The Morning Bee MORNING—EVENING—SUNDAY THE BEE PUBLISHING COMPANY NELSON B. UPDIKE, Publisher. B. BREWER, Gen. Manager. MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS The Assoclttad Press. of which The Bee te a member. It exeludrolr entitled to the utr for repuhllcstlon of all newe dispatches credited to It or not otherwise credited In thle paper, and alio the local newt published herein. All nihu of repuhllcttlont of our tpeclal dlapttchet are alao referred. BEE TELEPHONES Private Branch Exchange. Aek (or the Department XT Untie or Person Wanted. For Night Calls After 1# P. M.t ____ Editorial Department. AT lantlc 1021 or 1042. lOOO OFFICES Main Office—17th and Farnam Co. Bluffa . . . 1J Seott St. So. Side. N. W. Cor. 24th and N New York—2tt Fifth Avrnua Washington • 42! Star Bldg. Chicago - - 172# Fteger Bldg. Paris. France—420 Rue St. Honore THE LANGUAGE LAW. It i* the right as well as the duty of every child in America to learn the English language. When this is done, it should be the privilege to study any other tongue that may be desired. This privilege, which has a practical as well as a cultural and religious bearing, has been denied in Nebraska aince 1919. In fact, a teacher who endeavored to instruct his class in a foreign language during the noon hour has been found guilty of breaking the language law. A proposal to remove this restriction has now been brought before the state legislature. Modifica tion of tho Reed-Norval law, which forbids the teaching of any foreign language in schools below the ninth grade, is sought in a measure proposed by Representative A. W. Elsasser and George B. Collins. There are good reasons for asking that the drastic provisions of the law be lightened. As things stand now in Nebraska, only one day in the week, that observed as the Sabbath, can be devoted to teaching a child a foreign language. This operates in several parts of the state to hamper the religious education of the rising generation whose parents were born abroad and still continue their worship in the old way. A wedge is thus driven between parents and children, and the influence of religion is weakened. Under the pressure of war-time hysteria, some things were done that now are being undone. It can safely be recognized that no one’s deevotion to tha principles of Americanism is weakened by the fact that he speaks a foreign language, whether Tolish, German, French, Swedish or Greek. So long as wo all understand English, any added lin guistic knowledge is so much gained. It is worth noting that one of the proponents of a modified language law in the legislature is a mem ber of the American Legion. This fact may be taken aa guaranteeing that the is nothing un-Amer ican in the proposal now made, and as evidence of a spirit of tolerance that is destined to spread year by year. During the campaign of Governor Bryan many voters interested in tho modification of the language restriction* came to be.ieve that he would assist them if elected. If he how will break hi* silence on this question and give his support to the proposed measure, there will be good hope for ita passage. PROTECTING NEBRASKA’S WILD' LIFE. Some real food for thought was given by H. N. Wheeler of the forest service in his 'address before the Omaha Chamber of Commerce. Commenting on the fact that in the Nebraska state forest in the sand hilla there are twenty-five white-tailed deer under protection, Mr. Wheeler stated that these deer are a sorry remnant of large bands which for merly roamed in Nebraska. Yet despite the fact that these deer are pro tected, last fall a hunter did his best to kill one. "He was thinking of the venison he wanted for his own use,” said Mr. Wheeler; "he did not care about the rest of the state of Nebraska and its desires. He cared nothing about protecting our wild life and did not stop to realise that our game resources are low. But in that he was little different from some hunters I heard about last fall who had killed their limit of prairie chickens and buried 200 more in a sand hole. Violation of the game laws meant but little to them.” There was a time when buffalo and elk and an telope, grouse and other game birds existed in Ne braska in great numbers. Due to the ruthless de struction by hunters, there are now no buffalo or elk in the state and but few deer and antelope. Hunters with little regard for the sanctity of game laws have been responsible for this condition. Nebraska is not by any means alone as regards this condition. Every state where wild game has been abundant could re count similar experiences. There are two ways of hunting—one with a camera and the other with a gun. The former method gives pleasure and happiness to scores of folks who visit our parks and our bird and game preserves. Laws have been established in the va rious states for the protection of our wild life. There are always a few who choose to laugh at these laws and show their contempt by shooting more than the legal limit and also shooting out of season. Dis regard of game laws by a few hunters casts reproach on hunters in general. Our game laws must be respected. A real test of citizenship is appreciation of natural beauty and an interest in the preservation of natural resources. We can not afford to countenance the ruthless de struction of Nebraska’s game. REFORM WITH A LAUGH. There is perhaps as much reason for the forma tion of an “Anti-Gimme” league as for a number of other present day organizations. The founder of the new club, which has token hold in Minneapo lis, announces that its purpose is to eliminate all forms of petty grafting; to stop tipping in restaurant, hotels, trains, cabarets and elsewhere ex cept for satisfactory service; to establish a basis of agreement with wives so as to do away with con tinual and unreasonable demands on the husband s income, and to prevent chronic borrowing of elg arets, cigars, umbrellas, books, tools and house hold supplies. Some of the younger members pro pose also to discourage excessive demands of girls upon young men for unreasonable expenditures for theater tickets, taxis, candy, perfume and gifts of all kinds. A small button labeled "Gimme” is the insignia of the order. There is about the whole perform ance a note of raillery that may be counted upon to discourage the impositions of those who habitual ly seek something for nothing. One of the best ways to down an evil is to laugh it to death. Re formers as a class go too seriously about their busi ness. The purposes of the “Anti-Gimme” club are perhaps trivial, but its spirit is one worthy of imita tion by more important movements. BRADY'S TRIBUTE TO CRITICS. Mr. William A. Brady is but the latest of irasci ble managers to go before the curtain to denounce newspaper critics. Ever since writers for the1 press began to note seriously the doings of actor folks, the warfare has been continuous. At times this controversy has taken on much of acrimony, bit terness and even violence, yet no settlement has been approached. It is always a question of judg ment Mr. Brady, acting as manager for his wife, may select and present whatever play he in his wisdom may deem appropriate, and he is within his rights when he recommends it to the public as worthy of patronage. In this he is a salesman, of fering his wares and inviting customers. However, he also invites the comment more or less critical, of reviewers, who are at liberty to express opinions ns to the merits of the play. Opinions as to the merits or demerits of a play or anything else may reasonably differ, and in the present instance it appears the critics for the Chi cago newspapers were not in line with Mr. Brady’s views. What is more important, the public seems to have accepted the judgment of the newspaper writers, rather than that of the producer. Natur ally, this has irritated Mr. Brady, who vents his dis pleasure on the critics, saying among other things: ‘‘The theater as an institution in Chicago is being wrecked by the critics.’’ Miss Grace George (who is Mrs. William A. Brady), says: ‘‘The critics have made this play look like a piece of cheese.” On the other hand, Mrs. Fiske, William Hodge, Elsie Ferguson, Wallie Edinger and Mary Nash, and several others who offer something beside "bare legs and bum jokes,” are getting along quite nicely with the Chicago public and presumably with the Chicago critics. In times past the newspapers have said many nice things about Miss George, and prob ably will again. We are, therefore, justified in con cluding that Mr. Brady was in a testy mood when he spoke. It will comfort those who write about plays for the papers, however, to know that Mr. Brady ascribes to them some power to influence public opinion. A NATION OF SPENDERS ? This, we are told, is a ‘thriftless age, filled with waste and extravagance. You have all heard that charge made by serious minded men who are con vinced that the American people are living beyond their income. Dollars are said simply to burn holes in the pockets of their possessors. Instead of sav ing money for a rainy day it is all spent for sun shine, moonshine and unnecessary indulgences of various kinds. Somehow, that accusation hasn’t cheated a great deal of excitement. Perhaps it’s just as well, for it isn’t true. In fact, the figures show that at no time in history has there been such a volume of savings in America as right now. The monthly review of the Federal Reserve bank for the district including Omaha shows savings de posits of $94,311,245 in 58 banks, a gain of about $3,000,000 in a year. Five Omaha banks reporting showed 30,083 savings depositors, with a total of $5,154,406 to their credit. Four thousand new ac counts were opened last year. This is quite aside from the immense savings invested in building and loan companies, stocks, bonds and property of va rious kinds. The same situation exists the nation over. The facts are utterly confusing to those prophets of ruin who declare that people are living too well and spending money too freely. A man of mod erate income buys a motor car, a musical instru ment or some new furniture and immediately some critic arises to warn him that this is the sort of thing that is eating the heart out of national pros perity. The plain fact may be that by economizing on something else, perhaps by curbing expenditures for useless trifles that often mount to goodly fig* ures, such purchases are made without adding any great burden. There is much to think about in this sitaation, wherein the standard of living has advanced and at the same time savings have increased. The sim plest way to explain it is that the increased de mand for the comforts of life have given more em ployment to those engaged in the production of them. These working people have thus increased their own income and purchasing power. Increased consumption has stimulated production, given more employment, and not only has kept more money in circulation but has enabled savings to be increased. It is true that money spent for useless trinkets, unwholesome diversion and for folly is wasted, for these not only bring no lasting satisfaction to the buyer but also cause the withdrawal from useful employment of the labor necessary to supply them. There Is a gain for civilization, however, when peo ple expand their demands for useful commodities. That Is what a rise in the standard of life means— that and the nest egg of savings. If France is no more successful in dealing alone with Turkey than in carrying out her German policy, she will not get very far. If the Nebraska state government is not reor ganized, it will not be for lack of plans. Joy rides and bad booze make dangerous mix tures. What Is Middle Class? ■ ■■ ■ From the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Rev. John Haynes Holmes, a New York radical cler gyman, said, In an address in St. Paul before the Wo men's City club, that civilization is headed for oblivion, through the disappearance of the middle classes. He added that England and soviet Russia are best prepared to resist such destruction. Such confusion of thought is bewildering to anyone informed on the confiscation of property, wholesale murder, prostration of Industry, decay of agriculture, starvation and plagues of red Russia. Classes of people are pretty well defined in Europe, where the middle class generally includes professional people, with some, but not much, property. They have suffered severely, either by direct proscription, as In Russia, or by the annihilation of property values and fixed incomes, as a result of currency inflation. Thlre is reason to hope, however, that modern civilization eventually will be restored in all parts of Europe and | then there will be need for the services of the educated professions and for the small capitalist. It is not so easy to define the middle class in the United States. Class distinctions In this country are not clear nor permanent, which Is a good thing. Who are going to be wiped out. ns Rev. Holmes fears? The criterion cannot be education, as some of the rich have had little scholastic education, while many of the com paratively poor have been through college. Occupation is not a test, as many manual workers own their own homes and other property, from which they derive rents and profits. Middle class position does not depend on salaries, paid by the month, as opposed to wages, earned by the day or hour, for wages oftener are greater than salaries If. however, the middle class includes all those workers who have something saved for a rainy day and I have property in the form of skill in a trade or profes sion. it includes the bulk of the people of this country. That class cannot disappear unless the whole country is destroyed. “From State and Nation” —Editorials from Other Newspapers— What Is Academic Freedom? From th« Minneapolis journal. Radical members of the legislature have raised the ghost of academic freedom at the university. The prac tical desirability of asking professors and assistant professors to add to their burdens that of acting as Jurors upon undesirable colleagues, need not now be discussed. The dangers of such a plan are manifest. The main question is, "In wh.it does academic freedom really con sist?" Academic freedom assuredly means the right of nn instructor to teach his proper subject, according to the best of his scientific knowl edge, without discipline by Ills trustees or regents. If a professor choses to say or publish what to modern science ap pears to be folly, without presenting valid reasons for upsetting established theories, he cannot escape the open and scathing criticism of colleagues in his own and otlfer universities. If there Is too much of this criticism, his i whole status as a teacher and scien tist Is ruined, and the executive au thorities are bound to investigate his Competence as an educator. This scientific responsibility can neveer be avoided. It is cheerfully accepted by every profession worthy of the name. Obviously, nn instructor is employ ed mainly to teac.h one particular sub ject, and not something else. If, say, a lecturer on rhetoric choses to Inflict on his classes long tirades for or against capital or labor, It is not trampling on academic freedom for Ills dean to remind him that he is hired to teach freshmen or sopho mores the use of correct English, not to do the work of the department of i economics. Outside the class room what are the limitations laid upon a university professor? Regally very few; ethical ly a single one of supreme Im portance, well understood In the learned world: "Wherever he Is, he must never forget that he Is a gen tleman and a scholar." If he cannot accept this limitation, he had better ■ not try to he a professor. If he Is a gentleman, he will above all know that he owes It to his uni versity not to do the things which he may have a perfect legal right to | do, but which may Injure its standing I and Influence In the community. This does not mean keeping silence on i those multifarious points whereon ' good men agree to differ. It does j mean that there are sometimes issues so keen, personalities so violent, local partisanship running so high that what is said about them must be ] said tactfully, responsibly and imper sonally. It is a fact, perhaps unfortunate but certainly true, that with many citizens a public Institution cannot be divorced from the men It employs. When a man becomes a university professor, he does not become muz zled. but it is assumed that he will have the wisdom to avoid certain methods entirely proper for soap-box orators. For example, he will not constantly criticise in public religious j views opposeil to his own. although certainly the right to express religious i opinions is far more precious than that to express merely political opin ions. • If ha is a scholar, ha will have reverence for the past as well as, hopes and theories for the future.He. will understand one vast difrerencer between destruction and constructive’ criticism. He will scorn to say a thing, Just because it is smayt, "lib eral” or "advanced,"- unless’ he has thought it out carefully, and can give' a Judgment based on sound evidence. He will have broad tolerance for the motives of others. Professors who are genuinely ef ficient and who play the game ac cording to the ethics of their profes sion, who never forget that they are "gentlemen and scholars,” seldom have to trouble their heads about academic freedom. The Twenty-Five-Mile City. From the Kansas City Kansan. Announcement is made that Chi cago is about to expand. It may ex tend from Indiana west and north 126 miles to take In Milwaukee and enough population to make a city of 50,000.000, or the greatest city ever known. Of course It is unusual to reach out that far, yet to all Intents and pur poses Chicago now includes consid erable of the territory, which has filled because of its nearness to the great aggregation of everything that makes a modern city. Greater New lork now includes* Brooklyn, Jersey City and various other cities In at least three states. Los Angeles In cludes its seaport some 20 miles away. Ancient and modern Athens, In Greece, likewise included its seaport In Its municipality. Think of a city of 60,000,000. What possibilities of graft and political cor ruption! What opportunities to swing rural states into city control! Al ready New York City . practically "runs" this country, not .only political Daily Prayer | Blessed Is h» whoss transgression Is for given.—Pa. 32:1. Almighty God, we praise Thy name and worship Thee. Thou art Infinite- ; ly holy. Through Jesus Christ, our IClder Brother and Mediator, Thou art our Father. AVe pray Thee to come very near to us, as we come to Thy throne of grace. Help us to trust Thee more each day. Thou dost send the days as ' Thou wilt; sometimes in darkness and i storm; sometimes in brightness and j peace. Make us submissive to Thy will in all things, only come Thou j with all the days, that each may be full of Thee, and a step nearer to Thy sweet Home. Bless us all in this home—regard j each one of us tenderly as we are I bowed In this family circle; father. ! mother, children, all the loved ones. 1 Make our home a resting place of ! security. In *>ur outgoing and In our \ incoming be Thou our Light, our Guide, and our Defence. Give us each grace lovingly and trustfully to give ourselves Into Thine hand, to be de fended, instructed, and directed ns Thou wilt, that in us Thy will may be done on earth as it Is done in Heaven, Make all our lives musical with Thy praise; pardon our sins: grant unto us "the Joy of Thy salva tion,” through riches of grace In Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen. W. H DUNBAR. D. D. Baltimore. Md. NET AVERAGE CIRCULATION far DECEMBER, 1922, of THE OMAHA BEE Daily.71,494 Sunday.78,496 B. BREWER, Gen. Mgr. ELMER S. ROOD, Cir. Mgr. Sworn to and aubicrlbed before me thii 4th day of January. 1923. W. H. QUIVEY, (Seal) Notary Public _a_ ly. but In art. literature. In Industry and transportation. What If It con tained 50,000,000 people, and was con trolled by foreign born people as it is today? The tendency of the age is toward greater and greater control of the country by the city. We come to a restoration of the city estate, which dominated everything for something like 4,000 years of human history. We may even come to leagues of rltles that will be dominant of all. as was the case when the dark ages be gan to break. Of course these possibilities are more or less speculative. Yet the ! tendency toward Increase of the big ! cities, and the dream of what may I follow, as shown In Chicago's aspira tions. affords a curious study, with i many possibilities arising from the ' drift into city groups. The Kduratinnal Future. ' From the Detroit Free Preen. In a recent article on the future of ! education President Burton of the University of Michigan likened the present system to a cafeteria Service in which the students come In anil help themselves to whatever they want. The future educator, he be lieves. will classify students according to their special qualifications and edu cate each man for what he is best adapted to. Many educators have been thinking along that line and the psychologists are about ready to declare that they can undertake the work of classifica tion. If the ideal should ever be reached a boy would be tagged In e,arly youth for the exact field of labor that offered him the greatest measure of usefulness and pleasure, and when he came out of school he would be fully prepared for a career already mapped out. Originally the universities offefed one course for everybody and pre scribed that course. The rigidity of this plan was unintelligent and hav ing recognized Its failure the colleges adopted the elective system. A prac tically unlimited choice was substi tuted for no choice at all and it has proved far front ideal. The step which President Burton describes would go a long way toward the old system of strict limits, but would adapt them to the capacity of each individual. Some day the world may know wheth er that Idea solves the problem or only leads up to another Mind alley. Common Sense Banish Extravagance In the Home. Does absolute confidence exist be tween you and your life partner? Or, are you always keeping hack something which should be known to the other? As a husband, are you nfrald to tell your wife your financial condition, because you fear she might make ad ditional demands on you? As a wife, are you doing little things to earn money to gratify the extrava gant habits you have? In too mnny homes there Is not enough straightforward honesty. Husbands make expenditures which they would lie about, rather than havo them found out by the wife. Wives are scrimping and scheming to keep down household expenses to Indulge lr) foolish extravagance to aatfsfy « whim. Men often spend more, each week tor personal comfort and pleasure, than they would be willing to have the!; wives spend. Many a man Is kept In debt continu ally by an extravagant wife. Where does this hit you? (Copyright. 1»2».) My Pard He's my pal. so he 1b, and he's loyal. He’s kind and sincere and he's true; And when that there phlx is a beamin' Why tho sky has a cheerier hue. And the troubles that vex. seem Ito vanish. And the struggles don't «eem half a* hard, When I look In the eyes of the fellow I prise, When I’m shakln* the hand of my pard. We live o’er the old days together While trampin’ the trails we love beat. And the hillsides are globin’ with color When the sun’s slnkln’ low In the west. We tell of our wlnnln’s and losses, Of the times when we failed or we starred ; And the world’s like a rhyme when I’m pnssln’ the time With the feller I prlae—my pard. Perhars there’* no "streak” In our dlggln’s As we’ro siftin’ life’s sand fer the gold. And the prospects may vanish like shadders. While the friend* that we trusted grow cold Perhaps thar’a no one on the bleachers To care If we’ve lost or we starred; But the world moves along with a cheerier ron*. When yer hlttln' life’s trail* with a pard. It’* curtous-llke how It thrills ye. And fills yer whole bein' with pride, Tn the battle of life Just a knowln’, There's someone that’s true at yer side. .So its win. lose er draw, but no matter. My play and I throw my last card: For I’m bankin’ my pile on a feller worth while, )n th* prince of food fellers—my pard. —H. Howard Blggar. “HELP CARRY A BUDDY’S PACK” Join the American Legion January 31 to February 2 Then retrench your own fortunes by opening a savings account here and Save Regularly -6 ON SAVINGS State Savings & Loaf Association 315 S. 17th St. Keeling Bldg C. C. WELLS. Secjr, \ _ _/ Typewriter Repairs on Any Kind of Machine We sell as well as repair all kinds of typewriters. We guarantee both our typewrit ers and our repair work. All-Makes Typewriter Co 205 South 18th Street “The People’s Voice* editorial! from readoro of The Morning Boo. Reader! of The Morniog Boo aro lnv»tod to uso thli column frorljr for oxproailoo on mattora of aat>He intoroot. The European Crisis. Omaha.—To the Editor of The Omaha Bee: Your editorial of the 29th, "Jumping Off Place for Poli tics," draws a conclusion Which I am sure Is not Justified. With all due respect for the sentiment of certain ones of Nebraska's country editors, I cannot admit that the influence of this nation should not he used—and used right now—to protest against the “wrong methods" which you ad mit are being pflrsued. To wait “until their failure Is completely demon strated," or "until Europe Is ready and willing to accept" our Interred cnee, simply moans waiting to quench the fire until the house is burned down. It is true that the man Interfering in a family quarrel is often unfor tunate, but the quarrel between France and Germany is much more than a family quarrel, the outcome of which will affect not only the whole of Europe, hut these T'nited States as well, and. If France Is permitted to proceed in her present tactics the ef fect will be most disastrous. What It means to have the purchasing power of 60,000,000 Germans completely de stroyed the American farmer has found out to his sorrow. Besides, when a husky big bully is battering the life out of a crippled and helpless opponent, I would like to see a true sportsman stand idly and withhold his sympathy for the under dog. When Germany fought tlio allies she was bucking against odds, three to one. The odds against her now are about a hundred to one. Senator Borah's efforts to find a way out of the desperate situation should meet with the widest possible support, so as to bring pressure to bear upon our administration to act, not In favor of "political advantage" or for "personal or partisan ambi tion." nor yet "for this or that theory of nationalism or internationalism." but for making an end of chaos which threa*'ns to destroy the world. If the Administration fails us, it will plead guilty to the charges made by William Hard In this week's Nation in what he says In his Washington letter, "Coaching Europe From the Grandstand." He pictures an inter view between the president and Sec retary Hughes thus. The president; "Say, Charlie, what would you do if you didn't know what to do?” Mr. Hughes: "Do as I do. Don't do it.” Certain country editors may oppose these ideas, but I believe a large ma jority of the people of Nebraska will sustain them. A. L. MEYER. In Answer to "Devout Christian.” Casey, la.—To the Editor of The Omaha Bee: On reading your splen did paper on January 30 I noticed a little article concerning Earl Wil liams, and signed "A Devout Chrls tlon.” which, I believe, deserves at tention. The criminal, we read, had been brought to the University hospital in an unconscious condition, remaining In that state till death came, and burled. In the absence of a pastor, the superintendent, Mr. Chappel. placed a wreath upon the grave. And here the "Devout Christian ' ful minates with criticism against the Omaha ministers. We rend that "C.od is not the Cod of the dead, but of the living." The Omaha ministers may have been busy looking after the living. And, if they were all like this “Devout, Christian," they had a big man's Job. What Is wrong? The “Devout Christian?” was right in believing that some one was wrong, hut ho clearly mlslocated the trouble. The slender attendance on church service is not due to remlssncss of ministers, but to unjust and unwarranted criticism from Just such self-righteous “devout Christians," compared to which an ancient Jewish Pharisee is a holy saint. A CONSTANT READER. Service. Police Chief—So you got the guilty man, eh? New Member of Force (apologetical ly)—No sir. But I got the guiltiest looking man I could find.—Rife. A Strain on the Family Tie V KNOW THAT OWK'n' Y® ? THE PBAFT OP AN' POWN -If PONT PO ANV 0000 WTH r our "Puttin' »n a LiT-ne COM WOWNTHEN. 1 iA/U.LlAM\£ The Spice of Life “lie was driven to hi* grave." ^ “Sure he was. Did you expect him to walk?’’—Lord Jeff. pon't refuse to marry a girl because sh® can't cook. She may have money enough to pay your board.—The Medical Quip. Teacher—“Johnny, what la velocity?" Johnny—"Veloc ity la what a fellow let* go of a bee with."—The Forecast. • “This car has twice the speed It used to have, Henry " “Sure it has, Lizzie. I took the engine out —that was what hold the darn thing back.''—Judge. One nf our country correspondents, tell ing about h fire In his town, wrote: “The flro department whs called hut not much d*rnag>; was done.”—Capper's Weekly. First Kid—“Sure, Charlie Chaplin's go In' to heaven when h« dies.” Second Ditto—‘‘flee. Pretty soft for Balnt Feter.”—New York World. ' "Yessuh. T’a done proved dat honesty is de best policy after all.” “How?” demanded his friend. “You remember dat dawg dat I took?” Shore I remembers.” "Well, suh. I tries fo’ two whole days to sell cat davsr and nobody offers more’n a dollah. So. like an honest man, I goes to de ia