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8 44- - $f) Sun AND NEW YORK PRE3H. MONDAY, DEOKMBKK 18, 1010. MEMBER OF THK ASSOCIATED DISSS. The Associated Press li exclusively en- titled to th use for repub.lcatlon of all news despatches credited to It or not oiherwlaa cndlted In this paper ana alio the, local news published herein. All right! of republication of special deipatchea herein arp nlso reserved. Entered H the I'oat Olflce at New York as rierond Class Mall Mutter. Bubacrlptlons by Mull, 1'o.tpuld. One Six One (oar. Mon,:n. Aortth. DAILY A SUNDAY.. .110.00 MOO 81.00 DAILY only 8.00 4.00 aUNDAY only 3.00 I.W .40 utriiDtiN' lUrra. DAILY SUNDAY... 110.00 fS.OO 11.00 DAILY only ., 8.00 4.00 .IS SUNDAY only. 5.00 3.50 .SO Fob no N Rate). DAILY SUNDAY... 1.00 112.00 ft.15 DAILY only 18.00 O.OO ISO SUNDAY only. f.OO 4M . One Six One Year. Months. Mon THE EVENING SUN. 10.00 3 00 MM Foreign 18.00 0.00 IM BOOKS AND THE BOOK WORLD (weekly), one year .00 Canada... J2.S0 Other countries... H.W All checks, money orders, ic, to bo made payablo to Tub Sun. Published dally, Including Sunday, by the Sun Printing and Publishing Association, 280 Broadway. Borough of Manhattan, N. Y. President. Frank A. Munaey, 280 Broadway: Ervln Ward-ma- Secretary. II. II. Tltherlngtons Treas- urer, Wm. T. bewart, all of 280 Broadway. ILondon offlce, 40-4- J Fleet atreet. Parla offlce. 0 Rue de la Mlchodlere, off It.e du Quatie Beptembre. Washington offlce, Munaey But'dlng. Chicago offlce, 208 South La. Balls atreet. Brooklvn offlce, Room 202, Eagle Biilld-fn- 803 Wa.hlngton atreet. our frlendt who favor u irlrA manu-urip- tt and llluitratlom for publication tcith to have relecttit arlleltt returned then mvit in all aue$ tend stamps for that purpote. telephone wopth mono Humbt'g Abo\t the Consequences of the Kejo ted Covenant. From the news cnlumiis of tin often superheated and always Irreconcila- ble mourner at the of Natlorw bier we quote this refreshingly honest statement of facts: \Some bankers expressed the con fiction, despite the opinion of the NewYork Chamber of Commerce to the contrary, that tho failure of the Benate to ratify the peace treaty had had llttlo practical effect on ex- change. In fact It was hinted that there might be some public miscon- ception If the treaty Is ratified, since It would then be obvious that the mere net of' ratification wquld not provide credits for Europe or cause permanent recovery In exchange.\ It Is Indeed an Impenetrable mind which cannot take In these clear truths : One Unless the League covenant could compel the United States against the will of Us people to lend commodities and to glvd commodities, to lend credits and to give credits, to lend money and to give money to Im- poverished Governments and peoples of the Old World, then the mere rati- fication of the treaty could not of ft draft one American dollar for the spending of foreign bankrupts, could not draft n single ounce of food for tho feeding of foreign mouths, could not draft a stitch of clothes ftfr tho covering of foreign backs. Two Unless the covenant could compel the United States against the will of Its people to underwrite the financial undertakings of Insolvent Europe, then the mero ratification of the treaty could not of Itself put a solitary prop under n financially col- lapsing public or private treasury abroad. But who In his sober senses be- lieves that, League of Nations or no League of Nations, the United States could be compelled to do those things against the will of the American peo- ple so long ns they have the man- hood and the strength to resist, as they would resist with all the force In them, such coercion by particular Powers or by all the Powers of tho tvhole world? At such a decree of the League of Nations Just as much ns at a decree of a military aggressor demanding flat ransom and threaten- ing tho alternative of crass pillage the American people would fight to the lasPOttch. Treaty or no treaty, only Congress wwuld or could appropriate money for iko at home or abroad. The Ameri- can people would break Into domestic revolution and wage foreign wars be- fore they would yield their appropri- ating power to anybody else. Wherefore the hysteric accusation that the defeat of the tre\ty struck down foreign exchange and slaugh- tered our foreign trade as If It 'were jnerc dollars the patriotic Senators had In mind when they saved the na- tionalism of the American people and the sovereignty of the American Gov eminent I Is not a protest of the d mind but a shriek of the Irre- sponsible tongue. The charge that the Senate condemned Europe to destitu- tion and anarchy Is humbug. For what single material thing of ours that the treaty could have given Europe with- out a vote of sanction nnd rn ap- propriation by Congrcv and .vlthout the approval of tho American people has tho defeat of the treaty taken away from Europe? And yet who shall deny\ that what he United States cmud do and did do In war, as a free nation and of Its own will to help save Europe from Irreparable downfall, tho United States can do In peace and when- ever It wants to will do ns a free na- tion and of Its own will to help Eu- rope up to Its feet again.? A3 a free nation and of its own will the United States poured men, munitions, food and treasure Into the conflict of Eu- rope against military oppression and brutality. As n free nation and of Its own will the United States will do Its .haro In the struggle of Europe against economic demoralization, flnnnclnl bankruptcy, starvation nnd chaos. \What national license docs the United States need from, the League of Na- tions to do a less share for the world In peace than the United \States with-a- & liccnso from any earthly author- - lty but Its henrt and Its conscience, did for tho world In war? Let us put away theso bedlam vi- sions of the consequences of tho re- jected covennnt and got on our ra- tional, practical, American Job of de- livering the goods for ourselves, for Europe and for tho world. A Flan for Steady Work In Soft as In Hard Coal. Twenty years ago there was put In effect In tho anthracite regions a slid- ing scale plan, familiar now to every householder, designed to Increase tho miners' year. It provided that In April, the month when houe fires are r.ut out, the price of coal should bo tho lowest of the year and that It should be advanced 10 cents n ton each month until, September, or CO cents In ?ll. Tho result was that while In the decade boforp 1000 the anthracite miner worked a mean average of 170 days a year he. has worked since that tlmo a mean average of 207 days a year. Tho public was tempted Into buying In spring and early summer at least n parf of Its coal for tho follow- ing winter. Tho work of tho miners, tho railroads and the local deliveries was spread over n 'ycar. What was dono In anthracite it If believed can be almost duplicated In the production and distribution of bituminous coal. E. W. Pabkeb. di- rector of the Anthracite Durcau of Information, made tho suggestion a few days ago to the Coal Mining In- stitute of America. Ho thinks the distribution of bituminous demand over the whole year would end the complaint? of the union lenders that their production tlmo has been broken by lack of market In the early months nnd shortage of cars In the fall and winter. Besides giving regular em- ployment to the miners the proposed leform should reduce the cost of pro- duction, do away with coal famines and relieve the railroads In the season when operating costs aro highest. The plan urged by Mr. Pabkeb Is In line with tho findings of Secretary Lane In his annual report, published last Sunday. On the subject of dull business In the. mines In spring be wrote ns follows : \This short year In coal mine op- eration Is due In part to seasonal fluctuation !p demand Tim mines nvcraged only twenty-fou- r hours a week during the spring; months. The weekly report of that dato shewed that 80 per cent, of tno ljet time was duo to 'no market' and only 15 per cent to 'labor shortage,' whllo 'car shortage' was a negligible factor.- In contrast with this should bov taken the last week before the strike, when the average hours operated were thirty-nin- e and 'no mtrket' was a negligible Item In lost time, whllo 'car shortage' was by far the largest'ltem.\ The hard coa men cured the public of the waiting habit by offclni: spring bargains. The benefits accomplished for both producer and consumer may be repeated in tho soft coal trade. Dreadnought and Submarine In tho rose utlon of War on the 01. It seems an obsession with us for- ever to be hoping that some day some ono will make a discovery which In an Instant will make futile all the many expensive Instrument\ of naval warfare. The effect of this mental dlso'.der, or psychosis, as medical men might call It. Is to cruse us to neglect complete naval preparation, putting our trust In half thought out theories for the annihilation of the surface warships of a possible enemy. These theories or substitutes for naval pre- paredness are conceived usually by men whoso mental faculties are well equipped for thought within familiar limitations of their professions, but who, when they Invade a field so for- eign to their experience ns war on tho sea, naturally enough stumble and fall. They fall because their estimate has neglected to consider nature's laws of growth. Their premises do not take Into account the vust experi- ences gained by the naval art through, centuries of evolution, or the environ- ment of the sea upon which their cre'itlons will be used. After the United States, unprepared on both land nnd sea, entered the great war thousands upon thummils of Ideas were sent to Washington. The burden of ench was the creation of an Instrument of war which, defy- ing the laws of evolution, should give the nation Immedlnto victory over its enemy, setting at naught the thorough preparations for war made durlne pece by other nations. Fifty odd years of to war prep- aration were to be requited by theso inventions nnd trained to the minute, fleets of the cuemy destroyed. This psychosis of the American peo- ple has caused grave concern to our r.a'.nl students of war. It Is well enough to give play to the imagina- tion; to stimulate the lay mind with nrtlcles and stories that are delight- ful In their seeming scientific dem- onstration, but such Ideas must not be accepted as anything except a means of passing a pleasant hour. If taken seriously by our citizens they become harmful to the mass-min- d of the na- tion. They Inhibit effective naval preparation. The naval conscience forbids keep- ing tho people lulled to Inaction, be- cause It rocognlzes the danger to the nation of this mass psychosis, or Irra- tional thinking, nnd knows only too well that successful results In war on the sea must follow Inevitably, as night 'follows day, long and careful preparation. This voice is frequently stilled by official censors. Inventions from outside of the navy of course are most valuable and should bo eagerly sought. However, such of the discoveries as aro found useful r.stnlly require years of development. Nature demands that each Idea be connected through acbAla. oi evolu tion to the effective' concrete result. It was so of tho battleship, tho battle- - cruiser, and Is equally truo of the lat- est weapons, the submarine nnd tor pedo plane. How man rcallzo that an American offered to build a sub- marine for France nearly 130 years ago? Tho conception of the flying machine Is ccuturlcn old. The battle ship Is a straight evolution up from tho days of tho Human and Cartha- ginian galleys. When the torpcSo boat demon- strated Its ability to- - reach and tor pedo the big surface ship at night without being dlscoend, the Joy mind, Influenced by the wish to have tho burden of expensive- - armaments lifted from the shoulders of tho na tlon, was confident thitt the days of tho battleship were nutrtbercd. Then tho destroyer came to pttotect the bat tleshlp by destroying ,tho torpedo boat, and the battleship tired. Now the submnrlno and the teredo plane occupy the centre of the ittngo. The laws of tbo universe have de- creed that great endeavor limst precede great results. We must tvork for our gains. The Law gives not blag for noth- ing. Even successful thinking re quires years and year; of painstaking research nnd study. Many men, In- toxicated by their success In thcli profession, their bends turned by ad ulatlon nnd unaccustomed power, ton often expect to bo ttble to think oc curntely on subjects when; ramifica tions are a closed book to their minds, They draw wisdom from n mind bar ren of knowledge on tho subject of tbclr meditation, and, unauto to make a logical estimate of the mnay factors Involved, they consequently arrive at decisions that aro both unsound nnd harmful. \ Very lately, since tho exploits iif the German submarine have been un dcr discussion and all Information from German sources has , become common property, tbo lay mind has been predicting the downfall of the battleship before the submarine. While great storo may properly tw put In the future of the submarine arm of the navy, a too sanguine belief In the future development of that weapon may do great Injustice to the surface capital warships. It seems appropriate to discuss the question, not from the standpoint of the abso- lute vnluo of the two warship types, but from their relative values lu sea power. ' Sea power embodies the coordinate efforts of the sea and air forces of n nation. Far back in history when Q10 sea was not used by man except elbse to land, sea power as such hardly ex lsted. The first warships were simi- lar In construction to those used to carry merchandise. Instead of cargo they carried soldiers. Warships were built for the pur- pose of permitting soldiers to fight on tho water. Merchant ships car- ried merchandise for sale or bartci with nations to which access was possible only by water. This trade became ygy, profitable and wns sut Ject to attack by pirates and the cltl-sen- s of other nations. n war it wns legitimate prey by the citi- zens of the nations at war. To pro tect It warships were created. Even ns far back as tho days of the Carthaginians a nation's sea homo commerce was recognized ns a vital thing to be guarded. A sea power un- able to guard its commerce soon ceased to be a sea power. Carthage, Venice, Holland, Spain nnd Germany are examples of this truth. The mission of sea power In pence Is to preserve the commerce of a na- tion. Therefore n merchant marine Is the cause and Justification of a navy. If we build a navy Incapable of con- serving our merchant marine In case of war wo have failed. In war the ultimate object of at- tack Is the enemy merchant marine, for by such measures we cut off all supplies by water and prevent the en- emy nation from continuing Its traffic by sea with neutral or allied nations. If we fail In this our sea power Is in- adequate. It is Important to remem- ber that sea power In war must en- deavor to control the sen highways. Most nations depend on the sea for UK? great muss ui ucwaeui ira ui inl- and progress, nnd once the sea Is denied to them they Inevitably must acknowledge defeat and end the war. On land highways are first deline- ated by nature and then perfected by man. Forts arc built to control land highways, sheltering soldiers for de- fence or attack. On tho seven seas there are na highways, except those plotted by man's experience, usually the short- est distances between two commercial ports. These highways are not graven and mny be moved at will, yet the farthor the highways are moved the longer the Journey. Thus nations at war to nil Intents and purposes use well delineated highways or routes' on the ocean, nd those hnvlng n vital merchant marine to protect have seized In the past, and covet In the present, harbors for naval and mer- cantile bases at strategical points on these routes. The most valuable loca- tion Is where several merge. Examples of such places nro Slngnpore, Gibraltar, Aden, Port Said and Malta. There defended ports are used similarly to forts on land based on thee porta go to sea for defence or attack. A nation at war will use Its' sea power to accomplish all of the follow lng purposes: (a) To safeguard Its merchant ma-- 1 rlne; this Is frequently don? by Join- ing many ships In convoy and protect- ing this convoy with nn organized force of warships called an escort. (b) To transport troops by sea; here also the convoy system Is used. (c) To attnek tho merchant marine of the enemy 1 thla form of service THE SUN, MONDAY, can bo perforniod by vessels of high speed and long radius of action, or by submarine using stealth and sur- prise. In case the enemy uses tho convoy system u force of ships super- ior? In fighting power to tho escort must be sent to attuck. (d) To safeguard outlying naval and mercantile bases. The thoroughly tried principle of concentration has dictated the benefit of keeping together a great licet for the purpose of fighting on the sea. The strategical and tactical disposi- tions of this force nro dictated by tho situation at the moment. In tho days cf Nelson and Viiaenkuve each fleet cruised after tho other fleets, endeavor- ing to fight at such times us un ad- vantage could bo obtained. In the groat war each fleet watched the other from well protected and se- cure bases In Its homo country. Although tho mission of each sea power Is to destroy tho commerce of the other, Its first aim Is to destroy the enemy's fighting fleet, because af- ter that has been done the destruction of commerce becomes u relatively sim- ple matter. Wo thus return to the principle at least as old as the modern world: that warships are for tbo purpose of permitting soldiers to fight on tho seas. The soldier has long since been displaced by the sailor, yot the prin- ciple has not been vitiated. This fighting on the sens Is for tho ulterior object of destroying the commerce of the enemy, thereby bankrupting the enemy's government nnd forcing It to accept defeat. Fighting on tho ocean Is similar In Its principles to fighting on land. Men win wars, not their Instruments. Eacn new development In war material de- pends for Its success upon whether It can aid toward tho ultimate object of the war. Commerce will always be carried in surface ships. A submarine cannot safeguard its own merchant marine by giving pro- tection ngalnst the nttack of heavily gunned surface warships. It cannot with success escort a con- voy of troopships. It cannot make the sea safe for Its own commerce while at the same time It can make the sea insecure for tho commerce of the enemy. The tank, an invention of the great wnr, was most successful in aiding the advance of infantry by smother- ing machine gun nests of the enemy. If there had been no infantry to fol- low the tanks this formidable land warship would have been useless. As long as commerce Is carried In surface ships there must be surface warships to. protect It, and as lon, a there exists the need of surface shlpi we cannot Impede the laws of evolu- tion, and these surface ships will In- evitably grow In fighting power nnd In speed to the limit of man's capa billtles to develop them. , The submarine will continue to bt a formidable antagonist nnd will aid materially toward the ultimate object of the war the destruction of the enemy's commerce. The torpedo plane will have Its part in this vital duty and also In fleet actions. By Inventions we can hope only to make war more terrible and, by multiple de- struction, end it in a shorter time. All other things being equal war on the sea will be won by the nation vhlch has made the most effective reparations In time of peace. Leave Us tLe 1 rl .lego of Unregu- lated Worry. A heartless bureaucrat In the Weather Bureau Becks to rob us of the nleasures. of dismal forebodings by assuring us that tho planetary In fluences between December 17 anu ue- - ccmber 20 are not likely to produce cataclysmic disturbances on or under the surface of the earth, as somo 01 our more imaginative seers have pre dicted. \Planet groupings on which the predictions are ostensibly based have occurred before without any conditions resulting, nnd there Is no around for expecting any ex traordinary happenings at this time,\ says the Weather Chief. Do not the crass materialists who guess for pay about the weather know- - that worrying about the end of the world takes the mind off the price of ice cream sodas? Do they not under- stand that If a man's mind Is tilled 1th fear that Saturn, Mercury und Mars may conspire .0 drop a brick on his bead he won't be disturbed about the contents of the bottle bought from the barber, who winked when he said It was hair tonic, and which mny be pure wood alcohol or horse liniment? Does tho Weather Bureau not rccog- - niiA thi croat comfort derived by a considerable fraction of the public from PDeculatlon ns to their rank in another world Into which they think they mny be clovated or precipitated by the clash of spheres? Sonntnr Hiram Johnson's announce ment that ho Is a candidate for Presi- dent reveals nothing which was hidden from tha country, but it does servo notice on other spirants tnat wnen tho convention adjourns they will know they have been in a fight Villa hoMn American for $10,000 ransom. tfcvjupapsr nradline Villa Is modest. An American la worth much more than $10,000. a T.nndnn woman seeks divorce be- - c.uso her husband has not spoken to her for three years'. Perhaps she has been fortunate; some wives would Rive a good deal If their husbands would keep silent. If the Government Is really wor ried about what'Tb-dajrlt- 55,000,000 gallons of whiskey It mltht submit Its problem to a referendum of men. Bronx cold to the Reds. Tfewtpaper headline. One of the far reaching effects of tho miners' atrlke7 Autplrlona Beginning, We will walooma 1820 lust tonus H rayaea wit vnt DECEMBER 15, 1919. FEDERAL TAXES AND STATE RIGHTS. Secretary Glass's Proposal to Beach Indirectly Incomes neld by the Su- premo Court to Bo e. To tics EoiTon of Tn Sun air: As a consistent reader of Tub Sun 1 saw and read your editorial article of Decem- ber 5 entitled \Taxing Tax Exempt In- comes.\ The article and tho excerpt from the nnnual report of Secretary Olass which It contained havo a more than ordinary Interest fur me, for the reason that I havo had within the last two years occasion to go very carefully Into the subject cf which they tre.. My Investigation aroso from tt.a neces- sity of arguing before the Supreme Court thn case of Peck va, Lowe, which In- volved tho right of the Federal Govern- ment to tax Income derived exclusively from foreign exportation, my client bas- ing Its denial of that right upon the .onstltutlonal provision which denies to the Federal Government the power to lay any burden upon exports. The court di elded to the contrary, but the proper presentation of tho question necessarily Involved the existence of tho Federal power suggested by Secretary Glass. I will not trespass upon your tlmo or space by any extended argument, but will merely state some conclusions which tl.u decisions of the Suj.remo Court Justify. There Is no question that before the passage of the Sixteenth Amendment the Income tax amendment the Federal Government had no power whatever to tlx the Income derived from municipal vurltles. The following early cases are sufficient warrant for that statement: Ontblns vs. Erie County Commissioners 16 Peters 5; Collector va Day, 11 Wallace 113, and Weston vs. Charleston, 2 Pctcra 449. Were thero any doubt remaining after theso cases were dccld.d It will be found to have been removed by tho case of Pollock vs. Farmers Loan and Trust Company, 157 U. B. 429 and 1S3 U. S. C01. It Is equally clear that tho passage of tho Sixteenth Amendment did not extend tho taxing power of the Federal Govern- ment to cover any subjects not pre- viously taxab'e by Congress. The effect of this amendment 'was slmp'y to make ' clar that the Income taxing power of the Federal Government did not require the iipportlonlng of such a tax among the States. The foregoing statement will be found to bo definitely cubstantlated by three late decisions of the Supreme Court, wMch are: Brushaber vs. Union Pacific Itnl'road Company, 240 U. S. 1 ; Stan- ton vs. Baltic Mining Company, 240 U. S. 103. and Peck vs. Lowe, 247 U. S 115. Mr. Glass In his report, among other th.ngs, siys: A question has been railed concerning the right of tho Federal Government under the Constitution to tax the In- come from State and municipal bonda, but there can be no doubt of the of ouch an administrative provision. The proposal Is not to tax tho Income derlvod from State and municipal securlllei but to prevent evanlon of the tax In reipect to other Income The Inherent vice In the proposal of Mr. Glass Is that It considers the qucs tlon entirely from the standpoint of the Federal Government and entirely disre- gards the rights of the soveral States. This Is not at all personal to the Secre-ir- v but has ben charncterlstlc years now of Federal officials, nd especially those having to do with taxation. The point of view seems to be that whereas the .Federal Government requires more money It Is a most annoy- ing Incident that anything shou'd stand In tho way: that the Federal Govern- ment Is the holder of a majority of the stock In our national corporation and that the States, as dummy directors nro ungracious and Impertinent In as umlng to exercise any of their normal rights. The significance of tho fundimenta' fact that underlies our entire scheme of government Is either overlooked or rd Tint fact la that the Fedc-a- ' Government la ono of delegated pow- ers only and that It owes Its ex- istence solely to the fact that the' States conceded certain of their powera for It5 . hut that, except as so speci- fically ceded, their powers nnd Inde- pendence remain Intact. Tho reason why the Federal Govern- ment may not tax the Income derived from State and municipal securities Is because the States did not give up th light to govern and finance themselves without Interference by their creature, the Federal Government In the cases which I have cited the Supreme Court of tho United States has clearly held that the Federal Government may not, by taxation or otherwise, nlp,cn nny burden upon the Instrumentalities by whtch the States carry out their functions. The bonds of the States are necessary Instru- mentalities for their government, and upon the rate at which they can be floated depends to a large extent the weight of the burden which must be placed bv them upon their citizens. The State la nble to finance Itielf by securities drawing, for cxamp'e. 4LJ per cent, because that 4Vi per cent. Is net to the security ho'dor. If the Federal Government Is permitted to tax part of that 4J per cent, manifestly the bonds will thereafter have to be floated at it discount, or, which amounts to the same thing, later Issues will havo to be mado at a higher rate. Secretary Glass's suggestion Is Indi- rectly placing exactly the same burden upon an Instrumentality of the States. Instead of taxing a man who has a million dollars of Income, one-ha- lf of which Is derived from State or mun'clpii bonds, upon tho other half alone he proposes to punish n man for having bought enough State secuiltles to pro duce nn Income of half a million dollars by taxing him, to a certain extent, upon the remaining part of his Income, as If his cntlro Income were subject to Fed- eral taxation. He speaks of a man as evading the Federal law by having. In the case sug- gested, half a million dollars of Income from State securities, resulting In exemption as to them and surtaxes which ought to be based upon a mllllqn dollars of Income. There Is no evasion In any proper senso of the word In that. because his half million dollars of exempt Income Is so far as the Federal tax Is concerned, which fact Is not by way of hampering the Federal Government but for the far more important reason that the best Interests of the States demand It and that the Constitution protects these In- terests. But there Is evasion In trying Indirectly to burden a necessary Instru- mentality of the States by punishing whoever Invests In them so that their market value. Is entirely changed. In the example which he gives a man weuld either cease buying Stato securi ties in favor of securities piylng a higher rate of Interest, to the detri ment of the States, or he would In- vest la no thing but BtaU securities, la which event tho Secretary's suggestion vouid bear no fruit (0 the Federal Gov- ernment, unless It cou\d accomplish directly what It had failed to do by eva- sion and either had got the Consti- tution amended or had obtained a by the Supreme Court of tho cases whtch I have cited. Isn't It about tlmo that the States wero regarded by tho Federal Govern- ment as at least partners In tho concern Instead of Frankenstolns subject to bo crippled or destroyed by their own creation? , Chahlks P. Stoonko. Naw Yonic, December 12. MAQIC OF THE ATOMS. Tho Little Wo Do Know and the Much That Wo Don't. To the EDiTon op The Sun Sir: The research of Ernest Rutherford within tho domains of atomic physics may leaa In thn matnrlaltzatlon of tho alchemist's dream but not yot Rutherford has made no claim to a d scovcry oi tne transmutation of motals. That claim Is thn work of friends. Never theless, he has let In a lot more llghl on tho naturo of tho atom, and Htewise whnt the ntom Is not Tho gradual debasement of uranium to lead Is a \natural\ process; that is, as radium Is tom away from tho atom of uranium, helium atoms and negative o'ectrons are also let loose. I,t Is trans mutation all right ; but who can explain tho how? We merely Bay that, In such transmutation, \energy Is given off.\ Quito right, but the assertion Is only a confession of ' Ignorance. Ono correspondent assumes that while an element having a high atomic weight may bo debased to one of lower atomic welcht. one of low atomic weight cannot bo built up to ono of higher weight Nny, nay, brother; not so. In tho deDaBcmeni of uranium to lead a tremendous cnergj in off.\ Let us assumo that energy locked within the uranium atom is un loosed another confosslon of Ignorance. Now Damn Nature cannot bo trapped Into a onesided arrangement. If energy can bo unlocked and set free trom an atom, energy can be put Into It. If gold ran bo debased Into an atom of somo other elemont, thon the atom of that same element plus tho cxpendlturo oi enorgy may bo changed again Into gold. But when that becomes commercially possible radium will bo about as cheap as street dust Obbebves. Mount Vernon, December 13. \WILSON THATS ALL.\ A Princeton Cartoon Hecalled by Resignations From Offlce. To the Eorron or The Sun Sir; Mr. Wilson has at times preached democracy to the people of this country and to tho peoples of other countries, but In, deal- ing with the, Congress of tho United States and In his other official actionb he s'wnw to bo actuated more by tho spirit of the dictum of tho Grand Monarque: \L'Etat e'est Mol.\ In eontemDlating the vanishing from public life of members of tho Cabinet and other Government officers 1 urn le- - mlndcd of a cartoon which appeared in tho Princeton Tiger somo years ago, when Mr. Wilson was president of Prince- ton University and many studonts were balne dismissed for not attaining a suf ficiently high Intellectual standaid. Tho campus was represented In the rfrawln ns deserted, grass covered the walks and cobwebs clung to tho cornices and windows of the buildings. Mr. II- - son was seated nlono on the steps of vajLqnti Hall In the attitude of \Le Pen- - seur\ and underneath the picture was v,rltton. \Princeton In 1920 Wilson, That's All.\ William 8. Whitehead. New York, December 13. A Tip From the Corner of Wall and Broad Streets. To thc Editok or The Sun Sir; Let me give a tip to tho young man In the ouitiv who thinks of com..ig here: es, New York Is the wonder city all right 'A fellow with brains Is quickly recog-'nlze- but the cha'p without much gray matter had better keep away from this town, for tho chances are he will go broke and remain broke. Sad but true 1 E. A. COttBETT, Wall Street Evangelist New Yohic, December 13. Yes. To thd EoiTon of The Sun Sir: I Hvo In New Jersey and work for and am employed by a Delawaro corporation with ofllces In New York. Am I com- pelled to pay 1 per cent of my salary of 1919 In accordance with tho law re- cently enacted In Albany applying to people who llvo outside of New York and do business In New York? Alt-be- Watson. Mapixwood, N. J.. December 13. Objection In Monosyllables. To the Editor of The Sun Sir: Why coin a half cent when tho cent Is worth only half a cent now? ZsnuLoN McDlum. Vv'adino RiVEn, December 13. Deatlng a Prnlrle Thief. From the Kantat Clip Star. Persona travelling tbroueh Smith county have wondered at seeing flocks of turkeys wearing little bells tled'on tbelr necka. It Is explained that tho bells are provided to scare away coyotea. Mrs. Roy Musier, wife of a farmer near Smith Center, la credited with tho discovery that the tink- ling of a bell Is very dismaying to a crimi- nally Inclined coyote. The Automobile Itenrhei the Omrks. front (A Arkansaw TXomat Cat. The automobile that passed ihta way a few days ago failed to do as much damage as was at first reported. Most all of the children have bocn roundod up and brought back from tho woods. No Wander Hoard la nigh. CoIujo corritpondcnct Ban Franciico Chroni- cle. Herman Jacobaon has purchased from R. V. Grenfoll his eleven acre pruno orchard on tbo eut elda of the Sacramento at 11.000 an acre. Swan Song of the Mary IMwell. Th Marj\ Powell haa been withdrawn from the Hudson Itlver service and will be brokon up. Good-b- y to the Mary Powell, to The fait old river boat That used to show a foaming wake To everything afloat. For'ah'e has reached her final dock And nevermore wilt glide In white and swanlike grace upon The Hudson's silver tide. Oh, where the brooding Highlands thro Deep ahadows on the sheen Of dancing waves, for many a year We'll miss the River Queen; And long tn fancy we shall hear Her whletle'a cheery blast In greeting to the rival boats She sped so proudly past. Her engines scrapped, her timbers wrecked. Her funnels fallen, ehe From Troy to New York city now la but a momory, IJut half a century of brldet Who took the Hudson trip In sprays of withered orange Bowers Embalm tho llttlo ship. JCtaaa Xxns WOMEN PROPOSED FOR CIVIL SERVICE Fess to Offer Bill for Two Fcminino Members. of U. S. Commission. WOULD INCREASE B0AHD Ohio Boprcsentativo Believes Such Change Wilh Have Beneficial Bosults. Special Despatch to Tno Bds. Washington. Dec. 14. Recognition for tho increasing number of women who aro accepting Government positions, by representation on the Civil Service Com- mission Is recommended by Representa- tive Fcss (Ohio), chairman of tho Re- publican Congressional Committee, in a bill ho has prepared for Introduction In tho IIouso Tho action also may bo taken as an Indication that political leaders aro wel- coming women Into national politics. Mr. .Fcss In his bill proposes to Increase the commission from threo to five members by adding two women, claiming tmu u. will Improve tho work of tho commis- sion, which must continually combat rolltical influences. Women should bo represented, the Republican leader said, on all boards in which they aro in- volved. \I have proposed this amendment not only to recognize tho proper claims or women in civil service, but more especially to Improve that service, wr. Fcss said. \Women are more and more entering the scrvlco of tho Government Recently the Civil Service Commission stated that slncd the war tho proportion of women In tho service here In Wash- ington has greatly Increased until it has reached about two-thir- of the entire service. ,., \Women aro more ana more maami. their way into scientific and technical fields and entering pursuits requiring a high degree of executive and admin- istrative ability, commanding superior salaries. We have a Federal law re- quiring for women tho same pay as men get for tho same character of work. Both In the Federal as well as Stato civil service, sex, except In specific riia.rimlnntlve reoutre- - i.. -- n. n ment Much of the training in schools of all graces ror tne civu aervrcn conducted by women. \Quite naturally those who train nro equally If not better equipped to con-A.- ,t ti.A nvamlnntlnn for service than those heretofore chosen, limited to mnles. I know or no ODjection 10 roquirms vn .nnMi.n(atlnn nf wnmpn nn the Fed- - uiu hjjivv.imi..i - cral commission, while many arguments demand It Tnis recognition snouiu um start In the Federal Government, and It will be followed, as It should, by all tho States. This amendment should lead .n . tu nAn.tinn nf n nlnn . hv which all J L. .wt. - \ boards where thc Interests of women are Involved, will mciuae rcprewmaimn ni women in proper proportion to men.\ CONGRESS HURRIES SUGAR RELIEF LAW Victory Believed Certain for Bill Continuing Federal Control. Special Despatch to Toe SrH. Washington, Dec. 14. Congress will pass legls.atlon to relieve the sugar shortage and provent exorbitant prices before the adjournment for the Christ- mas' holidays next Saturday, Republican House leaders predicted. with tho sugar shoitago dally becom-n- g more acuto the leaders hayo decided to give tho bill of Senator McNary (Ore.) extending tho powers of the Sugar Equalization Board for ono yetr and providing for the purchase by tho hnnni nf .ill nv.illa.ble suuDlles the right of way both In committees and on the floor. , Republican Leader .Monueii (Wyo.) expects to pass the measuro In the same form as It came from tho Sen- ate, so that a conference will bo unneo-ssar- If this Is not done before the holiday recess the board, under tho uci ,..ln(. U m ronnn tn function on December 31 and unheard of prices for jugar are prooabi.o aiucn sugar 19 tn ng hoarded Jn the expectation that th. board's fair prices will be ended tho last f te year. It Is believed. ti McVnrv hill will be considered v,,. tvin trmia.. A erliMiltiirH Committee to morrow, Representative Haugen (Iowa), chairman, said ana ne expcc;s to report It to the Houso by Wodnesd ty. Senator aic.Nary will do me principn witness beforo tho 'House committee. In .,M,--i Mi. Hnmran anvs. theie la llt'.le objection to continuing the board. Op- position by Representatives from 'he Louisiana suear grow'ng district Is not expected to delay tho bill. The House also may order nn investi-...in- n ftf tVirt vriHmiH renorts concpminn large quantlHe of Lo'tlihna cane sugar 'roe'd from tno mantel, iieprcsenn-v- . Tinlfhim iM iks.i wnnts action oi his resolution asking tho Department of .luatlce concerning mem: rcpuiia 111 vVintiio.. Attnmev-Ocner- Palmer ever authorized a price of 17 cents a pound for Louisiana sucar. An nbsoluto embargo on sugar exports Un will ho considered by the Houso In tnrstato Commerce Committee. Ilp e. entntlve Dalllnger (Miss ) haa Intro- - A.mnA n tn nfvnmnllah tlllq anil la ready to show that large quantities of ugar nro being exported when It 1.1 sorely needed In this country. SUGAR PROFITEERS DIFFICULT TO FIND Formal Complaints to Be Made in One or Two Cases. Department of Justice agents attached to ti-- e office of Arthur Williams. Food Administrator, have Investigated upward o son Mports 01 pronieering in sugar during the last few weeks and In' only ono or two Instances have they suc- ceeded In obtaining sulllclent evldcnco against the dealer complained of to Jus- tify the making of formal complaint to the United 8tates Attorney. It was said yesterday that these complaints will bo followed by prosecutions under tho Lever act The arrival at several distribution centres on tho Atlantic seaboard of large shipments of the 800,000 tons of Ameri- can beet sugar recently acquired by the United States Sugar Kqulllzatlon Board has ended the acute Eastern sugar Bhort- - nge and will suffice to keep 'he refin eries In operation until tho new Cuban crop reaches tho market. George A. Zabrlskle, president of 'he Kuear tunllzatlon Board, said that al though prosperity, prohibition and the abnormal demand In Europe 'or sugar are bound to send prices upward th. in- creased cost will tend to rondor unlikely future shortgaes by decreasing consump- tion and encouraging production. The Sun Calendar THE WEATHER. For eastern New York, fair and con- tinued cold y and ; fresh .to strong west winds. For New Jersey, fair nnd cold to-d- und fresh to strong west anil northwest winds. For New England, fair and colder y and fresh west and northwest winds. For western New York, fair y and except snow flurries near th lakes; strong northwest winds. WABHINOTON, Deo. H. The disturb-anc- e that covered the Atlantlo Slates Sat- urday has passed eastward to the lc Ocean and the weather was cleared, throughout the Has;ern States. High pressure i now prevails gonerally over thn u11,eA s.tat\. with the maximum pressuro 30.80 Inohes over Idaho. The weather has become decidedly colder over all re-- \ n eit of tho Mississippi nivor and. along tbo Northwest border, The tern, perature has moderated In, the mlddlo pla In Statea and tho Rocky Mountain rogion. Temperatures are now much normal over all parts of tha country except sou. hern Florida, and during Sun-ru- y J\?'1.\.' temperature occurred throughout the Quit States and sub-zer- o temperatures prevail along the border from upper Michigan westward to tho Rocky Mountains and over the Western plateau region. Within the last twenty-fou- r- hours there were rains and snow the middle Atlantlo and Now England States, ralna In the south Allantlo and east Oiilf Statea and snows In the upper Ohio Valley and the region of tho great lakes, and the weather remained fair In all other regions The outlook Is for fair ; weather Monday and Tuesday east of tho Mississippi niver except that snow flurries are probable near the great lakes. Cold weathir will prevail during tho next forty-eig- hours over tho Knetern half of tho country, Cold wave warnings havo been Issued for north and control Florida and storm warnings displayed on th Atlantic coast between Jacksonville. Flo., and Doston, Mass. Observstlons taken at United States Weatb- - Sf'me'rldlsn-'tlmo- 8; Rainfall Temperature. Bar- - last U Stations. HlihXow. ometer. hrs. Weather. Abilene 14 30 M.M .. Pi cidy Albany..... M :s JO.oo ,a Cloudy Atlantic City... M W 80.10 . 33 Clear Raltlmore M M . .2 CJear 111 em arc It t -1- 0 KM .. Clear Boston 49 M WM !0 c, UuflPlo 82 16 S0.12 .16 Clear Charleston...:.. 74 54 w.K .. dear Chicago... 86 16 .J0.J6 .. Clear Clnilnnatl JO 16 S0.42 .04 Cloar \evcland Is' 80.16 .18 Cloudy Denvor 42 18 10.34 .. Clear Detrott..... II 12 80 22 .. dear Jacksonville.... 78 64 80,16 .is Clcar Lo? Angeles.... 63 62 20.18 .. Clear gW'homa city 84 a C0.5I .. Clear Philadelphia... 42 80.14 .62 Cesr Kttsburr....... 24 16 80.30 .11 Clear rorllflnd. Mo... 4 22 23.86 1,M Clear Portland. Ore.. IS 16 40 Bait Lake City. 20 16 ms CtlZ San Francisco.. M 48 80.26 ., Cloudy a;\Tn M .14 ft. day 23 24 80.42 .. C'ear Washington.... S3 26 E0.2J .M Clear tOCAL WEATUKIt IIECORD8. T, . 0 A. JU. 8 M, r 80.07 Humidity !\!!!\! it ... 48 mu airccuon N.W. ina veioci.y 44 10 Weather ................ Rln Clear Precipitation 17 .07 Tho temperature In this l.a.henCdfnJ,Sy ,he omcIal thermometer. annexed table: S A. M.i.ST IP. M...S4 tP.M CO 9 A. M...3) 2 P. M...33 7 P. M...28 10 A. M...35 I P. M. .33 S P. M...:7 11 A. M...3I 4 P. M. .82 9 P M...J6 12 JL M...36 6 P. M. .31 10 P. M...SS lIt. 1918 1919. 1918. 9 A. M. . . ,du in 6 P.M... .30 I 12 M 3i 61 9PM -- n si S P.M.... 33 51 IS Mid 26 l!Ih ,t:!s:ur. C5, at lztoi A. a temperature, 26, at 10 P. M7 Avorage Umperature. 42. EVENTS TO-DA- Convention of restaurant roe--i 0Wn?X lloM Astor\ th? Prff,LthNew Vork committed of VnCnnhlf.nd0Wrncnt ,und- - Princeton frmV ; P 2 aV,nUe &ni forty-tourt- h fEyiI1,'0,'l9.S:m \dd'osi the City Club ?ANew. or.k on Further Details of Keconstructlon.\ City Club, 66 West Forty! .ourth street, 8:16 p. M. K.u-!u.Bi- u' \I\ ' Mls Julta Arthur maaMK mating of the Rodeph fil\\? yom.eR A\clatlon Temple \lntp0na.Venu BUty. third ThV'TS.?.P' M.'!.u 8UbJect for discussion, MtuaTela,' ,h9 \ Th.lr Husslan Bazaar, auspices of American ZTpsTJTp fM \U\'an Ponlff.i.nllVure,'V Frederick Dean New.\ auspices ol thd American Institute of the Cliy of l\'U Thlrty-nlnt- h street. 8?l\ Illustrated lecture by William P. Lar. kSlm?' With J,, ' Columbus,\ ausplcta of tha Knights of Columbus tor the uoTe!U8il0 P.aj,.Cl Wmen' HoM Comiioi Ceremony and reception incident to th opening of the exhibition of Modern French Art lent by the French rtepublle. Metro- politan Museum of Art. 8:30 r. M I,,rie' Jr- - wl!l \PSak Policy Toward Russia,\ under tho auspk\. nigMLTl W1\\1 Education. PCr- - oJ\ E- - ?\'. \I\ \Pk on \A?plie and the War\ ut tho annuai dln per of th. New Jork Academy of Scl.nceo. ?P M Forty.fourth etrect, Arthur Doui-hert- y Rees will lecture or Capture at 8ea. a Cause of Swollen at the Manhattan Trad. School. Ls sr:15P !JiV,nU8 nd Twenty-thlr- d strec Dr. Frank Crane will speak on \Conver-satlona- \ at the East Sido T. M. C A E'irhty-olxt- h street and Leilngton avenue. A it. pagby's Musical Morning. Wa. dorf. Astoria Hotel. 11 A. M. Sorosls, business meeting and luncheos Waldorf-Astori- 10 A. M. The New York County Chapter, Daurh-tcr- of 1812, will meet la tha Waldorf Astoria Hotel at 2 P. M. Meeting of tho Tim Church of Dlviae Science. W aldorf-Aotorl- a Hotel. 8 P. 11. Dinner of the University of Pennsylvania Medical Alumnno, Hotel MeAlpin, 7 M. Antl.prohlbltlon meetlns at the Wa\luorf Astoria Hotel, 3 to 5 P. M. Meeting of thc Church of Silent Demand, Hotel McAlpln. 8 P. M. Tho Manhattan Ptudy Club, Hotel 2 P. M. New York Aradcmy of Medicine, section on ophthalmology, 17 West Kortji-lhtr- d atreet. 8 P. M. uitiiiuiiuBi- - mnfjr win oc ine principal speaker nt the annual meeting and election nf thn RlB.A.n n 1 w.., II . at the Hush Terminal Sales Building-- . 130 West Forty-secon- d street. 8 P. M. PUBLICLECTURES \Constantinople by Dr. Raphael Public School 48, 156th street and tit. Nicholas avenue: Illustrated.. \Conciliating tho Bosrs and Founding tho Union of South Africa,\ by Mrs. llelenn Craven. Public School (9. 228 East Flftr-sevfnt- h street; tltuitrated. \Songs from Spanish Lands,\ by Mil' Marguerite Potter, Public School ICS. I!'. Wet 108th street; Illustrated. \Tho Alps,'' by Oarrett P, .eervln. Kt. Columba Hall, 343 West Twenty-fift- h stre. \A Illloy lUcltal,\ by Charles Sumner Ivemble. Public School 48. 196th street ni Urtggs avenue, The Bronx. FOR MEN IN UNIFORM. Dancing Class National Emergency Re- lief Society, 238 Madison avenue (nur Thirty-eight- h street). 7 to 8 P. M. Vor men In service or recently discharged. Moving Pictures and Sing Victory Hut. Battery Park. 7:30 P. M. Lectures Erasmus Hall High Pchoot Flatbush avenue near Church avnu, Brooklyn, \Courtship of Miles Standlth.\ Public School, 992 SU Nicholas avenuJ. A Illley Recital.\ Public School. 223 West lOSth strut, 'Sonirs from Spanish Mnds.\ uusn mgn scnooi, Maaisan ana oe.. bin- - streets, Brooklyn, \Phenomena ef iltifh Tension Electricity.\ Manuat Training High School. Seventh ivenue and Fifth street. Brooklyn. \The V nlerful Electron.\ Rldgewood Heights High School, Stoot; huff avenue (Elm street), Rldgewood i Stuart avenue), \Florida In February.\ Y. M. C. A.. 1131 Bedford avenue, Brook-l- \Alaska.\ Public School, 22 St-- Nicholas avenue, Vi.nstantlnople.\ Publlo Library, Oreenpotnt Branch. Normnn avenue snd Lecv-- ' it rest, Brooklvn, \Bagdad and Babylon ua I r the British Flag.' Public School, 22S T.aet h lrivt, \Through Melano.lt' St. Columba Hall. 323 \.st Treaty-lift- : itri-fl- , \Poland.\ Tl. & M. Service Soon Ifnrmnl. Boston, Dec U. Thc Boston and Maine Railroad announced tha train schedules, beginning would gradually bo hrought back t normaL Tvo trains will be restored ! morrow.