britain offers Rarrle. Gals worthy, Cenrnd. Chesterton, Reerbehm, Maugham, Bellec. Hudsen these among many deservedly admired. There is brilliant representation for Ireland in Shaw. Stephens. Moere, Russell, France offers France, Razin, Clnudel, Hol Hel land, leaders among a galaxy highly ex tolled. Foreign literatures are always thriving, at least for purposes of serving ns supposed inspirational examples. Artistic humility Is net intrinsically harmful. It sharpens the critical sense nut may. indeed, pre've of tonic worth. The glance abroad relleets appreclntlen. Net in frequently, however, it begets myopia at home. Reactions te the present activities of de lineators of the life around us may be sub mitted In evidence. It is net that these gifted writers, whose average age is net high, nre unappreciated individually The sales of their penetrating and entertaining works offset nny such conjecture. It Is relatively seldom, however, that (bey are regarded collectively, as denoting an authentic movement, us exemplifying, with out npolegles, American fittlenal liternture. The I-'viiMNC Pl'W.ic Lkim.ku is fortu nately enabled te present the situntien ln a definitive and vivid fashion On each successive Saturdav for twenty three weeks this newspaper will publish short stories from the talented pens of con cen con temjernry writers at home, mmpiehenslve demonstration of the wealth of Inspiration, craftsmanship, character-thawing, sincerity of purpose and Interest-whetting gifts of n school" that 1 neither distant nor tie t eased. The. list of contributors includes Beeth Tnrklngten, whose opening tale, "l's," np pears elsewhere in this )Hiie , Wllla Slbert father, Jeseph Ilergesheimer Henry Sydner Harrison. Theodere Dreiser, lrvin S. Cobh, Julian Street. Rupert Hughes. Dorethy Cnntleld, Zena Onle, Charles (,. Nerrls, Jeseph C. Lincoln. Samuel Hepkins Adams, Alice Duer Miller, Henry Kitche.ll Webster, Rills Parker Butler Mary Stewart Cut ting nnd James Rrar.ih Cabell. In their interpretations of Amerba here is the staff of an American 'i'emedie Humnine," n reading of life whbh cannot but leflect credit upon the new trails blazed in the literary artistrv of the Natien RUSSIA'S FALLEN HELMSMAN IT MAY be that the hesitancy of allied statesmen nt (ienea te enter into any Im portant treaties with Russin, as will as the equally conspicuous unwillingness of Inter national battkeis ie bank heavily en con cessions proffered se liberally by the Soviets, was due te foreknowledge of the retirement of L'-nlne, who, according te all reports, is seriously If net fatally 111, The withdrawal of l.enlne. who for years has been the one tool mliul In Moscow, would ulinest tertalnU bring swift changes in Russia and perhaps another revolution. Tretzky, next iu leinmand. Is little mere than an embodiment of hate and passion. His chief nssei lales are dreamers or de de fitructlenlsts. l.enlne, whatever he lacks of workable political philosophy, lias a mind tempered by study, experlent e nnd tentuct with the facts of industrial organization. There Is much evidence te Indicate thnt the evolution of Russian thinking toward 11 mere practical system than communism had its source In l.enlne, and that l.enlne him self was moving swiftly levvtud republican convictions against the opposition of the I ew erf ul group which he headed at Moscow. Hew can a peer Presi dent be expected te solve the pieblenis of the till'lff or the heniirj Tut, tut! Frivolous'. when he has te rasp his mentality ever whether Mnjnr (ienernl Sumiiiernll rnnks Rear Admiral Simpsen or Heur Admiral tSiinpsen tiikcs precedence of Majer (ienernl KummeraU? It Is mere thnn should be re quired of the Chief Kxeciitlve. Why can't It be left te nn official Beard of Ktlquelte? Or whv shouldn't the Summernll-Simpsen tiuest Inii be put in reverse nnd he tried "en flmps all summer" William Allen White asks Emperia, Kan., city authorities If thev Mush don't knew thatTany hey who would for a mm Her take n stru" " te the neiinil In k ktlleit-oiithrtesbe killed ktawelf. The la" lerewea i ui iuey ueu i. Aaa willui ADta 1 ,wti efeesA't kaew it either, MODERN POLITICS TAME The Presiding Officer of the Pennsyl vania Senate Once Ran for His Llfe-i--.The.8tery of General Harry White A 8tate , Historian Needed By GEORGE M)X McCAIN THERE Is a great piece of work awaiting some trained mind nnd inspired brain, 13)0 history of Pennsylvania remains te be written. Net the history of our times, but a his, tery that will embrace every Important fact, from the first settlement in Its wildernesses by the Swedes in 1038 and even beyond that down te the very day of Its publi cation. It would have te be, necessarily, mere than a history. It would be an encyclo pedia, Itn volume should net be limited. Ne historical document, no map. no biog raphy, no description, nothing that could lend authenticity or add te its interest should be emitted. A lifetime's work would be involved ln the task. There la a vast amount of material already" in print awaiting the hand of the artificer who undertakes the job. THERE is no complete history of this Imperial State, such as I have described, iu existence. Pnrtlal histories arc numerous. Fifty years age there wns a rage through the State for the publication of county his tories. Seme of them were valuable. A few of them were uninteresting. Most of them were pudgy volumes, nheundlug In steel plate engravings of wooden-faced farmers or small town business men with flowing hirsute appendages. In every Instance these publications were financial enterprises get up by New Yerk, Philadelphia. Cleveland or Cincinnati pub lishing Houses, who farmed out the literary end historical work te some local historian or member of the bar, while the concerns' solicitors combed the county for biographies and photographs that were te lie Inserted nt a geed round price per bend. They contain much material, u Nn only this State, but England, Sweden nnd the Netherlands' archives, and local histories, should be placed under contribu tion. Time is passing. Grent events ln their day in Pennsylvania are rapidly losing their value in the rush of mighty modern events. MONEY would be required. Pennsylvania apparently has ample funds for all sorts of political purposes. It has little or none for the commemoration of its great men, its great events, or the prepa ration of its grent history. Its most pitiful fiasco In this latter re spect Ih new en exhibition. At the first session of the Legislature after the armistice a bill wns passed with a small appropriation creatine n Historical Commission te prepare a history of the State's participation in the World War. The grass was yet green and the pepples were brilliant above the graves In France nnd en Flanders Fields. The sob wus still in the threat of the people for their dead. A commission of eminent historians with an exception or se was appointed by Gover Gover eor Spretil. It gathered material. It went out into the highways nnd byways and collected let ters, orders, diaries, maps, names and every scrap of matter that it could find en the subject. Already the commission has censed te function. Dust hns settled en Its desks. The result of its brief labors is filed nvvny in the rooms of the Pennsylvania Historical Seeietv. The Legislature has forgotten the war in its haste te waste. The Historical Commission has censed te function because the Legislature refused te give it an appropriation. WHEN Speaker Rebert S. Spangler was depesetl in the closing days of the Inst session nnd Majer Samuel A. Whiteker, of Chester, wns named in his place. It was nailed as a remarkable proceeding. Had there been a history of Pennsylvania such as I outlined the correspondents nt Harrisburg might have told with thrilling Interest of an episode in the Heuse of Rep resentatives that for dramatic interest and political importance at the time hud the hpangler-Whitnker episode beaten a thou sand miles, I refer te what was known for a genera tion after as the "Buckshot War." Talk ubeut the ruthlessness of modern politics! The politicians of eighty venrs age bad the modern breed beaten te n frazzle. "HIACTIONALISM in the preceding election J- nnd in the Heuse of that vear of our Lord 18.18 ran like a mill race. The AVhlgs nnd antl -Masens formed n coalition nnd elected a Speaker named Cun ningham. The Democrats mimed as their choice n member named Hepkins. It was then thnt the unique spectacle wa presented of two Speakers trying te run the Heuse from the same platform. The contest became se hitter thnt the Sennte wns drugged Inte the maelstrom Partisans of each official gathered from all the surrounding counties and undertook te mob the Cnpllel. Pandemonium reigned. Threats of vio lence were freely made Finally-the situation reached n point where the presiding officer of the Senate Charles B. Penrose, in order te escape the mob jumped nut of a window twelve feet above the ground, after which he shinned ever n picket fence seven feet high. In the end Governer Run'er called out the militia and the threatened Insurre.tien was suppressed. Speaker Hepkins was finally recognized as the legel presiding officer, and the trouble subsided, TIMLLIAM P SNYDER, president pre tern, of the Senate and nftervvnrd Audi ter denernl, was f,.n( of recnlline another incident of historical Importance tint Las faded comp etely Inte the background of our legislative history. In 1804 there was a deadlock in the Sennte. General Harry White nf Indiana, who died within the last decade, a member of .the Senate, was engaged nt the front with his troops. He had In the meantime been captured bv N the Confederates and sent te Libby Prison. ,,- wHS ureuuu-i ..1 .signing, nut under the conditions could net tle se, His resignation would, of course, break the dendleek. The deadlock continued until ..-11 1 February. "'" """ Finally his resignation reached the Sen ate, and the way It did se was by his writing It en a piece of waste paper which he had obtained ln prison and sending It by nne of his discharged comrades te Harris burg. HOW many present-day- legislators know knew that originally there wns only one legis lative body? Twe separate bodies, the Senate nnd the Heuse of Representatives, were created bv the Constitution of 1700, und thev have been in existence ever since. The first Sennte assembled n t),iH ,.ity which remained (he capital until 1701) It wns then removed te Lancaster ' In 1808 n committee of the Legislature was appointed te select a site for the perma nent capital. When the Legislature of JSOH convened the committee reported In favor of the selec selec tlen of Northumberland as a site. The Senate, by a ete of fourteen te ten struck out the word .Northumberland nnd inserted (he word Hnrrlsburg. The Heuse refused te concur in the The 'situation hob deadlocked until the next session of the Legislature, when liar- risburav Hil.liVif'l M' "n,e"t Influ ence en the Members, was chosen as the casltal. T "TURDAY'TJUite 10, 1922 '" -'Vs ifi SQUALLS AHEAD f "ffBv sj-i "jff Trf H . j.tPy jjy lf'iaMaBBMwifcaafcIsaJaJBT lfW"J4"j4yiMarfaytHic .fsyOBnalBBBMlj LTfB9BBBllBBBBBlBBBBBP!X j- T.IJ.W" " - 'Z 1 " NOW MY IDEA IS THIS! Daily Talks With Thinking Philadelphia en Subjects They Knew Best MISS EMMA ROBINSON ENGLE On Children's Werk In Public Libraries THE work of the Public Library. In se far ns children are concerned, while a mod ern development. Is rapidly assuming great proportions, according te Miss Emma Rob inson Engle, who Is In general charge of this phase of the work in the Philadelphia Free Library. "In the twenty-nine branches of the Public Library." said Miss Engle. "there hip new children's departments in all except one reference branch, and we have thirty four centers of administration. The first children's room in Philadelphia was epctied at the West Philadelphia branch in lfcOs. nnd as work for children in libraries was then in its infancy, it was icgardcd as an experiment, i'p te that time children were net allowed at all in most libraries, nnd, re calling that lime, there is an Institution in New Yerk which still bears the old sign, 'Children nnd dogs net allowed. ' "In the West Philadelphia experiment 11 separate room for the children wns set aside, provided with low tables and chairs, and put in charge of an assistant interested in children. Before that time the Philadelphia Free Library bail purchased a few chil dren's books which were placed in positions inconvenient te adults In case a child strayed In. The Experiment Successful "The experiment here was successful from the start, an inci easing number of children using the library each year, and the au thorities 1 ame satisfied that It was filling a renl need. The following year a room was fitted up en the ground lloer of the Chest nut stree! building iu order In get the chil dren out of the main library. It was opened in May of thut year, and the wisdom of separating the t hlldrcii was manifested when they used mine than l'.l!,000 hooks during the remainder of the year, Hecking tlieic in great numbers "Then It was seen that the children's work needed cpecinllsts; persons trained te knew the child, te knew the best methods of approach, nnd, even mere Important, who knew rhihli en's books. Se, in lllOIi it was decided te make the children's work a sepa rate brunch, and it has continued se ever since, wlih constantly growing interest manifested. "As seen as the children's Ubrnriuns were trained and quarivrs found, children's de partments were opened iu each of the then fourteen branches of the library. The se lection of the pieper books was oil" of the first things te be cnnslderid, and then we iiad (e find persons who had the right sort of inspiration in dealing with the children. First Act nf litienslilp "Anether piebleiu was ie attract the chil dren te the right books. The child usually comes te a library in his leisure moments and because he finds something there which he needs and wants. In many cases the tdgnlng of a libinry application card is his first act of cltl.enshlp. The children are always allowed te select the books which they want, and the only supervision, if It may be culled this, is an attempt te direct bis selection, unconsciously te himself, Inte the pieper channels, "The Philadelphia Free Llluary was one of the first In the world te make n separate department fei children, uiul also among the first te dike up gieup Instruction. The chlldieii wcie gathered together In groups te hear stories, told te them fiem the best literature, and thus te encourage 1111 Inter est in the best hooks This Introduction te the best llteiatuie, we have found, Is seldom made when the child's thoughts nre un gultled. ami net 1 per tent of the children who visit a libiary eme te it directly from their homes. "The story -telling method has produced splendid lesults iu leading. The old clas sics, folkleie, fairy sieiles. nnd the like are ll hlef material used. These the child will miss If he has ie get It himself from the books, owing largely te the difficulty of the names Medel 11 stories are never (old 10 them. Lectures with sicicoiitlcen views were also used for a lime, hut this was seen abandoned. The movies did most of this. Cannet Loek and Listen Together "A chlhl rarely leeks and listens well at the same lime, anil new we regard a picture ns a direct interruption te a story. At any uiie. the pictures are net necessary new, us the stories are he much better told. "Still nn01,""1, ,wnM ,nf "I1!"""- the best books te' children was the Library League, which did. if remarkably work. We found many 'children and young people aimlessly Se 0i 000VaiMt ihey JPMMe :te wist they (Attb wm solved by the-leaiue iur. reset LOL. fata" v forming rending clubs, .vhich worked ns or ganizations self-governed. Debating clubs were an outgrowth of this, the subjects of the debates being directed te such as de manded redding from books which were at hnnd in the library. Recreational Reading Sfnall "In n well-ergnnizeil children's tlepnrt ment the amount of recreational rending matter demanded 1r comparatively small. Our work with the schools is along the pro jection method of 1 idling. The children nre sent te the library for reference reading outside of school hours, ' nnd this uncon sciously educates the child Inte a knowledge of the whole work of the library. "In order te tench the children hew te use the books, they were brought te the library during school hours, accompanied by the teacher, and they were instructed how hew how te use the catalogues and the simpler ref erence works. In the last year !!11 groups of children, accompanied by their teachers, visited the various branches of the llbraiy for this purpose. We try te get the teach ers te suggest subjects requiring refeience reading iu hooks which we can supply, ns it is discouraging te n child te try te get a book which we are unable te furnish. "The interest which the children of the city take In the library may be shown bv the fact) thnt last year there were l,()..tl,41-t books taken out by chlldieii. nnd -l."..'J0() children net hitherto en our books npplled for cards. Ne Theft but Much Mutilation "Children de net steal the books anv mere than tle adults, hut there Is considerable mutilation of the volumes, although net se much as formerly. During the crne for scrnpboeks the library books suffered severely from chlldieii taking such things as thev wanted for their scrnpboeks from the books owned by the library. AKe when theie was n large number of children waiting for the same reference hook for some school work, the temptation of one nf the earlier renders of the book 10 cut out what he wauled and put It in his pocket proved at times tee strong Ie be resisted, "An Important phase f the work of the library with children is the Americanization werl among the imclgn-bern paienls of 'h lilieii. It Is easier te reach these -ems through thcir children than In . v oilier manner the sections ,,f , . " '. where the foreign clement Is large, vv . have P. tin many short American hi, giapl i,. , works, antl we ; find that these, while ,". out by the children, are largely , , P;uy.us also TllPri. , Im,,' , ! ' (Mills Americanization wetk which v in e deingwllh excellent .esulis. "u "We are in touch constantly uiti, n. -.. "". ; wi.irh ih 'iei W, k with children, ami we try te leach th,. ,1,11. flren the ,eal uses f nhraiv just as ,! times the demand .... . V .' ' '" ler mere inn.-s A. tMJJPKTr v vn ('runt l.nt i t ;.;':: ."i.vi"h take, 0.if. highly spechllUe I Vr a ,'g "nn i'",, "T for fine field for these . ' 7' ,'i"'1..1 ' "?'rs n nrnsx , l,,..,l. . ,"V "'-' Ufun e nv. ing. ni ls bonks es for What De Yeu Knew? QUIZ 1. Whnt is nn aura? - J!10 was (icerge Innes? 3. Who was Pandora? 4. What is 1, plnuncn? B. lie wrote "The AVrecker"? 6. Who was Oynnia? ' 7. Date Themas Dekker. 8. What Is n liimu? 9 Why Is h hisse described . 1 , 10. Who was the fnUu'ef'uda" lZln Answers te Yesterday's Quiz 1, The Ninu was thu smallest r.t n, three ships. Mll'"lest of Columbus's 2. The spots upon a puck of cards n,- . u nlcally pips, lnls n,e tech- 3, A cog-wheel in n larger one Is termed a pinion. Bmetlmes 4. Australia is a Commonwealth . v. land, a Dominion. "" Sew 6. The. KmprcFH .Itn lately ,,......, . Funciial te Madrid. " ,rem- ft. The Sinanlsh Mnfinna, J,i.. ,. the Clil. ,,u '" ,ne I'0"") of 7" An.'c1,C.lus,,,,e5.?.?tlV0 " War ' -lied B ThteCDPe1SiI.0f ,nd,a has b"n transferred 1 ' I 1( , Th?.riorrte fti'ma ,helr "theen l. 10. .?. Heuse of ttusrt ceased .., . llll, n in fhe.elsne trasl, ,' " 'I'" Ma input of the lit,..,,.; .' ...."".' '.'" "'i'H -.. I . r, 1. ,... .'' ' ,"' 'nB there . """ok, 4 He output of for eh lit Iren U mm- .... 1...... ., ' "". '" uxiicrlH te M.I,.,; ,..:,.' ' .'""'' l''Uli tl1P,n. ' ""- "K"1 l(""l l books SHORT CUTS Germany continues te play a lean hind., He's a wise bird, is Billy Magcc. Which explains his swing te Plnchet. June, the practical joker, continues te take a rise out of the thermometer. Lenlne has had his second stroke. First'' thing jeu knew that guy will have fanned. , And In the interest of public llluulne- . tien, what, my dear Hurry, is "the proper! light"? "- "-"-"- , Nobody expects McCumber's trick mule te pull any lead. Its chief stunt is te kick up n dust. "'f It is new feared there has been a mis take in terms. Fer "four certain persons read "four uncertain persons." , The prlncipnl trouble with the Wit-' jenherg College elght-beur-a-dny study rule is that nobody can possibly observe it. Apart from the fact thnt Harvey hn Inst his breeches, absolutely nothing, old top, is happening in dear el Lunnen. The speed with which corners nre some- 5 fillies tlirtiml .n OliaL..,.,, b,nA. ..., a r ......... .,., . iirnuiiii nill'ri C1CE t I encourage If net te iusllfv invwnllclnff. t fl ... - : --- - m i he Adam and Eve of the Maine wool- mnv consider their venture a complete sue-" ,a cess. They get all the publicity expected. J The threat of a moving-picture pro ducer te spend S20.000.000 en n scries of films showing the horrors of war slmp!y nthls te 'em. It really Isn't fair. New that Ambas sador Harvey has graduated Inte long pant' the I nited States Senate ought te treat him 5 with mere respect. Lists from nil ever the country rsute, one te wonder if whnt the Chilean lady asked for were tlie names of the twelve hundred greatest American women. A Federal Court has sustained the con tention of the Government thnt nulja beard( nre sporting goods. Is the honorable court trying te make game of the spirits? If Sherman snid what he is alleged te have said about war he couldn't possibly have been referring te whnt It would de te the Sherman law nnd yet and yet R.v nnd by it will soak Inte the inner consciousness of the gang that when Pin- , chet wishes te drop n bomb he'll he nblc te drop it without n preliminary oration. One thing Hint never fails te arouse enthusiasm for the Fair in any group of ' citizens is the likelihood thnt both sides of the Schuylkill will be cleared up and beau-1 iiueii. It took mere than n nlumber le step. .,' that leak, announced the Conscienceless One. ; Whnt leak? we nsked Innocently. Te which' he nns.vered idiotically, "Beleaguered Bel s leek belike." a I have n scheme for rnlsine the money, for the soldiers' bonus, snid Deinnsthen McGinnls, quite ns geed ns, any yet gesied. It is te borrow the money from th .uiisL-ew mini, f .a Tim ,li,,ennlniillnn nt Mr ITnra t(l llVf) " 1 moving-picture pntrens something finer ! - ,'U better must net be construed as an - en General Hokum. Thnt justly peP,u'ar c" h producer will continue te delight his thou- t sau us, Tim ITntnt A uunnl n Hnn nf Vmv Tefti nlleRlnj; the liquor truffle In reMnurants nei ,. InrtKAnLixl im,lai thn VnlntAfi1 lint hflft ftftlCQ President Harding te make New Yerk really dry. One wonders if this be simple faith er. J snrdenle humor. t .V 1 That chess game by wireless between l Londen and New Yerk Is going te be trlO' , I hard en tratlie cops; for, of course. .'''" mean that excited throngs will pack tnem . selves around miiienn uennis evw" i, iflllfl Ml HWWtn u. iiiv ingot. j - ' " , ' New if some dlstln- Matter of Kulshcd erlvate c.tlwn. Procedure of Italy had been vl ...,.. . j ..."iP.. ".""u.:"-, V 'niecl'v- A in. thu country. '".V: ..'. iiiliiii. iinve seu, no inni niuuii.u"' Vs vA"5s could have wished him te say concerning ,'"JtKC tariff and thers would hnve been no WIL) national complications. What endears "?& Amoassaner fe ins country aim ie i""SiiPi try in which he sojourns .nr hls'retlW7;tf.i , He sheuldsee te It that he has a preij rfh his lequacities. J, fx 3 :-i,l,,W.,flA?i, Sm.Ii''.,1!!.'. ji f-T-.v it.kmi
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers