10
HARRISBURG TELEGRAPH
JL NEWrSPAPER FOR THE HOME
Founded 18S1
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THIS TEI.9GRAPII PRINTING CO.
tslepsph Building, Federal Sgnere
E. J. STACKPOLO
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OEB M. STEINMETZ, Managing Editor
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Executive Board
J. P. McOULLOUGH,
BOYD M. OGELSBY.
F. R. OYSTER,
GUS. M. STEINMETZ.
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A firm chin is helpless without a
!ff Upper lip.—Kin Hubbard.
A fault known is a fault cured
the strotig. but to the weak it is
tetter riveted. —Stevenson.
MONDAY DECEMBER 2, 1018
AS TO THE TREES
r the City Council does not think
J_ it advisable to creat a Shade Tree
Commission for reasons best
known to the members, it ought to
be possible to take some action look
ing to the preservation of the shade
trees we now have and to increase
their number through a system of
planting before the winter is farther
advanced. There has been some lit
tle planting here and there, but
there ought to be hundreds and
thousands of trees set out before the
old trees, which are fast disappear
ing. shall have left Harrisburg a
treeless city.
When the snow falls and the trees
are burdened with icicles, those
indifferent persons who never can
"see the use" of a Shade Tree Com
mission or anything of that sort
will probably realize through the
discomfort of having their hats
knocked from their heads and
branches of overhanging trees
sweeping their faces that the tree
matter is not a joke.
Now is the time to attend to
these matters, and we are still hope
ful that the disposition to "let
George do it" will not further delay
the shade-tree program.
One need only to glance over the
Government figures as to income and
excess profits tax to discover that
Pennsylvania and New York were the
strong pillars of the war —Pennsylva-
nia $495,889,801 and New York $689,-
265,600.
JUSTICE CRIES OUT
j A S President Wilson is deter
mined to go to Europe to par
ticipate to some extent in the
peace negotiations, those who ques
tioned the propriety of his doing so
must accept the situation and trust
that his presence will prove helpful
rather than embarrassing to the
peace commissioners. It may be
well for the President to see the
results of the Hun's visitations in
France and Belgium, that his heart
may be steeled against any pacitlstlc
tendencies in the making of the
terms of settlement.
It is intimated in dispatches from
Washington that France and Eng
land and Italy are looking to the
President to say whether or not—
■with regard to the llohenzollerns
•and their ilk—it shall be "thumbs
lip" or "thumbs down."
With the rising tide of feeling
among the belligerent nations
against the Kaiser and his group of
cut-throats and thieves, there is not
likely to be any attention given to
the sophistries of pacifists who have
had no part in the struggle save as
they have exercised their tongues in
telling men of courage and convic
tion what ought to be done.
Pershing may be expected to send
the boys home as rapidly as possible.
Leave it to him.
THE BUSY JAPS
WHILE politics raged and
thrones tumbled, the indus
trious little Jap, with the
assistance of the Democratic tariff
law, continued to score enormous
gains In the American market. The
latest figures Issued by the Depart
ment of Commerce show that we im
ported from Japan for the first nine
months of the current fiscal year
$227,000,000 worth of goods, an fn
crease of $46,000,000 over the same
period of 1917, and $158,000,000, or
212 per cent., over the same period
of 1913, which marked the close of
the protective tariff period.
It is a matter for serious con
sideration to note that imports from
Japan during the first nine months
vt this year were but $23,000,000
mm tJllmsw mm.
less than out - total Imports from all
Europo for the same period—sloB,-
000,000 more than from Great Bri
tain, and $179,000,000 more than
from France.
Japan realizes that with the com
ing of peace the United States, un
der the present tariff policy, will
suffer greatly increased competi
tion from Europe, and particularly
from Germany, which, according to
Mr. Wilson's third principle, is to
receive just as much benefit from
Democratic tartfl legislation as our
Allies will receive.
But stilt the Jap can rely on satis
factory profits, because his goods
cost no where near as much to pro
duce under the Japanese wage scale
as do similar goods of European
manufacture. Japan has had a mar
velous run of trade with the United
States since the war broke out, the
total aggregating about $81G,000,000
worth of sales to us.
Where, in 1913, less than 4 per
cent, of our import trade came from
Japan, to-day about 10 per cent,
originates from that source, and it
is growing all the time.
The period of reconstruction calls
for a serious study of the competi
tion coming from the Orient, par
ticularly Japan, and how best to
regulate it to the end that the
American wageearner and manu
facturer may not have to yield too
much to Oriental encroachment.
Certainly, that study will show the
fallacy of a tariff law now averaging
less than six per cent, ad valorem on
all imports.
The swarms of Federal office holders
throughout the country arc to be de
mobilized and in this way essential
industries will be helped.
AN IMPORTANT WORK
WITH respect to the selection
of Governor Brumbaugh as
the historian of the State in
the matter of an adequate record of
Pennsylvania's part in the war there
is iess concern as to who shall do
the work than that it shall be done
well. It ought to be a comprehen
sive and accurate story from begin
ning to end. Under no circum
stances should it be a mere treatise
or the expression of personal views,
nor should it be dragged over a long
period of time in the preparation, j
It is highly important that the
groundwork should be well laid
while the memories of those who
were participants in the great
drama are fresh as to the immediate
happenings here and abroad.
Pennsylvania has suffered to some
extent in previous histories—espe
cially in school text-books—and
there can be no excuse n,ow for any
failure to prepare an adequate and
worthy record of the State's share
in safeguarding the liberties of the
world.
No history can be complete which
does not deal with all the activities
of the war. Pennsylvania's part was
so important in men and measures
and materials that the undertaking
of such a work calls for the high
est ability and the exercise of the
greatest patience and accuracy in
collecting the-facts.
There was printed in the Telegraph
a day or two ago a fine letter from
a Ilarrisburg soldier to his mother.
He concluded with the following beau
tiful verse, adapted as his own senti
ment:
We fight for every mother as she
sings
Her babe to sleep upon her throb
bing breast;
We battle for the womanhood of
Earth
For Liberty, for Honor and for
Right;
Be proud, O Mother dear, that
you gave birth
To one who lived to enter such a
light.
Is it any wonder that the American
army in France gave so fine an ac
count of itself when the fighting
forces are composed of boys with such
ideals.
Unless some regulations are promul
gated regarding the use of heavy
trucks on paved streets of the city,
we shall soon reach the time when
we can no longer boast of our splendid
highways. If is a foolish idea that
individuals and corporations should
not be restrained by traffic regula
tions in the use of trucks weighing
several thousand tons. It Is all very
well for the owners of these trucks
to conserve their own expenditures at
the expense of the people gt large,
who pay for the paving of the streets,
but the taxpayer must in the end pay
the freight.
The dye manufacturers of the
United States arc looking to the War
Industries Board, or some Federal
body, to prevent importation of an
avalanche of foreign dyes manufac
tured on the low-wage scale of Eu
rope. The American dye industry has
been greatly developed during the
period of the war and this infant in
dustry ought to be immediately pro
tected in some effective way. Our
dye manufacturers assert that foreign
dyes worth $2,600,000 were being im
ported Into the United States monthly.
President Wilson and certain of his
official advisers are said to be obsessed
with the Government ownership bee.
Theoretical statesmen have had plenty
of room to exercise thfllr notions of
government during the last six years,
but the time Is not far distant when
the people will demand something
more substantial than hot air and ex
perimental administration.
Now, that the war Is over and the
ban lifted on many enterprises that
might otherwise have been nonessen
tial in their character, may .we not
look to the City Council for some
definite and favorable action in the
placing of the Donato statuary, which
has so long reposed in a -warehouse?
It now develops that Germany's
yell for bread was more propaganda,
intended to influence the peace com
missioners and to arouse sympathy for
the dastard Huns, who never once
thought of mercy in their dealings
with the ravaged countries of Europe.
By the Ex-Oommitlccnipn
Between the close of the war and
the readjustment of business the
attention of even men who were sur
prised at the tremendous majority
rolled up for Governor-elect Williuiu
C. Sproul has been distracted from
one of the most remarkable results
of the November election. This was
not the fact that the people of the
state reduced the Democratic re
presentation in Congress by one and
that but for s6me liquor lights there
might have been still further cutting
down of the Democratic Congress
men, but that the next Legislature
of Pennsylvania will be Republican
by within one of 200 majority on
joint ballot.
There is something so unprecedent
ed that* its effe.cts can not fail to
be felt this coming winter. It will
call for care in Republican party
management and at the same time
force the Democrats to struggle to
stay on the map. There will be
only six Democratic senators in
fifty and 23 representatives in 207.
In the sessions of 1917 the Repub
lican majority on joint ballot was
159, a substantial gain over 1915 in
spife of the Democratic, presidential
victofy and congressional elections,
in the session of 1919 the Repub
lican majority on joint ballot will be
199.
This gain of forty legislators has
occurred in a year when the official
management of the Democratic party
had everything its own way—
federal appointments, Presidential
smiles, subservient jobholders and
liberal responses to the assessments
for campaign purposes. The Mc-
Cormick regime as national chair
man, which has its root in the con
trol of the Pennsylvania Democratic
machine, hns seen rflie Democratic
congressional and legislative strength
sink astoundingly.
—The Millers lead in representa
tion in both branches of the Legisla
ture which will meet in Harrisburg
on January 7. There are two ill the
Senate and four in the House and
if Albert Millar, of Harrisburg, can
lie counted as belonging to the clan,
there will be five in the House. I-ast
session there were four in the House.
There were no Smiths in the Senate
and the family representative lias
been cut from four to two in the
House. Neither branch has a Brown,
White or Black, but each has a
member of the Jones family. There
are only two senators with Mc to
their but the House has
seven. There are no members whose
names begin with O. For the first
time there is no llall in either house.
—The Senate has a Barr. Its
membership also includes a Weaver
and a Turner, while it has a Crow
and a Craig and one new member
is Gray. Senator Norman A. Whitten,
of Allegheny, loses last place on the
roll to George Woodward, of Phila
delphia, but Senator Frank Iv. Bald
win, of Potter, holds the leading
place.
—The House Is well equipped as
far as names go as it has a Bell, a
Collier, a Cook, a Day, a Bower, a
Drinkhouse, a Wood and a Glass. It
has Wells and Rlioads while its
membership includes two Foxs. a
Pike, a Pidgeon and a Martin. It also
lias West and North, Allunt and
Blanck. On the roll are Bowman,
a Walker and a Goldsmith. Near
Brooks are a Crum and two Currys,
Jordan and Goodnough, Spangler and
Golder ornament the roll.
—William Cloud Alexander, of
Delaware, will be the new roll leader
while Harry Zanders, of Carbon, who
closed the list last session, gives way
to Simon F. Zook, of Blair.
—Philadelphia newspapers gen
erally agree that Dr. Edward Mar
tin, now a major in. the army and
stationed at Camp Greenleaf, can
be commissioner of health if lie
so desires A week ago Dr. J. M.
Baldy, chairman of the State
Bureau of Medical Education, was
much mentioned. In Philadelphia
some people say that Dr. B. F.
Itoyer, now acting commissioner,
may become chief medical inspector
again. The mention of Maurice T.
Phillips, of Pomeroy, for secretary
of agriculture, is general. He is a
member of the commission and
knows what the department needs.
Reappointment of Commissioner 9C
Fisheries Nathan R. Buller is as
sured, but the Capitol looks for
changes in the heads of the Insur
ance. Banking, Labor and Industry,
Highways and some of the bureaus.
It is not certain what will be done
about Mines, except that there will
be two bureaus created. Harry A. |
Mackey, chairman of the Compen
sation Board will be reappointed.
—Ex-Govern(F William A. Stone
is quoted by to-day's North Ameri
can as saying a new constitution is
"badly needed." He presents seven
points Including larger municipal
home government; better election
laws with abolition of the non-parti
san. ballot which he calls "a mon
strosity"; regulation in a modern
way of taxation, indebtedness and
general welfare. A convention he
said would curtui! the reformer, who
Is always abroad in the land and
who frequently has theories only.
He also takes a rap at the school
master in the Whife House.
—James B. Fagen, appointed
Pittsburgh registration commissioner
by the Governor a few days ago, has
declined,the PittsburghGazette-Times
says: "There are two other lead
ing local Democrats willing to take
the place. One is M. B. Donnelly, a
grocer,- who is chairman of the party
organization in the Fifth Ward. The
other is Attorney Paul McClelland
of the Fourteenth Ward. Under the
law a Republican cannot be appoint
ed. Mr. McCelland belongs to the
Washington party, which is now con
sidered extinct. The appointment
will hold for two years.
—Reading people are suggesting
the Rev. J. Warren Klein, an Evan
gelical minister, for mayor. Most
of the council and the mayor are
candidates for the mayoralty, as
in Harrisburg.
—The Sayre Times and Athens
Gazette have consolidated and there
will be one evening newspaper for
the two northern tier towns.
Denatured Facts
George Creel is .going to Europe
to Georgecreel the cable news from
Europe. The country has had
pretty near a stflmachjoad of his
torical fiction from that quarter dur
ing the war, but evidently we are
gping to cpntinile to be treated to
denatured facts for some time to
come. —National Republican.
Each Should Be Thankful
[From the New York Evening Post]
The ex-kaiser and the ex-crown
prince are said not to be together.
Each one has something to be thank
l l'ul for anyway.
WHEN A FELLER NEEDS A FRIEND BY BRIGGS
/v>* f I ThimK T3 i\
/ ~ \ 'Too PULL N \ \
/ v\W \ Nolo \ \ Ti-ifi \
/ \\\\\i AN — ' \
/ IM -y \
,A/ [ CORYRIGHIMMtTNEW" YORK" TRDCNI U*Cv
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR*]
Insists on Compensation
To the Editor of the Telegraph:
Your correspondent, Jeff Wilson,
is impatient concerning my plea for
compensation for distillers, brewers,
winemakers and the like if pro
hibition is adopted as a national
policy.
That is his privilege, but I still
contend that nothing short of full
compensation will comport with the
dignity, the history and the national
honor of the American people.
It is true that some people abuse
whisky, wine and beer, even as
some abuse tobacco, the right to
own firearms, the right of free
speech and innumerable other privi
leges, but that does not alter the
fact that for over one hundred years
people have been encouraged to
build distilleries, breweries and win
eries by demands on the part of the
people and by the laws of our na
tion, our states, and our municipali
ties.
To destroy this vast industry,
without compensation, is as unjust,
us it would be to destroy the tobacco
business, with emit compensation, if
anti-tobacconists gained temporary
political control.
Prohibition provides for the man
ufacture and sale of whiskies, wines
and beers for medicinal, govern
mental, scientific, mechanical, sacra
mental and industrial purposes, and
the people will want and very
greatly need these commodities, but
who would invest his money in such
enterprises in the future if confisca
tion, without compensation, is to
follow if the extremists gain a
majority later?
Wisky has proved and is daily
proving its great value in the influ
enza epidemic and to save lives the
general government and the states
have swept prohibitory laws tem
porarily into the discard, but Mr.
Wilson" no doubt, would prefer see
ing thousands die tliun to see
whisky employed as a means of
cure.
What the world needs and soon
will have, no doubt, are "blue laws"
lifted from the statutes of Con
necticut and Massachusetts.
It's wrong to enjoy life, because
some will go to excess. In the
meantime, however, if Mr. Wilson
will make diligent inquiries he will
find that the leading inen in Har
risburg and in our cities generally,
including our lawmakers, "wet" and
"diy", have stocked up their cellars
with whisky, wine and beer, and
a big wine list might possibly be
made up from the supplies in the
White House cellars.
Yours very truly,
T. M. GILMORE,
President National Model License
League.
Likes the Yank Edition
Tc the Editor of the Telegraph:
1 had the pleasure of reading one
of the "War Weekly" issues printed
in your paper for the benefit of the
soldiers oversea from Harrisburg,
and nearby towns.
1 will assure you it was very in
teresting, as news from home is
very much appreciated. I am sure
I voice the sentiment of every Har
risburg man when I ask that it
be continued until we are all back I
home once more..
Hoping that you will continue to
have much success in your under
takings whatever they may be. I
remain
Your fellow-countryman,
PRIVATE PATRICK H. TAYLOR.
LABOR NOTES
A distinctive war-time development
in English Industry has been the es
tablishment of women police forces
in factories where women are em
ployed.
The powerful unions of ship
wrights, blacksmiths and boiler-mak
ers in England are talking amal
gamation and conferences to this
end have been held.
San Francisco wholesale butchers
have accepted the new wage agree
ment of the Butchers' Union. Rates
have been increased $25 a month. j
|
Governor-Elect Wra. C. Sproul
Outlines Some of His Plans
11 J
WHILE Governor-elect William
C. Sproul did not announce
any appointments in Phila
delphia at the end of November that
had not been forecast several times <
he gave an interesting slant upon
some of his plans for the reorgani
zation of the State government, i
There have been some people here '
who have been of the opinion that 1
the new Governor would leave men i
and things as they are on Capitol
Hill. The remark of the new execu
tive on Saturday should dispel that
.opinion because he said, "I am not
going to take a mowing machine
with me to Harrisburg, but I may
need a weedor."
The new Governor confirmed re
ports that William I. Sc'haffer, one
of the most brilliant attorneys of
the state and a close personal friend,
would be his attorney general and
that Harry S. McDevitt, the state
governmental expert andwho was
in charge of details of the campaign, |
would be his private secretary. He
was quite confident that both would
make excellent offiials. Senator
Sproul in announcing that he would
tender reappointment to Secretary
of the Commonwealth Cyrus E.
Woods paid a high compliment to
W. Harry Baker, whom lie said had
decided to remain secretary of the
Senate. What lie said about Mr.
Baker was approved by everyone
who heard' it in Philadelphia and
it is interesting to note that Mr.
Baker, who has frequently been
mentioned for appointive office, will
stay as secretary of the Senate,
which is the most important place
in the whole legislative system.
Senator Sproul said, "I think he can
lie of greater service to ine in the
Senate post although I do not intend
to attempt to influence legislation
in the Senate."
The Philadelphia Public Ledger
in the course of an article yesterday
quoted the new Governor us saying
regarding the speakership:
"Various gentlemen of large in
fluence have suggested that my
wishes would be considered on the
speakership," he said. "I want to
avoid any interference in legislative
matters in the state government.
There lias been too much of, that in
the past. The House will have to
pick its own speaker, but the man
should be in sympathy with the
chief issues of my platform. I will
not take the responsibility of any
hand-picked speaker."
The Ledger also says: "Mr.
Sproul said he would attend the
conference dinner on charter revi
sion on December 10 "as a listener
only." lie would say nothing fur
ther on the question of charter re
vision, but when asked what Ills
present thoughts are on the ques
tion of a constitutional convention,
he said: "I have no doubt tremen
dous social changes are likely with
in the near future. No one can fore
tell what they will be. We cannot
get a proper prospective on these
tilings at this time. There may be
a social turmoil one year from now.
j I believe the people can settle these
matters. " Constitutional conventions
are serious propositions. New York
recently defeated a new constitution
and that of Ohio has not exactly
worked out happily. Here in Penn
. sylvania it may be desirable to call
a constitutional convention at once,
or it may be considered wiser to
await a better view of coming
events. We must adopt a waiting
policy for the time being."
William Perrine, writing in the
Philadelphia Bulletin presents these
interesting comments about the next
Governor of Pennsylvania: "At the
age of forty-eight he is an example
of a well-balanced combination of
bodily bulk, well-ordered nerves,
mental quickness and wholesome
spirits. Th 6 clear, large gray eyes
are keen, shrewd, bright and kindly,
with something of a quizzical glance
in them. The head betokens both
force and balance; the clean-shaven
face is at once sunny and serious,
[ and there is a strong masculine
quality in it, tempered by a genial
refinement. A man would like it
because of its frankness and verac
ity, and a woman might trust it be
cause she would be likely to see in
it the graciousness of a gentleman.
It is a face of an essentially Amer
ican type. The lines of a nature
energetic and mobile are plainly
impressed on it. If Sproul were in
a crowd of all sorts of European
foreigners who had never seen him
and knew nothing about him it is
doubtful whether there „ would be
one who would not immediately rec
ognize him as an American, so dif
ferent is the face from any Euro
pean type and so much is it charac
teristic of the evolution which is de
veloping a distinctive American one,
Poise without stiffness, dignity with
out solemnity, cheer without flip
pancy, and comradeship or affabil
ity without sloppiness, are in the
figure and the bearing. He might
1 be taken at first glance to be a pros
! perous man of affairs who is a "live
wire" and who smacks something of
a hearty, genteel sport.
"Sproul is engaged in a variety
of enterprises, financial, journalistic,
patriotic and social, performs his
part in each of them without either
irksomeness of fuss, and readily
grows in favor among even those
who may have only a cursory ac
quaintance with him. In politics he
has been ambitious since he cast
his first vote, but he has not been
noisy or pretentious. Until it is
remembered that lie made his start
in public life when he was still
a very young man, it cannot be
readily understood how it is that
looking younger than he is, he
should have been continuously in
the State Senate for twenty-two
years. There are some men who
are always refreshing; their voices
sound good at any hour of the day
or night; their glad countenance
doeth good like a medicine; and
SprOui is one of them."
SECURITY ,
[From the Houston Post] '
"What security has the United
States for the biljions of dollars lent
to Great Britain ?"asks an anonymous
muttonhead of St. Louis. The secur
ity of as sub]ime a courage, as in
vincible a spirit, as unwavering n
faith, and as knightly an example oi
Belf-sacriflce as' the annals of the
human race disclose.
HOMEWARD BOUND
Lap softly, •waves, the high gray
prows! .
Blow gently, winds, through joy
ous days,
Nor any slumbering Sea King rouse,
To peril safety, cause delays.
Watch, stars, through silent, bliss
ful nights!
Sun, with a newer splendor shine!
Bring nearer rapturous delights—
Loved exiles bring, for whom
hearts pine!
Glad hours, move swiftly, till once
more
Home faces dear those dear ones
greet!
Speed, tides, the ships toward this
proud shore,
Where flags will wave and drums
will beat!
Hide, Mercy, all the hurts and scars
That War so ruthlessly has left!
Assuage the pain that triumph mars,
For those of hero-lads bereft.
Sky, sea, combine! Safeguard the
way
Through ocean's rainbow-tinted
foam.
"Victors returning!" men will say,
But we—"Our boys are coming
home!"
—ELLA A. FANNING, in New
York Times, t
FOCH'S DECISION
[New York Times]
The German Armistice Commis
sioners complained that they found
Marshal Foch cold, stern, implac
able. He read the terms, that
seemed to them ruthless, in a voice
in which there was no consideration
for them as representatives of the
Imperial Government and its arttU
powerful army. They expected a
show of courtesy, even if it were
formal, but the man who had Ger
many's destiny in his hands wasted
no time in preliminaries and empty
forms. He was doing his duty with
out sparing them or himself. He
was not even tempted by a great
ambition. A correspondent of the
British Wireless Service in France
now asserts that If hostilities had
lasted ten days more Marshal Foch
would have brought about the sur
render of the entire German army,
and won (he greatest victory "of all
■ ages." Says this correspondent:
"The Marshal renounced that
great victory deliberately and with
his eyes open, because continuation
jof the struggle would have cost a
certain number of French and Brit
ish lives, and he could not have it on
his conscience to sacrifice one life
after it was in his power to make
peace on terms of victory."
Hence the armistice requirements
were expressed in terms of decisive
victory. Marshal Foch kneiv that
the Germans came to him with no
illusion about their military condi
tion. There was nothing to nego
tiate. They might have expected
something less tliun an inexorable
ultlmatupi, but the Marshal's words
and manner signified, "Surrender or
be destroyed." At the time of the
1 reception of the German commis
sioners there was a story current in
Paris that the great strategist had
said a few days before: "I have not
yet fought my battle." It was plaus
ible. Some day he may write the
history of the campaign and reveal
his plans for striking the last deci
sive blow. What we already know
is that his snare had 'been laid and
the net was being drawn closer
every day. Rapidly he was narrow
ing the only gap through which the
million and a half of Germans with
their cumberoua transportation could
escape. Most of their trunk lines
were in his hands or under the lire
of the guns of the Allies.
I The enemy could not break
through in the south or in the north.
He was an imminent danger of en
j velopment, and apparently only a
part of his army could have es
caped capture or destruction. A
man of Napoleonic lust for glory
would have found some way to de
fer negotiations for an armistice
while he struck the blow that would
end ail. Ferdinand Foch was never
greater than in the hour when he
decided that he would choose the
lesser victory und renown rather
than shed the blood of thousands
j more of his soldiers.
MR. WILSON'S SELECTIONS
[New York Times]
It. is when we contemplate some
of the Americans who remain be
hind, as well as those who are to
go, that we have the right to feel
that in naming his associates the
President lias not made altogether
the wisest possible selections. But at
any rate they will be a harmonious
group, and all Rtand for American
ism. It is difficult to believe that the
President's fellow-commissioners
will really serve as a help or guide
in the forming of his opinions. Self
dependence is a quality of high val
ue, but consultation of other opin
ions has its uses. President Monroe,
when the clouds growing out of the
efforts of the lloly Alliance to sup
press the struggle for South Ameri
can freedom became threatening,
took the advice of his predeces
sors. Jefferson and Madison. "I am
sensible, however, of the extent
and difficulty of the question, and
shall be happy to have yours and
Mr. Madison's' opinion of it." He
also had the opinion of that extra
ordinarily hard-headed and pugna
cious gentleman, John Quincy
Adams, who was to be his successor.
Out of the deliberation of those
minds grew the proclamation of
the Monroe Doctrine, a public sys
tem that has . resisted ail onslaughts
for nearly a century and stands to
day impregnable—unless we are to
surrender it for the League of Na
tions.
The " country does not know
whether Mr. Wilson has taken coun
sel of the wise international ininds
of our generation before reaching
his conclusions. We are inclined to
think that he must have consulted
them, that he lias. We cherish the
expectation, too, fliat in his address
to Congress, he will take the coun
try a little more into his confidence
as to what he proposes to do and
say in our interest at Paris. The
people are very much in the dark
about the League of Nations, about
his conception of freedom of the
seas. They certainly should know
more about these matters before
they are proclaimed at Paris as
American principles.
Hughes on Rceonstruction
Former Justice Charles E. Hughes
in a speech on reconstruction says:
It has seemed to me that at this
time it would be well to have a
quick survey of all the important
public work in the various states
and municipalities which has been
held up during the war, and that
intelligent efforts should be made to
set it going as rapidly as possible
all over the country to take up the
labor slack. I assume that this is re
ceiving the attention of officers off
the Government.
The only real assurance of the fu
ture lies in the spirit which brought
England to the side of France, and
Paly to the aid of both, and then,
at last brought America to the de
fense of liberty and while that spirit
animates these great peoples, the
small nations and the interests of
international justice will be secured.
There is no hope for the world in
*n America which loses its virility,
its intense national consciousness,
and its patriotic ardor. Let us cher
ish and stimulate the love of coun
try so finely evidenced In the greut
war for there is no cause for des
pair in a republic for which men
are willing to die.
Why He Is a Bank President
[From the Detroit News]
Think of a 15-year-old office boy
getting up at daylight, not only
sweeping up the floor but oiling and
polishing it, starting the fires, clean
ing the windows, shining the brass
railings, and then going out and
scraping the mud off the street cross
ing that led to his boss' office, so
that folks could cross comfortably,
and getting $3 a week for it; then
having the vision to buy with ills
liard-carned wages twelve weekly
newspapers published in different
cities so that he could find out what
was going on in the world outside
the town of Panora, la., and you
have a picture of George M. Reyn
olds, who is to-day ill Chicago, the
president of the largest bank In the
country, outside New York, with re
sources of nearly one half billion
dollars!
lEtmttng (Eljat
December has not brought the
customary suspension of river coa!
dredging operations on the Susque
hanna and even on the Swatara, che
Wiconisco and other creeks which
carry down the small coal from the
mines men and dredges are at work
getting out the fine coal which la
providing such an important addi
tion to the supply of coal for indus
tries and even for homes. Ordinar
ily the iirst of December brings a
cessation of the coal gathering be
cause of the cold and the vagaries
of the Susquehanna. This fall there
have been a. number of periods ol
high water which have brought
down large amounts of coal and
furnished a considerable additional
supply to work. The dredges have
been moved frequently and< the dis
trict between the northern end of
Harrisburg and Hocltvllle "falls,"
which has supplied hundreds of
tons has now been abandoned for
stratches nearer the center of the
city where small islands and rocks
have caught the coal and sand. Be
low the municipal sanitary dam,
clear down to Rtiddletown dredges
are working and some of the boats
will he kept at the harvest until the
cold makes work on the stream haz
ardous. There have been more
dredges and flats working this year
than ever known before.
South Carolina wants to get out
of the mud. With that idea in mind,
and learning that Pennsylvania on
election duy took the iirst step out
of the mud when it approved the
proposition to bond the state for
$50,000,000 for road purposes, South
Carolina has asked Pennsylvania for
information. The Charleston, S. C.,
Chamber of Commerce in a tele
gram to M. 11. James, of Harris
burg, secretary of the Associated
Highways Organization of Pennsyl
vania, and also secretary of the
William Penn Highway Association,
asks complete information relative
to the Pennsylvania campaign; the
nature of the proposition voted
upon; and information relative to
the bond issue itself. The Charles
ton Chamber of Commerce proposes
a campaign to bond South Carolina
for money sufficient to give that
Commonwealth a start on better
roads. It is tired of the mud. That
the southern state is on the right,
trail is the belief of Pennsylvania
road enthusiasts.
In Willlanisport, Pennsylvania,
the women have been taking the t)
war to heart, and have striven by
every means to do not only their bit, ,
but their uttermost. There are sev
eral munitions plants there, and
many of the patriotic women of the
up-river city donned overalls and
blouses to take their places in the
second line of defense as inspectors
and workers in munitions plants.
They are not women who were
forced to seek lucrative positions.
They are members of the chapter
of the American Red Cross. One of
the young women who trudges off
to work daily, carrying her dinner
pail, and who comes home in the
evening, greasy and dirt-begrimed, V
is the daughter of the proprietor of
the largest department store there.
Another is the daughter of a prom
inent lawyer, with a young son who
also is working in a munitions plant.
The pinch of manpower shortage
has been severely felt in the pa
triotic town, and the women have
been doing their best to relieve con
ditions.
• * *
Dr. J. George Beclit, secretary of
the State Board of Education, has
sailed for Europe on leave from the
State Board, to engage in consulta- j
tion work for the Y. M. C. A. and A
United War Work activities, with '
which he has been much identified. *
Dr. Beclit sailed from New Yovk on
Saturday and his going was a sur
prise to friends here. It is under
stood that the opportunity to assist
in work abroad a-nd to make some
observations in regard to continua
tion of education among young sol
diers presented itself suddenly and •
he left as soon as arrangements
could be made. Dr. Becht will be
gone several weeks, but return in
time to present educational legisla
tion to the next general assembly.
His son, Howell Becht, is a mem
ber of the "Gas and Flame" regi- *
ment of Engineers and has been
in active service for over a year.
• *
The fact that there is a transport
in the United States service that
bears the name of Harrisburg, which
turned up in a news item the other
day, was brought home to people
at Union Station on Saturday when
they saw sailors with "U. S. S. Har
risburg" 011 their hats. The men
were here on their way home on
leave.
1 WELL KNOWN PEOPLE [
—General Hunter Liggett Is to
be invited to Reading, his birth
place. when the war ends.
—Ex-Governor John K. Tener has ,
been traveling in eastern states
lately.
—Brua C. Keefer, who was ten
dered a dinner by Williamsport
friends, is well known to many peo
ple here.
—John M. Phillips, State Game
Commissioner, active in the walnut
planting movement, says thousands
of young trees have been moved to
roadsides.
—William Perrine, the editor of
the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin,
who has attended every inaugura
tion here for years, plans to come <
to the Sproul ceremonies.
—Senator Charles H. Kline, men
tioned for judicial position, is an In
diana countlan.
[ DO YOU KNOW •
—That Hnrrrisburg appliances
were used to lit up many plants
engaged in manufacturing mu
nitions? 1 1 2
HISTORIC HARRISBURG
John Harris helped build the first,
road between Lancaster and Harris
Ferry.
WESTERN FARMS
[From Tid-Bits, London]
The American soldier was telling
his host about the size of some of
the farms In the west.
"You might not believe It," Jie
said, "but a friend of mine has a
farm so large that he starts out with
his plowing in the Spring. All that
he can do Is to plow and sow one
straight furrow before autumn. Then
he turns around and harvests the
crop on his way back."
"Oh, yes, I can believe that," said
the host. "It Is like my son-in-law's
farm out there. Two weeks after
they were married my daughter and .
her husband started for their pasture
to milk the cows and their two chil
dren brought in the mills,"