Indianapolis Times, Volume 42, Number 275, Indianapolis, Marion County, 28 March 1931 — Page 4

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Victim of Politics? Ordinarily the resignation of a superintendent of •chools is of interest only to the city or county which he served. The enforced resignation of Superintendent Borden of South Bend is different. Asa member of the state board of education, Borden was a leader in the fight to save the parents of the state money on school books. He was among the first to protest against changes that would compel new expenditures. Last week he was one of two members of that board who voted to advertise for new* bids, basing his demand on the logical plea that prices of labor and other commodities had been reduced and that the price of books for schools might be expected to follow the general trend. At that time the head of a state educational institution declared that the influence of the book publishers had been such as to attack the dignity of the teaching profession and their influence in appointments and control of schools a disgrace Under the superintendency of Borden the schools of South Bend have been elevated to new standards of efficiency. The school system is political in its control The members of the school board are named by the mayor The present ruling powers of that city would consider it a libel to suggest that they ever miss a chance to play politics and partisan politics They are very practical gentlemen in their outlook upon society. The friendship of the book publishers would not be offensive, if that friendship could add a vote or an office or a campaign contribution. The teaching profession and citizens who believe that the schools should be kept out of politics should be interested In the case of Borden. Is the time here wnen any man who protests in behalf of the people Is to be crucified? 1 — Wilson's Neutrality and Pacifism In his interesting articles on Pulitzer and the World, Forrest Davis refers to Woodrow Wilson's declaration of impartiality, neutrality and pacifism during the World war. He quotes Wilson as saying to Frank Cobb of the World: 'I do not want war, yet I do not know that I can keep the country out of the war. That depends on Germany, and I have no control over Germany. But I intend to handle the situation in such a manner that every American citizen will know that the United States government has done everything it could to prevent war But Wilson knew—indeed, admitted in confidential circles—at that very time that he was in no sense neutral The question of our neutrality during the World war does not involve any preferences for the culture of Britain or of Germany.- It is a simple question of fact. There is no doubt that Britain violated our rights es neutrals far more extensively and flagrantly than did Germany, even to the extent of using the American flag on her merchantmen to escape the German submarines. Imagine our mass horror at the time over any report that a German vessel was using the Stars and Stripes. - Our protests to Britain were half-hearted and /never followed up seriously Indeed. Page assured ' the British foreign office that we did not really mean what we said, and he helped Grey answer the protests of the United States, a procedure which aroused the Indignant comment of the New York Times (Aug. 9, 1925) Secretary Bryan, who was honest and logical, if not profound, protested against this unneutral conduct in his famous letter of April 23, 1915, over the Thrasher case When his honest soul could stand it no longer, he resigned a couple of months later. Bryan clearly proved that the President was applying one kind of international law to Germany and another to Britain Attorney-General Gregory’, a close friend and admirer of Wilson, admitted that Wilson confessed his lack of neutrality to the cabinet Gregory pointed this out in a letter of Jan. 29, 1925, written to the New’ York Times. Several members of the cabinet called Mr Wilson's attention to the fact that the British violations of our rights exceeded those before the War of 1812 Gregory thus described Wilson's response After patiently listening, Mr. Wilson said, in that quiet way of his, that the ordinary’ rules of conduct had no application to the situation; that the allies were standing with their backs to the wall, fighting wild beasts; that we would permit, nothing to be done bv our country to hinder or embarrass them in the prosecution of the war unless admitted rights were violated grossly, and that this policy must be understood as settled. ’ Months before he went before the country in 1916 on the “he kept us out of war" platform, he had sent Colonel House to Europe late in December. 1915, with a plan to put us in the war on the allied side. But his conditions were deemed too fair to Germany and there turned down by the "bitter-enders” among the entente leaders. Whether he called the famous sunrise conference of American Democratic leaders in April, 1916, and urged war, can not be determined at present, but there is as good evidence for it as against it. And it matters little in the light of the House mission in the winter oi 1915-16, Finally. Secretary’ Tumulty, in his “Woodrow Wilson as I Knew Him” (pp.256-B', says that, in the flush of excitement after urging a declaration of war on Germany, Wilson admitted to him that he only had been adroitly ‘'kidding - ' the American people into believing him neutral, pacific and long-suffering. It may have been a great feat of statesmanship to put us into the war. but it was not any triumph or outcome of honest neutrality. Local Anesthetic Anesthetic may be as desirable for social misery as for physical pain. If so, the appeal of the National Recreation Association is not without merit. This organization just has issued a bulletin calling attention to the value of recreational centers as an aid in the unemployment crisis. They point out the value of recreation in relieving the mental suffering of the unemployed and in improving the state of health of those out of work. Nothing is said about the possibility that hard playmay increase the appetites of the participants. Playgrounds without breadlines may be indirect but organized cruelty. It is pointed out that the attendance at playgrounds and recreational centers has increased enormously since the depression set in. This doubtless is a good symptom, and serves to prevent violence and confusion, which might result if men stood around sullenly to nurse their grudges. But it must be remembered that pleasantly to distract a mans mind from his misfortunes does not find him a job and put him to work.

More cogent Is the statement of the association

The Indianapolis Times (A SCEIPPB-HOWAKU NEWSPAPER) Owned and published dally (except Sunday) by The Indlanapolla Times Publishing Cos., 214-220 West Maryland Street Indianapolis. Ind. Price in Marion County. 2 cents a copy: elsewhere. 3 cents—delivered by carrier. 12 cauts a week. BOYD GURLEY. ROY W HOWARD. FRANK G. MORRISON. Editor President Business Manager PHONE—Riley SMI SATURDAY. MARCH 28. 1931. Member of United Press Scrlpps-Howard Newspaper Alliance. Newspaper Enterprise Association Newspaper Information Service and Audit Bureau of Circulations. “Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way."

that now is the time to plan extensions to recreational facilities for public use. Asa nation, we play far too little. Now would be a splendid time to provide the physical basis for more adequate physical recreation in the days to come. It would provide work for many unemployed right now’ and it would create an opportunity to cultivate a beneficial form of activity in future periods of leisure which are not enforced by economic depression. Bread Arithmetic Farm prices are the lowest in twenty years, the department of agriculture reports. The mid-Febru-ary farm price of wheat of 58.7 cents a bushel was 43 per cent below that of a year ago. Meanwhile, the average retail price of bread, according to the bureau of labor statistics, has declined from 8.9 cents a pound to 8.2 cents. This is a drop of 8 per cent. A bushel of wheat will make 6ixty-two loaves of bread, and bakers argue that the drop in price of wheat from a year ago means less than a cent a loaf in the cost of the flour used But it certainly behooves the farmer to do his own baking It would cost him So and more to buy the bread from the wheat for which he got his 58.7 cents. This seems like a rather large spread, and the same thing is true with other commodities to greater or less degree. Other Tammanies In trying to hang the latest Tammany scandals on the national Democratic party as a coming issue, Republican headquarters nr Washington will not get very far. Tammany is not a national issue and can not be made one Whenever Republicans attempt to lug it into the national campaign, voters with half an eye will see that this is merely a clumsy trick t oobscure real national issues, such as unemployment, power, civil liberties, tariff and prohibition. If the national electorate would not “turn the rascals out” when those rascals were federal officials in the Harding administration, voters outside New York need not be expected to get excited about Tammany. Being less hypocritical than some of the Republican politicians, voters in the rest of the country know that Tammany has no copyright on city corruption. Municipal crookedness in Chicago, Philadelphia. and elsewhere is sufficient to keep those citizens busy cleaning in their own backyards. The only national aspect of Tammany corruption as such is that Tammany delegates sit in Democratic national conventions—just as the racket ring of Chicago has a hand in Republican national conventions. But fortunately local Tammany corruption does not smear the national Democratic party, any more than Chicago Republican racketeers run the Hoover administration.

Business Folly Certain manufacturers of New England and elsewhere are beginning to slash wages. In the face of the promise made by employers to President Hoover a year ago, in face of the virtual unanimity among intelligent employers that wage slashing will prolong the depression, in face of the united warning of economists that return to prosperity depends on restoring the buying power of the wage-earners, it seems incredible that manufacturers should return to low-wage standards. On the same day that F*esident Green of the A. F of L. and Dr Julius Klein of the commerce department called public attention to this wage-cut campaign, John P. Frey, labor economist, showed that American workmen today actually are receiving less of the product of their toil than in 1849. Then the wage-earner got 23.3 per cent of the value of the finished product; now' he gets 16.5 per cent. The amazing wealth that machinery has added has gone into other pockets than the worker's. The breach between the value of our manufactured products and the workers’ share of that value is widening. If the home market is not to collapse, this breach must be narrowed Higher wages will narrow it. American industry has a big job on its hands to absorb its 6,050,000 unemployed It will fail if it kills its consumers’ market by cutting wages. They’re not going by automobile, but the Wilkins expedition to the north pole will have to get out and get under just the same

REASON

THE other night we listened with great interest to the radio address of Mrs. Herbert Hoover, for it was well written and splendidly delivered. a a tt We were surprised at her ease before the microphone. for it's the test of one’s composure. Many veterans of the stage and platform shrink from it. some of them being frozen by fright. s a o You have noticed that certain artists are accompanied by laughter and applause when they speak in the studios. This means that they require visible audiences when they go on the air, and responsive friends are placed in the studio. a a a THIS enables one to proceed with the same naturalness, as if addressing an ordinary crowd of folks, and this naturalness is the effect for which all radio . neakers strive. If one can attain it, his future is assured, provided he has, in addition, something to deliver. 0 33 And so it was surprising to listen to the President’s wife as she addressed the mike as naturally as if speaking to a group of friends in the White House. If Mrs. Hoover ever desires a radio engagement, she can get it after this performance. 3 0 0 But our enjoyment of her number was marred for a moment by some static, furnished by one of the kids, it coming in the form of a crash of glassware just as Mrs. Hoover was concluding. 0 0 3 IT was like this. One of the goldfish appeared to have passed out. Yes, it was as rigid as a ramrod, floating on its side, apparently as dead as King Tut, whereupon the kid in question remarked that he had heard in school that a bowl of salt water would bring back a departed fish. 3 0 0 So he tried it and little by little that fish came back. It acually did; for a few minutes he had a struggle, but it was not long before he resumed his former activity and was returned to the fresh water bowl and there he swam about, apparently no worse for wear. In bringing him in to display him, the kid dropped the bowl and broke it and we had to hold the dog

until the fish were rescued. That warfthe static.

bv

THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

M. E. Tracy SAYS: _

How Many Great Novels Can You Think of Without Theft, Murder . or Some Other Villainy to Furnish an Excuse for the Hero? T T ARRISBURG. Pa., March 28. if this man Burke is worth all the headlines, he is worth some comment. Those who pretend to interpret the news can not ignore him, or his kind, and play the part they should. Neither is it enough to argue whether all the headlines are justified. The situation includes more than distracted editors hunting for copy. Contrary to popular opinion, editors, no matter how distracted they may be, have comparatively little say so about the general character of news. The general character of news is determined by prevailing tastes, whether bom of tradition, excitement, or some pasing whim. The taste which decrees front page space for such men as Burke is not only of ancient origin, but owes much of its strength to some of our more exalted literature. a n Great Authors Used It PEOPLE of a. certain type are forever complaining at the amount of crime news which is published It encourages crime, they contend, and less of it would help to solve the crime problem. Not pausing to discuss that point, what about the great books and plays which have acquired such a reputation that even the boldest reformer, or most fanatical crusader would not think of questioning them? Take them as a whole—Shakespeare, Scott, Hugo, Dickens, Dumas, and the rest, and don’t they revolve around crime to a greater extent than the average newspaper? How many great novels, or dramas. can you think oi, without murder, theft or some sort of vll- j lainy to furnish an excuse for the : hero?

Not Fault of the Press INTEREST in men of Fred Burke's stripe was not created by newspapers. If it had been, we wouldn’t be hearing so much about Captain Kidd, Rob Roy, Robin Hood, Dick Turpin, Jesse Janies, Billy the Kid, and a thousand more like them who have been made virtually immortal by popular fancy. Ten thousand years of glorification for brass buttons, blood, and violence have woven this taste into our very nature, Otherwise, how could we accept a system of politics and diplomacy which, though willing to spend everything for the protection of children against accident and disease, is quite content, to make cannon fodder of them, once they reach maturity? Fred Burke symbolizes war on a small scale, trial by combat, brute courage, the fighter who is ready to try anything once. Not only youth, but a, lot of us old fogies, are intrigued by his sheer foolhardiness and largely because of the kind of books, monuments, songs,, and pictures on which we have been brought up If the papers didn't give us all the details, we’d start a flock of new ones before another sunset

He's Center of Attention THE vast majority of people want to read about Burke not only because of what he has done to others, but because of what others now will do to him. He is good for a nation-wide story everytime he cracks a smile, smokes a cigaret, or snarls at somebody from now until the end. Twenty murders, a million dollar’s worth or robbery, rewards totaling $50,000 on his head and successful defiance of the greatest country on earth for several years—that’s almost equal to Macßeth or Borgia. Os course, some addle-pated boys will be moved to try the game because of the headlines it brings, .just as such boys were moved by neighborhood gossip before headlines ever were dreamed of. ft n # Competition for Outlaws THERE is little new in the situation. except that both printed and spoken words are running less and less to outlawry all the while, and that worthier subjects are receiving more and more attention. Two struggles have been going on since the dawn of consciousness —one between man and man; the other between man and nature. Science has made the latter interesting enough to rob the former of much of its old-time glamour. The outlaw of today must compete with the Lindberghs and Einsteins for publicity, and those who follow the news need no one to tell them what a tough break he is getting, in spite of all the two, four or eight-column heads.

r “nadAyr©' wter

BIRTH OF COME NIL'S March 28

ON March 28, 1592, Johann Amos Comenius, a leading figure in the history of education, was born in Moravia. Though he did important work in the Moravian church, and was a prominent figure in the Baconian attempt to organize all human knowledge in the encyclopaedic movement, Comenius exerted his most permanent influence in practical educational work. Comenius was the first organizer and teacher of schools, not only among his own people, but later in Sweden and Holland. In his “Great Didactic” he outlines a system of schools that is the exact counterpart of the existing American system of education, from kindergarten to university. Comenius also was the first to formulate the idea of “education according to nature,’’ a theory so influential in later generations. Another aspect of his educational influence was that- on the subject matter and method of education, exerted through a series of textbooks of an entirely new nature. He composed the first picture book successfully adapted to teaching of children.

BELIEVE IT or NOT

famous English wriTeV ' mi asicn w ATE A POUMD Os OPIUM A DA y! causing, me* (enougkTo kill 1100 people) f JlgL* **

Following is the explanation of Ripley's “Believe It or Not” which appeared in Friday’s Times An eel can swim from the Atlantic to the Pacific through United States—To swim through the United States from the Atlantic to the Pacific, an eel could go up the Mississippi and Missouri to the Yellowstone river, thence through Yellowstone lake to Two Ocean pass. At this point a small

DAILY HEALTH SERVICE Bad Posture Can Be Corrected

By DR. MORRIS FISHBEIN Editor, Journal of the American Medical Association and of Hygeia. the Health Magazine. A STR AIGHT back is a handsome attribute. Round shoulders indicate relaxation, weakness, and fatigue. Stooped or round shoulders may result from incorrect sitting or standing. It may be due to the habitual carrying of a heavy load on the back It may be associated with tight garters and clothes that hang from the shoulders. This type of faulty posture Is corrected easily by proper instruction, proper dress, and suitable exercises. It may be necessary in some cases for a specialist to apply a brace or some apparatus to hold the shoulders and back in proper position long enough for the person to develop a correct posture. Associated with round or stooped shoulders there are on occasion

IT SEEMS TO ME * TEST

WHEN the pope’s encyclical concerning birth control was issued, I took the ground that nonCatholics had no logical cause for criticism. It seemed to ms that here was the head of a great church interpreting to his own parishioners the theological attitude of the Catholic church upon the question of contraception. Several letter-writers asasiled me with the charge that this was a namby-pamby attitude for one who professed to be a fervent believer in birth control. But it seems to me that several local Catholic clergymen have attempted to make the encyclical cover too much ground. The decision of the Federal Council of Churches of Christ in America to give guarded approval to birth control has now met bitter criticism from a number of priests. Hitting the Nail THE issue was distinctly confused by the Rev. Dr. Fulton J. Sheen, who preached in St. Patrick's cathedral, and said: “The whole history of humanity testifiees that there are two things which delfght the heart of man, namely, the spirit which is in wine and the gaiety which is in a child. “Both of these are forbidden, first by prohibiting the vine and now by prohibiting the child. They

People’s Voice

Editor Times —Well, once more Indiana has been weighed in the balance and found wanting. Governor Leslie’s veto message on the old age pension bill showed an attitude in no wise conforming to the best minds in welfare work. It is tragic that a state which has so many good points can't pick big men for public office. Every intelligent person in Indiana knows that the poorhouse method of caring for old men and women is wrong. It is unjust, often positively inhuman. * So the Governor probably didn’t ; impress very many Hoosiers when . he mentioned only Delaware as a ! state having the pension system, passing over thirteen others, most ! of them much larger than Delaware, including New York, Massa- | chusetts and California. WILBUR H. MILLER. 408 N. Forrest street. Is it against the law to deface United States coins? It is not against the law to deface coins, but it Is illegal to put defaced coins into circulation.

On request, sent with stamped addressed envelope, Mr. Ripley will furnisn proof of anything depicted by him.

stream divides, half going to the Atlantic by way of Yellowstone river, and half to the Pacific by way of Pacific creek, Snake river and the Columbia river, down which the eel could go, coming into the Pacific ocean at Cape Disappointment. Frank H. Pickering has traveled 1,187,900 miles on street cars—F. H. Pickering, now 73 years of age, has spent forty-two years in the

cases of twisted backs due to wrong standing or due to overloading the weight on the spine or spinal column by some occupation. • There are, of course, diseases which break down the strength of the tissure or which interfere with their action so that the tendency of the spine is to curve either to one side or to the other, or perhaps forward and backward Associated with this curving of the spine may be digestive disturbances, and sometimes pressure on the lungs and on the heart, sufficient to cause difficulty in breathing, pain, and a rapid pulse. Development of the modern specialty of orthopedic surgery has meant great relief for people with twisted spines who formerly had to go through life gradually becoming worse and invariably objects of pity or contempt. The kings chose as their court

have made bootleggers out of citizens; now they will make bootleggers out of storks.” This sounds very much like a discourse written for the sake of the phrase concerning the storks. In the first place, I have met no one who even suggests that contraception shall be made compulsory. The most that any one advocates is that the information should be of easy access through daily licensed physicians. It is the notion that those who want and need advice shall be permitted to obtain it. Again, it might as well be pointed out for the millionth time that birth control does not mean the end of child-bearing. Its advocates hope to bring into the community the possibility of reasonable spacing and protection of those unable to bear healthy children or to maintain them after birth. It is, to a large extent, a campaign not against life, but against death. The wide dissemination of contraceptive information ought to war against the high mortality which exists always among unwanted children. u n tt Free Opinions VOLUNTARY parenthood is not a plan which would keep anybody from getting acquainted With the gaiety of the child. If one concedes, as I do, that good Catholics have a perfect right to reject contraception on religious grounds, it seems to me to follow that this church should not undertake to interfere with the decision of other churches which are operating under a different dogma. Tire Catholic clergy well may consider tire Protestant schism a tragic error. But the Catholic clergy should be realistic enough to accept it as a fact. And so it seems to me a tasteless thing for the Rev. Fr. Cox, in a sermon at the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola, to say: “The position taken by the Protesant committee last Friday was based on poor economics, worse morality, and worldliness, however unconscious'” And again I object to the sermon of the Rev. Austin Luckenbell, who said: “Divorce and birth control mean selling one’s soul for selfishness—disloyalty to the great leadership of Jesus Christ. “Had there been no disloyal children, there would have been no protestant reformation and Christendom would still be united.” To put it bluntly, the Catholic church should find ample occupation in attending to the spiritual need of its own. To put it still more bluntly, a great many Catholics, in many parts of the world, do practice

K\j KegHtercd 0 s. LP V i areot Offtra RIPLEY

service of the Utah Light and Traction Company, Salt Lake City, during which time he has operated horse-drawn vehicles as well as electric ones. According to the official records of that company, he has traveled 1.187,900 miles piloting street cars through the Salt Lake streets. Monday: “A Powerful Boat That Can Not Propel Itself.”

jesters hunchback', who were merely cases of disease not helped by the primitive knowledge of their times. Modern scientific orthopedic surgery provides corrective exercises and braces which improve these conditions. Iu severe cases, plast er-nf-paris jackets are used, gradually modifying them to meet the improvement. As any one can realize, the earlier treatment is begun, the greater is the possibility of complete cure. The children who incline to have twisted spines are generally delicate, weakly children who need proper diet and suitable hygiene to build up their nutrition and to increase their resistance. There are exercises and gymnastics and the use of right braces that do much for these patients until they become strong enough to undergo the more rigorous forms of treatment.

tdeais and opinions expressed in this column are those of one of America's most interesting writers and are presented without regard to their agreement or disagreement with the editorial attitude of this paper.—The Editor.

birth control, despite of encyclicals and other commands. Let the church, through its excellent organization and high power of disciplinary action, bring the erring brothers and sisters of its own fold into line before it undertakes to upbraid denominations which are defintely beyond the border of its theological kingdom n n xf Always Has Been BIRTH control as an economic issue and as a medical issue is quite a different matter. I was surprised to read that the Rev. Ft. Ignatius W. Fox said to the Catholic Physicians’ Guild: “You Catholic doctors are fully aware that contraceptives are bad medicine as wel as bad morality.’ ’ That very well may be a fair statement of the opinion of Catholic physicians. But in modern days one goes to his clergyman for religion and to his doctor for medicine. This separation is almost as important as that of church and state. It seems to me that Catholic theology should be left to Catholic theologians, that Protestant theology belongs to Protestant clergymen, that medicine is the business of doctors and that an economic issue can be decided most wisely by economists. (Copyright. 1331. br The Times)

Your Child’s Curiosity About the facts of life and sex is a natural, normal, healthy curiosity. It is implanted by nature. And it rests with you, as an intelligent parent, whether your children shall learn the facts of sex and birth in a decent, healthy manner, or whether they shall obtain distorted and filthy ideas from the gutter. In the one case you have started your children toward the road of clean living and intelligent comprehension of the sex question: in the other case, their lives may be warped and perhaps ruined. Our Washington Bureau has ready for you a copy of its bullet TEACHING CHILDREN THE FACTS OF SEX that will tell you just ho wto go about satisfying the normal curiosity that your children develop on this subject. Pill cut the coupon below and send for it: CLIP COUPON HERE Dept. 121, Washington Bureau The Indianapolis Times 1222 New York avenue, Washington, D. C I want a copy cf the bulletin TEACHING CHILDREN THE FACTS OF SEX, and inclose herewith 5 cents in coin or loos:- uncanceled United States postage stamps to cover return postage and handling NAME STREET AND NUMBER CITY STATE . . • I am a reader of The Indianapolis Times. Code No.)

MARCH 28, 1931

SCIENCE —BY DAVID DIETZ

Oil of Vitriol Is Vital Element in Industry of World. A THICK, colorless, oily liquid, much heavier than water, a liquid which chars paper and cloth like fire, which hisses like somothing alive when it touches water, and which is capable of dissolving human flesh, is at the basis of the machine age. Without this powerful oily liquid, mankind soon would find itself without steel, gasoline, lubricating oil, electric storage batteries, galvanized iron, white paper, leather, celluloid, dyestuffs, and a great array of synthetic products, drugs and the like. The liquid is oil of vitriol, also sometimes called concentrated sulphuric acid. Commercial sulphuric acid is made by diluting oil of vTriol with water. Sulphuric acid is required in the making of dynamite. Without dynamite. most mining processes would come to a halt and the world soon would find itself without an adequate supply of metals. All the other products mentioned require sulphuric acid in their manufacture. The machine age frequently is called the age of steel. It just as well might be called the age of sulphuric acid, for the manufacture of this acid now is one of the basic industries of the world. If the art of its manufacture was lost tomorrow, every industry in the world would be crippled

World Index Figures tell the story of uv* growth of the importance osulphuric acid in the modern worlA In 1899, the production of sulphurt* acid in the United States had a value of $7,300,000 In 1927, itl value was $47,000,000. World figures are available for 1925. The total production of sulphuric acid in that year amounted to 15,580,000 tons The United States was the leading producer, furnishing 6.300,000 tons Germany was second with 1,800,000 tons, while Great Britain was third with 1.300,000. Germany, however, had a larger production before the World war. In 1913, for example, it produced 2,700,000 tons. So fundamental is sulphuric acid to the modern v’orld that its market is regarded as a general index of world conditions. Sulphuric acid has been known for many centuries. In Sicily, and other parts of the earth where there are volcanqes, yellow, crumbly rocks are found, known as brimstone Brimstone is sulphur. The old alchemists discovered that when sulphur was burned over water, it caused the water to become acid. Fundamentally, the chemical process of manufacturing sulphuric acid is not an Involved one. Sulphur when burned turns to a gas called sulphur dioxide. If sulphur dioxide can be made to combine with more oxygen, it forms sulphur trioxide, another gas. This when dissolved in water, combines with the water to form sulphuric acid

An Acid Rain SULPHURIC acid is manufactured today from sulphur or brimstone and also from various sulphur compounds. One of these, known as iron pyrites, is a compound of iron and sulphur with so high a sulphur content that it can be burned like brimstone. The start of the commercial man ■ ufacture is a simple burning to change the sulphur to sulphur dioxide. The next step is slightly more complicated. It is not so simple to make the sulphur dioxide absorb the extra oxygen which turns it into sulphur trioxide To accomplish this, it is necessary to use a catalyst, a substance which itself does not enter into the reaction, but which promotes and accelerates the desired reaction. In one process, known as the contact process, the sulphur dioxide and oxygen are passed at high tem • perature through screens of platinum or vanadium. The metal acts as a catalyzer and brings about the desired formation of sulphur triOxide The other process is known as the chamber process. In it a gas, the oxide of nitrogen, is used as the catalyst. This second process is carried on commercially in great lead cham - bers of 150,000 cubic feet capacity. Into the chamber, sulphur dioxide, air (which contains oxygen), a slight amount of oxide of nitrogen, and steam are admitted. Sulphur trioxide is formed in the chamber and this in turn combines will the steam to form sulphuric acid. Asa result, an acid rain, a cor rosive, sour drizzle, falls to the floor of the chamber. This Is a low concentration of sulphuric acid. If sufficiently concentrated, it become oil of vitriol. DAILY Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince.—Proverbs 17:7. Be swift to hear, slow to speak Cleobulus.