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EDITORIAL RAGE
The Atlanta Georgian
THE HOME RARER
THE ATLANTA GEORGIAN
Published Every Afternoon Except Sunday
By THK GEORGIAN COMPANY
At DO East Alabama Si . Atlanta, Ga
Entered as ser-ond-clans matter at postoffice at Atlanta, under act of March 8,1873
Subscription I*rlcc Delivered by carrier, 10 cents a week. By mall, $5.00 a year.
Payable in Advance
Encouraging the Little Bullfrog
to Think Himself an Ox
UNCLE TRUSTY!
f<»t»yrl*ht, 1>13, liUMvainul Newa Ht-rUcf
That Is What Woodrow Wilson Is Doing With Japan.
May Make It Necessary to Treat Japan Unkindly.
Hr
Copyright, 1913
As an educator, Professor Wilson knows that it is a mistake
to give children an exaggerated idea of their own importance.
The spoiled child, taught that he should have everything
he wants, and that older and bigger beings should bow to his
will, is a great nuisance.
Japan is the child among civilized nations so called. And
Professor Wilson, representing Uncle 8am, an old and big gen
tleman, is doing everything possible to make a spoiled child of
Japan.
This is unpleasant and troublesome. In our brutal way of
settling affairs, the spoiled child usually ends with a good
spanking And if Professor Wilson cannot be a wiser educator
among the nations, Japan may have to end with the spoiled
child’s spanking.
Nothing could be more ridiculous than to have the Jap
anese people calling upon us to arbitrate OUR RIGHT TO
MANAGE AFFAIRS INSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES
One of the States, entirely within its rights and protecting
it* interests, has declared that it doesn't oars to have Japanese
colonies or Japanese land owners. And a very simple, plain bill
has been passed saying that the Japanese must not own land in
California
If Professor Wilson had found it possible to let California
manage her own affairs, and had refrained from playing the
part of the professor on that occasion, nothing would have been
heard ahout the law passed by California.
But Professor Wilson began telling the little Japanese boy
that he was badly hurt and badly treated, and naturally enough
along comes Japan now, demanding the right to investigate
what we do, INSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES, WITH
UNITED STATES TERRITORY, and telling us that we must
arbitrate and find out whether or not we have a right to man
age onr own affairs.
The Japanese have laws that will not permit an American
to own Japanese soil except under definite regulations.
An American can RENT the surface of the soil for a certain
length of time. But he can’t own it. And if he happens to find
a mine, or something else of value underneath the soil, that
doesn't belong to him, it belongs to the Japanese Government.
Lass* of this kind Japan has passed, a* she has sssn fit. And
the United States has never said to her, ‘‘Won’t you please ar
bitrate THE RIGHT OF JAPAN TO REGULATE JAPANESE
MATTERS 0 ”
We recognize the fact that Japan, although smaller, and in
our opinion a good deal weaker than we are, has a right to man
age matters inside of Japanese territory to suit herself.
And the average citizen of the United States would frankly
tell Mr. Wilson that he ought to till Japan to PERMIT THE
UNITED STATES TO REGULATE AFFAIRS WITHIN ITS
OWN BORDERS ACCORDING TO ITS OWN FASHION.
For centuries the Japanese wouldn't allow any white man
of European strain to enter Japanese territory at all. Only very
recently the Japanese have changed this law. We didn't
threaten to shoot them, we only talked to them in a friendly
way And let them do exactly as they pleased.
Now, they have opened their ports, after having kept them
closed for centuries. And they say, "Little Japanese boy wants
to go and sit in Uncle Sams lap.” And if Uncle Sam doesn't
care to have the little Japanese boy sitting in his lap, Japan is
very indignant and Mr Wilson encourages the indignation.
Nothing very much will come of it, for, of course, the oiti-
*ens of California will exercise their right, regardless of Mr.
Wilson's interference.
And somebody will tell Mr Wilson and Mr Bryan that it
is usual for those who represent a nation TO TAKE THE SIDE
OF THEIR OWN NATION. AND ASSUME THAT IT HAS A
RIGHT TO REGULATE ITS OWN INTERNAL AFFAIRS.
And the thing will blow over after the little spoiled Jap
anese boy has had his say.
However the oitisens must be good natured, and just, and
remember that the spoiled boy of the Far East, acting rather
impertinently, is not entirely to blame
Where you see a spoiled child acting badly, you blame the
older person, who has failed to set the good example.
And when yon see Japan acting impertinently, you blame
Professor Wilson, who has dona what he could in his short tsrm
to encourage Japanese arrogance and interference with very
simple American rights.
When Modesty
Quickens hope
Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Writes on
Spreading Scandal
Refuse to Hear.Any Story
Under Promise of Con
cealing Author’s Iden
tity—The Way to Deal
With Gossip Mongers.
Written For The Atlanta Georgian
By Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Copyright, 1913, by Bt.w Company.
Well, hoys, I see that t-lie War Department thinks of using moving pictures showing the
pleasures of a soldier’s life, to attract recruits! Here’s one I just got up! In the first scene I
am charging the enemy! I always make my charges as high as possible! Next you see me do
ing a little artillery practice! When one of those cannon halls hits the enemy it’s a ease of
“Friends and Relatives will please pass around to the right of the casket!” Then you observe
me reviewing the troops! Those brave boys never flinch as long as they get their ehecks regular
ly! And last I show how a soldier does his foraging! Look at that farmer’s face. Har, bar!
Ah, there’s nothing like a military life! Elihu, put down your gun and go and buy me a paek-
age of cigarettes!
The Season of the “Ice Saints”
Centuries Old Puzzle of May’s Cold Days Scientifically Explained
By GARRETT P SERVISS.
There is hope for countless
sufferers in the announce-
ment that Dr. Howard W
Nowell, of Boston, has devel
oped a cancer serum that ar
rests the growth of that hideous destructive agency. Dr. Now
ell makes no claims and warns the world to wait at least a year
before it begins to place confidence in the serum. In other
worus, he auopts the me.-.iod of the true scientist, rather than
do untold harm by announcing a cure that may not be a cure.
Cancer has thus far baffled the medical profession. Save
in few instances where radium has been of benefit, nothing but
drastic operations have served to curb its inroads. If Dr. Now
ell has finally discovered a means of checking it he will deserve
I a place in the annals of medicine beside Pasteur and Lister.
His own language in discussing the results of his labors is
modest and serves to awaken confidence. All the world will
hope that by the end of the senes of ex eriments he is making
the same confidence will be awakened ill "his discovery.
pHE "Ice Saint*” have paid us
their annual visit this
sprint? with their usual
pun duality.
Many persons doubtless have
shivered at their touch without
owing what it was. A word of
therefore neces-
T
kno
ter garments away until they
have passed.
Nearly a century ago the Ger
man astronomer Maedler exam
ined the records for 86 years in
the past, and found that at this
explanatior
sary.
From time immemorial it has
been noticed, in both Europe and
America, that, beginning about
the 10th or 11th of May, a series
of cold days, averaging three, but
sometimes extending over a week,
always interrupts the gradual in
crease in temperature of the air
In spring. Severe frosts and cold
rains occasionally accompany the
sudden falling of the thermome-
Delightful Balminess.
if May sets in. as it did this
year, with delightful balminess, it
Is certain, before the end of Its
second week, to take a backward
step toward win*.er temperatures
The Interruption is not long, or
very serious, but once in a while
It produces disastrous effects
upon early growing plants, and
causes people hastily to resume
some of their discarded winter
garments.
Although thex shift to and fro
a little, yet, upon the average,
these cold days center around
May 10th or 11th. nnd they were
long ago associated with the
imaginary Influence of three or
four saints.
Pinchers of Early Buds.
Their feast da ye occur at this
time, and they are called “Ice
Saints” or Froit Saints.” These
are St Mamertius (May 11), St.
Panorartius (May 12L St. ServR-
tius (May 131 and St. Boniface
(May 14>.
Rabelais said of them that
•’these saints are taken to be
makers of bait, freezers and
pinchers of early buds.*’
In England this cold spell In
Ma\ is sometime 1 ! called “the
black-thorn winter.” and in Scot
land "the Borrowing Days.” al
though they might, perhaps, rath*
*t he (ailed the Paving Days, a*
if the season had been borrow
ing heat from the coming sum
mer. and was suddenly called to
pax up. Many persons aie so sure
«»f the comma of the ”lce Saints”
that they ru xer put all then xx ui-
turbances of pressure and tem
perature. There is a kind of con
flict between the northern and
southern air currents, and an in
terchange of temperatures. This
explanation, on account of its gen
erality, does not clearly explain
the marked tendency of the cold
days to come at almost exactly
the same time every year, on both
sides of the ocean.
In America the cold days are
usually followed about a xveek
later by a remarkable rise of tem
perature. and General Greely has
pointed out ?hat on this side- of
the ocean th* - * warm xx eat her of
the third xveek in May is often
more conspicuous, ih the records,
than the cold spell of the second
xxeek. He shows that at this sea
son loxv pressure atorma common
ly pass across the northern
Enited State.-;, A rawing in warm
air from the south, and these are
followed by high pressure anti
cyclones, which suck down cold
air from British America. The
next passage of loxv pressure cen
ters from west to east draws still
more warm air from the south,
causing a marked rise of temper
ature again, and so on, until at
length summer is established.
Appeals to the Imagination.
Still, the curious punctuality of
the cold days, in which they differ
from all other weather phenom
ena. appeals strongly to the im
agination, suggesting some regu
larly recurring influence more
fixed in character than simple at
mospheric changes usually are
and it will be a long time before
the "common people,” especially
in Europe, abondon their belief in
the “Ice Saints,** xvhlle more
learned persons will continue to
speculate on the possibility of the
intervention of something that
the meteorologists have not yet
discovered.
(0) Fhe Bridge of Lodi #
By DR. T B GREGORY.
I T is reported of Hanna More,
the English woman poet (a
woman writer is no more “po
etess” than a woman artist is an
"arlistess”), that when gossip
about anyone was repeated to her
she said, “Well, let us go at once
to this person and find out how
true this story is,” and she drag
ged the terrified gossiper to the
person under discussion and in
sisted on having the story sifted
to the bottom.
Of course, scandal mongers and
gossipers soon ceased to tell her
the tales they heard; for not one
person in one hundred who hears
a story about another and repeats
it is willing to stand before the
accused and say where the story
originated.
That is the only right and
proper way to do, however, if we
wish to be thought fair in our
dealings with humanity.
When anyone starts to tell you
a tale on condition “that you
swear yourself to secrecy,” let the
matter go no further.
Refuse to Swear Secrecy.
Say In reply, “I will not make
any such promise; I do not want
to hear a tale that I can not hunt
to its source; and if you tell me
scandal about some one I know
I must reserve the right to refer
to you as the informant if it be
comes necessary for me to do so.”
There are occasions when we
must warn one person of associa
tion with another. A very young
girl must be told that the com
panionship of an older woman is
not safe for her reputation, or a
young man (or an older man for
that matter) needs to know that a
certain acquaintance must not he
permitted to become an intimate
friend if he would avoid be
smirching his good name.
In such a case the request not
to repeat the gossip should be
followed by the statement, “If you
find yourself at any time obliged
to speak of this matter, give me
as your informant. I do not want
to take part in an unpleasant
scene unless necessary, but if it
becomes so I will tell what I have
to 'jsay against this party.”
A mother of a young lady In a
hotel ^ had positive proof that a
guest \of the house was unfit to
associate with honest women. She
was living a life of deceit and
infamy. The mother said to her
daughter, “Treat, this woman
whom we»have met here politely,
but she does not strike me as one
who would benefit you by her
association. Do not accept any
invitations from her.
Say Nothing Derogatory.
“Say nothing derogatory of her
to any one. but should she at any
time ask you why you had ceased
to go out with her, re,fer her to
me.”
That was honest and straight
forward dealing. The daughter
was protected from an unsafe as
sociation without hearing mind
soiling facts, while there was no
coward shelter behind a vow of
secrecy taken by the mother.
A young girl was told that one
of her admirers was an unsuit
able man to address a good wom
an. She demanded proof. But
while the first and second infor
mants gave the source of the tale,
the third was sw r orn to secrecy to
protect her informant.
It so happened that this pro
tected informant was possessed
of strong “circumstantial evi
dence” of what she had told. But
she was not brave enough to
come to the front and declare it,
nor wise enough to keep her own
counsel. So she had embroiled
half a dozen people in what seem
ed to be malicious gossip, because
she had told facts w'hich she did
not stand ready to prove.
Don’t Tell Unpleasant Facts.
But those who listened were
equally culpable.
One’s own father or mother has
no right to extract such a promise
when telling unpleasant facts
about another human being;
either the facts should not be
told or the one telling should not
be afraid to be quoted.
Refuse to listen to any story
you can not help to disprove or
prove.
# ® Stop Whining
By BYRON H. STAUFFER.
GARRETT P. SERVISS.
precise time in the year the aver
age temperature in central Europe
always declined suddenly more
than txvo degrees. Often, how
ever. the decline is very much
greater, sufficient, ns already said,
to produce disastrous effects upon
vegetation.
Another German savant. Er-
nmnn. offered the somewhat start
ling suggestion that the cause of
the sudden falling of the ther
mometer before the middle of
May was the annual passage of a
cloud of meteors between the sun
and the earth. This viexx was
accepted as possibly correct by
the English astronomer. K. E.
Proctor, xx ho spoke of the earth
as being at this time in “meteoric
shadoxx.”
How It’s Regarded.
Meteorologists, however, are in
clined to regard the phenomenon
as due merelx to readjustments
in the atmosphere, resulting from
differences of air pressure.
As the sun begins to swing
north after /he spring equinox its
1*41 uia-
I T was one hundred and seven
teen yeaTS ago that the "Lit
tle ('orporal” made his ter
rible passage of the Bridge of
Lodi.” In the thick of the onset
fate seemed to he going against
the young general, when, seizing
the colors and pressing them to
his breast, he rushed into the
midst of the deathhail and bade
his Frenchmen folloxx him. Hyp
notized by his magnificent cour
age, the men obeyed his call, and
in a fexx minutes the victory xvas
won, and the Corsican’s fame was
made.
Battles are won in various
ways by strategy, by tactics, by
overxvHelming numbers, by supe
rior fighting qualities, by any one
of a thousand means, but Lodi
xvas Napoleon’s victory, won by
his own personality, courage and
presence of mind. It is as cer
tain as anything can be in this
world that but for the presence of
Napoleon the battle would have
been won by the Austrians. Thus
early in his career did Napoleon
demonstrate the truth of his
maxim that "in war men are
nothing, the man is everything. '
It is quite * asx to understand
the undying interest of the story
of Napoleon. His inordinate am
bition. his ruthless methods, his
• old-blooded directness, his dti-
uiicity. all of his many faults of
omission and commission, are
( lean forgotten in thinking of his
almost preternatural genius. To
think of a man of twenty-six win
ning that brilliant* Italian cam
paign—a fine prelude to his well-
nigh miraculous career of twen
ty years' duration.
"Hoxx do you win your victo
ries?" was asked of him one day.
“Bless you,” he replied, “it is per
fectly natural to me." What
confidence, even in the man of
twenty-six! in the midst of his
Italian victories, the Directory
sent commissioners to consult
with him. Waving them aside,
he said: "The Commissioners
Directory have no concern with
my policy. ! do xvhat I please.”
This is not conceit. It is sim
ply the perfect confidence of ge
nius. "*-fy movements were as
quick as my thoughts. Trouble
me not with your suggestions.”
H»> knew xx hat he w as doing.
And so the little man won his
Bridge of Lodi—and Milan lay at
his feet. Dazed by the sudden
ness and completeness of the
young general’s moves, duplica
tion after duplication came to
implore his clemency. All Lom
bardi submitted. The Austrian
Military Office xvas ranted, con
founded, paralyzed. Napoleon had
suddenly revolutionized the whcA
art of war.
W ITH all our whining, when
was there a better year
than this of grace nineteen
hundred thirteen?
A hundred years ago the work
ingman’s home was a hovel, built
in awkward rows, in unlighted
sexverless streets. Heaps of gar
bage xvere before the door, scat
tering fever and plague. Father
earned $1.50 per week. Mother
was a beast of burden, too. Chil
dren eight years old worked six
teen hours per day. A little meat
was a luxury; meat was only for
the squire’s family.
A hundred years ago England
consumed six times the amount
of liquor per capita as now.
Gambling and drinking were
wellnigh universal. Saloons of
fered people r fair drunk for a
penny, a dead drunk for two
pence, a dead drunk with straw'
on which to sober up for three
pence.
A hundred years ago the
streets of cities xvere so unsafe
that even the greatest nad no se
curity from thieves. King George
III. lost his purse, watch and
buckles on a dark London street.
A hundred years ago sports
were vicious. Bull-fighting, prize
fighting. cock-fighting, bear-bait
ing were the chief amusements,
with drunkenness and profanity
characterizing the performance.
A hundred years ago English
convicts were sold to work on co
lonial plantations, sometimes for
a limited period and sometimes
for life. The remains of crimi
nals were left hanging in rows
to rot; grinning skulls of execut
ed offenders lined the top of
Temple Bar. Men and women
were (logged through the London
streets. Prisons in England
were the worst in Europe.
A hundred years ago Europe
was just recovering from fifty
years of wild speculation. Our
twentieth century get-rlch-qUick
methods, are child's play compar
ed to the wildcat investments of
the years following the South Sea
Ruhb ‘ A company xvas organ
ized to fish up shipw recks on the
Irish coast, and stock in It went
above par before one wreck had
been raised Another company,
well capitalized, expected to
make salt water fresh. Another
proposed to extract silver from
lead and iron from coal.
A great success in selling stock
was made by speculators organ
izing a company to discover per
petual motion. Another corpor
ation was formed to melt down
sawdust chips, “casting them in
to real boards, without one flaw
or crack." But perhaps the sum
mit was reached when a company
organized “for an undertaking
which in due time was to be re
vealed” sold 2,000 shares of stock
at two guineas each before noon
on the first subscription day.
Cheer up!
My Automobile.
•By PERCY SHAW.
xv/HEN first 1 owned an auto
In the palmy days of yore,
1 ran it with a rapture
1 had never known before.
For autos wSre infrequent.
And all the neighbors said:
"A wonderful young fellow.
With a great financial head."
When first I owned an auto
And I tried to pay my debts.
The storekeepers reproached me
W ith politely voiced regrets.
1 lived sublime on credit,
With diversions and to spare,
And every one predicted
1 would be a millionaire.
tv/HEN last I owned an auto,
’V (’Twas a month ago or more).
1 drove it with depression
I had never felt before.
For autos now are common,
And all the neighbors said:
"He’s just like all the others.
Sold and mortgaged to the head."
When last I owned an auto.
Every tradesman with a bow
Remarked with much politeness
That T’s better pay him now;
My poorest neighbor snubbed me.
As he mentioned with a sneer;
"I notice that your auto
Is a model of last year.”