About Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 4, 1917)
4 THE SEMI-WEEKLY JOURNAL ATU4.JFTA, 5 WORTH FOBSYTH ST. - \ Entered at the Atlanta Postofflce aa Mall Matter of . the Second Cl as a ______ SUBSCRIPTION PRICE. Twelve months -75 c Six months Three months 35c The Semi-Weekly Journal is published on Tues day yid Friday, and is mailed by tha shortest routes for early delivery. It contains news from -11 over the world, brought by special leased wires Into our office. It has a staff of distinguished contributors, with strong depart ments of special value to the home and the farm. Agents wanted at every postoffice. Liberal com mission allowed. Outfit free. Write R R- BRAD LEY. Circulation Manager. The only traveling representatives we have are B. F. Bolton. C. C. Coyle. L. H. Kimbrough. Charles H. Wcodliff and L. J. Farris. We will be responsible * only for money paid to the above named traveling representatives. NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERS. The label used for addreMing your paper shows the time your subscription expires. By renewing at least two weeks be fore the date on this label, you insure regular service. In ordering paper changed, be sure to mention your old, as well as y O ar new address. It on a route, please give the route acmber. We cannot enter su>scriptions to begin with back numbers. Remittances should be sent by postal order or registered mall. Address all orders and notices for this Department to THE SEMI WEEKLY JOURNAL. Atlanta. Ga. Prussian “Honor.” Shrinking from the prospect of still another enemy, the German Government has yielded to of Argentina's demands in the submarine isstMk Full indemnity is promised for the sinking’of the Toro, and assurances ire given that henceforth -.rgentine vessels carrying food cargoes shall have “the freedom of the seas.” To some observers, this apparent surrender of Frightfulness to a South Americau republic seems substantial evidence that Germany, feeling at last the weight of the world’s moral condemnation, is adopting a new policy toward neutrals. She is constrained to this course, they argue, not by any regard for the rights of others nor by any con siderations of humanity, but by a purely commer cial interest in the future. German merchants and manufacturers realize that with four-fifths of the world arrayed against their Government, it is high time for them to conserve and cultivate as best they can the few remaining nooks of trade possibilities. There will be no economic league against Ger many when peace returns; American statesman ship will see to it that Allied policies are not weak ened'and discredited by that “worse than futile” device, as President Wilson truly termed it. But it is none the less evident that many years must elapse before the trade-mark, “Made in Germany” regains anything like its one-ti,me favor. The world will be disposed to forgive a vast deal if the German people repudiate the criminals '-who now rule them; but it will be a long time before the world forgets the Lusitania, the Sussex and the qfores of other ships on which neutrals and non combatants, -women and children were ruthlessly slain by German piracy. It is quite credible, there fore. that German business men. realizing the grim liabilities of Frussianism, have brought ex traordinary pressure to bear upon Berlin to make no more foes. But what faith can Argentina or any other neutral put in the promises of the German Govern ment? Assurances just as solemn as those now given in the case of the Toro were given the United States in the case of the Sussex and in previous in stances. Yet, as the declarations of Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg himself attested, the Ger man Government was working might and main to •launch a new and more ruthless raid of U-boat terrorism at the very time it pledged the United States that the law of civilization and humanity would be observed. The word of the German rulers is altogether worthless. In that Kaiser-cursed monarchy there is no one in authority whose in ternational pledge amounts to more than a scrap of paper. Today Argentina is promised indemnity and immunity from further submarine outrages. But tomorrow any of her vessels that chance to cross the path of a U-boat may be blown to de struction -without a moment’s warning and with out the sightest provision for the imperiled lives. The South's Big Crops During the last two or three weeks we have made reference in these columns to the big part the South is playing in the production of foodstuffs for the nation, first, and second, for the Entente Powers whose physical needs have become nearly as important to us as our own. Our statements have been accurate as far as they went, and the August forecast of crop conditions not only illumi nates all we have said, but in the process amplifies in such manner as to give a broader grasp of the herculean task which confronts our country the coming year, and what is expected of the South during the next twelve months. It now is estimated by the government that the 1917 corn yield of the entire country will be 3,190.000,000 bushels, an increase over last year of 607,000,000 bushels. Os this indicated increase the South, exclusive of Texas, Oklahoma and Louisi ana. where there are appreciable decreases due to drought, claims more than one-half, or 315,000,000 bushels. As the Manufacturers Record tersely phrases it. "this is a truly marvelous showing for the Central South, and gives an indication of the great grain-growing potentialities of this section.” According to the Federal department of agri culture the South's proportion of the entire corn crop is 1,200.000,000 bushels, or a gain of 315,000,- 000 bushels if the three Southern states mentioned are eliminated in the count. Including Texas. Okla homa and Louisiana the net gain still is 250,000.000 bushels over 1916. While this is a magnificent showing as applied to 1916. we nevertheless gain another vision and pause when we turn to the report of 1915, and find that the 1917 corn yield for the entire South is only 7.000,000 bushels in excess of that of two years ago; while the wheat crop is 24,000,000 bushels short of the yield of 1915, but still 16.000,000 .bushels ahead of last year. These comparisons should be carried in mind when one figures the world-need and demand for foodstuffs. Concerning the corn crop of the South the Manufacturers Rec ord says: While the corn crop of the Central South this year promises to be very much larger even than the splendid yield of 1915, Louisiana is expected to fall §.000.000 bushels short of the yield of 1915, and Oklahoma and Texas, where the corn has been almost ruined by drought, show a very material decrease. The falling off f fl in these three states is over 160,000,000 bush els. companed with 1915. In Oklahoma the de crease is expected to be 78,000,000 bushels of corn, and in Texas 76,000,000 bushels. Were it not for the heavy decrease in these states, the Southern corn production for the year would show a very much larger gain than the figures given for the increase over 1915. There is a possibility that late rains in some parts may yet Improve the final outturn. In deed. in the Central South magnificent prog ress has been made, and these states may well rejoice over what they have done, but it is in the larger aspect of the nation's needs from which we must view the whole situation and not be misled Into a false sense of se curity. Turning from the disastrously short crop in Texas and Oklahoma and the decrease in Louisiana, it is seen that Alabama is ex pected to make a gain over 1915 of nearly 33,000,000 bushels; Florida. 1,500,000 bush els: Georgia, 5,600,000 bushels; Kentucky, 24,500,000 bushels; Maryland, 5.000,000 bushels; Mississippi, 17,000,000 bushels; North Carolina, 8,000,000 bushels; South Carolina, 10,600,000 bushels; Tennessee, 20,- 000,000 bushels; Virginia. 6,000,000 bushels; West Virginia, 2,000,000 bushels, and Mis souri 40,000,000 bushels. These are mag nificent gains, and show how’ thoroughly the So«th has entered into the spirit of increas its corn crop. If only Texas and Okla homa could have kept pace in corn production with the rest of the South, the showing for this section would have been amazingly great. In order better to emphasize the nation’s food situation, the following summaries should prove inspirational and Instructive, the first that we may build to larger things,, and the second, that we may not cajole ourselves into a false sense of se curity because of the splendid showing of the cur rent year: CORN. Aug. 1 Actual Forecast, Yield, 1917 1915 (bushels). (bushels.) Total south 1,200,471,000 1,193,407,000 Total United States 3,190,792,000 2,994,793,000 Total rest of country out- side of South 1,990,321,000 1,801.386.000 WHEAT. Estimate. Actual yield, 1917 191® (btfshels). (bushels.) Total south 141,718.000 169,084.000 Total United States 653,366,000 1,025.801,000 Total rest of country out- side of south 511,648.000 856,717,000 CORN. Aug. 1. Forecast. Yield, 1917 1916 (bushels). bushels.) Total south 1,200,471,000 951.134,000 Total United States 3.190,792,000 2,583,241,000 Total rest of country out- side of 50uth.1,990,321,000 1,632,107,000 WHEAT. * Estimate. Actual yield. 1917 1916 (bUshels). (bushels.) Total south»<•.. 141,718.000 125,642,000 Total United States 653,366,000 639,886,000 Total rest of country out- side of south 511,648,000 514,244,000 Applying the August forecast to Georgia, we find the corn crop of 1917 estimated at 70,590,000 bushels, against an actual yield in 1915 of 64,950,- 000 bushels and 62,000,000 bushels last year. In the item of wheat the 1917 output is placed by the department of agriculture at 2,074,000 bush els compared with 3,575,000 for 1915, and 3,808,- 000 bushels last year. While this is an appreciable and serious falling off in the state’s wheat produc tion, the loss is more than offset by the unusually large production of other foodstuffs, the gain in all food crops over 1916 being approximately thirty three per cent and about half this over the crops of 1915.' This country is due to furnish our allies the biggest portion of their foodstuffs and conserva tion of all we have is the primal step in this di rection. If we are to continue this through the coming year, and there is every indication that we will be compelled to do so, it Is absolutely neces sary that the South and the nation plant still larger wheat and corn acreage. The matter of mere money profit should not be allowed to enter into these calculations. The nation will need to be fed in 1918. and the South can and will do her full duty. Germany also seems to be suffering from in ternal Injuries. A Million Pounds of Cheese. The announcement that North Carolina will produce one million pounds of cheese In the course of the year emphasizes anew the remarkable ex pansion of the South’s food industries. This par ticular output Is the result of comparatively a few seasons of special effort to stimulate animal husbandry in the western part of the State. Thir teen cheese factories are now in operation; dairy ing is carried on extensively and profitably; and much attention is given also to raising beef-cattle, swine, sheep and poultry. The effect upon pros perity of the farmers and of the entire region, urban as well as rural districts, is goldenly pro nounced. The Augusta Chronicle truly observes that "with the introduction of live stock on a large scale in the Cotton Belt, there is no reason why this movement should not extend to Georgia.” The fact is no part of America is better suited to the dairying industry than Georgia. Mild, short win ters and abundant pasturage, together with a soil to which virtually all the important forage crops are indigenous, reduce to a minimum the cost of housing and feeding the stock. Further, the State as a whole are advantageously situated as regards the great markets and centers of demand. The philosopher who averred that no nation less than a thousand years old could produce a great picture or a great cheese was patently biased by his residence in some Old World monastic nook. Georgia can produce as fine a cheese as any Lucul lus could wish, if her resources are turned duly to account; and she can produce it by tens of millions of pounds. Some men we know could do their bit most effectively by keeping quiet. THE ATLANTA SEMI-WEEKLY JOURNAL, ATLANTA, GA., TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1917. PUT YOURSELF IN HIS PLACE By Dr. Frank Crane ONCE, so the story goes, a mule was lost, and the owner, being unable to discover whither it had strayed, offered a considerable reward to any person who would find the animal. Shortly after the reward notice was posted a boy, who had been supposed by the neighbors to be not very bright, appeared, leading the lost animal, which he restored to the owner and received the reward. When they asked him how he had been able to find the mule when all the cleverest men in the com munity had failed he answered: “Well, went and stood just where the mule was seen last and asked myself where I would go if I were a mule. I went there, and there was the mule.” Although deficient in other mental qualities this boy had a lively imagination. By putting himself in an animal’s place he was able to divine what it would probably do. The truth is that the imagination is of more value in the solution of mysteries, in the detection of secrets, and in the discovery of thoughts which people wish to conceal, than the reason. A lively fancy outflies logic. When we speak of a woman’s intuition leaping to conclusions while man flounders in laborious rea sonings we really mean that it is her imagination that succeeds where the piling up of evidence fails. The general who can put himself in the enemy’s place and imagine about what he is likely to do will win oftener than the general w'ho egotistically pur sues his own plans. In the present war the weakness of the Germans has been that they have guessed wrong as to how their adversaries, the French, British, and Ameri sans, would act. i hey have presumed their oppon ents to have German motives and to act from Ger man impulses. “Put yourself in his place” is not only a motto that is the basis of morality, but one which is equally valuable in the efficient dealing with people. It is the merchant who can make himself feel as the customer feels, the lawyer who can project himself into the attitude of his opponent, the teacher who can enter into the soul of the pupil, the detective who can perfectly injagine and re construct the fears and alms of the criminal, that succeed. One great obstacle In the way of learning a foreign tongue is our unwillingness to imitate the tone, gesture, and manner of for this reason some persons live in a strange land for years, and know the language perfectly, yet always talk with a brogue; they stubbornly refuse to imitate. They regard the aping of oth ers as an affectation or hypocrisy, when, as a mat ter of fact, all language, all manners, and indeed most morals, begin in imitation or affectation if they are to go on to the perfection of spontaneity. “When I wish to find out how wise, or how stupid, or how good, or how wicked is any one, or what are his thoughts at the moment,” says the schoolboy in one of Poe’s tales, “I fashion the expression of my face, as accurately as possi ble, in accordance with the expression of his and then’ wait to see w’hat thoughts or sentiments arise in my mind or heart, as if to match or cor respond with the expression.” And Poe adds, “This response of the schoolboy lies at the bottom of all the spurious profundity which has been at tributed to Rochefoucauld, to La Bougive, to Machiavelli, and to Camparilla.” (Copyright, 1917, by Frank Crane.) Outcast of the Nations. In every indictment that historians will be forced to bring against the Kaiser and his Prus sian alvlsers the count covering the sea activities of German undersea boats and raiders will stand silhouetted against the whole infamous fabric as both the apex and abyss of human atrocity and monstrousness. The debauching of Belgium, the ravishing of northern France, Serbia and Rumania while appalling because of ruthless thoroughness are not a marke’r to the crimes of the high seas, and for which crimes the greater portion of the civilized world will have naught to do with this quartette of universe butchers except in the way of governmental extermination. The Lusitania will forever stand out as the chief wholesale murder of innocents by German order, and less only in degree are the continued sinkings of hospital ships and merchant vessels. But even these despicable horrors would not of themselves, in all probability, have conspired to cementing and arraying the greater portion of the world against the Central Powers made up of Ger many, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey. The chief elements conspiring to solidarity among the lesser neutrals have been horror and fear, the first a very human attribute, the last born of their phys ical impotency. One can fully understand that every maritime nation at war strives its utmost to wreck and de stroy the shipping of an enemy. But Germany has overridden all international agreements and follow ing a policy of her own making has set upon neu trals with impartial frenzy and actually waged an undeclared war against those countries which have done most in alleviating her d’stress. Engaged in peaceful commerce and uncharged with belligerent act the shipping of neutrals has been wantonly de stroyed apparently for no greater reason than to destroy as much of the world’s shipping as possible In order that when defeat comes these nations will be on a parity with her in ship tonnage. And this is only another way of saying that Germany’s de struction of neutral shipping was and is aimed at her opponents and not at the neutrals themselves. It is largely because of this high seas policy of absolute ruthlessness that Germany finds herself today in actual war or diplomatic conflict with: Russia Brazil Portugal France Bolivia Italy Belgium Guatemala Rumania .. . Cuba Brittain Honduras Panama Serbia United States Liberia Montenegro Nicaragua Hayti China Jap’an San Domingo From August 8, 1914, to April 26 of the cur re;. v year, Germany has mined 152 neutral ships and torpedoed 69 7, giving a grand total of 849 neutral vessels with an ascertained tonnage of 1,653,654. Norway, admittedly the friend of Ger many, has borne more than fifty per cent of the losses, the total ships sunk being 436 with a tonnage of 987,816. Holland stands second in point of tonnage lost, 148,921, with Greece, Den mark and Sweden losing 275 vessels with an ac credited tonnage of 370,936. During this period the United States has lost twenty ships and Spain thirty-five, Brazil two, and Argentina, Peru and Uruguay one each. The magnitude of this grave and unparalleled injustice taxes the judgment and patience of all peoples and leaves no room for rhetorical flourish. Imagination, in its wildest and most frenzied flight, and then only in a vague, uncertain way, can paint the real picture of this modern buccaneer. Hu manity will not find it easy to condone these atrocities; history will not forget them. WAR AND DOGS—By Frederic J. Haskin WASHINGTON, D. C.» Aug. 31—The matter of providing dogs for the use of the United States forces in France has recently at tracted an amount of attention among dog fanciers and some other people which is rather dispropor tionate to the importance attached to the matter by the war department. , * » * Senator Brady, of Idaho, is the chief exponent in congress of the idea that our fighting forces should be provided with dogs, as are those of most of the other belligerents. He wrote to the war department requesting that a model be drafted of a bill which would provide for the acceptance by the government of dogs offered by American citizens for use in war. The reply stated that no legisla tion regarding dogs was necessary as the war de partment had full authority to organize any auxil iary units needed for the army. Dogs w’ill be pro vided for the fighting forces in France, “provided General Pershing desires the assistance of dogs.” i Hence the military future of the American dog seems to be entirely in the hands of General Per shing, but this has not abated the activities of those who are interested in the subject in this country. Senator Brady has introduced a bill which provides a sum for the purchase of dogs to be used in the army. Breeders of various kinds of dogs are urging the claims of their favorites. A strong effort has been made to bring to the atten tion of the government the merits of the German sheep dog, which is largely used in Germany for police and military work. This movement is strongly opposed in .some quarters, apparently on the ground that many of these dogs are bred and trained by Germans. It is alleged that during the Russo-Japanese war, the German government kind ly furnished Russia with a quota of military dogs, together with trainers, and that these trainers were really military observers who obtained much in formation that has been of use to Germany in the present war. The Airedale terrier, which has become a very popular dog in this country during the past few years, is put forward by many dog fanciers as the best variety available in numbers for military work. As proof of its fitness is cited the fact that the Germans use about as many Airedales as they do sheep dogs for military work. Germany is now recruiting dogs for her army, much as Senator Brady would have them recruited in this country An advertisement inserted in a government con trolled German paper asks owners of dogs to donate them free to the government. The doge must be from one to four years old, the advertise ment states, and must be Airedales, sheep dogs, fox terriers or mongrels of these breeds. They are to be used as watchdogs for fighting forces in tho field and “will make possible a considerable light ening of the latter’s military duties.” Those that survive are to be returned to their owners free of cost. * The claims of all fanciers of thoroughbred dogs are given a rude shock by a student of animal psychology attached to the government hospital of St. Elizabeth’s, who says that in his opinion com mon street curs will be found superior to any thoroughbred variety for military work. He says that the poundmasters in great cities can supply the government with all the dogs it needs at a very I low cost. He further urges that a number of camps be immediately established for the purpose of training dogs for the army. He states that in the United States there are more men skilled in U-BOAT BASES ON SPANISH MAIN—By Herbert Corey MA.DRID. —For almost two years the Ger mans have had clandestine submarine bases along the Spanish coast. In April, May and June, it is reported on good authority, twenty vessels were sunk in adjoining waters by submarines which presumably were revictualled in Spanish waters. Early in July it was currently reported in Bor deaux thatcfifteen submarines lurked in the Bay of Biscay, aitd it was assumed they secured their supplies through the connivance of Spanish indi viduals. There is no reason to believe, however, that this has* been with the’ knowledge or consent of the Spanish government. Early in the war* Ger man submarines were permitted to visit Spanish ports for refitting purposes, being given the status ,of occupied warships in international law. Urtder this law they were subjected to a survey when they entered, were permitted to remain only the time necessary to make repairs, and were not per mitted to revictual. Then the continued torpedo ing of Spanish vessels roused the riatlonal anger. Count Romanones, then premier, protested in a note which almost had the weight of an ultima tum. • The Romanones cabinet fell because of this note, but his successor, while deter mined to avoid war with the cehtral powers, is sued a decree forbidding use of Spanish ports to German U-boats. This is the practical extent of government action up to this date, though it must be said that Spain was between tw 0 very direct fires on the submarine question. When a subma rine openly visited a Spanish port some months ago, and action by Spain was threatened, the two sets of belligerents commuhlcated with Spain. “If you forbid the use of Spanish territorial waters to our U-boats, Germany will consider it an act of war,” is the essential meaning of the Ger man note. “If you do not forbid the use of your territo rial waters to the German U-boats, the allies will consider it an unfriendly act,’’ is the manner In which the entente power’s protest may be digested. Under the circumstances Spain, wishing to avoid war, favored Germany. It is believed this is the extent of official favoring, however, al though it is openly admitted that individual offi cials of pro-German tendencies may have employed their offices to aid the sea pirates. An Instance is now within my knowledge in which a Spanish offi cial is interfering with the shipment of goods des tined to the allies. Such things have happened often in the past and it is reasonable to conclude that the individual might have aided the subma rines, just as individuals have aided Germany in other ways here. The chief use made of the Spanish coast by the U-boats, however, was a surreptitious one. The coast line is more than 2,000 miles long. Tho ports are comparatively few and a great part of the coast territory is sparcely populated and more or less desolate. The coast line is for hundreds of miles deeply indented, with deep water at the very edge of the rocks. It offers ideal opportunities for this sort of concealed traffic. The coast guards are few, and* are recruited from the coun tryside. Not many of them have an enlightened idea of their duty and most may be presumed to reflect the sentiments of their friends and rela tives. There can be no doubt that this sentiment was almost wholly in of provisioning the U-boats in return for spot cWsh. The country folk are not pro-German, any more than they are pro-ally. In these distant re gions they hardly know that a state of war exists. They do not stop to consider the merciless mission of the submarines. What they do think of is that in a community whose business is solely carried on by barter—in many of these remote hamlets a sil ver peseta is rarely seen —a German agent has suddenly appeared who is willing to pay the most extravagant prices for food ;and service. It can hardly be wondered at that the German has found ready assistance. That the biter has sometimes been bitten ap pears on the doubtful authority of rumor. The story is not authenticated, but is generally be lieved that some time ago the French secret serv ice located a U-boat base on the coast of the Bay of Biscay. They got in communication with the Spaniard who had charge of it. A golden key opened his mouth. “I have been paid 40,000 pesetas,” he is re ported to have said. “We will pay you 40,000 pesetas for each boat animal psychology than in any other country in the world, and he believes that in addition to the training of the dogs, valuable research and experi ment bearing upon the use of animals in war could thus be made. He would have the training sta tions located chiefly at several great universities where these animal psychologists are employed, and would have regular army men to co-operata in the work of training. His somewhat astonishing claim that street curs would make the best military dogs he sup ports by the statement that these dogs have de veloped their w’its in trying to get a living, while thoroughbreds are bred for certain physical quali ties that have notlpng to do with intelligence. About ten thousand dogs are now* in use on the battlefields of Europe. Besides the Red Cross dogs, that seek out the wounded and help them, dogs are used for sentry work and scouting, where their keen noses often detect enemies concealed from human eyes. The British have just taken up the use of dogs, it is reported. In the Boer war they found that the Boers had a considerable ad vantage in their dogs, especially in guarding pris oners. Germany is now’ using them extensively for that purpose, too. Quite aside from his military career, the war is having an important effect upon the dog. not all for his immediate good. In all of the belligerent countries the keeping of dogs has been discour aged because of the amount of food they consume, and the English government has just put a stop for the period of ihe war to the breeding of pedi greed dogs. This is a momentous step to be taken in Eng land, which is the greatest dog breeding country in the world. One of the first effects has been the shipment of great numbers of thoroughbred dogs to the United States. A large percentage of the best English bulldogs in the world are now in this country. In general, the effect of the war has been in other countries and doubtless will be in this coun try to discourage the breeding of useless dogs ana promote the destruction of curs. The advantages of the latter effect will be disputed by no one. The toy dog, on the other hand, is extremely popular in America, and opinion concerning him is very sharply divided. Owners of these useless little pets are very devoted to them, while most other people seem to regard them with a certain aver sion. At any rate, breeders of the larger and more useful varieties are already prophesying in their advertisements that the popularity of use less dogs is about to decline. Military and police dogs, stock dogs and hunting dogs will continue to be bred and kept because they are useful. Whatever the merits of the cases for and against the useless dog may be, it would certainly seem desirable that the degenerative breeding which produces them should be stopped. Nearly all of the toy and ornamental varieties are the descendants of larger and more useful breeds- The Pomeranian, for example, which is now re garded as an ideal apartment house dog because of his very small size, is descended from a larger breed which was much used for hunting. The de generative process may be witnessed in the case of the cocker spaniel. This dog takes his name 9 from the fact that he has been long and success fully used for hunting wood cock. In Europe, he is considered the ideal dog for covers containing mixed game, and he runs rabbits as well as put ting up birds. we catch,” was the offer. As the Spaniard’s interest was solely a pecun iary one, he sold to the latqpt bidder. Five U-boata appeared, one after the other, and each of the five was seized or sunk. The sixth made its escape and since then that base has been "out of bonds.” The percentage of truth in that story can only be guessed at. It may be fairly well assumed, how ever, that the allies have not been idle, and that the losses have been by no means on one side only. A more active policy of inspection has now been decided on by the Spanish government, and U-boai provisioning will be a matter of greater difficulty hereafter. • > WTTCH MARKS . r By H. Addington Bruce 4 z w N olden times,” I am reminded, “there used to be a general belief in witches and A witchcraft And it was generally believed that there were some unfailing tests for the detec tion of witches. "Among these was the ordeal by pin-pricking. When a woman was suspected of witchcraft, her body was pricked with pins in different places. If in any place she seemed insensitive to pain, she was held to be undoubtedly a witch and punished accordingly. “What was the real cause of these places, these so-called witch marks? Or is science* unable to give any "satisfactory expfanation of them?” , Science today is fully cognizant of their mean ing. They are indicative not of secret dealings with the devil, but of a disease, the disease of hysteria. .Os all diseases this is far and away the strang est and one of the saddest. It is the result of a peculiar weakness of the nervous system, giving rise to an abnormal suggestibility on the part of its victim. So suggestible is a hysterical person that, If exposed to any sudden or long continued emotional shock, he or she may react by developing disease symptoms corresponding to ideas suggested by the. character of the emotional stress. For example, it often has happened that per sons in railway, street car, or automobile acci dents, have been paralyzed after the accident, though experiencing no physical injury sufficient to cause paralysis. What they have experienced is an insistent, if false, idea that they must be badly hurt And, being hysterical, this idea has proved enough to cause paralysis in them. Or symptoms of mental disease may develop, from hysteria. This was the case with the alleged witches of earlier days than ours. Neighbors observed their peculiarities of be-- havlor. Not understanding the cause, and living In a superstitious age, they jumped to the con clusion that the unfortunate hystericals were un der the devil’s influence, and were working harm to the community by magical means. The pin testing followed. Even when no witch marks were found, it often happened that the accused were convicted of witchcraft. For, owing to their great suggestibility, under the emotional stress of the accusation, they would behave exactly as witches were expected to behave. Many of them, accepting unreservedly the sug gestions of the accusers, went so far as to confess themselves witches. In this way thousands of persons virtually committed suicide because of their hysteria. Do not smile pityingly at their ignorance and the ignorance of those who wrongly condemned and executed them. Hysteria still is causing tragedies innumerable. Every year many afflicted with it perish as a con sequence of operations uselessly performed In the hope of curing them of conditions caused entirely by their extreme suggestibility. What we need is greater appreciation, by physicians and laymen alike, of the symptom producing power of hysteria, its true character as essentially a mental disease, and its curability by mental instead of physical means. All prospective doctors, it is not too much to add, should be thoroughly grounded in methods of detecting hysteria. " At the very least they should be made so famil iar with it in the medical school that they will be sure to refer all suspicious cases to the mental and nervous specialist before resorting to the sur geon’s knife. (Copyright, 1917, by the Associated Newspapers.);
