Indianapolis Times, Volume 43, Number 35, Indianapolis, Marion County, 20 June 1931 — Page 4

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JtUPPJ-HOWAMD

Straightening the Railroads When one mentions straightening out our railroads, he is likely to think at once of adjusting their tangled finances. This, of course, is the ultimate problem, but many of the "financial kinks could be eliminated if some of the geographical knees and elbows in our railroad systems were straightened out. Most of our railroads seem to have been built without any realization of the basic geometrical proposition that a straight line is the shortest distance between two points. The reason in many cases is that the first great system of steam transportation was carried on by river steamboats. The railroads tried to cut in and compete with this traffic. For that reason, and also to gain easier grades, they built their lines along the great river valleys. The incidental and immediate advantages may have been great, but such construction enormously increased the length of the line between major cities and correspondingly raised the cost of transportation. What now are great railroad terminals were insignificant towns in the early days. Hence, there was little effort to plan construction for the purpose of reaching such terminals in the most direct and economical fashion. In light of the metropolitan and industrial map of 1931, some of the great railway systems laid out between 1850 and 1881 seem about . , rational as a crazy-quilt. But there is no reason which the construction mistakes of 1850, 1860, or 1870 should survive to ruin railroading in 1931. The slogan of the future well may be "consolidate and straighten out or die." Professor W. Z. Ripley, authority on railroads, has indicated what this has meant with respect to two of the great Bystems, the Baltimore Sc Ohio and the Erie. Os the former he says: "The old line started at Philadelphia and went clear to Washington before heading west toward Chicago and St. Louis. That was all right for the port of Baltimore, for which it originally was constructed. But it was roundabout from Philadelphia and unattainable from New York." The B. & O. now is linking up with the Central Railroad of New Jersey, the Reading, and the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh. This considerably reduces the distance between New York and Chicago, cuts the grade over the mountains by 800 feet, and gives a New York terminal. The Erie, even in its original form, came far closer to a “crow-flight line" to Chicago than the Pennsylvania, the B. & 0., or the New York Central. But at that it operated under great physical handicaps: "First it has to surmount a stiff watershed over into the Delaware valley; and then to climb another to reach the Susquehanna. "But its real grade troubles begin only after it leaves this stream in western New York. And it Beems to have been laid out purposely to avoid any good-sized cities. It is an uphill and downdale proposition most of the way.” Then the Van Swcringen Brothers bought the Nickel Plate line, which had an almost straight waterlevel route from Buffalo into Chicago. But they w r ere blocked from New York An arrangement was made to tie up with the Erie. The result is a direct route to Chicago, fifty miles 6horter, with a crossing of the Alleghenies on a grade 500 feet lower than the original line. Professor Ripley emphasizes: "These are the things that make for mile-long trains, high speed, fuel economy, dividends —the very fatness of railroading." • Economies like these ultimately might put the railroads much farther ahead than such temporary Stimulants as rate boasts.

Official Nullification We have been waiting for the dry leaders to denounce the government for collecting income taxes from A1 Capone, It seems rather illogical to Imprison a. man for carrying on an illegal business and then tax that illegal business, doesn’t it? But the prohibition leaders apparently see nothing wrong in that. Our mistake! What reason had we to suppose that either the dry leaders or the Hoover administration were interested actually in outlawing all liquor? Come to think of it, national prohibition legislation and enforcement has been one long record of official nullification from the beginning. To start with, the amendment and the federal law nullified complete prohibition by leaving, a loophole as big as the side of a house for the purchaser, confining the crime to the maker, the transporter and the seller of liquor. That doubtless was necessary strategy, otherwise they could not have put prohibition over, but from the point of view of complete prohibition it was hypocrisy and It was nullification. * * * The next step was further to nullify the eighteenth amendment by the Volstead act, which left more holes. The law exempted fruit juices and cider—which would turn into liquor with more kick than a barrel of nonintoxicating but illegal beer. Not content with that, certain administration spokesmen tried to start a back-to-the-home-brew-in-the-home movement. Citizens did not take advantage of that officially suggested nullification because it was too much trouble—why make your own when you can buy it so easily and so cheaply, was the attitude. The point is that these administration spokesmen argued that making beer in the home is not illegal under the law—though of course it is illegal under the eighteenth amendment. Just another convenient bit of nullification, sponsored not by the wicked wets, but by the drys and the government officials who wrote the law and imposed it on the country. * * * Going beyond these legislative invitations to nuliflcatlon, the government—with the approval of the dry leaders—then proceeded to subsidize wholesale nullification by supplying from the federal treasury the funds with which the grape industry flooded the country with a wine and container which automatically produced strong liquor. In that sense the federal government has been in the same business as A1 Capone—in fact, a competitor. The chief difference was that the beer A1 peddled was mild and the government-subsidized staff was not mild. Any one interested in a more detailed exposition of the federal government and the dry administration in their capacity as prohibition nullificationists has only to refer to the Wickersham commislson’s report, which denounces the legal contradiction and hypocrisy of this wine-subsidizing and bootleg-taxing policy. There is one way to remove the legal contradiction and the moral hypocrisy from the present governmental and dry policy of nullification. That is to repeal the prohibition law and proceed to tax the mwiu-

The Indianapolis Times (4 SCRIPPB-HOWARD NEWSPAPER) Owned and published daily (escept Sunday) by The Indiannpolla Times Publishing Cos., 214-220 West Maryisnd Street. Indianapolis. Ind. Price in Marion Countv, 2 ceDts a copy: elsewhere. 3 cents—delivered by carrier. 12 cents a week.' BOYD GURLEY ROY W. HOWARD. [ FRANK G. MORRISON. Editor President Business Manager PHONE—Riley 51 SATURDAY. JUNE 30, 1931. Member of United Press, Scrlpps-Uoward Newspaper Alliance. Newspaper Enterprise Association. Newspaper Information Service and Audit Bureau of Circulation^. “Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way.”

facture of all liquor—as the government now taxes Capone’s bootleg product. Os course that would nullify the amendment, but several of the constitutional amendments—including the eighteenth—are being nullified today, anyway. This method is illogical. But It is the American way. We never have repealed our amendments. We merely have killed them by failing to pass enforcement laws or by repealing those enforcement laws. This amendment should be repealed. But that will take time. Meanwhile, the American method of repealing the law probably will be used. # # * Coming back to Mr. Capone, we have no objections to the government taxing his liquor profits. Other businesses are taxed, and it would be unjust as well as improvident to let one o fthe largest and richest industries in the country escape taxation. Our objection is that the government’s method is inefficient. Catching only a few bootleggers and having inadequate income tax returns, the government gets very little tax from the industry. If it would repeal the now nullified prohibition law the underground liquor industry would come into the open for taxation. The liquor tax, plus the saving of expenditures on lawless and ineffective enforcement of the unenforcable law, would wipe out the annual billiondollar federal deficit. Such reform would do more than balance our national budget. It wuuld reduce racketeering and crime. It would reduce general hypocrisy and disrespect for law. It might even reduce the consumption of liquor. We are convinced it would reduce drunkenness. Page the Dress Censor It requires little imagination to conceive that Gandhi, if he visits this country in his white shawl and thin cotton loin cloth, may become the major issue of the autumn. Customs officers, who sniff suspiciously for taint of immorality in every arriving book and who sometimes fail to distinguish between great literature and pornography, may not approve the garb of the distinguished sage from India. Though the wise man from the east probably will not visit our bathing beaches where stern gentlemen in the discreet blue serge of the law scrutinize and measure bathing garb to make sure it is decent, still the police who patrol our city streets may look askance on their own account. Gandhi already has received a deluge of letters from the United States criticising his costume, some of them undertaking to tell him that the Bible demands he wear more clothes.

Meet the Progress Party When the Republican managers felt their party slipping it took them a long time to discover what was the matter. But after heroic search, Chairman Fess and Director Lucas found the source of the infection and party sickness. It was in the colleges. College professors throughout the land were challenging such Republican dogmas as higher tariff, bigger navy, and rugged—or is it ragged?—individualism. Not the depression and wholesale unemployment, or any of the failures of the Hoover administration, were responsible for the sweeping Republican defeat at the congressional elections last November; the'G. O. P. losses w r ere due to that insidious thing called radicalism—or democracy—with which college professors were infecting young voters, Fess and Lucas decided. So they did the obvious thing. They called a national conference of young Republicans to meet in Washington. The Idea w T as to drive out enemy lies with The power of Republican party truth, which was described as a matter of education. So Chairman Fess of the Republican national committee opened this unique university Thursday with the following statement of "truth”: "The history of the progress of the United States is but the history of the Republican party." And then they wonder why intelligent voters are deserting the party leadership of Fess and Lucas! Dorothy thinks that a national guardsman is an all-American football player distinguished for his wurk on the line.

REASON

npHE papers say there is great unrest in Germany A over the heavy taxes, due to the loss of the war. Really this is too bad! Those who now are doing the kicking were in high feather back in 1914 as they rode with the kaiser through Belgium. What a shame such gentle spirits must be burdened with the consequences of their crime! bub But Germany never will pay her debt. Just mark this down in your little red book, for there will be another upheaval in Europe some of these times and Germany will manage to light oj the winning side and then she will kiss her creditors good night—kiss them with a hob-nailed boot! B B B ALL in all, our experience with Europe since the World war has been such that every man in his right mind should wish to see his country put on a pair of husking gloves when she shakes hands with her and if there’s another European war we should tie Uncle Sam’s coat tails to Pike’s Peak and keep him in the U. S. A. BUM The Rev. G. Z. Brown, Negro pastor of Washington, D. C.. just has won the honor of having preached the world’s longest sermon, he having stayed at it for twelve hours. What a United States senator he would make! B tt M A gentleman in Evansville was arrested for disorderly conduct because he kissed his wife in public as she was entering the place where she is emploved. We are glad the judge let the man go, for If a fellow’s wife has a steady job these days he should be permitted to express his enthusiasm as he sees fit. ft a o THE department of agriculture says that all of us ought to put honey in radiators to keep them from freezing, but from the humanitarian standpoint, we are for denatured alcohol. That which goes down the radiator does not go down the gullet. > a a Alexander F. Lewis, former welfare official of Detroit, who admits having taken $207,000 from the funds intended to feed the starving, should get * prison suit with very broad stripes, for alongside the public officer who is a grafter, the train robber is a gentleman and a scholar. u tt a After nine long years the federal government finally has sunk its hooks in to Mr. A. Capone. If we were as slow in war as we are in law enforcement Madagascar could lick us to k frazzle.

B y FREDERICK LANDIS

THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

M. E. Tracy SAYS:

Something Must Be Done to Clean Up the Situation Until the Dry Law Can Be Rpealed. NEW YORK, June 20.—Centralia, Wash., adopts a city ordinance requiring all male inhabitants to grow whiskers between July 8 and August 12. The object is to provide realism for the annual pioneer picnic. A worthy object, no doubt, but one which could have been attained just as well without law. Objects, no matter how silly or serious, have come to play too big a part in law-making. We no longer are content with the simple idea of trying to maintain order and do justice. What we want these days is something specific, something to pep things up, something that will make jobs for experts, reformers, or promoters. That's one reason why we have so many laws and why they do so little good. a a a Trifles Magnified FORREST S. HAYDEN of Tacoma Park, Md., sends a dollar to the mayor of Irvington, N. J., in payment for a electric light globe which he broke as the result of a boyish prank twenty years ago. Psychoanalysts could get as much profit, though hardly as much publicity, through studying this incident as some of the filth which occupies their attention. For one reason or another, most of us exaggerate the importance of some trifle. This curious trait has led to acts of heroism, become the motive for murder and changed careers. If Bruce had not witnessed the success of a spider on her seventh attempt to swing from one beam to another, he might never have attained the Scottish throne.

a a a A Rotten Situation HAVING hogtied A1 Capone, Chicago’s erstwhile lord of the underworld, federal agents are said to be gathering in New York for the purpose of doing likewise to its leading racketeers. Though their success might advance the price of hooch, it is desired generally. Much as the availability of forbidden stimulants may be appreciated by certain elements of the population, the type of business to which its manufacture and distribution have led, especially in other lines, has become so rotten that even those whose joy in life depends on it are a little worried. Admitting that repeal or modification of the national prohibition law offers the best solution, it is obvious that something must be done until that can be accomplished. Making opposition to the eighteenth amendment or the Volstead act an excuse for crime and corruption of every sort has done too much damage already. It is not helping to bring about a change, while it is doing inconceivable harm in all other directions. \a a a Gangsters Too Late THOROUGHLY scared because of what happened to A1 Capone after government experts had gone over his income tax returns, gangsters throughout the country are reported to be checking up their own accounts and calling for forms. Whether they realize it or not, they are too late. Though the government affords honest people every chance to correct unintentional errors, it reserves the power to put the screws cn those who obviously attempted to commit fraud. By way of good measure, it not only will punish them for violation of the income tax law, but will turn over such information regarding other crimes as it obtains during the process to state and local authorities. a a a Ruined by Greed WHILE racketeers made an irreparable blunder in not playing square with the federal income tax department, their greatest mistake was in not confining their genius to the liquor traffic. Risking a badly mixed metaphor, they spilled the beans when they undertook to annex milk, poultry and other lines to the beer trade. That is the usual course of conscienceless greed, however. You always con depend on it to overdo the job. As our grandfathers used to say, “Give a calf rope, and he will do the rest.” The Capones. Diamonds and “Dutch” Schultzes are running true to form.

fYvysaa*. rTPqAWiB'THeH

RUSSIAN INDICTMENTS June 20. ON June 20, 1917, the provisional Russian government began to take severe measures against the highest officials of the old regime who were declared guilty of breaches of the laws of the empire. Former Secretary of the Empire M. Kuizhanovsky, the strongest man in the government under former Premier Stolypin, was indicted for issuing a decree as far back as 1917, by which the election law was violated in defiance of the constitution of 1906. Former Minister of Justice M. Chtyleglovitoff was indicted for unlawfully stopping the prosecution of former Governor Skallon of Warsaw, charged with having accepted a bribe of 100,000 rubles. Former Governor Kourloff was charged with complicity in the murder of Colonel Karpoff, chief of the secret police of Petrograd, who was assassinated in 1909 and whose death caused a great sensation. Convicted officials and former ministers of the czar were imprisoned at the fortress of Peter and Paul.

Daily Thought

For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.— James 1:20. What most increases anger is the feeling that one is in the wrong.— Richter.

BELIEVE IT or NOT

tjOT ELECTED BY TWE PEOPLE.. (he was elected by The House of Representatives) 'MFI | HA 3-WAY FfiftMK mk | \ EART^ ORM Jones fL U J BerwtLLKobel dStmcofc, SowSBURC - CoUibiA Couhty It can crawl in OVERCOAT 9*^ is the only town in Pennsylvania 3 directions V* T n WAS INCORPORATED AS SUCH SYA SPECIAL ACT Os LEGISLATURE L_ *

Following is the explanation of Ripley’s "Believe It or Not” which appeared in Friday’s Times: Japanese Cherry Trees Bear no Fruit—Foreigners visiting Japan are immediately struck by the affection of the people for flowers,

DAILY HEALTH SERVICE X-Ray Helps Keep Check on Silicosis

This is the second of a series of two articles by Dr. Morris Fishbein on Silicosis, or Dust Disease. BY DR. MORRIS FISHBEIN, Editor. Journal of the American Medical Association, and of Hygeia. the Health Magazine. '‘T'HE effects of silica just depend on the amount present in the air and the extent to w’hich it damages the tissue. Apparently anything over 6,000,000 parts of dust in each cubic foot of air is beyond the limits of safety. Associated with the danger to the lungs is the secondary reaction on the heart and blood vessels. A man with advanced silicosis, or dust diseases, may seem to be in good health, but he may have had a slight persistent cough, pains in the chest, loss of breath on exertion and little difficulty in breathing. That is why the disease was con-

IT SEEMS TO ME

I HAVE the following letter from a high school student: “The students of New Utrecht high school are being forced to sign the inclosed pledge. Boys who refuse to sign are faced with expulsion and inability to enter the college. “The introduction of this pledge is a direct result of the fact that certain students in the school have been found to be of radical tendencies. / “Nothing but the publication of the events taking place in the school can help us.” Tire pledge is as follows: LOYALTY PLEDGE Graduates of High School I hereby declare, without any subterfuge whatsoever, my absolute and unconditional loyalty to the government and to the Constitution of the United States of America and to the state of New York, and promise to support the government at all times, with all my power, in its measures for carrying out the law. tt U tt On Dotted Line WHEN it becomes necessary to have written promises from the youth of a country to uphold its Constitution, it is apparent fear has begun to creep into the hearts of our hundred percenters. Once upon a time it was the custom to have the young hopefuls repeat at their graduation the familiar “I pledge allegiance to my flag. . .” and let it go at that. Teachers and parents and, in fact, government officials seemed to feel that these bright-faced, eager youngsters were sufficiently inculcated with the spirit of patriotism to go out into the world and carry on the traditions of the home of the brave and the land of the free. Can it be that the Ham Fish stories have taken such deep root in the minds of our leaders that they must needs have written proof of loyalty? It seems to me that such patriotism is a shoddy thing. The very act of sisming such a pledge must surely kill the real spark. Even to those students who never have questioned the justice of our laws and the honesty of our officials there must come the question. “Why, if my country is the best and fairest in the world, am I asked for a written guarantee of my loyalty?” u n u Canned Patriotism PATRIOTISM, like any other emotion, is instinctive. It can not be bought or cultivated. The theory that is instilled into children’s minds—“My country, right or wrong’’—should be accompanied by

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

trees, and natural beauties of every kind. The cherry (sakura) is one of the most highly esteemed trees in the country, and the magnificence of its flowerladen boughs and the pictuesque flutter of the falling petals in-

fused so often with tuberculosis in the past. Fortunately the development of the X-ray has made it possible to watch the development of silicosis from the very early stages down to such serious changes as result in death. The particles of dust cast a shadow in the X-ray plate w-hich develops gradually from tiny lines to mottling, and finally to w’hat is called a snow storm effect, because of its spotted appearance. After the disease is well established, it may continue to progress, even though the man is removed from all further dust hazard, owing to the fact that the silicotic process once started continues to develop. Should silicosis become complicated by tuberculosis or infectious bronchitis, the condition naturally is more severe and more promptly

constructive criticism and remedies to correct the wrongs. We live in an age of debunking. There have been biographies of Washington, Lincoln, and others that were frank in their efforts to show that these men were not gods, but human beings. As human beings they erred from time to time, and their judgment was not always good. And so today do our Presidents and leaders err. Certainly we should not be expected to close our eyes to these

Questions and Answers

How many Roman Catholics are there in Scotland? Approximately 600,000. Are racing turtles coaxed with bait? The only species of racing turtles are the box and gopher turtles. Galapagos turtle, a giant race of land turtles now nearly extinct, when captive in zoological gardens, can be made to move in any desired direction by holding a pole to which a banana or a carrot is attached in front of their noses. In gopher turtle races the turtles are released from beneath tubs in the center cf a circle and travel to the margin, and the one which first reaches the edge is the winner. What is the location of Rapidan camp, in the Blue Ridge mountains, where President Hoover spends his week-ends? It is at the confluence of two creeks, Mill Prong and Fork Prong, where they unite to form the headwaters of the Rapidan river, in Madison county, Virginia. The camp is about seven miles up the mountain on a road that was built especially for the President. It is about 100 miles from Washington. What is the plural of people? The plural is peoples, and is used in the sense of different races, citizens or residents of dlifferent countries. People is a collective noun and is used correctly in speaking of the people of the United States, meaning all the people. What is the nationality and meaning of the name Voegitlen? It is a German patronymic meaning son of a protector. How many members have the Order of Railway Conductors of America and the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen? The Order of Railway Conductors of America reports about 60,000 and the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen reports about 180.000.

|-c *T Registered O. 3. V Patent Offic# RIPLEY

spired an ancient poet to liken it to the “souls of Yamato.” The trees bear no fruit, but the admiring affection they inspire in Japan is unique. Monday: "The man with the most phenomenal memory.”

serious than uncomplicated silicosis. In Great Britain certain industries already have been put under special lists in relation to compensation for silicosis. These industries include sandstone and pottery industries, in which periodic examinations are already being made, and metal grinding, tin mining, granite quarries and a number of processes in which silicon rock is mined, blasted, crushed, .ground or broken, also sand blasting and foundry workers. Only a few states in this country provide for compensation. Public health officials, industrial physicians and specialists in industrial diseases are working on* the problem. Articles are beginning to appear in scientific publications. No doubt these studies will lead to plans for lessening the hazard, to installation of periodic examination of workers, and to provision of compensation for those afflicted.

nv HEYWOOD B • BROUN

things and accept them without raising even a tiny voice in protest. Our Constitution was conceived on the basis of Life, Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness. And we are not being permitted to uphold .that Constitution in its true spirit. The act of having to sign a loyalty pledge defeats its very purpose. tt tt tt Doubtful Remedy IF is is true that there are certain students in New Utrecht and other high schools who have been found to have radical tendencies, what will it avail to pass little cards around for them to sign If they want to enter college? Surely that will not make them less radical. On the contrary, they will find justification for their discontent and plunge more deeply into the red. Why not let these boys have their say? Certainly they are not so dangerous that they have become a menace to the community and their school fellows. It is even possible that some of them might have a few constructive suggestions to offer. But at least they should be permitted to finish their education. They are, for the most part, American bom or bred. If our American schools and colleges fail to make of them good citizens, then I think it is time to look into the ways of our educational system. fCosvriKht. 1931. bv The Tims>

Delicious Fruit Recipes Fresh fruits are very important in the diet as regulatory foods and tissue builders. The fact that they contain mineral salts such as calcium, phosphorus, lime and iron—each necessary to the body tissues—makes the use of fruit in the diet necessary. And the fact that most truits are low in food value, while furnishing cellulose and acids, makes them ideal for summer use in the diet. Our Washington bureau has ready for you a comprehensive new builetin on fruit dishes, drinks and desserts. It includes recipes for delicious fruit muffins, fritters, cocktails, salads, desserts and beverages. You’ll be'surprised at the variety if tasteful ways you can use fruit and berries in the daily menu. Fill out the coupon below and send for this bulletin. CLIP COUPON HERE Dept. 131, Washington Bureau, The Indianapolis Times 1322 New York avenue, Washington, D. C. I want a copy of the bulletin, Fruit Dishes, Drinks and Desserts, and Inclose herewith 5 cents in coin or loose, imcancelled United States postage stamps for return postage and handling costs. Name Street and Number City . ! State I am a reader of The Indianapolis Times. (Code No.)

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.

JUNE 20, 1931

SCIENCE BY DAVID DIETZ

Speed of Thunderstorm's Approach Is Easy to Estimate. TWO questions enter most people's minds at the approach of a thunderstorm. One is how fast the storm is approaching. The other is the distance away of the lightning flashes. It is easy to estimate the distance from the observer at which a flash of lightning has taken place by counting the seconds which elapse between the sight of the flash and the sound of the accompanying thunder. Light travels with a speed of 186,000 miles a second. A beam of light could encircle the earth’s equator seven times in less than a second. For all practical purposes, therefore. the observer may assume that he sees the lightning flash at practically the instant that it occurs. Asa matter of fact, he may see it at a millionth of a second later. But this is not important for ordinary considerations. Sound, on the other hand, travels much more slowly than does light. The speed of sound is measured In feet rather than in miles. Its speed is about 1.066 feet per second. This means, therefore, that if you hear the thunder one second after you see the flash, the flash took place 1,066 feet away. Since the method is fairly crude, it may be assumed for the sake of simplicity that every second elapsed denotes 1,000 feet. Therefore, if you count three seconds between flash and thunder the flash was 3,000 feet away. 8 8 B Watch Clouds ESTIMATING the distance away of the lightning flashes will help you to estimate how fast the storm is approaching. Obviously, as the storm draws nearer, the elapsed time between flash and thunder will grow shorter and shorter. Occasionally thunder may be heard when the storm is ten miles away. In that case, the lapse of time between the flash and the sound would be 50 seconds. When a thunderstorm is observed In the distance, the first thing to do is to ascertain its course. If the storm is retreating, the clouds will appear to dwindle in size. If the storm is moving at right angles to the observer, the motion of the clouds will be visible. If the storm is approaching, the clouds will appear to be growing larger and larger. Thunderstorms travel at an average speed of 25 miles an hour. It is possible, however, to time a storm fairly well by the method described. Let us suppose that you note the time between flash and thunder and that it is 40 seconds. That means the storm is eight miles away. Five minutes later, let us say, the time between flash and thunder is 30 seconds. The sotrm now is 6ix miles away, in other words, the storm has traveled two miles in five minutes. Since the storm then is six miles from where you are, you have exactly 15 minutes in which to seek shelter before the storm breaks.

tt tt tt Electrified Droplets THE cause of lightning Is not understood completely. Experiments in scientific laboratories have shown that when a spray of water is blown Into the air, the spray which rises become electrified negatively, while the large drops which fall become electrified positively. It is believed that the same process takes place in a thunderstorm. In a thunderstorm the powerful ascending air currents carry the water drops up. But as larger drops form, they begin to fall against the rising current. The small drops which rise fn the thundercloud, therefore, are charged negatively, while the large drops which fall are charged positively. Finally, the tension gets so great that the insulating ability of the air breaks down and the electrical tension is relieved by the jumping of a huge electrical discharge between cloud and ground. Benjamin Franklin, though probably not the first to suggest that lightning was electrical in its nature, was the first to suggest a reasonable mechanism for lightning. He first suggested that lightning resembled an electric discharge in November, 1749. In 1750 he speaks of "the fire of electricity and that of lightning being the same.” Who took the roles of Jake and Lena in the radio feature of that name? Gene Francis Carroll of the team of Gene and Glenn takes both roles and Glen Rowell plays the piano. Gene does this by changing his voice into two falsettoes, one high, the other low. To Jake goes the low range and when Lena talks, Gene shifts his voice to the higher level. What form of government has Ireland? The country formerly known as Ireland is now divided into two distinct political divisions: Northern Ireland, which Is governed by the British parliament, and the Irish Free State, a self-governing dominion within the British Empire.