24
IHARRISBDRG TELEGRAPH
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B. J. STACK POLES
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OYSTER, Business Manager
'GUS. M. STEINMETZ, Managing Editor
LA. R. MICHENER, Circulation Manager
gieeatlw Beard
tTJ P.* McCULLOUGH.
A BOYD M. OGLESBY.'
P.. R. OYSTER,
GUS. M. STEINMETZ.
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER SB, I#l#
Be strong, and of good courage;
dread not, nor be dismayed.— BlßLK.
j-
HEADED RIGHT
IF HUGH FRAYNE the New York
labor leader, who has just taken
action looking toward the depor
tation of the Bolshevik "ambassa
dor," Martens, persists along that
line of patriotic effort he will find
himself shortly even more promi
nent in labor circles tban he is now
and one of the most trusted advo
cates of labor unionism in the
whole country. Frayne has taken a
position that other labor leaders
ought to have assumed long ago.
There is nothing of the Foster type
about him. He takes his position
squarely under the Stars and Stripes
and already has done much to re
store public confidence in the Amer
ican Federation of Labor, which had
been steadily losing ground in popu
lar estimation, due to the errors or
the mistaken policies of its leaders.
Which were not in accord with the
right-thinking rank and tile of
American labor.
Frayne, in demanding that the
country and his own organization be
rid of all dangerous radicals, has as
sumed a place of leadership from
which he will not be easily shaken.
He has very accurately sensed pub
lic opinion on the subject and has
interpreted the thought of the
American workmen more clearly
than some of the hesitating leaders
In higher places. He knows that
American people are ninety-nine
per cent, loyal to the country and as
much opposed to Bolshevism and
revolution as anybody, and he has
had the courage to act upon his con
victions.
We have seen all too much con
ioning of the radical actions of the
Fosters and others of their ilk who
tre trying to use union labor for
their own purposes, with the
thought of betraying it at the proper
Ime just as they would the Govern
ment itself, in the interests of a
Moody revolution in which they
would hold the reins of powers and
prey upon rich and poor alike. The
sndoreement of the steel strike and
!he ultra-radical speeches of such
men as James Maurer shook public
Mntiment in the Federation and
iroused suspicion against it, and
Itr. Frayne has done his own or
ganization a great service in taking
he stand he has assumed. Hs is in
he American Federation as Gover
lor Coolidge is in the government
>f Massachusetts.
If labor leaders take their cue
Irom him and will go along with his
program to rid themselves of the
l&ngerous and lawless little
nlnority that has been trying to boss
hem, the labor movement will be
placed on a sane and law-and-order
pasts, and that will open a way to
rard negotiations between the tra
iloye and the employer for better
nent of conditions and the har
nonixation of relations. Certainly
here can be no basis for mutual
onfldence so long as there are
irominent in the ranks of labor men
if the stamp of Lenine, Trotsky,
foster and their ilk.
Mr. Frayne is headed right.
Business continues good despite the
fforts of nearly everybody to give it
black eye.
"PROFITLESS" STORES
ITY officials all over the United
. States will watch with interest
■ Philadelphia's experiment with
'profitless stores." Twelve of these
rill be established by the city mar
let commission for the sale of mer
handise and groceries, according to
leorge Sale, of the commission.
"These stores will handle mer
handise and groceries," said Mr.
tie. "The prices will be ten per
ent. over the cost There will be
o profit made at these stores. All
r e want to do is to make them self
uetaining."
Mr. Sale said that two carloads
f picnic hams had been bought
rom Armour's at fifteen cents a
FRIDAY EVENING,
pound and would be sold for sixteen
cents a pound.
On the face of it. this looks like
an easy way of solving the high cost
of living, but there is an element in
It that will likely bring it to the
rocks. A "profitless store" must also
be a "servlceless" store. The cus
tomer must expect to "take or leave"
the goods. There can be none of the
little effort to please, none of the
catering to special tastes, no taking
of orders over the phone, no credit
and no deliveries. The goods will
be there —not in wide variety, for
to keep down costs quantity pur
chasing must be paramount—but the
personal attention of the clerk or
proprietor who is trying to win or
keep customers will be lacking.
We suspect the "profitless stores"
will be profitless indeed.
Tork county is going to take an im
portant place in the road building
program of Pennsylvania. Already
the voters have approved a large loan
for permanent highways in conjunc
tion with the State system and In
addition have aethorized the payment
of the county's share of the cost of
eliminating five toll roads. Highway
Commissioner Sadler, in his compre
hensive planning of the State road
system, if doing much to arouse inter
est among the various counties, so
that Pennsylvania promises within a
year or two to have as fine a system
of highways as can be found any
where throughout the United States.
Then the State will come Into Its own
through an invasion of tourists who
are simply waiting, knocking at our
doors for an opportunity to see Penn
sylvania as one of the great sectlcyis
of a great country.
SPREADING
THE "daylight saving" propa
ganda ha* reached Denver.
Mayor Bailey has received pe
titions signed by practically all the
business men and manufacturers of
that city asking for the adoption of
an ordinance that will save for the
people of the city the extra hour of
light they so much desire.
An interesting side light upon the
subject is furnished in a letter sent
Mayor Bailey by Lawrence C.
l'hlpps, Jr., in which he calls atten
tion to the attitude of the electric
light and power plant interests to
ward daylight saving. He says:
I am strongly in favor of day
light saving law. The old system
of time is an economic handicap
upon any industrial community. I
am interested in the electric light
and power business in California.
Our revenues from approximately
7,000 customers decreased approxi
mately SIB,OOO, or over $2.50 per
customer, on account of the day
light saving. An electric light com
pany may lose a little temporary
revenue, but the prosperity of any
utility corporation is dependent
upon the prosperity and good will
of the community it serves, and it
will benefit in the long run.
Just as tho competition of lead
and zinc produced In Mexico, New
Jersey and Missouri were the de
termining factors in the fixing of
the wage scale in Leadville, so does
too competition of Bastern-mado
goods and mail order sales by
Eastern retailers affect wages and
prosperity in Denver. The pas
sage of the daylight saving ordi
nance will relieve the workman,
manufacturer and retailer of Den
ver of an economic handicap
amounting to about SIOO,OOO per
year, and the electric light com
pany will benefit more through the
growth and prosperity of the
community than it will have hand
ed to it by the repeal of the federal
daylight bill.
It is very much to be suspected
that Congress hearkened to the
siren song of the power interests to
the old-time tune of "God Save the
Farmer" when it repealed the day
light law, and the letter to mayor
Bailey shows clearly how mistaken
both Congress and the electrical
companies are In their short-sighted
policy.
The people of the towns and cities
want "daylight saving" and in one
way or another they are going to
have it; if not by Congressional en
actment then by local ordinance.
Congress can take its choice.
The sentiment is spreading.
Auditor General Snyder is some col
lector. With the close of the week
he will have turned into the strong
box of the State approximately $50,-
000,000 for the current year. These
revenues have come from many
sources, but not always with a free
will, and it should not be forgotten
that the Auditor General can do much
through the organization of his de
partment to gather in the funds of
the Commonwealth. It is doubtless a
matter of pride with Auditor General
Snyder that he has been able to
justify his estimates of last winter,
when the Legislature was wondering
what might be expected in the way
of income.
IMPOSSIBLE THEORIES
IT IS at last dawning upon the
misguided leaders of millions of
men that they have been doing
those who they pretend to serve In
calculable injury through theories
which have no substantial bosiß and
which only lead to intolerable suf
fering.
We read, for instance, that in Rus
sia the Bolsheviki government urged
the people to divide all land into
Individual holdings so that there
would be no employing class. For
Instance, if a farmer has six cows
and only needed the milk from one
of the cows for the use of himself
and family they took the other five
cows from him and distributed them
among farmers who did not have
cows. So it was down the entire line
of industrial and agricultural activ
ity. This one alleged reform con
tributed as much to the food short
age and famine in Russia as any
other single factor, because no
farmer tried to raise more stock than
actually would meet his own needs,
knowing it would be taken from him
lg he did.
Of course, they insisted that they
are acting in "good faith" but hell Is
said to have been paved with good
intentions and whether these impos
sible theories which are causing
world-wide misery are based upon
"good fuith" or not, they are respon
sible for much of the unrest and the
difficulties which now confront mil
lions of people.
fUitico LK
'PUUUULTTUWA.
By the Ex-Committeeman
Election of E. C. McGreagor as
clerk of the new orphans' court of
Washington county, which was es
tablished by the Legislature this
yeur, is declared by the Attorney
General's Department to be against
the constitutional provision relative
to such officers in an opinion just
rendered to Secretary of the Com
monwealth Cyrus E. Woods, who is
in charge of the bonding of officials.
The opinion is the first to be given
following the elections 01 u..u
was written by Deputy Attorney
General W. M. Hargest. It disposes
of a much discussed incident in the
arrangement of a county ballot.
The Washington county authori
ties placed the candidates for clerk
of quarter sessions and oyer and
terminer courts on the ballot as can
didates for clerk of the orphans'
court and Mr. Gregor was duly cer
tified as elected to those offices.
The Secretary of the Commonwealth
sent the question of whether Mr.
McGregor could be recognized as
clerk of orphans' court to the legal
department, as it was discovered
that the act creating the separate
orphans' court for Washington
county contained a provision, in ac
cord with the constitution, that the
register of wills should be he clerk
of tho orphans' court when estab
lished as a separate court. This
constitutional enactment was car
ried into effect by an act of 1889 and
Mr. Hargest says that "ffrhere can
be no doubt that the act of 1919,
following the consitutional require
ment, makes the register of wills
the clerk of the orphans' court of
Washington county. The fact that
E. C. McGregor was voted for and
received the highest number of
votes cast for clerk of the orphans'
court, does not have the effect of
making him such clerk." The sec
retary is directed to see that John
Aiken, register of wills-elect, quali
fies as clerk of the orphans' court.
As a preliminary to the meeting
of the'new Constitutional Revision
Commission the members will be
furnished with copies of a study
made of the United States constitu
tion and the various State constitu
tions by James N. Moore, director
of the Legislative Reference Bureau.
These copies are now being especial
ly bound. Other material being as
sembled summarizes various pro
posed amendments that have ap
peared in recent years. The com
missions for the new commissioners
are the first of the kind every pre
pared at the Capitol.
—The boom launched in Philadel
phia several days ago for Harry S.
McDevitt, secretary to the Gover
nor, for the Republican nomination
for Auditor-General, has been taken
up in the Western end of the State
and both the Pittsburgh Gazette-
Times and the Chronicle Telegraph
carry extended stories giving Mr.
McDevitt's picture and devoting
much space to his experience in the
various departments of the State
Government and his expert knowl
edge of the Auditor General's office,
in which he was formerly a special
deputy. Mr. MeDevitt has not said
anything about his ambitions, but
if Governor Sproul should become a
Presidential candidate it is thought
the Governor would desire to keep
him with him.
—The nomination of Auditor
General Charles A. Snyder for State
Treasurer seems a foregone conclu
sion in the minds of many political
writers.
—The Public Ledgers, morning
and evening, continue to have some
thing on their minds about the Con
stitutional Revision Commission.
Most of the comments appear to be
about possibilities.
—Dr. William Draper Lewis,
mentioned as likely to be one of
counsel ar secretary to the Commis
sion, has been active in several
movements which had matters as
revision in view.
—Northumberland county com
missoners, whose majority is now
Republican, are said to have Gen
eral C. M. Clement in mind for
county solicitor. Northumberland,
together with other central Pennsyl
vania counties, swing from the
Democratic column this month, re
pudiating party management which
has been preached from this city's
windmill.
—The Scranton Times devotes
considerable space to reports of a
shake-up in Scranton city govern
ment, which will be dominated by
Republicans just as is the Lacka
wanna county government.
—The Pittsburgh Post, in an edi
torial on the trend of the times, saya
that it is no surprise to find muni
cipal expenditures doubled, but that
it should cause councilmen in their
capacity as budget makers to "con
sider every item strictly on its
merits." Similar expressions are
being heard in many cities and in
view of the way the elections went
there may be some councilmen who
will do it.
—Those two Johnstown incorrigi
bles, the Tribune and the Democrat,
are at it again. The Democrat is
distressed because it sees a move
ment to head off free speech and
the Tribune remarks: "If it will do
the esteemed Democrat any good
we will admit that this paper has
never met up with conditions which
had even the appearance of an at
tempt to deprive it of the rights of
the free press or free speech. Of
course, we have had objections to
and criticisms of many of our edi
torial utterances, but those who
made them were merely exercising
their rights. We have never re
garded those who disagreed with us
as either fools or knaves. Our ad
vice—without invitation or charge—
to the esteemed Democrat is to
cease regarding itself as a misun
derstood Institution and to quit
posing for martyrdom."
—lt is probable that much will be
heard in the State for a time over
the opinion by the Pittsburgh city
solicitor that it is illegal for city
firemen or other employes to join
labor unions. The question has been
more or leßs agitated in a dozen
Pennsylvania cities since the Boston
affair and a try-out of the question
may come.
—Pittsburgh is also having a
magistrate row similar to that in
Philadelphia. Magistrate Sweeney,
of Pittsburgh, who is not always
careful of the feeltngß of policemen,
has been complained of to the
mayor, who says he is investigating.
—The Easton Free Press, which is
published in the old Palmer district,
is out with this new possibility in
next year's campaign: "ft A. Mitchell
Palmer, Vance McCormlck, Harry
J. Steele, Parke H. Davis, James I.
Blakslee and other Pennsylvania
Democrats of prominence intend to
..... iin Peace Treaty a political
issue in this State, with the view of
encompassing Republican defeat
next year, they had better be getting
busy, else they may be outdistanced;
lor Seipio himself is going to carry
the war into Africa, or in other
words. Senator Lodge, who led the
fight against the Treaty, aqnounces
that the controversy Is to be tuken
before the whole country for discus-
AAKHISBUHG Q£fefe&L TELEQICtPH
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sion and action, so that the senti
ment of the people can be learned —
and in turn Senator Hitchcock, the
administration leader, fearing just
such contingency, comes back at the
Massachusetts Senator with the ar
gument that the Treaty is not a po
litical issue und ought not to be
made one, the opinion of the Penn
sylvania scrappers to the contrary."
Heads Advertising Agency
Joseph W. Gannon, for sixteen
years connected with the Royal
Baking Powder Company, has re
signed and organized an advertising
agency under the name of J. W.
Gannon, Inc., of which he is the
president and general manager, with
offices at 220 Fifth Avenue, New
York.
Mr. Gannon began his advertising
career in 1599 with N. W. Ayer &
Son, of Philadelphia, where he re
ceived a thorough training in the
fundamentals of advertising and the
\arlous departments of agency work.
Within a year after beginning he
became a solicitor for the company
and was its New York State repre
sentative in 1903, when he was in
vited to join the Royal Baking
Powder Company, which he has
since served with""conspicuous suc
cess, first as assistant advertising
manager and later for several years
acting head of the advertising de
partment. His name and reputation
for forceful and constructive adver
tising is known to publishers and
advertising men all over the country.
Mr. Gannon contributed his serv
ices to the United States Treasury
Department during the fourth and
fifth Liberty Loan campaigns and
originated and planned the celebrat
ed Avenue of the Allies, on Fifth
avenue, New York, the daily na
tional celebrations at the Altar of
Liberty, the Outdoor Studio in
front of the New York Public Li
brary, and a number of other not
able features during the fourth loan.
He is president of the Dartmouth
Athletic Council, to which office he
has been re-elected for several
years, and is the representative from
New York City on the Council of the
Alumni of that college.
Associated with Mr. Gannon as
vice president and treasurer is
Shirley N. Carr, for several years a
member of the New York bar. Mr.
Carr is a graduate of Princeton,
1903, and is secretary of his class.
During the war. he volunteered for
service in the Quartermaster De
partment and assisted in organizing
the production and inspection
branch of the hardware and metals
division. He was commissioned
captain, Q. M. C., in August, 1918,
and made assistant chief of the
branch, which was later attached to
the general supplies division, the
largest procurement division in the
Army.
Kindness
If only all of us were kind
In thought and action, we would find
This world would more of joy suffice
Than any dreamed of paradise.
No traveler would find his way
A weary way; no toiler's day
Would end in bitterness or pain,
No grief could come but it would
bring
True sympathy to heal the sting.
And every sorrow would be shrined
In sweetest thoughts, if all wore
kind.
If only you alone were kind
In thought and action, you would
find
Full half the grievances you feel
Arc all unfounded and unreal.
For things most beautiful and good,
By unkind eyes misunderstood,
Appear so full of base alloy
The gazer misses half their joy
Full half the happiness you know
From your own heart must overflow
And fill with sweet your life and
mind
Or else your world will seem unkind,
—Lee Shippey.
The Service Man
[From "Average American," by
Theodore Roosevelt.]
The army is the least of this coun
try's fears as far as Bolshevism and
its kindred anarchies are concerned.
All over the country you will find the
service men keen to put down dem
onstrations of this sort. They are
keen of their own accord, not
prompted by anyone.
The service man feels that this is
his country. His first and foremost
concern is for the United States. He
wants the institutions of this country
to stand. He has given himself, and
where one has given of one's self the
interest Is deepest. He hos bought a
share of stock of the United States.
As a stockholder he Intends to do
what he can to see that the concern
is run properly.
TO ADVERTISERS-A WARNING
[Lord & Thomas in Printers' Ink.]
There is always danger in pros
perlty—danger of an orgy. Almost
every boom of every sort Is followed
by disaster.
Uncurbed enthusiasm drifts into
speculation, then into recklessness.
Wise efforts, by unique success,
breed countless unwise ventures.
There cjrwc s a feeling that nothing
can go wrong.
But the laws of good business are
unalterable. Violation leads to retri
bution —always. The inevitable
storm comes soon or late to wreck
all houses built of cards.
Advertising is entering a new era.
Truth, efficiency, and wise direction
have brought it new prestige. Mul
tiplied successes have established its
position. Its volume is to-day un
precedented.
But thi natural growth, based on
sound developments, is already
marred by excesses. Many old lines
evidence a fever of extravagance.
And scores of new lines are clearly
unwise ventures.
No doubt the excess profits tax
leads to much incuutlous expendi
ture. But for other reasons, also,
what should be healthy growth
shows symptoms of an unhealthy
boom.
Unhealthy growth is bound to he
disastrous. Not alone to those who
suffer, but in its discouragements.
In every boom the losses generally
, exceed the gains. Thus, a whole in
dustry falls into dtsrhpute, which
years are required to outgrow.
So this is a time to speak plainly.
Not as critics of our compeers or as
posers, but as one of the leaders in
the advertising line and both altru
istically and selfishly its logical de
fenders. ,
Because of these buoyant times
many are seeking to do In advertis-]
lug that which can't be done. Some
are advertising lines which cannot
be identified. Some are advertising
to the million things which only
hundreds buy.
Some are urging action where the
advertiser's interest exceeds the
buyer's interest. And people will
not act.
Some are using large spaces to
tell stories which small spaces would
tell as well. They handicap them
selves by extravagance.
Some advertise lines in a national
School Farms For Cities
[Pittsburgh Gozttle-Times.]
The State Educational Congress
having given at least passive ap
proval to the suggestion that cities
should provide practical courses In
agriculture for public school pupils,
we may expect an aggressive cam
paign for the extension of popular
education in this direction. There
is need for more general instruction
in agriculture, mankind's basic in
dustry. If the ranks of farmers are
to be recruited it is imperative that
a great many in the cities be en
couraged to "go back to the soli."
The surest way to get results In this
direction is to train the rising gener
ations for agriculture. Already a
great many, if not all, of the city
school pupils are getting vocational
training in some degree. Why should
not agriculture be included in the
list of Industries to which they may
be introduced in the public schools?
If a large farm near the city had to
be added to the school plant, a farm
should be bought. How to get the
children to and from the farm would
present no difficult problem. Every
city could nfford to spend liberally
to develop inclinations for farming,
for the benefits to be derived from
increasing the number of profes
sional farmers, or of slowing up the
decline of their numbers, would re
pay every outlay. This subject
should be taken up seriously and
plans for utilizing it worked out.
Something For Nothing
[Samuel Crowther in World's Work.]
The American worker has been
convinced for the moment that he
can get wages or profits without
work. With few exceptions, the
American worker of to-day is not
producing as much in eight hours as
he did in four before the war.
The percentage varies, but gener
ally speaking the efficiency is Just
about one-half. A man who made
eight articles in 1914 will make four
of them to-day in the same time, and
the deplorable part of the situation
is that those four will probably be
represented by a third at least more
dollars than the eight were. Expres
sion of production in dollars is now
meaningless. We have stopped
thinking in terms of production.
We are thinking in dollars, and that
gets us into trouble with profits.
NOVEMBER 28, 1919.
way before testing them in a locoli
way. They are taking undue risks.
Some start advertising who lack
proper distribution. In many such
linos nine-tenths of the sales are
lost. No legitimate advertising can
weather a loss like that.
Some are spending more than
their lines admit. Conservative ad
vertisers measure and limit expendi
tures.
Some advertise lines which can
never be successful. Some in ways
which experience proves impossible.
They are proceeding blindly on the
general theory that advertising
pays.
Advertising is not a panacea.
There must be proper diagnosis,
right understanding and unusual
skill. There must be caution, for
every new line treads some un
broken paths.
Wrong advertising does not pay,
and in times not so long past adver
tising has been largely wrong. Look
over a magazine ten years old and
mark how few of its advertisers
lived.
The margins are limited, and
wnste is pretty sure to overstep the
limits. Inefficiency has little chance
in a field as big as this. Guessing
cr.nnot compete with test-erented
data. Unwise and hasty ventures In
this line meet an almost universal
doom.
It is because of the temptation in
these buoyant times to look on ad
vertising as a panacea that we are
impelled to utter the cautions here
stated.
Let nothing here contained he
construed as meaning that we do
not feel there are those who can j
profitably spend vast sums in adver- j
Using.
Our caution is to n multitude who
by spending now more than their
lines warrant, or by spending un
wisely, breathe into their business a
spirit of wastefulness that must re
sult in discouraging reaction in
other times to come.
Advertising is too great a power
thus to be brought into disrepute.
To many who arc to-day indulging
in an orgy of unwise and uneco
nomic advertising we issue these
words of warning—for the good of
the cause.
Ain't It Splendid
Ain't it splendid to be livin' 'long
about this time o' year,
Just around before Thanksgivin",
with the mornings crisp and
clear;
With the children's cheeks a-glow
in\ with the future lookln*
bright,
And the shops and mills p.-goln' like
red blazes, day and night?
Ain't it bracin', ain't it cheerin', /
when the colts kick up their
heels,
To approach the corn crib, henrin' ]
turkeys gobblin' for their
meals ?
Don't it make a fellow kinda satis
fied with life and glad.
When it's got so hard to find a thing
that's goin* to the bad?
Ain't it fine to feel the nippln' of the
brisk breeSe at your nose
When the old dead leaves go zippin'
down the lanes, in scraggly
rows,
When you've hay to feed the cattle,
when you love your follow
men,
And you've money you can rattle In
your trousers, now and then?
Ain't it fine to wake from dreamin'
of the home your boyhood
knew
And to find the glad sun beamin'
just the way It used to do.
Long ago, about Thnnksglvin', when
you'd energy to spare,
When your pa and ma were livin',
and the days were always
fair?
S. E, KISER.
New Painless Surgery
[From the Edinburgh Scotsman.J
For many years, in fact, ever since
anaesthetics were brought into gen
eral use, one of the aims of surgical
Scientists has been the discovery of
some method of operating painlessly
without rendering the patient un
consclons by inhalations of ether or
chloroform. According to the Lon
don Times, this desideratum Is now
an accomplished fact, a system based
on the use of phenol having been
successfully employed by the sur
geons at the chief military hospitals
in liilan for some thousands of oper
ntions, among which were over three
hundred on the lungs, performed by
Professor Brusrhi of Como. The pro
posed line of incision is marked with
phenol (carbolic acid) by dipping n
sterallzed scalpel into this liquid, and
using the back of the point of the
scalper as a marker. After the lapse
of a few seconds, the scalpel Is again
dipped Into the phenol, and the issues
are cut with a slow and gentle up
and-down movement similar to that
used in sawing. What happens is
that a film of phenol is formed on
the blade when It is immersed and
this anaesthetizes the tissues as they
are cut. Frequent dippings are
necessary to maintain the film, which
is rubed off by contact with the
tissues or washed away by blood.
Constitutional Revision
Pittsburgh Post (Democrat).—
The commission named by Governor
Sproul to start the movement for
revision of the State constitution
strikes us as close to the ideal in Its
composition, including not only men
of eminent ability and training in
public affairs, but also women, so
that the subject may be dealt with
wisely and sympathetically from
every viewpoint. Included in it are
two members of the President's
cabinet. Attorney General Palmer
and Secretary of Labor Wilson. At
torney General Sehaffer is the head
of the commission. Other State of
ficers and former officers are in
cluded. Lawyers who are recognized
as authorities on constitutional sub
jects, Jurists, farmers and Journalists
are other members. This commun
ity is well represented. It is the
duty of the body, which was author
ized by the latest session of the
Legislature, to study "comprehen
sively and in detail the provisions
of the present constitution. In the
light of modern thought and condi
tions," and make recommendations
to the next session as to what
changes are needed and how beat to
effect them, whether by amendment
of particular sections or articles, or
by general revision. The popular
impression that nothing short c
general revision will do, and that
the sooner public discussion, looking
towurd a constitutional convention,
Is taken up, the better.
Let this commission take up its
work with the assurance that the
people of to-day will back it up en
fni'dnstically if it recommends the
calling of a convention for general
revision.
Wllkes-Bnrro ltecord (Republi
can).—On the whole Governor
Sprout's appointments on the com
mission to consider the advisability
of making changes in the Constitu
tion of the State and to recommend
such changes as may be deemed ad
visable will meet with popular ap
proval. It Is evident that the Gov
ernor game much thought to the
personnel. The twenty-five mem
bers. Including two women, repre
sent the many diverse Interests that
should have a hand in the work.
Most of the members have a State
wide reputation and will have the
confidence of the people. Two of
the members are United States At
torney General Palmer and Secre
tary of Labor Wilson.
The initial task, that of revising
the Constitution In the light of
modern requirements, will be full of
difficulty. The members of the
commission will be bombarded with
many suggestions, sane and insane,
temperate and revolutionary. It
will require much courage and much
intelligent planning to draft a code
of fundamental law that will at onc(
represent progress in meeting
changed conditions and will steei
clear of fanaticism and Idiosyncracy.
Only a commission made up of
broad-minded, upstanding members
could be safely entrusted with such
a task. A glance at the names in
spires confidence that the commis
sion's report will make a strong ap
peal to the people.
livening Ledger (Independent)
However unsatisfactory the situation
may be. It does not Justify pessi
mism. Constitutional revision it
nearer than it has been for years.
Its opponents in the past have suc
ceeded in obstructing all efforts to
ward a change. This year they
were able to do no more than to
secure postponement until a more
convenient season. They had to con
sent to the creation of a commission
to study the subject. This is a long
step In advance. It bringß the sub
ject up for public discussion with
concrete proposals in prospect.
There may be a lingering hope in
some quarters that the commission
will ask for more time from the next
Legislature, but the chances are that
the people of the State will object
to further delay and will Insist thai
their representatives permit them tc
make for themselves a modern con
stitution and to eliminate from tht
present document its of out
grown and archaic provisions.
I£uting (Htjat
This year will be remembered by
many residents of llarrlsburg as
that In which the mosquitoes came
early and stayed late. Owing to
weuther conditions, which the rec
ords of Observer E. It. Domain at
the Federal building show to have
been very unusual during the ordi
nary winter period, everything was
favorable for early propagation of
insect life and as the experts of Col.
Edwurd Martin's office have pointed
out this city furnished very satis
factory places for pests to increase
and multiply. The mosquitoes made
themselves heard and felt earlier
thun usual and during the summer
months they were a nuisance all
over the city, becoming a menace to
health when Dr. J. M. J. llaunick,
the city health officer, found some
of the dangerous disease carriers in
the northern end, right close to
where it is proposed to establish the
new high schools. The open autumn
and the very few days upon which
the mercury went low hue eiiauicu
the mosquitoes to remain in business
longer than usual and there are
many home's where screens remain
in place on windows, so that when
they are opened during sleeping
hours the insects may not invade
the rooms. Mosquitoes and black
birds are unusual guests on Thanks
giving day in ilarrlsburg and the
announcement by Commissioner
William H. Lynch of the plan to
take up the drainage of large areas
of the eastern part of the city and
to get rid of that well-established
mosquito nursery in the northern
end of the city will be hailed with
gratitude.
The fact that the river coat fleets
were all In operation on Thanks
giving day and that the dredges and
flats were fully manned Is an inter
esting commentary upon the fuel
conditions here. The coal men say
that there is a greater demand than
ever known, due principally to the
fact that some large consumers are
building up reserves through fear of
a shortage next month.
• • •
"What is the reason the city
authorities do not get after people
the way they sell turkeys or chick
ens in the markets of Harrlsburg?"
asked a mild-mannered man who
had been "stung" in purchasing a
fowl for Thanksgiving Day. "In this
city I have noticed that they sell
turkeys by count. Weight does not
appear to enter into it. I went to
market last Saturday and asked the
price of several turkeys. I was told
lump sums. When I asked what
they weighed I was told, 'I don't
know.' It does strike me that some
of the complaints of farmers that
the city people are 'down' on them
because of prices asked for fowls
are Justified. I have not been able,
except in one Instance to get a state
ment as to the weight of a turkey
and then it was so big that facilities
for weighing were not at hand. Sales
in Pennsylvania are by weight,
measure or count, according to the
law. I have been unable to buy
fowls by weight and the prices per
each have been something terrific."
Another viewpoint in regard to
turkey came from two men who de
cided to do the marketing in honor
of Thanksgiving and who eschewed
raffles so that they would he in
shape to buy. "In my opinion there
is not much Justification for the
prices nsked for turkey," said one.
"Taking into consideration the fact
that feed is high and that all the
elements of cost havo to be reckoned
I can not see where 75 cents is any
price per pound." The other man
answered It by this succinct state
ment: "As long as people will pay
over 50 cents a pound people will
charge more. The way to do is to
abstain from buying and let the
farmers take the birds home again.
I'm going to try that at Christmas
time."
State frame officials, who have
been fretting a line on the kills and
on general conditions, say that there
have been few complaints about the
game code in Dauphin county nnd
the Juniata valley and no demand
to speak of for changes except in
regard to woodcock, which have
been a cause of differences for
years. Fair grouse hunting and
some killing of wild turkeys that
como near records iivcentral coun
ties have been heard of and the bags
contributed to Thanksgiving dinners
In many homes. Opening of the
deer season is expected to cause a
rush of hunters into the woods and
probably more will bo in the South
Mountain region than known for a
long time. The State Forest Com
mission has granted scores of per
mits for men to hunt on State lands
in Perry, Mifflin, Union, Franklin,
Adams, Huntingdon, Cumberland
and Lycoming counties. There will
he deer hunting worth while in Dau
phin county for the first time, as the
new State game preserve in the
Lykens valley was stocked with deer
last year.
VOX KNOWN PEOPLE
—Mayor H. W. Heidenreich, of
Hnzelton, has served notice that
girls under eighteen must not attend
public dances unless they have es
corts.
—Dr. George H. Ashley, the State
geologist, has been making a series
of studies of the oil and gas condi
tions near McKeesport.
—Judge John Monaghan, whose
life has been threatened by crooks
iu Philadelphia and who does not
appear to mind it, is a former pub
lic service commissioner.
—Col. W. H. Laude, of the United
■States engineers, has been making a
<urvey along the Schuylkill near
Morristown.
—Charles A. O'Brien, the Pitts
burgh city solicitor, says that it is
illegal for Pittsburgh firemen to Join
labor unions.
—S M. Smith, prominent Waynes
burg man, has been elected head
of the reorganized Greene Counts
School Directors' Association.
—Superintendent W. M. Davidson,
of Pittsburgh schools, who has been
ill, will soon bo able to leave tiv
hospital.
—James K. Love, New Castle's
only Democratic councilman, has
been elected president of the Klwan-
H Club of the Lawrence county
capital.
—Congressman W. J. Hultngs, of
Oil City, in a speech, declared that
he thought the rock pile offered
best opportunities for the W. Z.
Fosters and others of that type.
f DO YOU KNOT |
—That Harrisburg's Navy ts
the lineal descendant of boat
clubs of 75 years ago? (
HISTORIC HAIIIUSBUKG
—The first reservoir was on 4
knoll Just north of the Btat C|Mti,