6 HARRISBDRG TELEGRAPH A NEWSPAPER FOR THE HOME Pounded ISJI Published evenings except Sunday by THE VKLEGItAI'II I'ItINTING CO., Telegraph Building. Federal Square. * I'.. J. STACKPOLE, Prts't and Editor-in-Chief )•'. R. OYSTER, Bustnesj Manager. GUS M. STEINBIETZ, Managing Editor. j Member American bKH 11 M lation and Perin- 1 jpj|j jB sylvanla Associat- S?5 S ■■! jjS Eastern M | Igj nuo New 1 People's Qas Bulld- —- lng, Chicago, 111. Entered at the Post Office in Ilnrris burg. Pa., as second class matter. By carriers, ten cents a week; by mail, $5.00 a year in aavance. SATURDAY EVENING, MARCH 10 There is no action so slight or so mean but it may be done to a great purpose and ennobled therefore; nor is *v purpose so great but that slight actP**n may help it, most especially that ch'tef of all purposes the pleasing of God. — ANON. PRESIDENT'S DECISION PRESIDENT WILSON'S decision to arm merchant ships flying the American flag for defense against piratical German U-boats and his call for a special session of Congress to assist him in the crisis that impends should serve notice to .the world at large that America means to keep faith with her citizens and to stand up firmly for her rights among the na tions. Unquestionably, the President has the people, with him in what he has done. The only fear they have enter tained was that he would not so act. That he has done so has inspired them with a confidence and a belief in his leadership that a thousand high sounding notes could not have pro duced. They know now that the old spirit of Arherlcan manhood is alive at Washington, as It is throughout the nation, and that wliate'cr betides we have done the courageous and the honorable thing. The summoning of Congress is al most a call to arms. The day of reck oning with Germany cannot be long postponed. The first American gun ner who punctures the sensitive hide of a German submarine commits an act of war. This, then, is the period of preparation. The calling together of a vast volunteer army for defensive pur poses is only a matter of time. The country must now bend every energy for the great emergency that appears inevitable in the near future. The Issue is not of our own making. It has been forced upon us. We must meet it ■with the same courage and decision that has characterized this latest act of the President. BRIDGE AT STATE STREET ADVOCATES of a bridge over the Pennsylvania railroad at Wal nut street should give close study to the plan evolved by Archi tects Manning and Brunner for the substitution of a viaduct at State street, with easy and convenient ap broaches from Walnut street and North street, both on the Hill and west of the railroad. The State street bridge would solve the problem for the largest number of people, and no doubt in the end will be built. Those who have planned it have arranged the highways leading up to it in such a way as to eliminate the objections that have been made by people wh# believed their needs could not be met by a State street crossing. The more clsoely the plan Is studied the more appealing it be comes. DEMOCRATIC REVERSION POULTNEY BIGELOW'B state ment, in an address deliv ered in Canada, that the American consular service |s composed of broken-down politi cal bosses, worn-out lawyers and dentists, and men who could not earn a Jiving at any honest or respectable business, is perhaps true to-day and was largely true twenty-five years ago, The Republican party gradually and rapidly worked away from that coa dltlon of public affairs by establishing the merit system In promotiens and the competitive test system In original appointments in the consular service. The Democratic administration put us back a quarter of a century in our standards of public efficiency. ENGLAND AND IS THE stability of England is the security of the world," wrote our own Emerson a time when praise of anything British iwaa no* uyor> w|th favor the SATURDAY EVENING, United States. The same la true to day, only far more so than then. If England falls the United States must fight for her very life, for that would mean the war with Germany lost to the allies, Canada invad&d and laid tribute, Mexico armed and sent against us and armies of trained vet erans menacing us from the north as well as from the south and east. There may remain in this country some of the old-time antipathy fo'r Great. Britain, but even the bitterest anti-British partisan would feel less secure with a German colony in place of Canada. CAPITOL PARK PLANS TENTATIVE plans for the develop ment of the Capitol Park Exten sion Zone have been submitted to the public for approval. They rep resent the mature thought of Archi tects Brunner and Manning, who rank among the most noted of their pro fession in the world, and at first glance appear to bo admirable. However, as Governor Brumbaugh has said, they are not final, but are given to the people of the State for study and sug gestion. They contemplate the ex penditure of large sums of money, but over such a long period of years that the erection of buildings will not more than co respond to the growing needs of the State in an administrative way. The plans are comprehensive and provide for a harmonious scheme of treatment, so that, if they are adopted, as it is presumed they will be at least in large measure, those whose work it will be to develop the park exten sion zone vi(ill be moving constantly to ward a given end. The treatment pro posed is elaborate, but not more so than it should be. The business of the State has so outgrown the cap itol that ofTices of tlie several depart ments are now scattered throughout a half-dozen State-owned buildings in the extension zone and elsewhere in privately-owned structures throughout the heart of the city. The need for enfargement will not only grow with the population, but will be augmented greatly by the evident desire of the people to bring the affairs of the State and those of its citizenry jmore and more into close relationship. The need for additional office room is not a matter of the future even if present conditions were tolerable. It is a problem that must be solved be fore the landscaping of the capitol ex tension zone can be taken up seriously. Some of the old structures must be removed if the district is to be beauti fied, but before these can be torn away they must be replaced by others. The necessity for an appropriation adequate to the needs of the Board of Public Grounds and Buildings for the coming two years in the preliminary work of grading, landscaping and preparation of plans for buildings that must be erected in the near future should be impressed upon the Legisla ture. No delay should be permitted in the formulation of the required budget, and some especial means should be taken to acquaint the legis lators with every detail of the plans as outlined at the conference yester day. They should be made to feel that the matter is one in which the State as a whole should be interested, that it is really national in its scope and that it will give to Pennsylvania a capitol worthy of its importance among the States and equal to that j of any capitol of the old world. •We in Pennsylvania have had big things in mind for the capitol park zone ever since the extension was author ized. We have approached its de velopment in a big way. Big men nave devoted their thought to it and In turn have called other big men Into consultation. It now remains for the Legislature to view the project in a big way, and to act accordingly. A VAST DIFFERENCE A REPUBLICAN administration fought the War with Spain at a cost of $78,500,000 for the operations ot the land forces. We had about 4 0,000 men In the actual theater of the war. The present Democratic administration kept Pershing's column of 12,000 men In Mexico for ten months at a cost of $14,000,000 month. By compari son, the outlook is not agreeable in the event that wo really get into the European struggle on a result of the German submarine campaign. But it may happen that any force will be cheaper than staying out, MAKE IT COMPLETE THE Mayer of Minneapolis thinks that the prepared ness propaganda is ninety per cent, commercialism and ten per cent, patriotism, Mathematical com putation! of this sort are not now pressing, There will be time to cipher it all out after we have fought a war or after we have found that we do not have U) tight one,. What the country needs is JBO per cent, of pre paredness, the fati believe that military service should be a matter of duty, not of personal whim. But the country has a task to do, and they are doing it like soldiers, Good for them.—Chicago Journal, Greater and Less Mary had a little steak, At 1 o'clock each day, 'Twas thus hep simple lunch she'd make, For that was Mary's way, And Mary said as time went by. "A steak much smaller grows!"' Another thing took Mary's eye; The price ascending rose. And as the war went on and on, The meat grew smaller still. Presented by the waiter, John, Much larger grew the bill. "The thing's absurd,*' poor MarJ?* said; "What is this difference for?" The waiter, as he shook his head. Said: "Miss it is the war." The restaurants are tir-'g-jt and gay In every swarming street, And still, the more we have to pay The less we get to eat. : —kondon Globe. HARRISBURG ftSslg&S. TELEGRAPH 7>olitLc* U By the Ex-Committeeman Republican factional politics which has been rather quiet, to the great re lief of many people, since the Legis lature started its recess, was stirred up again last night by a declaration by Senator Edwin H. Vare, of Phila delphia, to the effect that he would oppose the bills for a single council for Philadelphia and other measures sponsered by the reform organizations and'hacked by Senator Penrose. The senator said he and the Mayor are op- j posed to the bills and that he believes the Governor will veto them. This declaration by the senator means a new injection of "Philadel phlaitts" into the Legislature, and it is interesting to note that the North Am erican, which is generally friendly to the South Philadelphlan, says to-day that "progressive legislation advo cated by reform organizations and promised the support of Senator Pen rose is threatened with disaster by Senator Vare." The Philadelphia Rec ord says Vare's declaration means "a bitter fight," while the Ledger asserts that Vare says "most of the reform bills are needless" and intimates that Senator McNichol may also take a hand. This Vare statement, coming right at the time when most people about the Capitol believed it would be pos sible to Work out some sort of an agreement on legislation and guberna torial appointments, will make trouble in opinion of Harrisburg observers and plans for investigations by stand ing committees, which have been pig eonholed, will be taken out again. There have been hopes generally ex pressed about the Capitol that Phila delphia factional politics could be kept out of the balance of the session and the State given a rest. —Death of Ambassador Guthrie, generally believed to have been the Democratic leaders' choice for Gov ernor in 1918, has caused a revival of talk of Colonal Richard Coulter, Jr., of Greensburg. —Ex - Insurance Commissioner Charles Johnson, the Montgomery county leader, is being much mention ed as the probable successor to Chief | Clerk Harmon M. Kepliart, of the 1 Senate, when he becomes State Treas i urer in May. —The Philadelphia Record says to day regarding the Legislature: "A de sire for a short session of the Legisla ture is held by the Governor and his friends, who declare that nothing in a legislative way has been accomplished so far this session. They are not pleased with the character of the leg islation proposed up to this time, and one leader close to the Governor inti mated yesterday that vetoes would be numerous unless some "sane and sen sible" measures were put before the Legislature." —Altoona is threatened with a new wave of reform on Sunday sales of candy and soda. —Senator Charles J, Magee, of Pittsburgh, brother of the public ser vice commissioner, is seriously ill. —York council last night put Wil liam Axe, a Democratic policeman, back on the force in spite of the Mayor's protest, ■ —The Philadelphia Inquirer to-day calls for repeal of the full crew bill. —Senator McNichol will be home from the South to-day and so will Mayor Armstrong and the Pittsburgh leaders. Drafts of a bill which will give the third class cities of Pennsylvania a single chambered council consisting of a member from each ward elected on party platforms have been pre pared by Senator Edward E, Beldle man, president pro tern of the State Senate, and the measure will probably be introduced at an early day in the upper house of the Legislature, Un dty- the present system "councilmen are elected at large on a nonpartisan basis. Senator Beldloman, whose views against the nonpartisan election of judges are well known, holds that the jbjections to such elections apply to the third class cities and considers that there should be a return to the party platform election system. In addition tq proposing that councilmen should be elected on a party basis, Senator, Betdleman favors the election by the voters of third class cities of city treasurers and other officers formerly elected at large but made elective by council under the Clark third class city act. —Democrats are talking all over the State about a very apparently in spired statement in the Harrisburg Patriot, owned by National Chairman Vance C. McCormick, to the effect that no /changes are contemplated In President Wilson's Cabinet and that the fact l>as been known "In govern- i r t THE PEOPLES FORUM V— ——————————————————J Ash Collections To the Editor of the Telegraph: City council will certainly have the hearty approval of all the voters in the West End if they do away with the foul smelling garbage plant, near Wild wood park. For years the sum mer air lias been sickening, and life uptown is almost unbearable because of the nauseating odors from the dis posal plant. When providing for municipal gar bage and ash collections comes before council, the big question which fol lows if this plan is adopted, is how to dispose of the refuse. The ash prob lem is comparatively easy. There are I plenty of places along the ouskirts of the city, which can be used and the owner of the land will be only too glad to get the fill. But the garbage is another problem. Commis-sioner Gross has mentioned an incineration plant as one solution. He adds that this will mean the pass ing of the present garbage plant. if the incineration scheme will do away with the stench of boiling de cayed animal and vegetable matters, then let us have it. Anything that will keep the air in the city fresh anil pure. Another bad feature about the garbage plant is that it spoils summer trips to the lower part of WiUlwood because of the foul smell. Why have such a beautiful park such as Wildwood if nearby there is a plant similar to a phosphate factory or tannery, making it almost Impossible to stay near the place because of the sickening odors? While the voters expect council to adopt the plan which will bo most efficient and yet cost the least money, it is a foregone conclusion that there will be no opposition, a least from the West End, if something is done that will end the days of the garbage plant. FRESH AIR CAMPAIGNER Federalize Warehouses • To the Editor of the Telegraph: Let the internal revenue department cause every cold storage warehouse in the United States to come under its jurisdiction and on every package, be It one dozen eggs, one bucket of but ter, or a sack of potatoes, be stamped with the same kind of internal revenue stamp now on each bottle of bonded whisky, stating the date the package was received in the warehouse and the ment circles In Washington for some time," right after Mr. MeCormick's name had been mentioned by Nation al Committeeman A. Mitchell Palmer as likely to become secretary of war in the Wilson Cabinet. The publica tion Is generally taken as an expres sion of the national chairman's desire that the use of his name In connection with Cabinet places should cease. It is also significant that since tho para graph appeared that Mr. Palmer has not been mentioning Mr. McCormlclc for any place. It Is a matter of com mon knowledge hero that the nation al chairman does not desire any ap pointment at the hands of the Presi dent and that he did not express any wish for any place during the first term. It Is also said by some of Ills friends that he would hardly care to undertake tho burden of candidacy for governor, although It goes with out saying he would like to have some one thoroughly in accord with his ideas become the candidate. Labor Notes The leading industry in New York, measured by the value of the manu factured product, is the making of women's clothing. Nine hundred and eleven local unions are affiliated to Bricklayers' International and the total member ship is 70,000. The International Federation of Trade Unions claims an affiliated membership of approximately 7,500,- 000, Increased wage to lumberjacks and other woodworkers Is proving a de cided handicap to recruiting in the north of Canada. Greece has adopted a standard time that saves half an hour of daylight and brings the nation within the zone of Eastern European time. has been developed for spreading fine rock-dust on the pas sageways of bituminous mines, to pre vent explosions of coal dust. | The Industrial Accident Board of Massachusetts, in its report to the Legislature of 1917, strongly urges that'tho compensation act b made compulsory. MARCH 10, 1917. date It leaves on it, and not to bo in over six months. Result, the law of supply and demand and normal prices. A. GABRIEL That Walnut Street Bridge To the Editor of the Telegraph: Sometime ago the citizens of Har risburg living on Allison's Hill formed an organization to secure some way in which to overcome the climbing of steep grades, lonely stretches of road and dangerous subways. After some thought they decided to ask the citizens of Harrisburg for their co-operation in building a bridge which has been designed to give the people of the Hill what they absolutely need and desire. The citizens of Har risburg voted and carried an appropri ation of $300,000 to give the citizens on the Hill a viaduct designed to give tliem what they ask for. Now why does the Governor of this great Commonwealth lend bis ears to a seemingly favored few and not give tho citizens on Allison Hill a chance to voice their side of the question. The writer cannot understand why a State street viaduct is pushed so much forward. Tho people of the Hill never asked for it. And not only that, but a viaduct to the brow of the hill at Walnut street would be much short er, consequently cost the property owners of Harrisburg a great deal less in taxes. The writer wishes to see the Capitol Park look better than anything of Its kind in the world. Nothing is too good for Pennsylvania. But don't spoil the whole thing by putting a bridge right in the center of it, that would spoil the appearance from the railroad. Cut off State street nt Cameron, throw the viaduct over to the brow of the Ilill, make a. boulevard from Wal nut street over Royal Terrace to State street, then double track the whole business for the electric, cars. Thus giving the park zone all the space needed, keeping the cars out and af fording a good view of Harrisburg and Capitol and at the same time giving the people of the Hill what they need. Please invite a few of the private citizens living on the north side of the Hill to call on you, you will soon find out that tliey have a real complaint. L. T. J. [OUR DAILY LAUGH : AND TO BORE i poetic license? permission ' given to poets to live, my son. JH-fa f FIERY PA. The water pipes at our house froze the That so ? Have to send for a No. Pa got hot and thawed them out him* ' Jfe. DID ABBHEWA* : : Mrs. Dobt) Martha, didn't I tell you to sweep Wt* the dirt under the Martha- Sure, i an' Ol did mam— > look for yourself. Simuttg (E{fat "Pennsylvania's game appears tad have gotten through the winter prettyl well Judging from reports which El well, Judging from reports which Jj have received from wardens and. sportsmen throughout the State,'" said Dr. Joseph Kalbfus, secretary of the State Gaine Commission to-day. "It has been a severe winter, but tha birds seem to have survived it pretty, well. Sportsmen in many parts of the State have fed the quail and I wish; that more farmers would help tha birds. The rabbits and grouse aecm to have gotten along well and tlia large game has not been injured. The small birds have managed to get enough food and I do not talce much stock in stories about coveys being found frozen. We have investigated these reports and have failed to find much loss. What I do hopo is that the sportsmen of the State will co operate to an even greater extent in feeding quail. We have been dis tributing birds in counties where the# have been unknown for years ana with assistance of residents we will be able to do more stocking witlj, quail." * • A $5 bill and a letter sent by a resi dent of Chicago was forwarded to thd State Treasury yesterday by the of ficials of the Norristown State Insanei! Hospital and the money was sent t<* the conscience fund while the letter" will go into the records. The Chicago man addressed the president of tha* State Hospital at Norristown and sett' forth that he wished to return $5, as* in his youth he had stolen fruit fronv, the Commonwealth. Lately, he said that he had felt the error of his ways* and Is now glad to make restitution. The letter closed with a request foir forgiveness and an admonition ted read some enclosed tracts, "as theyf may do you people good in omei way." • Gilding the lily is rather a difficult operation from an artistic stand point but at the State Capitol they; have evolved a plan for painting the marble. The capitals of the big Cor inthian pillars in the rotunda hava always seemed like marble and hava been generally supposed to be marble. The other day, however, some of tha Capitol force built scaffolds about the capitals and calmly proceeded to paint them. These capitals like thosa in the corridors are of composition. • • * C. Laurence Shepley, who has beert city editor of the Harrisburg Tele graph for several years, has resigned to become executive secretary of tha Chamber of Commerce of Dußois. In line with its policy of promoting members of its family. The Telegraph has named Bion Welkcr as city editor and William S. Worst as telegraphic) news editor. Both young men aro well known for their newspaper en terprise and ability. ♦ ♦ Some odd inquiries are continually being made about the way compen sation operates. The other day a telephone call was received at one of the State offices desiring to know whether compensation could be hud by any worker. "Yes, compensation is for workers, but you havo to follow the law and the rules laid down," was the an swer. "Well, I got injured all right." "Tell me how and I can tell yoil what to do," was the suggestion od the State attache. "I got fired. How much can I sua for?" was the paralyzing answer. * * The complaint of County F. R. Hendershot, of Luzerne county, that murder trials cost that big county $20,000 a year can be appre ciated in this county. Dauphin county has spent more for such trials in the last six months than in any period in ;ts history and from a county hav ing comparatively few such trlu!s ( considering its population it has at-i tracted much attention. * • Captain J. B. McCalley, formerly of this city and now of Pittsburgh, watj here yesterday looking after some Na tional Guard matters. He is an officeß of the First artillery, but being an aviator, will probably go Into thai branch of service in event of an emer gency. a , It is'an interesting fact to note thai it was Just fourteen years ago that the Princeton alumni were addressed by the then president of the Univer sity, Woodrow Wilson.' It was his first address here and he made a ring ing speech on the university and tha part it plays in developing men. "Millions of dollars are being spent light in sight of the State Capitol,' l said a man who observes things, in talking about improvements lasl evening. He mentioned the big rail road improvements, the expansion at Steelton and the Central Iron and Steel works and other industrial en terprises, but most of all he dwell upon the large sums of money going into Improvement of property ift Har risburg and the building of new homes. Now with the State coming along with its park and building plans this city will be a busy placd for years to come. | WELL KNOWN PEOPLE —Henry Frick is planning anotliel big building for Pittsburgh. —Ellis Ames Ballard, the commis, sloner In the Thaw case, Is also to de bate transit with experts in Philadel phia next week. —Judge 11. A. ' Fuller, of Wilkes< Barre, says he will administer n(J oaths of allegiance to aliens who ap ply nfter war starts. —Prof. Jesse H. Holmes, o| Swarthmore, well known here, ha< been chosen as president of the na tional Association of Religious Liber, —W. S. King Is the new president of the Philadelphia Ad Club. —Judge Eugene C. Bonniwell, o< the Philadelphia municipal snys that child labor Is a burden oa parents. | DO YOU KNOW "1 That narrlslmrg has a cliancc U show what it can do now tlint Mate's plans for Capitol park cxtinu slon havo been made public? HISTORIC HARRISBURG The first military headquarters II Harrisburg wns John Harris stockada built before the French and Indliß War. American Atrocities. It was a U. S. merchantmen. That flew the starry flag. And the way It up and acted Would disgrace a pirate rag: For It swaggered o'er the ocean With the horrldest of meins, A-plcklng on defenseless German super-submarines. , —Chicago Tribun< Both Confident The absolute certainty of the mai who says Germany cannot be beatm is fully equaled 7 by the serene coctej surety of the man who says the allied have the war won.—Anaconda Stani (lard