Indianapolis Times, Volume 43, Number 8, Indianapolis, Marion County, 20 May 1931 — Page 4

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A Foolish Refusal Those Chicago workers who refused an advance oi 25 cents a day to which they were entitled under a contract drawn before the dark days, were as foolish as industrialists and capitalists who are demanding a reduction of wages for all workers. The only way in which prosperity can be courted is by increasing the purchasing power of the people. There can be no real business activity until large numbers of men and women have something to spend. The one way to get money into circulation is to inflate wages and not reduce them. If only one industry could try the experiment of doubling wages instead of cutting them, the influence would be tremendous. It would be the start of another cycle, just as inevitable as the start down hill carried with it increasing momentum and increasing unemployment. When the factor of large debts, both public and private, is put into the problem it makes increases of wages an inevitable step. These debts were largely incurred at high prices of commodities and comparatively high prices for labor. To attempt to pay them with cheap goods and cheap labor is an impossibility. Some financier or industrialist will take the lead some day and declare that there must be cheap dollars but no cheap men in this country. ,

An Innocuous Program Publication of the program for the conference of Governors at French Lick reveaiS the fact that no Important'or pressing problem is to be discussed. That is because the Governors are in politics, and good politics suggests that controversial subjects be dismissed from consideration. Just now every state is faced by the big problem of jobless men. of great need for public charity, of dislocation of the economic system. It might seem that the Governors of the states would devote some of their time to this problem, to suggest some way to the national government whereby this widespread distress could be alleviated. They should know as much about conditions as congressmen. They should be in a position to know what assistance the states might give and then offer that co-operation to the national government. Even if the Governors disagree on the causes of unemployment should be able to admit that it exists and that government must take a hand in its solution, at least in curbing the distress that it produces. It is not necessary to estimate the effect of the tariff laws, the centralization of wealth, the growth of special privilege in order to see the workless men in large industrial centers and the plight of the farmers in the rural districts. Here was a chance to make a real contribution, but it appears that the Governors limit themselves to topics which are innocuous. The discussions will be about as important to the public as mammy songs, and probably not as entertaining.

The Wages of Privilege (An Editorial from “Eabor”) Railroad men engaged in train and engine service —engineers, firemen, conductors, brakemen and switchmen —long have been called the “aristocrats of the labor world! the crafts with high wages and fine working conditions.” They do not admit the accuracy of the description, but, for the moment, their objection can be disregarded. According to the interstate commerce commission the average number of men engaged in this service in 1929 was 306,566, and the total pay for that year was $775,977,397. This works out at an average of $2,531.19 a year each. , By comparison with the average wage of cotton mill workers—which is $747 a year—such income seems high indeed. It shows the difference between unions and no unions. But suppose we compare the total Income of these railroad workers with the net income of some really fortunate persons. According to the United States treasury department, 504 men had net incomes of $1,000,000 or more each during that same year. The net profits of these 504 men totaled $1,185,135,300. That is to say, the net gains of 504 privilege holders were 53 per cent greater than the total income of 306,566 workers, often described, however inaccurately, as "the aristocrats of the working world.” The 504 could have paid the total wages of the 306,566 and still will have about $410,000,000 left—a mere trifle of SBOO,OOO apiece. If one could get the exact figures the comparison would be stronger still. The “average number" working at any craft is far smaller than the number of men who get their living from that craft. In addition to the trains and engine service crews, the I. C. C. lists two other groups of workers as directly engaged in transportation. These include a wide range of occupations—baggage tenders, dispatchers. telegraphers, truckmen, etc.—lumped as “others.” Counting all these various transportation workers together, the "average” number employed during 1929 was 521,025. They received total pay of $1,120,710,037; while the 504 richest men in the United States, in the same year, collected $1,185,135,330. In other words, the 500 beat the 500,000 by a mere trifle of $65,000,000 a year. If there is to be any wagecutting in this country try it on the wages of privilege. Richer Utilities Pi-ofits of utility companies increased by nearly forty-four million dollars last year, while the rest of the country was struggling to keep its head above the bitter waters of depression. And this was not due to any statistical trick. In 1929 the utilities had shown their largest profit up to that time. The increase last year broke all records for the second time. Probably if the utilities had not been so prosperous last year, the immediate hardships of the depression would have been more painful than they .were. Allied Industries would have suffered. More men -'ould have been thrown out of work. More wages would have been cut ~ Yet it is becoming recognized more generally tha*

The Indianapolis Times (A SCRIPPS-HOWARI) NEWSPAPER) Owned and published daily (except Sunday) by The Indianapolis 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 cents a week. BOYD GURLEY. ROY W. HOWARD. FRANK G. MORRISON. E ' lltor I resident Business Manager PHONE—Riley .1531 WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 1931. Member of United Presa, Seripps-Howard Newspaper Alliance. Newspaper Enterprise Assoelation. Newspaper Information Service and Audit Bureau of Hreulations “Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way.”

an underlying cause of the new depression is overconcentration of wealth; that some of us have too much money, and some too little to buy goods. And the utilities are concentrating wealth more rapidly than any other industry. They sell a product which has come to be an essential of American life. Industry can not operate without power. All except the very poorest homes use it. Rural homes depend upon it. And the utilities sell without competition, except that furnished by public enterprise in a few scattered regions. They have been allowed to build up amazing unregulated holding company structures, which make possible extraction of profits beyond all reason. No one wishes to see the utilities impoverished. Yet if we are to solve this problem of too rapid concentration of wealth, this is one place to begin the study. i A New Supreme Court? There are stories which cause more fireworks and get bigger headlines every day, but we are inclined to believe that the new development in the United States supreme court is just about the biggest Washington news of the decade. During the senate fights last year over the nominations of Charles Evans Hughes and John J. Parker as public was reminded of the unpleasant fact that the supreme court was making a mockery of our democratic institutions. It had become a super-congress, in effect making and unmaking laws. It was reading medieval and reactionary prejudices into the Constitution. However sincerely the justices were acting, a majority too often allowed its anti-social preferences to color its legal decisions—the highest law in the land from which there is no appeal this side of Paradise. The issue was not conservatism versus liberalism. The issue was the Constitution versus a dictatorship of property rights. Too often only that brilliant minority of two, Holmes and Brandeis, was on the side of the Constitution and human rights. Now that is changing. Repeatedly during the last year the three youngest members of the court—Roberts, Hughes and Stone—have joined with Holmes and Brandeis, turning the old minority ink) a majority. To what extent the attitude of the three new members is explained by their admittedly superior intellects, or to what extent their attitude is influenced unconsciously by the higher standards of supreme court integrity set by public discussion during the last year, is a matter of interesting but perhaps fruitless speculation. ' Here are some of the new majority’s decisions on Monday: In the Yetta Stromberg case, it once more exposed California “justice” and threw out that state's red flag law as unconstitutional. There the- question was constitutional human rights. In other cases it refused to be blinded by property rights. It upheld the constitutionality of the Indiana law imposing a graduated tax on chain stores—without, of course, passing on the virtue or evil of the law, which was none of its business. It upheld the validity of the Boulder Dam act. It upheld the Ohio excise tax on public utilities. It upheld an order of the California railroad commission against three western roads refusing to use a union station in Los Angeles. It declined to review a public utility case against the city of Indianapolis. It threw r out an invalid patent on the carbon dioxide method of refrigerating foodstuffs. Finally, the court upheld the right of the government to refuse oil and gas prospecting permits in the interest of conservation. Whatever the cause, these typical decisions of the supreme court’s new majority are hopeful and tremendously significant. There w T ere 230,00tf more telephone messages received at the White House last year than in the previous year. It seems that the administration is called up as well as down. Several mid-western towns have given up supportting baseball teams. To them, it is still the national pastime, with the accent on the “past.” A Minnesota judge has sentenced a robber to go to bed every night at 10 o’clock for the next five years. But isn’t this another under-cover job?

REASON BY FI K K

THIS republican government of Spain is going to confiscate the property of the recent king, which seems a good idea, since neither he nor any of his folks ever earned it. They just grabbed it. a a a Times have changed since the days of the French revolution when the kings of other countries thought they should restore the fallen Louis to his throne. The few kings now left in Europe are too intent on holding their uncertain stations to worry about the fate of a royal brother. tt a u THE thrones are falling, but this does not mean that world peace is any nearer, since the two most menacing military establishments in Europe are Russia, which has killed its emperor, and Italy, which has canned its king. a tt a We do not take much stock in this lie detecting machine which they tried on Kirkland in his trial up at Valparaiso, for there are lots of men in this world who can lie more easily than they can tell the truth, and the telling of a lie would not increase their blood pressure half so much as the accidental telling >f the truth. * M tt IF, however, the lie detector should come into common use, we can see a fortune in it for the manufacturers, for the demand would be overwhelming. It would take much romance out of the world, but it would feather the nest of the stockholders. a tt n Every wife who has a night owl for a husband and every husband who had a night owl for a wife would buy one detector at least, even though they had to pay cash. Can’t you see them hanging detectors on each other at 3 a. m.? tt a m AND what a field there would be for them In politics. After the candidate had made his speech, the attending mechanic would ascend the platform and attach the detector, the result of which would be recorded in a large thermometer which even those in the back row could see. a a a But the greatest benefit would come from applying them to the salesmen of blue sky stock after they have broadcast their alluring assurances of sudden opulence. It probably would chase all blue sky artists off the map and this would be a lasting benefit to the suckers. a a a— There’s no limit to the possibilities of the thing and everybody would be in its use on—everybody else. w , m

THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

M. E. Tracy SAYS:

The Great Problem in America Still Is the More Equitable Distribution of Wealth. SECRETARY OF LABOR DOAK issues a warning against wage cuts, not that any are in prospect, as he is careful to point out, but to be on the safe side. The warning is well timed. Though most industrial leaders have shown a disposition to maintain the existing wage scale, certain bankers have gone out of their way to urge its reduction. Why bmkers should disagree with industrial leaders over such a question, at such a time, is hard to explain, except that their idea of safety is to make the other fellow give up something. As Secretary Doak says, wage reductions would be in order because of the fall in commodity prices, if workers had been getting their just share of the profits. Income tax returns, however, leave little dcubt that our so-called era of prosperity did vastly more to make millionaires than to improve things for the average worker. The great problem in America still is a more equitable distribution of wealth. a a a Poor Policy for Bankers IN times like these, it is small minded to suppose that anything helpful or constructive could be accomplished by reducing the pay of those at the foot of the line. Asa matter of common sense, general wage cutting only would add to the depression and postpone recovery. Industrial leaders understand this. The majority of them not only have done splendid work, but have risked a great deal in some instances to keep up the wage scale. Bankers should be the last to discourage such a policy.

Sophistry Vs, Sense THE United States supreme court has decided that three boroughs of New York City can not mess up the beaches of New Jersey by dumping garbage in Atlantic ocean. Defendants argued that the supreme court had no jurisdiction, because the garbage was dumped beyond the three-mile limit. The court held, however, that such contention was better sophistry than law, since the garbage not only originated inside the three-mile limit, but drifted back to cause damage inside the three-mile limit, no matter where it had been dumped. The supreme court also upholds Indiana in levying a graduated tax by which the owner of a large group of stores pays bigger fees for each store than the owner of a small group. It was one of those "5 to 4” decisions which have become so famous in our judicial history. The rate levied by Indiana was $3 for a single store, $lO for each of the next four, with a rise for every additional five until a maximum of $25 had been reached. Admittedly the rate is not excessive, but the supreme court decision would appear to open the way for any rate which is not confiscatory. a a a Enough Other Troubles ABBE LEMAITRE of Louvain university says that the universe may have sprung from one big atom through the process of division or disintegration. That is diametrically opposed to the Nebular hypothesis, whch used to be held in such high favor, but what’s the difference? When it comes to creation, whether of the universe or a microbe, we still are hopelessly in the dark. Besides, there are too many smaller problems which call for attention. By way of illustration, should a girl come to high school in her pajamas? The assistant principal of a Brooklyn high school thinks it rather improper, but says she can’t do anything if the parents insist. As another illustration, should a wife’s alimony be reduced because she formerly was a waitress? A Chicago court answered that one by ordering Hugo Myer to pay his third divorced wife $75 a week in spite of the fact that his counsel said it was too much because of her previous condition. Incidentally, Meyer is paying his first wife SI,OOO a month alimony, and his second SBOO. a a a Some More ‘Peace’ WE poor mortals seem never at a loss for something to quarrel about. Can’t even hold a good-will meeting, without risking a row, as was illustrated in New York Monday night. Five hundred sponsors of peace, harmony and fellowship had assembled at Town hall to celebrate ‘‘international good-will day.” Things went smoothly until the Rev. John Haynes Holmes, the last speaker, denounced the air maneuvers now going on at Dayton, 0., and offered a resolution calling on President Hoover to stop them. “I refuse to put such a motion,” said James W. Girard, who was presiding, whereupon, there was a free-for-all hissing, booing and cheering match.

Questions and Answers

Hpw old is Henry Ford? Sixty-seven years. What is the address of David Lloyd George? 2S Old Queen street, S. W. 1, London, England. What kind of a government has Cuba? It is a self-governing republic. How is Greenwich pronounced? According to Standard Dictionary it is “grin-ij.” What was the last motion picture in which Milton Sills appeared? "The Sea WcJf.” What five nations have the highest merchant fleet tonnage? ' In 1930 the tonnage was: Great Bitain, 20,438,444; United States, 13,946,846; Japan, 4,316,804; Germany, 4,229,235, and Norway, 3,668,289.

-sail wife- —

Cocoa With Water Helps Child Little

BY DR. MORRIS FISHBEIN Editor, Journal of the American Medical Association and of Hygeia, the Health Magazine. IT has been a well-defined impression in the past that tea, coffee, and caffein - containing drinks are bad for children. On the other hand, there has been a general belief that cocoa is not harmful. On this subject, Dr. Lydia Roberts points out that few, if any, experiments have been performed directly on children to establish these impressions scientifically. Most of the evidence is derived from studies on animals. It is, of course, known that the active principles of tea and coffee, namely, caffein and theobromine, are drugs which in sufficient amounts produce definite effects on the body, the effect depending on the amount given, the way it is given, the condition of the

IT SEEMS TO ME BY H Sn OD

NO American is in good position to criticise the French for choosing Doumer in preference to Briand. They have followed a practice well known in our country of choosing the lesser person. With a few notable exceptions, the great men of our public life generally have missed the presidency. Any person of considerable stature must commit himself to certain beliefs and causes. And whenever he takes a firm position he raises up against himself an army of enemies. The avenue is easier for such as tread softly and leave their views on contentious issues in doubt. For instance only a few years ago we all had the privilege of watching Hoover creep upon the White House by being displayed to the voters as dry in certain sections of the country and potentially wet in others. I suppose there are not very many voters who now would contend that Herbert Hoover is comparable to Ai Smith in his executive capacities. And yet his very lack of color and political philosophy served to win him victory. a a a The Rising Tide BRIAND has been In the forefront of liberal French though*, and now he is tripped by a rising tide of nationalism. Os course, the presidency of the French republic is little more than a gardenia to be worn in the buttonhole. Briand should be able to console himself with the thought that he has served his country in positions of far more prestige and power. But though the post is chiefly ornamental, it is discouraging to see a check upon the movement for reconciliation of France and Germany. Perhaps it is only a passing phase. And there is no reason why Briand should not keep up his fight. a a a We Ought to Know NOW, at least, we have reason to know what we should drive against. We can not feel safe

Views of Times Readers

Editor Times—lt seems that the time is at hand when the newspapers of the land quit handing out that “bunk” broadcast by the Grand Oil Party about prosperity being “just around the corner.” They have been putting that old stuff out until it has become stagnant. Prosperity is just as close now as it ever will be. Tell me how prosperity can be restored with the purchasing power of millions gone, their savings consumed, and reduced income of those that are now working? Also, since the high tariff act has become effective, our exports have fallen, caused by retaliation of foreign nations to high tariff wall. American capital in billions has gone to these foreign competing nations in the form of loans with which to further their hold o> foreign markets. American capital has been used abroad, building autos, in steel and rubber factories and for many other commercial projects, all of which will become healthy competitors of the U. S. A in due time.? Foreign manufacturers, ao helped v* *

Now for a Job of Face Lifting

DAILY HEALTH SERVICE

person to whom it is given, and similar factors. Caffein drinks stimulate energy production, speed up the breathing rate, and increase the activity of the kidneys. * It also is known that continued use of tea and coffee tends to produce tolerance, so that one can drink more without being affected. The physiologic processions in the body of the child are more active than in the adult. The energy needs of the child are greater than those of the adult, and it is not advisable to replace the food that it should take by substances without considerable food value. Drinks that stimulate the metabolism increase the energy needs even more. Coffee in the diet tends to replace milk and other food substances of much greater importance.

merely under the protection of treaties. , It is not logical to speak on one afternoon of admiration and love for all our neighbors and set to laying keels and making war plans on the following morning. Surely there is something a little silly in celebrating good will week with military aviation maneuvers over New York City. And we ought to know that next to war in evil consequences comes the preparation for war and the appearance of readiness. Ships are chips displayed upon the shoulder to someone across a backyard fence. The world learns wisdom slowly. And in the path of deliverance there will come periods of retrogression. n n n Cooiidge’s Chance WHEN the Wendel fortune was divided up, many millions going to a small Methodist school in China and another in New Jersey, Calvin Coolidge wrote a column against increasing inheritance taxes. At any rate, he seemed to say that there should be no worry about vast accumulations of money in the hands of individuals, because at death these properties tended to revert to the public. But the will of George F. Baker does not even include rich legacies for far-off theological schools. Less than 1 per cent goes to anything which could possibly be called ‘‘the public interest.” I am aware of the fact that Mr. Baker made heavy charitable contributions during his lifetime. But I now am talking of the will itself. The great bulk of the fortune goes to his son. In other words, we see one step in the perpetuation of an hereditary financial aristocracy. Asa matter of fact, the $75,000,000 which comes to George F. Baker Jr. constitutes power. It probably represents more power than is accorded to most of the remaining monarchs in the world. The younger financier may administer this power wisely and well. But the community has no voice in the matter. It simply has to take Its chances,

financially, will proceed to trade among themselves, leaving American manufacturers out of the picture, causing idle factories and increasing the already large army of unemployed here. If any one now can come forward and tell how the unemployed ever again will find their place in the “sun,” I surely would be glad to know the solution, if any. F. T. BAINE. Editor Times—ln recent issues of the papers I notice that a bandit who was engaged in several holdups and an attempted murder was an Anti-Saloon League investigator. Through his connection with the dry league he was able to get a permit to carry a gun. Only a week or so ago he turned a workingman in for having a few bottles of beer. I understand his fee in this (stool pigeon) case was a $5 bill. Now, I leave it to the public as to who was the most lawabiding, whether for stick-ups or murders, or search of beer, the Anti-Saloon League investigators must have their wessons. A WET.

Cocoa contains theobromine, a chemical substance closely related to caffein. It is believed that it differs from caffein only in having a greater effect on the kidneys and a less effect on the central nervous system. It would, therefore, be expected that cocoa would have the same effect on the child as tea and coffee, although it might ha£e less tendency to produce sleeplessness. Cocoa made with water and sugar has just about the strength of a cup of coffee. Cocoa made with milk is equivalent to milk flavored with two tablespoons of coffee brew. Asa conclusion to these considerations, Dr. Roberts feels that cocoa made with milk is likely to be less harmful to the child than tea or coffee, but that cocoa made ■with water is but little different than tea or coffee.

Ideals 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.

just as subjects do in unrestricted monarchies. If we do not believe in the divine right of kings, I fail to see why we readily should accept the divine right of industrial captains. A number of readers have called my attention to the fact that in recent months this column has been for the most part serious. I am aware of the fact, and naturally I am not such a fool as to think that I can do anything of much importance toward changing things which seem to me all wrong. But anybody living in a world so gravely muddled as our own would be an even greater fooi not to try. (Copyright. 1931. by The Times)

R-l C oAyf(s TMCf-

ALLIED SUCCESSES May 20

ON May 20, the British, Russian, Italian, and French armies made important advances against the Germans. In the campaign of eastern Europe, the Russians repulsed German attacks east of Kalhcem. In the Balkan campaign the Russians also repulsed German attacks on the Rumanian front east of Koverka. In the Italian campaign the Italians extended their positions on Hill 652 and broke into Austrian lines east of Gorizia. In the campaign In western Europe, the British broke into the Hindenburg line on a front of over a mile between Fountaine-les-Croisilles and Bullecourt. The British also occupied several villages in the Somme area while the French seized Jussy, an important railway junction. The Germans retaliated In a measure by taking French trenches on a 216-yard front on the Chemin-des-Dames. On this day the imperial war cabinet met at London.

Banking in the U. S. What is a national bank? What is a state bank? What is a trust company? What is a private bank? What is a savings bank? What is a clearing house association? What is a federal reserve bank? What is a farm loan bank? Why do banks fail? How are banks inspected? What safeguards your money in the bank? What has the federal reserve system done to making banking safer and better in the United States? Can you answer all these? If not, and you are interested in banks and banking—and everybody is, of course—you will want to read our Washington bureau’s latest bulletin, BANKING IN THE UNITED STATES. It will give you a condensed but clear description of the various kinds of banking institutions, their method* and purposes. Fill out the coupon below and send for it: CLIP COUPON HERE Dept. 127, Washington Bureau, The Indianapolis Times, 1322 New York avenue, Washington, D. C. I want a copy of the bulletin BANKING IN THE UNITED STATES, and inclose herewith 5 cents in coin or loose, uncanceled United States postage stamps, for return postage and handling costs: NAME STREET AND NO CITY STATE I am a reader of The JAdianapolis Times (Code No.)

3IAY 20, 1931

SCIENCE -BY DAVID DIETZ—-

The Story of Benjamin Franklin and His Kite /. One We May Accept. SOME of our favorite legends arc alas, only the figments of ac tive imaginations. The famou story of George Washington ant. the cherry tree is in that category. More recently legend that Einstein was led to his relativity theory when he saw a painter fall off a ladder, was exploded by Einstein himself. The story was that Einstein asked the painter if he had been conscious of the pull of gravity during the fall, and the painter, who, fortunately, was not hurt by the fall, responded in the negative. Dr. Charles E. St. John told this story at a dinner during Einstein’s recent visit to America. Einstein, in responding, admitted that the story had no foundation in fact. It frequently had been said that Newton was led to formulate his theory of gravitation by seeing an apple fall to the ground. Although it is difficult to be certain, most scholars are agreed that there is sufficient evidence for the acceptance of the story. The story of Benjamin Franklin and his kite, however, is a story which we may accept. For Ben, who was one of the great pioneers in the study of electricity, as Well as a great patriot and statesman, left evidence of his kite-flying activities in a letter. * a Franklin's Letter FRANKLIN first became interested in the subject of electricity in 1745. He exchanged a number of letters in the ensuing years with Peter Collinson, one of the fellows of the Royal Society of London. These subsequently were published under the title of “New Experiments and Observations on Electricity Made at Philadelphia, in America, by Benjamin Franklin, LL. D., and F. R. S.” “Make a small cross of two light strips of cedar, the arms so long as to reach to the four corners of a large thin silk handkerchief when extended. “Tie the corners of the handkerchief to the extremities of the cross, so you have the body of a kite which, being properly accommodated with a tail, loop and string, will rise in the air like those made of paper; but, this being made of silk, is fitted to bear the wet and wind of a thunder-gust without tearing. “To the top of the upright stick of the cross is to be fixed a very sharp-pointed wire, rising a foot or more above the wood. “On the end of the twine, next to the hand, is to be held a silk ribbon, and where the silk and twine join a key may be fastened. “This kite is to be raised when a thunder-gust appears to be coming on, and the person who holds the string must stand within a door or window', or under some cover, so that the silk ribbon may not be wet. and care must be taken that the twine ’ does not touch the frame of the door or window.” ana The Electric Fire “AS soon as any of the thunder -uV clouds come over the kite,” Ben’s letter continued, “the pointed wire will draw the electric fire from them, and the kite with all Lie twine will be electrified, and the loose filaments of twine will stand out every way and be attracted by an approaching finger. “And when the rain has wetted the kite so that it can conduct the electric fire freely, you will find it stream out plentifully from the key on the approach of your knuckle. “At this key, the phial may be charged, and from electric fire thus obtained spirits may be kindled, and all the other electric experiments be performed which usually are done by the help of a rubber, glass globe, or tube, and thereby the sameness of the electric matter with that of lightning completely demonstrated.” By “phial,” Franklin meant a Leyden jar, a glass jar coated inside and out with tinfoil. The Leyden jar was the first electric condenser and the fore-runner of the tuning condensers in all radio sets. Franklin was extremely lucky with his kite flying. The United States weather bureau, which uses box kites to carry recording instruments aloft, always haul the kites'" down at the first sign of a storm. „■ A number of French and German experimenters who tried flying kites in thunderstorms were killed when lightning struck the kites. One experimenter built an elaborate apparatus to charge Leyden jars by lightning. He and several assistants were killed,

Daily Thought

Therefore I bated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit. —Ecclesiastes 2:17. Vanity is the fruit of ignorance. —Ross.