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THE SEMI-WEEKLY JOURNAL
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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.);
