isp'fw RA&&& I $Sm& l5f--i tea m - . . j i MS? w w sr im f BBTr.t.T pr,v?Mw lv&& ra&&&ti, m ?-""' K m 1 j m s&V- ' . m I . 12 IIVENINO PUBUC LEDGER I PUBLIC LEDGER COMPANY CYRUS H. K. CURTIS. PsMlStsv L Charies A. Tyler, tertiary; Chariea It. iiding ; , fen. Ptilllp R. CeIUna, Jehn B. Williams. Oaerte i jvAJP. Oeldnmlth. Davlil E. Hmlley. Director. tAI. I1 UftMlM l'l BhiIiImI att.l ,, aw-.rrj1- " m TIU PMII.r.T Mll"r C. MAtVriN.... general Bunlneaa Manaser Published dally at Prstie Lsneea Bultdlnf inaepenatnee square, rnuaneipma. iSTie Cin rrm-Vnlen ButMIng 8W Yea 384 Madleen Ave. raerr .01 rera nunmna Letus 013 otete.Demeerat Rulldlna? ISMM 1302 TrltsjM BallOlBf IL . KKS UUKKAUD1 WlltltfcflVAM tliacil. N. n. Cor. rnniyhtnla Ave. and 14th St. W Vabbb Mkak VWa .. flul t.lletJX j, asjSW 1 UH! DlllUVtiiliMI 11 W our li'lii'ti..aj ft , -' leseeN Bestir Trafalgar Dulldtni R . SUBSCRIPTION TERMS lsJi -3" The Evasion Piane I.awra is eerve.1 te euh- vuripvra in I'mmueipni nna iiyrreuinuin ,own 2ft the rat of twelve (13) ctnti ir k, ratable ! Br mall te points euUlde of Philadelphia In tha United Ktates, Canada, or United fltatea pet. - "'J"' aa. waam naBaiaa leni. mita free. nit inei centa w manin. (10) dollar per tear, payable In advance. Te all fereim reuntrlea eie (11) dollar a month NoTlea 8ut)crtbere nlshtnt addreae chanted snuet five old aa wall a new addrcia. ELL. 30a WALNUT KEYSTONE. MA11 MM t74rfVtres nil communication le Kvrning PuBtta Ledger, Independent Square, rMlndlpMe, Member of the Associated Press TffB ASSOCIATED PRESS in rttlivHv en titlrit te ii uc ler rtpubutatirm of all nrwi 4Upatthf creittrd te it or net etlerv3 errMt'd tn thl paper, and also tie local irus pubHthtd therein. . AH rlffhts ef rrpubtlcatlen of aprclal dlipaletiet JurHn art ale renerved. PklltdelphU, Tueidey. Dftrmbrr 3, M25 OUR OWN KLUX NOW Hint Kteiigle Mhoeiniikcr. pull"rin in Philadelphia for the Ku Klux Klan. hnn defied riireoter Cnrteljeu, the Depart tnent of Safety mid the people whei rlglitt It In supposed te guard mny knew, nn tlte Saying is, where they get efF In thee das f puerility ineorperated. If the Kluxer aren't formally permitted te imireh in their eherlKhed arkn they will mnreh an? way. and Kleagle Shoemaker reminds us darkly that they ran arm a heavily and aim as atrnight the Milirc. The Klux N beoemlng a pulille nulsnnee, like a had odor. It would he depre"lng if It did no mere than remind Amerlenn "f th extent te which malice and ignorance prevail unions tliem. The lnvnien of St. .leli i'm ("liurch nnd the defurement nf the jiews with htlckers advertixing the Klan te people whom It professes te hate wa nlmut as grneeleeH an act of stupid undullMii an can well be Imagined. Director f'orteljeu should permit tin' Klan te parade, with the prevision thut the Biemhers go unmasked. It would he Inter esting te knew the members by nume. Hitherto the only KlanMnen who hae come Inte the open are these who held the frefit-tukltig jobs. AN OLD STORY MIDSHIPMEN from the Naval Academe who came te this eit for the Anny Jfavy football game nnd se became the sub ject for the formal Inquiry new en at An napolis hac had a foretaste of the treat ment which is reserved everywhere for noeular heroes. They were wildly welcomed in the streets. Their appearance at Franklin Field brought thunders of applause. They were admired and praised en all sides. The glory of the occasion was suddenly dispersed by Secretary Denbj's scathing outburst, which Included lrtuully all mem bers of the academy in an indictment meant for a few. And it is only new that we learn thut these same midshipmen, brought in state te Philadelphia nnd under orders te be hpiek-und-span en all occasions, were required te sleep en bastllj assembled cots in one of the armories and en the reef of a hotel or even in corridor chulr. Mr. Denby'i howling out appears te have been among the least of their troubles. THE TORTURERS TeVlOOD conduct alone," runs n rule VJ posted in every cell at the Holmes Helmes burg Prison, "will entitle the prisoner te the privilege, of exercise." Doubtless the prison inspectors and the men directly responsible for the adminlstru adminlstru tire system of the Count. v -lull will be at considerable pains te defend themselves against charges of barbarism and cruelty that echo new about the institution. Vet here, In cold type, is proof of medieval cruelty, organized and ordered and Inflicted upon defenseless people. Te say te a prisoner in a jail that he may have the benefits of physical exercise only after being credited with geed con duct is as if you buld te a sick man that be might have medicine if be would first get well. The Jailers ut Holmesburg might aa well have said te the prisoners that the right te breathe or te drink water would be accorded only as a reward for geed be havior. Afly physician could tell Superintendent Coeke that n lack of physical exercise will lead Inevitably te nervousness, ill health, aberrations of mind and the desperation that precedes violent disorder among badly treated prisoners. Any rational mind would recegnise at once thut a rule such as this Bust lead toward moral and plijslcal rulu among these te whom it applies. It is strange te realize that tliii edict should be posted en the jnll walls without having inspired in the mind of a (Jraud Jury or a prison inspector or the jail offi cials a sense of its brutal futilltv nnd gen eral destructlveness. CENTRAL AMERICA JPES that the conference of Central American republics new in session in Washington will net only result in the ad justment of outstanding problems involving the United States, but also In quickening a aplrlt of nutlenul unity in the region lying between Mexico and Panama were renewed yesterday with the significant address of the Hendurun delegate Dr. L'cles frankly discussed the possi bility of the return of bis nation "te the union wnlcn Termeriy cuinmuwu mc iwirr- WA'tt. 8len of Central America, or at least with nV''ajroief them." His reservation need net be W1' ' matrucd as darkening the prospects of rmplete fusion and co-operation, if a reuplng of even three of the five nations ere made effective and enjoyed, uh It un- nestlenubly would, the favor of the l.'nltid lUtes,, the standing Invitation te full pert- .ershlp should in the end prove Irresistible, Indications that the questions te be solved .Of which the meeting was specifically called U1 be expeditiously settled are unnils- .akeble. Ouatemula, Salvader, Honduras, Nicaragua and Cesta Kicu have already given assurances that they will support the confirmation of the treaties of 1007. will , ahare in the re-establishment of a Central ABWncan ceuri ei jumi uiui win tunc me fMcesaary steps te reduce urmumenls wholly atit of keeping with the most enlightened Setera of progress in these countries, i "The authenticity of the accomplishments ti . 1L. LI.I..U ...n!.... L-,-1 . .1 f tl xne new uimuuv iiivriiiiK uria en ine .; vlfltiut Htatea cruiser Tucemu Inst sun....... fc?4ffllVhPP''y evident. Otinrantees of its value tSA,' fjreitl virtually mnir-u - iuc quinit'C III i), " Lggi-hllcs accepted the Washington invlta- m9te fviflTna union program Is one that must be lly worked out under different con 1 by the sister nations themselves. The jftjHM naturally does net propose te faSSJT orderly and federalized Central America with deep satisfaction and practical urn path. With no deposition te Ml aside Hie im mediate questions en the agenda, the Hon Hen iluran envoy nan rbeMn an auspicious mo ment te Initiate a mete whereby Central America mny at taut enjoy a rebirth. The went has been long delayed. Beyond ques ques Hen the United Stntes wilt seek te expedite It with nil legitimate means In It power. CROOKED VOTERS' LISTS; HOW TO PREVENT THEM If Representation in Council Were Bad en Population, There Would Be Ne Temptation te Manipulate Assessments rPHK report of the Voters' League en the alleged Irregularities In the assessors' lists of elers for the iiirrent enr tomes opportunely. The assessors have begun making up Hie lists for next jnr nnd they are new aware, If they were net nwure be fore, that public ottentlen is directed te them. The duly of the assessors, as these fumlliar with the Philadelphia Hjstem are aware, Is te mnke u list of ull the cltlxen.1 twenty-one jears old ami ever In their re. specti districts. Ne citizen whose name is emitted from the lists m.i Mile, but whether the citizen wishes te te or net may net be lensidered b tin assessors. Thej are required by law te make their lists as complete ns is hiimant pesihle. The apportionment of members of the City Council js based en the number of assessed cltiens in each senatorial district. Kadi district is entitled te one Councilman for eicr. 40.000 Miters and an ndilitienul Count ilmun for any number of Miters In ex tess of one-half of 40,(K0. That Is a dis trict with 101,000 assessed voters Is entitled te three. Councilmen. whereas n district with OJl.tilH) is entitled te only two. The investigators of the Voters' League have discovered that there are grave dis crepniiiles n the lists for the current car. l'er example, in the Llmeburner-Wegleln-Montgemery district. Including the Fif teenth. Twent.v -eighth. Twenty -ninth, Thlrty-seiend nnd Forty-seventh Wards, there were K4,tlS'l assessed voters In lirJI. This number was increased te liy'i's" for ll--. according te the totals appearing en the lists, hut un actual count of the names indicates that there are only l't,L!70 en the lists, or 74M) fewer than the totals call for. Then, tee, the lists for the old wards, which are stationary in populntleti, show u large increase ever last year, while the wards in the newer nnd growing rarts of the city show no increase or only u small gain ever last year. The natural inference drawn by these familiar with the methods of the politicians In the past is that nn uttempt has been made te swell the tetuls in the machine wards in order thut the representation in Council may net be reduced and te keep the totals in the reform wards small se that there may be no increase in the number of independent Councilmen. If the eltlrens of the independent words are at all Interested in this matter it will be impossible te manipulate the assessors' lists. They will see te it thut their names und the names of their acquaintances are recorded. They will let the women know knew that even if the.v de net wish te vote it is important that their names should be listed in order te get for the district its proper representation in Council; and when the lists are te be revised in the summer these citicns will meke It their business te have them made correct. Hut all this sort of thing would be un necessary if representation in Council were based en population rather than en the us lessors' lists. The Htute Constitution provides thut the members of the S'-note nnd the Heuse of Representatives shall be apportioned ac cording te population. It Is also en the tmnulatinn basis that members of the na tienal Heuse of Representatives are chosen. There is no justification either In theory or In expediency for the Philadelphia prac tire of basing representation en any ether enumeration of the people te be represented. Hut the political machine here has Insisted en the assessment plan. It controls the assessors. They will obey orders. They ran make the lista complete In the machine wards und they can emit hundreds of names in the independent wards and can thus manipulate the basis of representstien te suit themselves. Indeed, If the disclosures med- by the Voters' League are borne out by the records en file, the assessors can swell the tutals without even adding names te tne nuts mm by the mere writing down of a big number cun qualify a senatorial district te mere Councilmen than Its adult population ueuld entitle it te. Thut is, they can de this if the County Commissioners accept the totals as accurate without making nn attempt te verify them. There is time, !f there is any disposition te de it, te usk the Legislature te amend the Charter in such a way ns te require the up up nnrtlenment of Councilmen en the baais of population ns indicated by the Federal census of lff-0. This would frustrate any plans tliat may liuvu bten contemplated by unscrupulous men, if such 1111111s there are, nna it would glve'udcquuU' representation te the districts with the greatest population. And while they ere about the business of correcting the laws It might lie well te abolish the system of making a special as aessment of citUens and put the business of ussessing in the hands of the registration clerks and have them make the iissfsMiuent when the citizen registered. One of them as u deputy tux collector could receive the tax. This arrangement would net affect the revenue In any way, for no one pays the poll tax who does net register, and it would glmpllfy the whole business, ATLANTIC OPPORTUNITIES IT IH announced through Albert D. Lasker that the Leviathan, new being recondi tioned, will he ready for trnns-Atlnntic aervlce in the spring. The addition of this huge liner, the second largest in the world, te the American passenger fleet means an access of prestige which It would be felly net te safeguard and capitalize. As the Shipping Beard has repeatedly pointed out, the weakness of the American merchant marine is net numerical nor In the sum total of tonnage. Aside from ad ministrative problems, a fundamental weak ness lies in the unsuitable type of many 91 TCVENINO PTTBLiIO LiKnUKK - - the ressels. Seme hundreds of the cargo ships built during the phenomenal period of activity occasioned by the war are tee small and tee slew. There Is mere than abundance of tankers, a marked shortage 'of speedy vessels and of ships averaging mere than 12,000 tens burden. Admirable In many respects as the new Government passenger liners are. they sufer fiem certain handicaps due te the requent revisions of their plans when they were building. If the wur had continued a year longer, these new ship would hae been user as transports, and it was that purpose which was considered when their keels were laid. Besides the Leviathan, several ether large Oermen liners selxetl by the Oevernment in 11)17 will probably be reconstructed with a ln te IninrnvlliL' their efilclflU'V IIS med ern passenger and cargo liners. Tentatively listed for Improvement ure the America, the President (Irant, the Agumeranen and the Mount Vernen. This country Is especially fortunate In having in hand material resources nnd equipment te make it a conspicuous factor In high seas commerce. What is needul Is legislative perception of responsibilities and assets such as come te few nntlens in their history. Pessage or defeat of the subsidy bill will mean the acceptance or repudiation of this plain Invltutlen te fuce realities. THE ACADEMY'S FUTURE Tliii assumption that the A.udemv of Music, even under Its present public spirited management, will be operated nt a less until llt'J.". when the existing lease ex pires, In based upon eclual figures empha sizing the difficulties of lenducting an insti tution of this tin meter. It is unquestionable that deficits in an undertaking, the management of which seeks profit In public service rather than in cash, are disquieting. Whether the ultimate con sequences will constitute a complete indict ment of the indifference of Phltadelphlans tewurd a venerable Institution about which the cultural und seml-piibllc activities of this community are traditionally supposed te assemble is a question which cannot be defi nitely settled by predictions. Kdward W. link and his associates In en. trel of the house are. of course, justified In divesting themselves of Illusions. Notwith standing the fact that the main auditorium of the Academy is used today te an extent unparalleled in the past, patronage of the foyer has net yet made geed the expectations entertained when the i harming old room was "reconditioned"; labor costs have risen; tuxes upon the structure, as upon all central real estate, are high und have only recently been increased. The uimbin.itien of these factors has occasioned a less of $12.1,000 during the lust year. Such are some of the facts assembled in Mr. HekV warning in which the prospect of homelessness for the Metropolitan Opera, the Philadelphia Orchestra and entertain ment enterprises of similarly conspicuous urtistic value Is explicitly suggested. That this community will ever reach a pass in which suitable quarters will be un available for high-class musical attractions may be doubted. Hut the uipitalizing of crles and dramatic emergencies te solve situations that should have been relieved by consistent foresight and normal preparation for the future is un agonizing und distress ing business. State Senater CJeerge Woodward nnd Mr. Ilek himself have been active exponents of the idea of constructing lopacleus audi teriums in the Victory Hull en the Parkway for musical and dramatic purposes. As a public building the structure would be un taxed, und enterprises of which the ideal is public enlightenment und the stimulutlen of esthetic impulses would thus be relieved from u formidable handicap. The day for defining the province of the Victory Hall is fust approaching. Mr. link's picture of the embarrassments of the pres ent lessors of the Academy Is timely. It is, Indeed, fairly i-ufe te wager that if prevision for musical offerings which In creasingly enlist public attention were made in the memorial builditu Hie prospects of the Academy might even he Improved. Then' is often a contagion in constructive accomplishment. DAUGHERTY'S CASE ArrnitNiiY ; 1: n 1: it a l daluii I.It'IVS passionate hint of a ion ien spiracy in which La Felleite's radical troupe and iiie powers of darkness from Wull Street are joined te fene him out of office mny net make any great Imprcseu en the country . Most significant, however, is the earnestness with which the Attorney (Jen eral Issued bis pronouncement. He' seems te believe In his heart that some such nlliancn of Incompatible forces has actually be, n perfected. 'I In- evidences of ihls belief w be enough (e guide any one, who wishes te fully understand the character and trults of the most debated member of the Cabinet. The trouble in which Dnngherty finds himself nnd it is grent and various enough te keep him en the front pages for some time te come is due te the simple fact of his intellectual Inadequacy. Te .1 Cabinet office charged with complicated and extraordi narily far-renchlng and delicate responsi bilities he brought little mere than the rough and tumble ethlis nnd the slnnl of mlna 01 a pramcui peimi-niii irnineu in a rather primitive school. Trouble was in evitable. If Mr. Daugherty has muffed and mis managed mere than one situation, if little by little he is becoming recngnued ns the Jenah of the Harding Administration, it is because he has fulled te master the complex ities of his job rather than because of n apparent desire te he unjust te the fJov fJev ernment or te 11 ny of the ethers who loudly charge him with Injustice. It would be useless new te Httempt any analysis of the bread Indictment under which the Attorney Oeneral Is accused of having neglected properly te prosecute or- poratlens accused of defrauding the (Jev- emment through war contracts. As he him. aelf has pointed out, much of the evidence is still being kept under cover, nnd numerous highly important surveys nrn still being di rected with 11 view te making the Federal prosecution of profiteers effectual and alibi alibi preqf. The whole general question of war graft Is still Involved in mist and fog, like the question of peace. Little by little (he truth will emerge. Laber and time will be required te bring the guilty men and cor porations te justice. The Government nin ufferd te be pallent if thereby It may be surer of successful prosecutions in the end. It happens, however, that Mr. Dougherty unwittingly Invited suspicion upon his de nurtment. He was most unpleasant) In. vulved with Merse and some ground exists for the charge that he has nnd the power of his eftce te hunt down a iihim wiie nutwltteu i" "'"'' '" f'j'""r, n .merncv General Daugherty, an nceeunt opened by Daugherty the lawyer nnd boss in Ohie. The feeling of the country Is thnt Mr. Duugherty is hit beyond his depth and that if be Is unuhle te punish the people he bled the country during the war It w net I' because of n lack of honor, but b caune of a lack of skill. The Orange, N. .!., clergyman who prayed for a wife Is new suing the woman who ansvvered. He seeks tu recover the money he spent in furnishing nn apaatmeiu. We surmise Hint one of the things he ob jects te is the publicity. HHirAJLII2iJjrniA. "I'UIWJ .... . POLITICS A! D FAIRS Hew P. A. B. WMentr Reeented Po litical Interference With the Na Na tlenal Expert Exposition A Philadelphia Indian Chief. Meney Needed at Heme By (IKOROB NOX MeCAIN PKTEIt A. B. WIDKNKU was a ehrewd, far-seeing mint? , In addition -be was n great financier. Moreover, he loved his native city. These eentlenien who nre aheiltln for n Sesqtil -Centennial with the cost and Hint tatlens nf a country fair should tnke a leaf nut of the past. P. A. n, WJdener was once ashamed of a performance undertaken by Philadelphia. Perhaps the gentlemen who head he opposition te nn adequate nnd dignified Se.squl. Centennial celebration may llnd themselves ultimately In the same position ns vvsb Mr. Widener once. It wna ever the se-called National Expert Imposition of 1MM). It was originally designed te be what Its name Implied. Politics, however, waa Injected Inte the project and from that day It sank te the dead level of mediocrity. PKTKIl A. B. WIDKNKB resented this Interference of the politicians. Yet he waa considerable of n politician nt that, tee. But he had civic pride. Ills bra'nd.ef politics did net go te the length nf ham stringing or hampering n great project rep resentatlve of his city. When the opening day nf the "Great National Expert Imposition" came, Mr. Widener absented himself. He was net present during the ceremonies nt tnnt iay. and Ter some time afterward spent most of his time In New Yerk. It Was said nt the, time: "He has thus escaped participation In the many annoying circumstances that hare arisen in the course of events." S i:ATOIt QUAY was credited with being responsible for at least crippling the Kxpert Exposition. If the exclusive Management of the show had been left te the absolute control of Director William P. Wilsen. It would have escaped the criticisms that were visited upon it. Instead he was nnneyed and hampered by politicians' In many wnys. The $:ifKl.000 appropriation for Penn svlvuiiin buildings was the lead that broke the exposition's back. Congressmen "Hurry" Bingham nnd "Hcrlle" Adams put the bill through Con gress at the direction of Senater Quav. Then Quay demanded his pound of flesh in the shape of patronage that went with the show. He worked through hla friend "Jim" Miles, The henchmen nnd .vnrd workers of the city bosses and Councilmen were thrust Inte every opening thnt they could "control. A peculiar feature of It was that neticra were sent te certain Councilmen that each man could have a "few places." One West Philadelphia peliMcInn waa credited with fifteen Je' -holders en the exposition force. The National Expert Exposition wasn't national bv any means. The alphabetical catatonic ave the names of 700 exhibitors. When it came te n description of their exhibits only 70!) could be accounted for. Out of n total of 700 exhibits. 407 were from Pennsylvania and 302 were from ether cities and States. One came from California and ten from oil the Seuth. The National Kxpert Exposition was one example of what politics can de te injure a civic enterprise. Sesqui-Centenniel objectors are bent apparently en the same design. ISAAC C. SUTTON, n well-known Phila delphin attorney, has been made the recipient of a rare honor. Every once in se often sterlcH come float ing in from the far spaces of the great West that this prominent citizen, or thnt foreign dignitary, has heen Inducted into such and such n tribe of Indians. Mr. Sutten is one of the few American citizens who have been formally adopted as the tribal son of one of the communities of American aborigines. He didn't hare te gn West with inter preters nnd movie operators and parapher nalia of glittering publicity either. On the banks of I'mimi Creek, nmld the beauties of nature te be found in that part of Montgomery County, the ceremony took place nnd nt night. It was witnessed bv a number of friends and members from Philadelphia, Bala and Hoverferd, members of the Tepi Order, which is it secret Indian organization with a selective membership. Chief Shenandoah conducted the cere monies, while Chief Mount Pleasant, of the Tuscorera Tribe, with Chief lied Fex, of the Hlsekfeet Tribe, of Colerado, were In terested spectators. Mr. Sutten was already if "chief," fifth in rank, of the High Tepi Order of Amer ica, whose headquarters are in Boulder, Cel. Mr. Sutten is also Commissioner of the Bey Scouts of Delaware and Montgomery Counties, and is an anient lever of out door life. DU. I. P. WILLITS Is president of the Site and Itelic Society of (iermantewn. Among ethers of Its officers nre Edwin C. .Tellett, vice president; Ely J. Smith, secretary, nnd Colonel Shelden Petter, treasurer. The librarian is Edward W. Hecker, nnd Miss Jane Campbell is historian. The society In Its quiet way maintains a fine but small museum In the old Wlster Heuse. . , . Directors In charge of it ure Miss Anne M. Jehnsen, Dr. A. E. McKinley, Fred Perry Powers, the Itcv. A. II. Herd and Jehn D. Mcllhcnny. Since 1000. when the Site and Relic Society was organized, It has been adding te the contents of Its treasure house. While there are a xew pre-i;emnial relics Iho majority date from Revolutionary and ,.. navnlutlnnarv times. But the society has a far mere important mission than' collecting relics. AS ITS title suggests, it marks, as op portunity nnd its treasury permit, the location of ancient buildings In nnd around Oermantewn. Historic structures, whose location and identity would be otherwise forgotten or lest In the march of improvements, are properly indicated for the benefit of coming ueneratleus. But new this fine organization must go te the wull unless It gets a helping hand. We've been se busy helping along ull sorts of neeple and things in Europe that we ure n.Uetlna- Important things at home. Mn WILLITS, very properly, observes .i.,. the matter of marking the his teric pluees of Oermantewn und vicinity reeuires money. V'erinerly wooden signs were used, but, hs he Mints out, they were inartistic, lmsat lmsat sf.cterv and temporary. Then brense tableta were called into "V dozen or fifteen years age they cost 17R te 1200. Today that cost has doubled and the prohibitive price of WW) te .fi00 ,S Nobody mere than the proud-spirited folk of Oermantewn will regret It if the Site and Belle Society Is compelled te ec "".. ..!. " Especially, when a few thousand dollars will carry ft en a tide of generosity ever the reef te iaaadel sefety, ' r :Y, DECi - r' " as usual W; jajajHs $&? 'WtsaV l'jl J h13piLpHLLLLLLS'T!M-x" I aff W Mt m ""sajasatash ..- Cr, -.f.r ' ' t . - .mil IiSi 1 ' " e"Sswaasssaasxai 1 m I 1 NOW MY IDEA IS THIS! Daily Talks With Thinking Philadelphia en Subjects They Knew Best WILLIAM C. MacBKIDE J On Lumber and the Building Situation TI1EBE is no difficulty In obtaining an the rough lumber necessary te carry out any reasonable building program in Pell ndelphln in the near future, according te William C. MacBrlde, well known in the lumber business. .... ., , . "As n matter of fact." said Mr. MacBrlde. 'it is net the lumber situation nt nil which has Interfered with the building of houses in this city. There has been comparatively little delay in getting what was needed, as compared with a geed many ether lines or building essentials. The worst situation et nil bes been the scarcity of brick and the even greater scarcity of labor In nearly all of the lines In house construction. Finished Material Harder te Get 'This situation te which I refer, f course, obtains only In the rough lumber. The nn ished materials, such ns doers, window sashes, etc. is considerably harder te get. Seme of the big mills around this been taking orders for delivery in six mentna from the time the order wnrt placed, pis, of course, means a substantial delay If the houses are te he put up rapiuijr ur work is te be begun ut once. "Much of this is due te the railway embargoes, "from which all building trades lines have suffered te a considerable for it has made It n difficult matter for the local dealers te obtain their material from North and Northwest points. "But the structural lumber chiefly1 used here comes from the Seuth, and there has net been se much trouble with the rallreud situation there, although there has been some scarcity of cars. The ouestien of speedy transportation Is one of the most Important focters In any building program for a large cltv, because se much of the material which is used comes irem eibhiih. " and when It cannot be obtained promptly, there is always delay. Present Cost of Lumber "The present cost of lumber, as compared with the prc-wiir price, Is about en n paral lel with ether material, that Is. it new costs nKniii utn nu tntieh na It rlM then. "But there ia considerably less lumber used In the average house than most per sons think. A grent many persons have the idea apparently that lumber is one of the most used materials in the construction of n house. As a matter of fact, the bill for i.....i.nw in a i.n.iitniv iiruia nf the Phil adelphia type is only about 5 per cent of the total cost and the finished wooden material about 7 per cent. These figures de net include nny haTdwoed floors, but they de include the finished material of all ether weed. "In passing. It may be of Interest te note that no ether city, either in the United States or in the world, fellows the Phil adelphia type of house construction, that is, In the two. story houses. The Philadelphia two-story house stands unique in the con struction nnnals of the world, only the Bal timore type of house remotely approach- "f ' Why the Prlee Rese "But, while less lumber Is used in build ing than Is generally thought, still, lumber Is one of the prime factors In building con struction, and nny difficulty In ebtulnlng It reacts unfavorably en n building program. Six or eight months bnck, thn problem of getting out the lumber was a serious one, but this situation has been gradually over come. However, it has been one of the chief factors in the rise in price. Tim limilierlnff man of the Seuth, from wi.tM, xfvtinn w iret most of the structural lumber used in this vicinity, has been selling at a price which net only does net allow him te make any money, but, in most ease, has entailed an actual less. Laber for the production of lumber has been from two te three times what it was before the war, and the freight charges have also been very materially advanced ever the pre-war price. "Finally, ufter reaching here, the handling charges are mere than double what they were before the war. owing te the great increase In wages. This increase necessarily has te be paid by the ultimate consumer and is (he real reason for thn vast Increase in cost of lumber of all.,!"'!", as It is Just aa expen sive te handle the cheapest lumber as the most expensive, A Practical Example "Take, for Instanre, ,1 stand of pine. The limber itself.ls worth' a bwjtWpw 1000 feet, nd nil the rest of tie. eeet of getting rha lumber te Us bulsilttXtaM It i te be 1 . - ' . ' & used, Is iu labor and in transportation charges. "As long as the present rates of wages and the nresent cost of transnortntien con tinue, I see no possibility of being able te erect houses any mere cheaply than at pres ent and, until this cornea about, there can be no reduction In price te the purchaser, as the price In this, as in every ether com modity, Is dictated by the cost of manu facture. "But, as I have said, there is se little lumber used in the construction of n beuse when compared with ether materials that nny reduction in the price of this single commodity would net result in nny sub stantial lowering in the cost of the building. The greatest single Item In the advanced cost of construction has been wages, nnd they have all about doubled all along the line, from the point of production nnd manufacture te that of completion, nnd from the source of supply te the completed building. Various Uses of Lumber ''The commercial use of lumber varies exceedingly, according te the kind of weed which Is demanded. As I have suld, the amount of lumber used in building is very much smaller than ia generally supposed, and I Confess that I rtn net Imrnr nnetlv In what line the greatest amount of lumber is actually used. "These commercial uses of our products nre very deceptive. Fer example, if a per son were asked where the greatest amount of glue were used, hew many would knew thnt it is In the manufacture of sewing machine tops? And yet such is the case. These tops must be made te withstand any climate, and therefore, consist of a great many layers of weed, each glued together against the grain of the piece both below and above it. It niav be that the greatest use of lumber is in some equally unknown branch of Industry, but it Is certain thnt we use every year au enor mous amount of It and of nil kinds of weeds, each being used for different purposes. Conservation of Timber lt "We ere rapidly cutting out all the best timber In the eastern part of the United BtateB. As a result the Pacific States and Seuth America will seen be called upon te supply the greater pert of our cnnstructleii timber, and this will mean added costs in transportation, already one of the heaviest items of lumber expense. "Conservation, of course, is necessary, but when we talk of conservation we must speak n terms of years, for a forest of available timber cannot he grown in five years nor in ten. One of the most important points or timber conservation, it seems te me, is in the maintenance of the water sun ply. and this certainly cannot be kept up te the point demanded by the country unless our forests are preserved. "But. te consider tfin mnumil.. . timber land only from the standpoint of supplying us with what construction and ether lumber we shut! constantly need, iust see what a wait it will mean for these of us who want the lumber new und have no! get It becuuse It has all been cut devv without any reforestation. The aeftest nnd most rapidly growing of nil weeds requires from twenty te twenty-five ycurH before"? is available for this purpose, nnd the hard, woeda require ubeut seventy-five years of "If we want reforestation te become rffec. tlve for the next generation we hud better get busy en it: It certainly cannot arrin at the point of usefulness for the present The ChrlstmaH u.ei. Kindly Seala took their first plunge of Hie afternoon. They w III continue the B dally till Christines comes. Instead of nlu n, into water they Plunge Inte pocket's am'. there dislodge enough money te buv ml It V '! undernourished bsbles. They aw ? tha Lin est little creatures in the world! R' an3t,nf.e,nbf;nd,.Un,, Irt th'm m"ke 5w einmin Katlirdni. Ysle students are being tested mentally ,y be g asked questions nt Swift Thoughts for ten minutes. A id with aU du" tti te the eminent psychologists the tests1 h some Instances will amount ( exactly iioth iieth ng. Even as an enk glows mere .lowly thuu a mushroom, some .Intellects require mere tba than ethers te turn ureund. And IJ&bStayfr a-revv tbTr "-SW" !, PWHVI, WM . ,'. . . I I I SHORT CUTS Keller's fourteen points should include freedom of the seize. Despite prohibition the letter carrier will carry his usual Christmas lead. The one thing the La Follette party li sure faithfully te represent is La Fellttte. Doubtless the new Governer will ate te it that the new Speaker is net a bad Acter. It Is net tee much te say that contro versy places the Lausanne conference In dire straits, New Yerk woman suggests conscription for social service. Mere trouble for and tltb the C. O. Disagreement between the Russians and the Turks will cause no great grief te the rest of the world. That La Follette Intends te investi gate Tea Pet Deme is evidence that be hopes te stage a Tempest there. Orvllle Wright and Clemencenu agree that in the next war airplanes will rele gate capital ships te lower case. When Turkish courts conform te mod ern usage and procedure extra-territorial rights wjll (sase te be an Issue. Danville, Pa., has a woman who taught school for sixty-three years. This Is dan gerously near te becoming a habit. Uncle Ram gets a large income from tobacco users, but some of these days be mny decide te turn the money ever tu the bootleggers. Purls and Berlin are te resume direct reparatien1 negotiations. Berlin at Kbit understands the language Paris speaks. It has a punch. An appropriate nightmare was that of Demosthenes McGlnnls, who saw a turkey disappearing in the distance kicking a foot ball before it. Tele-vision or long-distance sight is said te he within measurable distance. Radie fans may yet sce the guy who tells 'em bedtime stories. The matter nf the Pueblo Indians seems te show that even among the supporters of the President's Cabinet there are some wil ling te take a Fall out of it. The fact that the omnibus Public Build ings Bill being prepared for Congress by Langley, of Kentucky, provides for the expenditure of $100,000,000 suggests the possibility that there won't be perk enough te fill se large a barrel. What De Yeu Knew? QUIZ 1. Who waa Rlr William Ramsay? 2. What was the Norse term for the deems day of the world? 3. What are lucurnes In buildings? 4. Of what State Is Frankfort the capital? 5. What Is raffia V 6. Who was "the father of French drsmstle musle"? 7. What Is n radlua? 8. What Is the origin of tha word catchup or ketchup? 9. Who was the first King of modern Greece? 10. Who wrote "Lavengre"? Answers te Yeaterday'H Quiz 1, In addition te Yellowstone Park, geysers are te be found in Iceland ana N Zealand. 2. The expression. "The wealth of Ooleen- da." refers te a city In India, new ruined, ruinous in the sixteenth cen tury for Ita diamond cutting. 3. A gryphen Is a griffin, a fabuleua crea ture, hair eagle, huir lien, pictured 11 heraldry en banners and coats of arms. 4, Tim fastest steamship voyage between New Yerk and Cherbourg, France, was made by the liner Majestic In 19: Tha thne was 5 days 6 hours 13 min utes. 6. Revolutions broke out both In Francs and Germany In 1141. 0. Buddha, specifically notame. the founder of Buddhism, lived In perta of ) sixth and fifth centuries B. C. HH dutes are 668-411 B. C. T. A cosset Is u pet Iamb. 8. The distinguishing feature or the-drew of tragedians or classic times was tn tiUbliln, a thlck-seled beet reaching te the coir or knee, worn by tha ucters. n, A corona In astronomy Is a luminous circle around enn of the heiiveniy bodies ; specifically the irregular radial ktrenms of light seen around the sua .. during an ecirpses kettly, any ,. 10. Feul Cesanne was one of the pioneer Mi jrrencn impresaioniatie usvinuna. , nates are iils-MOe, il '.. fi SOT&& f U. 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Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers