8 Sit* ( Ertahluhcct in 1876) Published b * THB STAR PRINTING COMPANY. ' , / Star-lndsp*-id*nt Building, « M 20-32 South Third| Street, Harrieborg. Pa, Ivw> Svenlatf Except Sunday Off fair* 1 Dirtct»rt; BWJAMIK F. MITERS, J„ N L. L. KUHK. President. WU. W WALITOWIR, Vtee President. f*■ Alaraaa WM. K MITERS, Secretary and Treaaurer. W*. W WALLOWIB. WM II WARNER, V. HUMMEL BUIAHACS. J*. Business Manager. - Editor. All communications should be addressed to STAR-INDEPENDENT, Business. Editorial, Job Printing or Circulation Department according to the subject matter Xntered at the Post Office in Harrisburg as second-class matter. Benjamin & Kent nor Company, New fork and Chicago Representatives. New York OSee, Brunswick Building. 220 Fifth Avenue. Chicago Office. People's Oas Building, Michigan AVenue. delivered by carriers at 6 centa a week. Mailed to subscriber! (or Three Dollars a /ear in advance. THCSTARTN DEPENDENT The paper with the largest Horn: Circulation In Harrisburg and Marby towns. Circulation Examinee by THB ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN ADVERTISERS. L. _ . ... tklbphoneb- BELL" Mvata Branch Eaehanaa, No. 3280 _ CUMBERLAND VALLEY Prtvato Branch raohango, « No. 145-246 ' " ■ 1' Friday, February 5, 1915. FEBRUARY Son. MOD. Tues. Wed. Thur. Fri. Sat. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 , 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 ✓ MOON'S PHASES— Last Quarter, 7th > New Moon, 13th; First Quarter, 21st. WEATHER FORECASTS Harrisburg and vicinity: Rain and warmer to-night and Saturday. Lowest temperature to-night about 35 degrees. Eastern Pennsylvania: Rain to-night and Saturday, warmer. Fresh south YESTERDAY'S TEMPERATURE IN HARRISBURQ Highest, 30; lowest, 17; 8 a. m., 19; 8 p. m., 29. AFTER THE WHEAT GAMBLERS The federal government, in its investigation to learn whether manipulation by speculators is re sponsible for the soaring prices of wheat, has under taken a difficult task but a commendable one. If it can "be shown that gamblers are responsible for forcing up the price beyond the advance that rea sonably could be expected as a result of the opera tion of the natural law of supply and demand, the guilty persons should be sought oi\t, if possible, and punished. • . \ Notwithstanding that in the last season coun try produced a record-breaking crop of wheat, it is reasonable to suppose the great demand for the grain, coming from Europe as a result of the war, would justly result in some very material increases in the value of the grain, but there also seems to "be reasonable ground for believing that unscrupu lous speculators are taking advantage of this de mand to force the price up to a point far abovevthat which is justified even by the abnormal conditions abroad. Statisticians say that the total wheat crop in the United States last year was 990,000,000 bushels, and that the United States requires 550,000,000 for her own uses for seeding and for food. Up to Jan uary 1, last, we are told, 211,000,000 bushels had been sent to Europe. This would leave a surplus of 229,000,000|ibushels remaining in this country in excess of United States' actual needs. Unfortunately it seems to have been impossible for the investigators to learn thus far how much of the wheat that has been sold in the various ex changes of the country has actually been delivered to the purchasers. Until this is ascertained it will, presumably, be impossible to learn how many of the sales have constituted merely gambling in this most important of food stuffs and how many have been actual transactions made in good faith. The big surplus of grain reported to be in this country in excess of the nation's actual require ments seems to indicate that there has been a lfcrge amount of purely speculative buying at prices which have been manipulated for their own benefit by the gamblers. The government appears to be on the right track in having determined to examine the books of the big grain elevator companies which should show the amounts of grain that have actually changed hands. Then if there is any way of deter mining the total number of bushels sold in the ex changes it should be possible, by the simple process subtraction, to determine the total of purely speculative transactions. "Whether, even with that information available, it would be possible to fix the blame on those persons guilty of manipulation is somewhat doubtful, but even i£,no one is punished the mere fact that the government has undertaken the probe should have a beneficial effect in driving the wheat gamblers to cover and preventing further manipulation if such there has been. NO LITERACY TEST FOR IMMIGRANTS An immigration bill with -a restrictive literacy test has for the third time failed to be passed over a President's veto, and aliens sixteen years old or older, who happen to be unable to read, will con tinue to enter this country unchallenged, provided, of course, they meet existing requirements for ad mittance, including the possession of good health and good character. The United States certainly would not be inani- V ' - V , " • -• "■. / ' - > S ' HARRISBUHO STAR-INDEPENDENT, FRIDAJ EVENING, FEBRUARY 5, 1915. festing much of its democratic spirit if it were to prevent earnest, hard-working foreigners from at tempting to engage in the pursuit of American hap piness, merely because they are not uul in their A B C's. This country has always been a place where opportunities have been given to aliens, who been denied educational advantages in their native lands, to live and to learn. Rather than bar illiterates the nation should, according to the demo cratic principles which have long been Operative, welcome them gladly as new charges having possi bilities which need to be awakened. Apart from other considerations it would be fool ish to demand of a well-meaning immigrant that he be able-to read before he be permitted to enter a country of such great educational advantages as this one. Aliens in this country always have been eager to avail themselves of opportunities to learn, when such opportunities have been offered to them. Adults have \jlled the night schools, and it is re ported that they are more eager than average Amer ican parents to have their children educated. An ahnost unbelievable statement, made recently by a New York librarian, is to the effect that the classics on the library shelves are borrowed principally by the immigrants who patronize the institution. The industries of this country have in the past been built up largely through the help of aliens admitted in large numbers without literacy tests* There need be 110 discrimination against foreigners who cannot read. They can learn. America is willing to take the responsibility of teaching them. WAR'S DEPENDENCE ON FINANCES Of more consequence than military strategy at this stage of the war's progress seems to be the husbanding of financial resources in the belligerent countries. Authentic statements of the financial conditions of all contestants, if available, would have much significance. Even hints are not without some interest. In a discussion of the gold situation in England, Germany and Austria, Sir Edward Holdeu, London bank director, who visited New York in 1910 to look into the difficulty about cotton bills of lading be tween bankers of this country aud England, de clared that although there might be a cessation of hostilities for other reasons than Germany's finan cial condition, no cessation on that account can be expected in less than a year. More than a year, of course may mean two years or twenty years. Ilolden points out that long before the outbreak of the war Germany had laid plans for financial mobilization, and that war banks are now in operation in all important German towns, issuing notes which are the means of drawing gold from circulation and pouring it into the Reichs bank, whose present holdings are estimated at $530,- 000,000. In his review of England's condition, after dis posing of Austria by asserting that it cannot con tinue long in the war without financial assistance from its rather comfortably fixed ally, Ilolden esti mated that there is in the hands of English bankers $250,000,000 in gold, in addition to the $345,000,000 reserve held in the Bank of' England. The regulations just made by the treasury in London "with a view to the successful prosecution of the war," providing that until further notice fresh issues of capital shall be submitted to the treasury for approval, may well be taken to indicate that the government wants to keep the market free of other issues in order to make way for another war loan. Financial operations ought to be more exciting in their nature, that they might be of more general interest. Successful moves made in banking insti tutions may mean more to a fighting nation than occasional victories on fields of battle. At last— President Villa. For how long? They are talking now about making threo states out of Texas. Four more Democratic Senators would help the administration in Washington in the ship purchase bill fight. Some persons are urging that we Americans eat cornmeal while we are sending the Europeans our wheat, but why shouldn't we eat the wheat and let the Europeans have the cornmeal! A census of the employes of the various departments under his administration, together with the names of those who obtained their appointments, will make interesting reading for Governor Brumbaugh. In insisting on compelling rich inmates of insane hos pitals, who are there at the expense of the State, to pay for their own keep, Auditor General Powell is clearly in the right. Those who are able to must pay. TOLD IN LIGHTER VEIN HOUSEHOLD EDUCATION "Do your children a«k you a lot of questions!" "They used to," replied Mr. Bliggins. "But now they're too busy teaching their mother and me the latest dances." —Exchange. MAGNIFICENCE OF WAR "Are you the leader of this band of men!" "No," replied the general in a turbulent territory; "I'm their follower. I tell them where I want them to go. Then I get behind them with a gun and see that they go there." —Exchange. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS "You aro thoroughly familiar with public questions, of course." "I know 'em all by heart," replied Senator Sorghum. "But I must admit that as time goes by I. don't feel quite so certain about some of the answers."—Exchange. WHY HE KICKED There was gloom on the face of the New England farmer, relates the New York Evening "Post." "What's the matter, Elijah!" asked his nearest neighbor. "Flapjacks given out ovir to your house!" "Worse'n that," said Elijah. "You know, 'twan't an apple year, and wife says we can""!; have any more apple pie for breakfast." "Cant you make out if you have apple pie noon and night!" "I can, because I've got to," said Elijah, "butj I tell you, it upsets mfe, starting in £he day wrong like that." CATARRH CAUSED / BY A GERM Must Re Destroyed Before Catarrh Itself Can Be Oared, Says Special ist. Wonderful Results From Breathing Medicated Air Medicine taken into the Stomach will never cure catarrh. And neither will the sprays, douches, lotions, creams and other temporary reliefs that so many catarrh victims make a habit of using. To cure catarrh so it won't come back you must first drive from your body the millions of germs that are flourish ing in the inner recesses of your nose and throat and are causing the disease. There is a preparation which Vines this called Hyomei (pronounced Hi|!h o-nie). Hyomei is a germ killing va porized air formed from the purest oil of Eucalyptus combined with other heal ing and antiseptic ingredients. Vou breathe Hyomei through the mouth al»d nose by means of a little hard rubber Inhaler which druggists furnish with it. This medicated germicidal air pene trates into every fold and crevice of the mucous membrane of your nose and throat, kills the catarrh germs that lodge there, soothes, reduces and heals the swollen inflamed membraues, stops the discharge and opens up the clogged lose and air passages in a truly wonder ful way. It gives blessed relief in five minutes from catarrhal distress of every' kind and if you make a practice of breathing Hyomei for a few minutes each day for just a few weeks not only will all the symptoms of catarrh van ish but the disease itself will be a thing of the nast. No one need try or buy Hyomei on pure faith. H. C. Ken nedy and many other leading druggists in Harrisburg and vicinity sell it with the positive guarantee that it must cure catarrh or that the money paid for it will be refunded. Hyomei is very in expensive and with this protecting guar antee behind your purchase there is ab solutely ncf reason why any sufferer f'rom Catarrh should not give it a fair trial.—Adv. I Tongue-End Topics | Praise for Volunteer Firemen hen the Kaufman fire occurred a couple of weeks ago, Market square was filled with strangers in the city, the greater number of whom had come to attend ttie inauguration ceremonies. Included in this latter quota were a number of Philadelphians who are at tached to the paid fire department of that city, considered one of the best paid departments in As the interior of the building gradually became submerged in flame and the volunteers, who were working hard to get control, began to make progress, the big city visitors expressed admira tion, and when the fire was checked before it had destroyed adjoining prop erties the remarks were highly compli mentary as to the efficiency of k volun teer fire department that could do such good work. State Fire Marshal Bald win, of Philadelphia, who was on the scene, said that it was one of the best-fought fires he had ever seen, and that the volunteers of Harrisburg de served great credit fair skill as lire-fighters. * it * Big Fires in Wintertime Harrisburg seen.s to have bad luck in having its big- fires in winter, at a time when fire-lighting is most difficult and works tht greatest hardships to the firemen. Among the big fires of recent years that have occurred in the colder months were those that de stroyed the old Oapitol, the Opera House, the Patriot building at Mar ket and Dewberry streets, the Spooner building in the square, 4he Globe cloth ing house, the Kaufman store and the Ford company place yesterday. In ev ery ease, with the exception of the Capitol, whore fighting was useless be cause of the absence of water, the fire men put forth extra efforts to keep the flames from spreading, and they were signally successful. English Couple in Germany That it is not impossible for Eng lish people to make their way through Germany and Austria is shown by the return to London of Mr. and Mrs. A- L. Lantay after a business trip to Vienna. Mr. Lantay had important business interests in Austria, whi«h two months a¥ter the war began de manded his presence in Vienna. He had made the trip so often in times of pence that he scoffed at his friends' warnings of the likelihood of imprison ment aud possible death as a spy. iHe took his wife with 'him, and proceeded in his accustomed manner across Ger many. They were not molested, and remained in Vienna almost three months, making no particular effort to conceal themaelves Their return was matfp by another routs, but was accom plished without accident. * • * Mrs. Lantay's Adventure Mrs. Lantay thus described her ad venture: I\\V Smart childish models—belted effects—of w/fv fapcy cloths—values to $6.50 —real bargains. 3 Girls' Coats, Values to $8.95, at $4,95 For the "little miss" these beautiful coats of Chinchilla and Velvet—low belted and reefer effects. THEGLOBE WAS VON SPEE'S SUPPLY SHIP SUNK JAN. 7 OFF 4»ATA(iONIA London, Feb. 5, 5.30 A. M.—The "Times" says the German auxiliary cruiser sunk by the British cruiser Au stralia off Patagonia January 7 was the steamer Eleouore Woermann, a supply ship to Admiral Von Kpee 'g squadron. The "'Times" adds that it is doubtful whether the vessel carried any arma ment. The last report of the Eleonore Woer mann was on December 1 7 when a dis patch from Buenos Aires said the Ar gentine cruiser Pueyrrallon had cap tured her for an alleged violation of neutrality. U. S. Ambassador to Visit in Africa Madrid, Feb. 4, Via Paris, Feb. 5. George E. Willard, the American Am bassador to Spain, accompanied by his family and Sheldon L. Crostoy, second secretary o«f the emibassy, have gone to Algeeiras and will visit Spain's north African possessions. The Spanish gov ernment has ordered that military hon ors be neeordal the Ambassador." 2,110,0(H) Applicants for French Aid Correspondence of the Associated Press. Paris, .lan. ' 23.—Official statistics give the number of applications for gov ernment aid as 2,116,000 of which 26,- 000 were refused. At present daily al lowances are paid to 1,857,000 per sons, the average per family being two francs 10 centimes (42 cents). The daily outlay is 3,900,000 francs ($780,000). Surtax on Liquor in France Correspondence of the Associated Press. Paris. Jan. 23.—1n addition to meas ures proposed by the government for the restriction of the sa/le of spirituous If You Are Losing Weight and your nerves are in bad condition, we recommend Emulsion containing &npopho»pti%u* » food and nerve tonic prescription. George A. Uorgaa. John McCormack will sing in your home at any time if you own a Victrola. And so will the great majority of the other artists. For they all make records for the Victrola. Among Mr. McCormack's records are to be found many of the ever popular English and Irish songs, sung only as McCormack can sing therh. We will gladly play any or all of them for you and demonstrate the Victrolas which range in price from $15.00 to $200.00 C. AV. Siller, Inc. Pianos Victrolas jzz. 30 N. 2nd.st. liquors, 19 different towns have had ■bills introduced in the Cham'ber of Dep uties authorizing them to impose a mu nicipal surtax on alcoholic beverages. 6,500 Surgeons at the Front Correspondence of the Associated Press. Paris, Jan. 23. —Professor Truflier, in an address before the surgica4 so ciety, staited that of th« 14,000 sur geons in the country 6,500 were at the front. At the end of Deceimfoer 93 hail been killed, 2fio wounded and 440 we;o among the missing while 155 had been mentioned in orders for gallant conduct on the field of battle. GOVERNMENT FOREST NOTES Increasing Timber Sales to Farmers and Settlers Shown It is estimated that the govern ment's Grand Canyon game refuge,Sn Arizona, IJOW contains about ten thou sand deer. More than nine million young trees and ten thousand pounds of seed were planted on the national forests in 1914. The government built more than two thousand miles of trail and three thou sand miles of telephone line on the na tional forests in 1914. At least 25 per cent, of the larch timber over large areas in Kastern Oregon, has been killed or weakened bv mistletoe, and the forest service is taking steps to combat the pest. Success has followed forest plantin® on the sand hills of Nebraska. Jack pines planted there by the government forest ten years ago now have a height of over 15 feet and a diameter of four inches. Increasing use of the national for ests by local farmers an 1 settlers to supply their needs for timber is shown in the fact that small timber sales on the forests numbered 8,298 in 1914, against 6,182 the previous year. Eagles Disband at Tam aqua Tamaqua, Feb. s.—Tamaqua Castle, No. 68, Knights of the Golden Kagle, instituted in 1885, has decided to dis band owing to lack of interest.