Indianapolis Times, Volume 43, Number 12, Indianapolis, Marion County, 25 May 1931 — Page 4

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The Final Step Whatever financial plan may be worked out by the holders of street car securities, the final step must be, of course, public ownership and control of the transportation system. It may help little to recall to those who are now rather desperately trying to salvage some of their dollars that the source of their predicament was the private exploitation of the public for many years and the investment in much blue sky. It may do less to recall the many years of political activity of the street car owners, always on the side of those who had little interest in the public welfare. Had all the dollars spent to put bad men into office been v-sed for service there would have been no use .'for receivers and special committees on salvage. Public ownership of so necessary a utility is transportation will furnish an answer to the problem which private control has failed to solve. True, a large part of the difficulty comes from a change of habits and customs. The street car is being abandoned in small towns. It may be abandoned in large cities. In many it is already supplemented by bus lines and subways. In others it is disappearing. In this city there is a grave question of whether the time has not arrived for a publicly owned system of transportation in which bus lines will furnish the major part of the service. Those who have dollars invested in the present bankrupt system should consider this posssibility as well as any scheme to toss more dollars into the present plant. The public has been generous. It might prove to be a generous customer in order to solve a serious problem.

A Page of History The proposed petition of the eastern railroads for rate increases involves profound economic issues that can not be dismissed with a wave of the hand, whether we favor or oppose the proposition. It is a question which must be settled on its merits, here and now. Yet, a iittle American history may throw light on the present railroad crisis and on related aspects of American industrial and financial chaos. American railroads are more efficiently and honestly conducted today than at any earlier period. But the best of them, fairly or unfairly, are paying the price of the economic anarchy and piracy which characterized the building and operation of the railroad system of the United States. Andrew Jackson blocked public supervision of early railroad development in the United States. This opened the door to unrestrained private enterprise and exploitation. Hence, our railroads were conceived and constructed On the basis of economic adventure and high finance, rather than in harmony with sound economics and efficient public service. The dominating motive in building our railroads was the hope of immediate profits from financing operations, letting the devil take care of the later wreckage of the system. Far too many railroads were built, and too little attention was paid to the transportation needs of the communities. Two or more roads often were built where none was needed. Cut throat competition resulted, so that at one time a person could go from New York to Chicago for a dollar. In the haste to make money, railroad stock was Juggled and watered without stint. Then these uneconomically planned railroads were expected to earn dividends on colossal reservoirs of polluted water. The financial piracy of that day makes the literature about the Spanish Main seem tame. One who doubts it can consult the biographies of Gould, Fiske, Drew, Cooke, Vanderbilt, Charles Francis Adams’ famous “Chapters of Erie’’ and the works of Oberholtzer and others. The anti-trust laws, however justified in other ways, probably hindered economical readjustment of railroad building and operation, wise thing would have been to promote mergers and consolidations, while at the same time strengthening federal regulation to prevent abuses of monopolistic service. More than a generation late, this policy at last has been adopted. This page out of our economic and political history not only details the mistakes of the past, but contains cogent suggestions for the future. Let the liabilities and obstacles in the anarchic heritage of the past be eliminated as effectively as possible through sensible planning for the future and adequate federal regulation. If this can not be done, then public ownership probably Is the only alternative. Still further, the sad, and perhaps tragic, lesson furnished by the historic experience of American railroads may be turned to the service of other industries Aew enough to apply central planning and the service motive to their future development. The comparative results of individualistic anarchy and central planning in railroad construction and operation are well illustrated by the experience of the United States and Germany. We have a long record of failures, receiverships, bankruptcy and the like in Individual cases, with a highly precarious state of the whole transportation system today. In Germany, in spite of the building of many railroads for strategic military purposes, the profits of the railroads have been the largest single source of public revenue. > ©aatral planning is not the only reason for the latter state of affairs, but It is one of the most important factors Involved. Do the Rich Really Loosen Up? Christ admonished the rich young man to sell what he had and give to the poor. Do the rich young men—or the rich old men—of America today heed this exhortation? Do they even give any significant portion of their vast incomes to relieve the less fortunate? There la a popular belief that they do—that the rich of America are generous beyond all precedent and comparison. There is a conviction that the rich not only contribute lavishly to standard and stable charities, but almost turn their pockets inside out In times of emergency. ; Xn a striking article In the American M^rfury,

The Indianapolis Times (A gCBIPPS-HOWARD NEWSPAPER) Owned n<t published daily (except Sunday) by The Indianapolia Times Publishing Cos., CH--2n West Maryland Street. Indianapolia, Ind. Price in Marion County. 2 centa a copy: elsewhere, 3 cents—delivered by carrier, 12 cents a week. BOYD GURLEY. ROY W. HOWARD, FRANK G. MORRISON. Editor I resident Business Manager PHONE— Riley 5551 MONDAY. MAY 25. 1931. Member or United Press. Scrlpps-Howard Newspaper Alliance. Newspaper Enterprise Aaaociation. Newspaper Information Service and Audit Bureau of Circulations. “Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way.”

Abraham Epstein brands this conception a threadbare myth. He says: "Among ’the masses of the well-to-do, not many give anything to charity, even in the most generous city, New York. A negligible number of rich individuals support all the charities. The vast bulk of the wealthy contribute to none.” In those American cities where charitable contributions are raised through community chests or welfare federations, the contributors never have exceeded 17 per cent of the population. There are 360 community chest drives in the United States each year. Combined, they do not raise more than $30,000,000, less than one-fourth of what England spends annually on unemployment insurance alone. New York is the richest and most generous of American cities. In Manhattan alone, 357,000 persons filed income tax reports in 1928. Yet only about one in forty of these contributed to the Association for the Improvement of the Condition of the Poor or the Charity Organization Society. In Chicago, only 15,000 individuals out of 3,400,000 one out of 225—gave to the United Charities. Only 102 contributors gave more than SI,OOO in the emergency year, 1930. The Philadelphia Welfare Federation received contributions of SIOO or more from only 3,940 persons or corporations out of a population of 2,000,000, one in 500. Only 3.3 per cent of the population of the United States give anything to the Red Cross. The Prosser committee in New York City raised almost one-third of its $8,000,000 from six generous individuals.

The mayor of Philadelphia recently made an emergency appeal. A Philadelphia reporter estimated that if he made a gift of the same proportionate share of his income as was given by Philadelphia’s richest citizen, it would amount to one thousandth part of a cent. Neither do the rich remember the poor generously in their bequests and legacies. The New York Association for the Improvement of the Condition of the Poor has been In existence eighty-five years. It has been administered by very wealthy and reputable individuals. Yet it has received only 264 “legacies, funds and gifts.” The Charity Organization Society received but 173 gifts or legacies between 1382 and 1930. The United Charities of Chicago has received only 130. the Philadelphia Welfare Society has been remembered by only six persons in their wills. Likewise with foundations, Dr. Epstein says: “The benevolence of a dozen individuals such as Carnegie, the Rockefellers, Harkness, Rosenwald, and a few others, accounts for a considerable proportion of existing foundations. Os the estimated $1,000,000,000 now available in these funds, the gifts of the Rockefellers and Andrew Carnegie alone make up three-fourths of the total. Dr. Epstein concludes that private charity is utterly inadequate to the task of caring for the dependent classes, either in normal times or in emergencies: “When we talk of caring for unemployment and drought by private philanthropy, we talk nonsense . . . Under this system the burden of social ills falls almost entirely upon the few generous rich and the bulk of the poor wage-earners, who can not refuse to give to charitable appeals when the boss asks them to contribute. “It is altogether contrary to the modern principle of a fair proportional distribution of the burden. The bulk of the well-to-do escape entirely from paying their share.”

Still Free American law makers have been afraid to take criminal syndicalism laws from our statute books, but American juries seem to be finding courage to make them dead letters. Oregon started a drive against “Reds” a few weeks ago, arresting thirteen workers in Portland and charging them with Communist activities. Three of these have been tried; the prosecutor has told the court that because they belong to the Communist party they “therefore teach and advocate the overthrow of the government by force and violence.” But two of the three juries have acquitted the accused. These acquittals, following close on Judge Wanamakcr’s declaration that the Ohio criminal syndicalism act is unconstitutional, make May, 1931, a notable month in the annals of civil liberty. Speaking of Spanish omelets, how about the scramble in Alfonso’s old kingdom? A California girl sued for $35,000 damages when she lost her sense of smell in an auto accident. She’ll be lucky if she gets a scent.

REASON BY K

THE speedy acquittal of Mrs. Nixon-Nirdlinger, St. Louis beauty queen, by this French jury proves -hat men are about the same the world over. Beauty is the common touch which makes all Jurors kin. ft St St There’s one thing about the French trial which strikes us as being a decided improvement on our own system. The judge takes a vigorous part in the examination of the witnesses and he goes at it hammer and tongs. ft ft ft Our federal judges do this, but our state judges do not; they merely sit up there as umpires to decide nne points between the legal pugilists. Our system should be changed and our state Judges should get into the game. THERE would be very "little budding this spring if it were not for the new gas stations. In the course of ten or fifteen years we may have •nough of them to meet the demand. Its an outrage for a man to have to drive Viajf i block for gas. • a a T his king of Siam is a game gentleman, for he took only a local anesthetic when the cataract was removed from his eye and he talked with the surgeon who described the operation en route. a a a We know almost exactly how the king felt while they were using the peeling knife on him, for while we’ve never been separated from any catracts, we have contributed a pair of tonsils to the surgical harvest to the U. S. A. • a a THEY handed us a local anesthetic and it made our neck feel like a concrete block feels when the thermometer is 20 below zero. You do not feel any pain, but you do have a very unsatisfactory consciousness that you are being sliced. We’ve always felt that that performance was a very unfair proposition. It was a total loss financially. Not only did we have to be the goat, we had to pay all the overhead and the bunch of doctors who came into see the show didn't pay one red cent! mam They even hung around after it was over; they didn't want to go away at all. When they did walk out, they kept on looking back. They seemed to feel sore because -we didn’t serve refreshments.

THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

M. E. Tracy SAYS:

If We Spent Half the Time Thinking That We Do Wishing We Would Get Along Better. NEW YORK, May 25.—A fleet of 600 airplaines roared over New York Saturday afternoon, as per schedule. It was a great show and every one who saw it was duly impressed. It is not so thrilling to recall, however, as it was to anticipate. The papers were full of it for a month. A week hence it will have been forgotten. Such spectacles are not war. As far as defense goes, they probably do as much to provoke war as to prepare for it. Theoretically, the fleet was capable of dropping 100,000 pounds of T. N. T. on New York and spraying the town with machine gun bullets at the rate of 2,000,000 a minute, but it did neither, which makes a lot of difference. Theoretically, a winged foe had destroyed the Panama canal, wrecked the Pacific coast, raised cain with interior cities, and America was making a last ditch stand at the metropolis. Had that been the situation, do you imagine 50,000 contented souls would have lingered near the Battery, with upturned faces and open mouths, that the roof gardens would have been black with gaping spectators or the streets and parks jammed with sky gazers? tt tt U Too Much Wishing THE idea that we can protect ourselves by a lot of pleasant shadow boxing has become a veritable obsession. You see it breaking out not only in such spectacles as this air show, but in such futile powwows as the London wheat conference. A good many people imagined that the wheat conference would amount to something. That is because they allowed wishes to father the thought. If we spent half the time thinking that we do wishing, we would get along much better. President Hoover refuses to call a special session of congress, on the ground that “we can not legislate ourselves out of a world economic depression.” One has to recall what the last session did to realize the disagreeable wisdom of his conclusion. With the right kind of leadership, congress could do a lot to help, but there is no indication that any' better leadership is available now than last winter.

We Must Have Experts Referring to the London wheat conference, it decided that what the world needs is less wheat and more statistics. By the time we get the statistics, enough wheat farmers will have gone broke to straighten out the mess. Another commission will be formed, however, with another gang of experts for consumers to support. This is a trend birth-control advocates should not ignore. Civilization hardly can survive with an average family of less than three —one to be an expert, and two to provide him with meat and drink. While the great air show w r as being staged in New York, two Michigan youths stole first an auto and then an airplane; robbed a bank of $12,000 at Pontiac; flew to Canada, got lost in the fog and were arrested, all in one day. That represents another brand of stunting typical of another variety of war, but not less of a problem to average people than those imaginary foes w-hom we forever are preparing to fight. If anything, we need an efficient police force more than we need an efficient army and we need the right kind of moral training more than we need either.

The Wrong Path • . LIKE Chicago, the little town of Danbury, N. H., goes broke in the struggle with law violators. In Chicago it’s the racketeer, but in Danbury it’s the hobo. They’re blood brothers when you come to think of it. Through mistaken kindness or timidity on the part of some of its citizens, Danbury had become the mecca for tramps. Town authorities decided that something had to be done about it, and undertook to arrest, jail, deport and otherwise discourage “brethren of the pike.” It cost them sl4 a head, and now they’re yelling to the country for help. The cost of law enforcement has made it cheaper to feed tramps temporarily. Also, it has made it cheaper to pay racketeers the tribute they demand. That is one reason why people do it, taking the path of least resistance, which always seems safe to those who won’t think ahead. If we used more sense in ordinary, every-day affairs that are close at hand, we wouldn’t need to worry ,ialf so much over imaginary enemies and future wars.

SPEECH PRAISING NAVY May 25

ON May 25, 1917, Prime Minister ■ David Lloyd George, in the course of a speech in the house of commons, referred to the work of the United States navy. He said in part: “We owe a very considerable debt of gratitude to the great American people for the effective assistance they have rendered and the craft they have placed at our disposal. “Now that the American nation is in the war. it is easier to make arrangements for protection of our mercantile marine than it was before.” The American destroyers were assigned to work hand in band with the British squadrons. They took turns with the British boats in all routine work of patrol and convoy. The American boats, though not as’ experienced as the English boats with which they co-operated, had a high average of results in submarines sighted, observations made, and of wireless warnings broadcast.

I

DAILY HEALTH SERVICE Season to Watch Poison Ivy Is Here

BY DR. MORRIS FISHBEIN Editor, Journal of the American Medical Association and of Hveeia. the Health Magazine. THE vacation season and the warm w’eather bring an increase in the number of attacks of ivy poisoning, due to the poisonous sap of the poison ivy, the poison oak and sumac. When any part of the plant is crushed or broken, and the sap comes in contact with the skin, it produces the irritation and in-, flammation that are so widely known. Sometimes the sap is carried on the fur of animals, or on golf sticks or golf balls, on clothing or on shoes, and in that way comes in contact with the skin and sets up the irritation. Os course, the best advice for the person who is likely to be exposed is to study the character of

IT SEEMS TO ME by f™

AN Italian union of artists and musicians has adopted a resolution censuring Arthur Toscanini because he. refused to play the Fascist hymn at a concert. The resolution calls his decision “absurd and unpatriotic.” And it goes on to say, “This man of genius would be much more glorious were he ready to serve his country.” I cannot see how the playing of national anthems at all times and places constitutes service to one’s country from any point of view. The reverse is true. An anthem becomes stale and hackneyed if it is overstressed. Thrill and excitement can come only when the circumstances are peculiarly appropriate and poignant. Everybody knows what happens to a melody if it becomes too familiar. And anthems are no exception to the rule. , Here in America it is the custom at some popular concerts to begin with “The Star-Spangled Banner.” It is extremely doubtful that this practice encourages patriotism. On most occasions the audience struggles to its feet somewhat reluctantly and takes the rite as a chore which must be gone through with. St tt St Too Many Rackets AGAIN, in school I rather think that the strains of our national song are dinned too continuously into the children’s cars for anybody’s good. Many of us remember the war

Views of Times Readers

Editor Times —I would be thankful if you would impart to the general public through the columns of your newspaper, the law that should be in effect in Indiana covering the operation of “one man” propelled interurban cars, and other common carriers operating for revenue on the same basis. Recently, J was a paid passenger on a certain interurban line in Indiana, and was much surprised to see the interurban start on a trip with one man handling the entire affairs of conductor, motorman and flagman. It was necessary for the man in charge, during the trip, to meet and allow another interurban going in an opposite direction to pass, and before this could be accomplished, our “one man” operator had to leave our carrier and throw a switch, come back to his car, head into the passing track, then again leave the car to close the switch to allow the other car to pass. After the other car had passed, it was necessary for the “one man” to reverse his previous actions, without any help whatever, so that he “might” be able to continue his trip to the terminal. Several passengers were aboard thi ssame interurban with me and I often have wondered if there were

Daily Thought

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.—Proverbs 1:7. Fear is cruel and mean—Emerson.

The Siamese Twins

the leaf of the poison ivy or the poison oak and thus to avoid them. The ivy has three dividing leaves and yellowish white berries; the poison oak is a small shrub with broad leaves like the oak, and the sumac is a plant growing in swamp places. If the person recognizes that he has been exposed, the skin should be washed promptly and thoroughly with soap and water. Water alone will not remove the poisonous sap. When the first symptoms of redness and itching of the skin appear, it is possible to apply various preparations which neutralize the poison and thus inhibit the spread of the infection. According to Dr. James M. McNair, tincture of iron chloride is particularly suitable for this purpose.

days, in which the nation went anthem mad. All discrimination disappeared. I was roundly bawled out in a theater one evening because I failed to get on my feet for “Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean.” And so for the sake of patriotism, as well as other things, I suggest that some selectivity be employed in the use of “The Star-Spangled Banner” and all other national hymns. Mr. Toscanini not only was eminently correct in Italy, but his procedure should be followed by conductors the world over. a a a Relying on the Group ONE of the unfortunate consequences of mass action, even in such simple matters as standing up and sitting down is the destruction of will power in the individual. People who are governed too largely by group psychology come to be terror stricken when they are compelled to act as individuals. Even in minor matters there are many who go into a panic if it becomes necessary for them to raise a solitary voice. Still it isn’t fair to separate the articulate and inarticulate under the labels of “cowards” and heroes.” The person who is ready at the drop of the hat to make a thirtyminute speech is not, in any nice sense of the word, courageous. In fact, we often reserve represensible words for his description. A man who flew across the At-

just one other who realized the danger they were being subjected to in the operation of these “one man” cars. The point is, if it would be necessary for this man to go either direction at any time to flag tn approaching car it would' be necessary to leave his car and passengers at God’s mercy, provided another car would come from a different direction where the “one man” had gone to “flag.” Os course, if this proposition were put up to the operators of these various “one man” interurban lines they would tell any one who could not be familiar wi;h railroad operation that the passengers were protected amply with electric block systems, but they would not tell you why it was necessary to maintain repairmen to look after and repair these automatic electric blocks. During the year of 1912 I recall that it was decided by the supreme court of one of our states, wherein a passenger was killed, that it was nothing short of wilful murder. The accident to which I refer was similar in its operation. I realize, like thousands of others, that your newspaper is one which always stands for the betterment of conditions for public welfare; and if these interurbans are being operated contrary to our laws you will feel it your duty to impart the information to all concerned, so that proper steps will be taken. J. E. FLAHERTY. 1110 North Pennsylvania street. What is the largest and most famous waterfall in Africa? Victoria Falls, on tha Zambesi river. *'•

It stains the hands, but the stain is preferable to the redness and irritation. Any physician can prescribe a suitable lotion which will accomplish the purpose. The various methods of desensitizing people against poison ivy have been attempted, but thu3 far none of them is established sufficiently to be advocated as a routine method. The attack of poison Ivy is likely to subside in four or five days, depending on the amount of irritation and exposure. During the course of the attack, it may be desirable to apply other remedies to overcome the irritation and burning of the skin. Ointments containing vaseline, cocoa butter, cold cream and similar protective and soothing preparations are much used for this purpose.

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.

lantic was invited to appear in a radio studio and tell of his experiences. But when he was introduced he turned pale, stammered and ran from the room without saying a word. But he was not a coward. a a a I Knew Him When— Donald ogden stewart has made a considerable success as an actor on the legitimate stage and in the talking pictures. I knew him when—. Asa very bashful young literary free lance some years ago he asked whether there was any money in lecturing. I said that there was a little, but that it was hard work. And I introduced him to an agent. Mr. Stewart made his debut in Wilmington, Del., before a woman’s club. He was advertised to give a humorous talk on modern literature. The moment he looked down from the platform and saw the beaming and expectant faces his courage left him completely. The best he could do was to stumble and mumble in a low voice. He did not fall off the platform. But he committed practically every other error known to oratory. And while traveling back to New York remorse assailed him. He realized that nobody had laughed, nobody had applauded, nobody had even heard a word of his discourse. And so, on the following morning he went to the agent and said: “I was very nervous in Wilmington and I made a bad showing. It was so bad that I feel embarrassed. “And I want you to do me a favor. I’d feel much better about the whole thing if you’d return the check to that woman’s club. Won’t you please do that for me?” “Why, yes. Mr. Stewart,” answered 12> agent. “There’ll be no treble about that. You see, after you finished your lecture the president of the organization telegraphed to me to say that they wouldn’t send any check.” But Donald Ogden Stewart kept on and tried it once more—though not of course, in Wilmington. (Copyrisht. 1931. bv The Times)

Can You Do It? Can you write a good letter? A business letter; a letter of application for a position; a letter of thanks; a “bread-and-butter” letter; a letter of condolence? Can you properly address a letter to a judge, a state senator, a Governor, an ambassador? Do you know the proper forms for the heading, introduction, saluatlon and complimentary close of a letter? All these things are covered in our Washington bureau’s bulletin, The Letter Writer's Guide, it will help you in any sort of letter writing. Simply All out the coyj>on below and mad as directed. CLIP COUPON HERE Department 124, Washington Bureau, The Indianapolis Times, 1322 New York Ave., Washington, D. C.: I want a copy of the bulletin. The Letter Writer’s Guide, and inclose herewith 5 cents in coin, or loose, uncanceled United States postage stamps to cover return postage and handling costs. Name St. and No City State I am a reader of The Indianapolis Times. (Code No.)

—NAY 25, 1931

SCIENCE -BY DAVID DIETZ—-

Operation of Dial Telephone Exchange Is Interesting and Illuminating to Watch , THE remarkable advances cl electrical engineering have paved the way for a true machine age. not an age in which man enslaved by the machine, but an age in which the machine does its own work by itself. Electrical engineering has paved the way for such an age by supplying man with electric eyes, electric ears, electric noses, electric mouths, and electric fingers. The dial automatic telephone represents a prophecy of what the new machine age will be like. The old manual telephone switchboard was a sample of the machine age through which we now are passing. The old switchboard demanded attendants constantly on the alert. A light flashed upon the board. The operator had to note the position of the light. It was a signal to throw a certain switch and say, “Number please.” Having repeated the number, she then had to make the proper connection by inserting a plug attached to a cord into a certain socket. ."P 16 automatic has done away wi.h all that, it is an illuminating eminence for one who has visited the old type of telephone exchange, to pay a visit to the new type. The switchboards with their “hello girls are a thing of the past. The room is strangely quiet. Nothing is to be heard, but a constant series of little "clicks.”

Efficient Fingers THOSE clicks are the* electric fingers, executing the commands of the telephone subscribers and picking out the numbers that have been dialed. With all due respect to the former operators, who usually were alert and competent, the electric fingers are more efficient. They make only the mistakes the telephone user makes. They add none of their own. (One wit observed that the great advance in the dial automatic telephone was that it permitted you to pick your own wrong numbers). A few generations ago, the dial automatic telephone would have seemed like witchcraft, as indeed would any telephone at all have seemed. But there is nothing mysterious about the automatic exchange. It consists merely of great banka of electric relays. Asa number i3 dialed, the relays are put into operation. Such electric fingers are ideally fitted for the operation of a telephone exchange. But other industries are beginning to profit by them and more industries will in the future. Many machines which now have attendants could be designed in such way that they would operate themselves. Many engineers now feel that any operation which is merely routine, calling for the exercise of no judgment upon the part of the operator, and no skill, other than speed and dexterity, could be turned over to some kind of combination of relays, or similar apparatus. In most cases, any competent er - gineer would find the task of designing an appropriate robot to be a fairly simple task.

Chemical Industry THE chemical industry is making another kind of electric Anger, a finger which is sensitive to heat or cold. Electric noses and mouths also are used in the chemical industry'. Many chemical reactions proceed best at certain temperatures. It is no longer necessary to have attendants watch such processes. Electric controls, not unlike the thermostats which many householders now use to control furnaces, do the trick. The electric “noses” are devices which correspond to the formation of certain gases. These gases are drawn into tubes in some of the devices. Various types are required for various purposes. In some it is a simple matter of the gas, when it reaches a certain pressure, pushing a valve or piston which in turn closes an electric switch. In others, the action is more complicated, the gas reacting with substances in the tube, thus changing their resistance to the flow of an electric current and actuating the proper switch in that matter. The electric “mouths” are similar devices. They respond to what might be called “tastes,” that is, to concentrations of acids, alkalis, salts and so on. The electric eye is the wellknown photo-electric cell. Many automatic devices are, of course, the combination of several instruments. Thus, for example, a photoelectric cell can be used to operate a whole battery of relays, each of which controls another automatic process. It may sound like a rash prediction, but many engineers believe that the day is not distant when a factory will turn out automobiles entirely automatically. The factory will need only a few attendants to make sure that the machines are in order. From what musical comedy is the song, “Tea for Two”? "No, No, Nannette.” .