The Morning Bee M O R N I N G—E V E N I N G—S UNDAY the BEE PUBLISHING CO., Publisher. MEMBER OF .THE, ASSOCIATED PRESS The Associated Press, of which Ths Bos is s membsr. Is sxeluslrslj entitled to the use for repuhllcatlon of all new* dispatches credited to it or K°L10t“*rwtM credited in this paper, and also the local news published hewn. All rights of republlcatlona of our special dispatches are also reserved. BEE TELEPHONES Private Branch Exchange. Ask for the Department AT Untie or Person Wanted. For Night Calls After 10 P. M.: ,AnA Editorial Department. AT lantic 1021 or 1042. Iwuw OFFICES Main Office—17th and Farnam Co. Bluffs a - - 15 Scott St. So. Side. N. W. Cor. 24th and N New York—286 Fifth Avenue Washington - 422 Star Bldg. Chicago - - 1720 Steger Bldg. NEW SEA RIVALRY. Old Glory will be carried on the high seas by vessels of the American merchant marine. This piece of information is carried by Albert D. Lasker to the world through a statement made to British reporters at Southampton on the arrival of the Leviathan at that port. Here is the press comment: "Are you going to attempt to drive Britain from the »ea?" a British correspondent asked. "No," Lasker thundered, "but we are going to build ships—and ships that will test the capacity of the Panama canal, to carry our commerce to all parts of the world, in earnest and fair competi tion with all other maritime powers. "You ask me if the movement to build up the American merchant marine is not doomed to die. Never, absolutely never.” A distinct and definite announcement of what may be expected, this is not a threat, but it does have a significance that is not missed in England. "And not a flag but by permission floats” is no longer effective, and '‘while Britons never, never shall be slaves,” the old boast that “Brittania rules the waves,” has lost its meaning. America was once before a great maritime nation, but its com merce carriers were driven from the ocean as a re sult of the Civil war and through peculiar economic and industrial development. For half a century the commerce of the greatest trading nation the world ever knew has been carried on foreign bot toms. Now, this is to be changed, and in a large measure because of another great war. Our British brethren feel the danger that im pends in the presence of a great vessel carrying the American flag. It means to them something more than diminished international prestige; it means the loss of business and of profit. America’s entry as a carrier in the commerce of the world means cut ting off revenue that Great Britain has relied upon. That is why the officers of rival steamship lines sneer at the Leviathan, ask that members of her crew be arrested as deserters from British ships, and do other things that are neither friendly nor seemly to hinder the progress of the venture. ' We believe Mr. Lasker is right when he says the great majority of the American people favor the establishment of an American merchant marine. In the end it will pay, but just now it has a senti mental value of a nature that in the minds of our citizens outweighs all other considerations. It in jects a new factor into British-American relations. John Bull may bluster and bluff, but it will take more than ridicule or undercutting competition to run Old Glory off the high seas again. MURDER IS MURDER. In the caao of “Black Tony” Ciarlitta certain things should be kept in mind. One of these is that he was sentenced to prison for life because he killed a man. His life was forfeit, for he committed murder in connection with robbery. He was one of a band of robbers who held up a group of revel ers in a disreputable resort, and stripped them of money and valuables. “Black Tony” admitted he fired the shot that killed a young bank clerk who was in the crowd. For this he was sentenced by a jury to imprisonment for life. Within the last year we have heard a great deal about the abuse of the pardoning power, the careless exercise of the parole privilege, and much of this objection has come from officers of the law, and not a little from Omaha police authorities. Is it not a little surprising, then, to find a sergeant of the Omaha police force commending “Black Tony” to the pardon board, while the warden of the peni tentiary state* that he believes he should be par doned? - * “Black Tony” may have been "a little tramp” when he committed the crime, arrd he may be an “educated gentleman” now, yet has it come that less than ten year*’ confinement is sufficient to sat isfy the law when the sentence of life imprisonment has been pronounced? We have no desire to prosecute “Black Tony” any further, but we do believe that the humane re quirements of the law will be more nearly fulfilled if he be caused to spend some further time in the expiation of a crime that the law says merits death. Omaha’s peace has been disturbed by many murders, few of which have been adequately dealt with in court, which is all the more reason for dealing stern justice to the murderer who is caught and con victed. WORKED FOR THEIR FOOD. Relief work in Russia was not entirely devoid of incidents that serve to lighten the gloom of the dreadful tales of famine we have had from over there. One of these has to do with how an Ameri can in charge of a district in the Urals accomplished considerable in the way of public improvement by a simple expedient. He built a railroad forty versts in length, constructed a number of bridges, and put through a much needed drainage ditch, paying the workmen in food they would have received anyhow, if they had not worked. The drainage ditch, by the way, was a hang-over from the days of the czar, it having been first located 70 years ago, an nually projected, and yet never built. This little story teaches two things. One is that the Russian is human in all his aspects. The other is that relief may be made helpful in other ways than merely to stave of? famine. We have no doubt that the men who were selected from the starving peasants and put to work felt at first they were being favored, but that they kept at work after they saw who remained unemployed getting rations also is entirely to their credit. They were doing some thing for the good of the community, and were earning their food at the same time, and in this they doubtless had much satisfaction. The railroad was needed to connect a big iron works with its supply of ore ami fuel, nnd the com bination is working well, for it is producing ma terial sadly needed in Russia. Such incidents strengthen the belief that there is plenty of sound health in Russia, and that the real vitality of the •people will soon begin to show in a come-back as full of promise as the last six years have been of despair, HAPPY CHILDREN. Joy in the tennis courts, glee in the swings, and happiness everywhere, on turning poles, the rings and the slides. That’s on the public playground. Omaha has a number of these centers for child recreation in its parks, and there is no good reason why all Nebraska towns with more than fifty families should not do likewise. Many of them do, and whether one visits Gering, at the western end of the state, or Seward in the east, the same whole some, zestful scene is to be found. Every village and town should have a play ground for younger children, E. C. Lindeman, a spe cialist in social research, writes in the American City magazine. He sets the minimum space at one eighth of an acre, with plenty of shade. Towns of 600 and upward, he says, should provide an athletic park suitable for baseball, football, hockey, basket ball and volley ball, for persons above the age of 14. Each village and town should provide an indoor place for winter games. The floor space, he esti mates, should be 40 by 60 feet. But who is going to provide this? People com plain of taxes, and all these things cost money. Mr. Lindeman feels that the responsibility of pro moting a constructive, recreation program for the children of a small town should rest with the school authorities. One teacher would be employed with the thought in mind of utilizing a portion of his or her time in supervision of recreation. A voluntary association is suggested to create sentiment for or ganized play, to assist in the financing and to pro vide leadership. Between the public school board, the town government and private subscriptions, he believes such a feature could be maintained without any excessive burden. He gives some figures: After the initial outlay a town of 600 should be able to provide an adequate recreation program for $500 a year, and $2,000 for a town of 5,000. A child develops through play, but there is a better method than to leave the organization of play to gangs and cliques. Introducton of sporta in which all engage is an excellent builder of com munity loyalty and pride. Caste differences disap pear in games and all who participate learn to meet and to co-operate on a common basis. Thus a vil lage may be led into larger life'by the use of rec reation. It. is not difficult to train the young to appreciate the old home town if the lighter side of their nature is given wholesome opportunity. „ WOMEN IN THE PULPIT. All over the world, even in the most isolated spots, women missionaries are ministering to the needs of humanity. One of these, Miss Nillson, who has charge of a great Lutheran hospital in India, is visiting in Omaha today. There are not so many women, however, who occupy regular pulpits in the churches. Maude Royden, the British preacher who visited America last winter, is an outstanding figure. Mrs. Eddy also was a power. But in the main the business of preaching has been left to men. In the United States today there are only 178 women ministers. Thirty-three of these are in Illinois, 30 in Kansas and 18 in Nebraska. The International Association of Women Preachers, according to an announcement made recently in Chicago, includes three in India, two in China and one in Africa. In the course of natural development it may be expected that more women will enter the pulpit. Always the sex has been most active in its church work, and it asks even now no special recognition. But the world has a way of seeking out those'who fit themselves for high callings and setting them to the task. The woman missionary is a pioneer who is breaking the way for many others who hear the call. BERRY TIME. Happy is the man who by dint of foresight is now able to go out into the backyard and pick a dish of raspberries for breakfast. In the cool of the morning, while the dew is yet on the bushes, this is a aplendid start on the day. One must be wideawake to pick berries. It is not a task for day dreamers. A moment of absent mindedness amid the briers means a scratch that bums. And unless one is on the alert one will miss the choicest fruit of the patch. Nature has done all it could to protect the berry patch from spolia tion. Not only are the thorns designed to keep away intruders, but the finest, blackest berries arc hid under the leaves, where only accident or cunning will find them. A berry bush must be studied from every angle before it can be shorn of its fruit. From one posi tion there may seem to be nothing but green berries to be had. Pass by and look back and the eye will detect a number of luscious, ripe ones. Stand on your head and look up and dozens more concealed in the protecting shade of a leaf will appear. It requires strategy to pick berries, and that makes the job all the more delightful. Forbidden fruit is always sweetest, and certainly nature has done its best to forbid these being garnered. The interest in the Wilbur Glenn Voliva libel case is not that he had the bright new penny to pay the fine, but that he could libel anybody. Josephus Daniels sees a sweeping democratic vic tory in 1924. But he is out in the mountains of Colorado, where they see lots of strange things. “Emperor” Simmons says he knows more about the “klan” than any newspaper man does, and he is probably right, at that. Two hours shorter time to the Pacific coast from Omaha sounds big, but what's two hours on such a journey? Old Doc Cook may have fooled the court of Denmark, but a federal grand jury wns too much for him. The rainmakers are tuning up again, a date hav ing been announced for the grocers and butchers' picnic. A rain in time saves lots of misery. Homespun Verse —By Omaha'* Own Poet— Robert Worthington Davie VERSE LIBRE. Verse Libre, I read thee with pangs of despair, I drink of your spirit—I know It is there! I rend thee for beauty that touches my heart— Hut where Is your rhyme and (he Jewel of nrlT The trees are a tremble w ith something you |n< k, The orioles sing with melodious knack, The rose Is suggestive of rhythm sublime, Which Isn't amiss In the music of rhyme. You're really prosaic, though beautifully said, Your phrases aie soulful, you heart—It Is dead - The henrt that is beating in poetry true— The rhyme that makes rhythm articulate, too. In prose I would put you anil treasure you deal, And call you poetic and sweetly sincere And sadly regret thst you men t sublime Because you are lacking the music of rhyme. “The People's Voice" £. Hilles, national committeeman of New York, Is reported as saying: "The election to the presidency of Henry Ford, a mere bag of gold, would be bowing down to mammon." This com ing from a politician sounds like a huge joke. Are not politicians al ways hunting for the man with a barrel? The average American's idea of politcians is that they are always chasing the "bag of gold.” Henry Ford is a go-getter. The trouble with New l'ork is that Henry Ford bucked Wall street and loaned Detroit (2,000,000 at 4 per cent when Wall street expected to make Detroit pay them 4>£ for the money. That is where the shoe pinches. Ford is bucking the corporations. Ho is buck ing the coal barons, lie is bucking the railroads, und he is getting ready to buck (Sarji and his 12-hour-day steel trust and then the 12-hour day will go. and so will some of tho steel trust dividends. Was Harding the choice of the peo ple or the choice of Wall street? what do you think of the result of the primary in Ohio, Harding's own state? Johnson's name did not appear on the ballot, but 12,768 voters took the trouble to write Johnson's name on their ballots and undoubtedly John son was the people's choice for pres ident, but they were cheated out of their choice at the Chicago convention because their man was not "safe and sane.” Harding has been president three years. What has he done for the good of the "people? What have all the investigations amounted to? Look what we are paying for sugar; we ought to buy it for 7 cents, but the sugar trust is holding the people up. The president, under the tariff law, has power to suspend the Import tax on sugar and let it In free. Has he done so? Oh no. "he's safe and sane." The speculators say it would not do any good because the sugar crop is short. That is all humbug. Why didn’t he try it and see instead of swinging round the circle Just talking like Andy Johnson did years ago and probably with like result. Does any one suppose that Roosevelt would have gone off on “a joy ride" and left the people to he held up on one of the necessities of life, but Roosevelt was not "safe and sane,’ 'that was why Mark Hanna objected to him for vice president. From present appearances there seema to he a "ground swell" for Henry Ford for president, a man that Wall street can neither intimidate nor buy, and the indications are that generally the people are tired of the tricks of national conventions and will select approved Ford electors In each state and see to It that their names go on the ballot, and then they will ilo the rest in November. 1924. FRANCIS M. W. PRICE The War Debt. Omaha—To the Editor of The Omaha. Bee; Much argument has arisen concerning the debts of Eng land. France and other allied coun tries to the United States, and the probability of these countries paying them. Many people think these debts ought to be cancelled, as they will never be paid; while others think these countries ought to be held for their payment. England has at last come through with a proposition for funding their debt, which economists have long known and politicians refused to be lieve .As yet the French have no definite plan. The French debt to the United States is $3,358,000,000. To this must be added $407,000,000 for war supplies sold by the United States. With accrued interest amount ing to $500,000,000, the total French debt is $4,265,000,000, nearly as large as (treat Britain's. The total American loans to the «1 lies Was $10,086,000,000, which, with Interest accrued of $1,180,000,000, makes a total of $11,266,000,000 (ib viously this debt cannot be paid in gold. The only remaining method of liquidation is through the delivery of goods and service. This $11,000,000, 000 cannot be accepted In goods and services in one or 10 years without impoverishing our debtors and bring Ing chaos to the business of this country. It Is unreasonable to leave the accounts standing to the credit of our own treasury; so It is logical and almost Inevitable that they he con verted into credits held by private citizens and Institutions of this coun try. 8uch a debt Is more secure, ss Daily Prayer l thunk Ood. Whom I serve —II xim 1st, O Hod, Whose paternal goodness Is unfailingly tender and constant, we unite as a family to yield Thee glad nnd earnest praise and to invoke upon our home and all its interests Thy gracious and heavenly blessing, ('huso us so to realize our utter dependence upon Thee and our profound obliga tlon towrard Thee, that we may sub mlt ourselves anew to Thy sovereign sway, live our lives henceforth as In Thine nil-searching sight, nnd con sistently show ourselves Thine. Wo bring to Thee at this time all who are in any wise related to our home, and any who m.-iy he attempting to live their lives apart from Thee Suf fer none of us to be enticed from the path of simplicity, purity or honor. Keep US from every form of seculerlty and avarice, defend us from the seduc tlve snares of vanity nnil pride, and enable us to serve Time with such undivided fidelity in this life ihnt In the life to come we may nil receive Thine exceeding great reward. And with this prayer for ourselves, we be seech of Thee in behnlf of those with nut—our neighbors, our friends, and all classes and conditions of men Ihnt It may please Thee to give them likewise of Thy fatherly favor, to further them In nil their undertak mgs nnd relationships, and to bring them with us nt length Into Thine Heavenly household, where we may praise Thee ever, world without enii Amen. JOHN BAI.COM SM A W. DP, Klmlrn, N V NET AVERAGE CIRCULATION for Juno,'1923, of THE OMAHA BEE Dally . 72,709 Sunday*.77.7H3 D<>#» not include return*. Irf< over*, sample* or paper* spoiled in printing ami include* no special ■ ale*. B. BREWER. Gen. Mgr. V. A. BRIDGE, Cir. Mgr. Subniihi'ii and *wnm to hafota me this 7th day of July. 1921 W. If QUIVEY < ^eal) N»»tei y Put*. With about 40 pansmitpr trains a •lav in and out of th»* Burlington »ie Dot. it inav aaem to aonip an if ther« nnv^r was a tiin* when the Chicago. Burlington fir. Quinsy train* tild not reach Omaha. Yet thin editorial of haward Rnitwater. nubllahed August :o. 1880. will remind them of a hope that then was entertained: MAN IMPORTANT EVENT.” "The completion of the railroad bridge across the Missouri river at Plattsmouth marks another important epoch in the history of this common wealth. Ten years ago the con struction of a bridge across the Mis souri river was regarded as an engi neering problem. Kminent hydraulic engineers had expressed grave doubts as to the feasibility of bridging the treacherous Missouri. "The Union Pacific bridge at Oma ha, constructed under the supervision of Mr. Mickles, one of the most skillful hydraulic engineers in this country, solved the problem. Kor seven years the Union Pacific bridge has monopol ized the railway traffic acroas the continent. During that period this bridge has earned more than three times the actual cost, and the extor tlonato toll exacted by Its managers has been an embargo on the commer cial growth of this elty and has served as a barrier to the entrance of the Iowa and Missouri railroads into active competition for the patronage of Omaha on Nebaska soil. ' The completion of the bridge at Plattsmouth will be hailed with su preme satisfaction, not only by the citizens of Omaha, hut by the people of the whole state ami the entire trans Missouri country. While we have no assurance as yet that the managers of the Chicago, Burlington A- Quincy propose to use it for making direct connections between Omaha and the east and south, we do not doubt that at no distant day the Plattsmouth bridge will break the embargo and give Omaha unbroken connection with Chicago and St. Louis. When that day comes the onerous bridge toll now exacted at Omaha will he reduced, even If the national legislature does not rompel a reduction before that time. But even if no reduction Is made by either of the railways In bridge toll, our merchants and manu facturers will derive Incalculable benefits from the Plattsmouth bridge by more prompt service in the d<-bv cry of goods and better accommoda tions hv the parties who control the rival brldjf***.” foreign government* are more punc tual In meeting payment* to American Citizen* than those due the American government, and the government Is more energetic in encouraging the payment of a debt due our citizens those those of Its own accounts ' At present It Is Interest and not principle that we should worry about If lh3» e to .» j-2 . r. 4 *.M Mrs. Tilford Moots did not attend th’ convention at Vincennes as she couldn’ find no one t’ keep her fern. Our idee o' th’ unequal dis tribution o’ trouble in this life is t’ have one daughter graduate an’ one git married all in th’ same June.” (Copyright. Illl.l supporting the exemption claim. The auditor will issue warrants for the refunds. That lays the basis for spe cial investigations and prosecutions in cases where false affidavits are made. It also makes it impossible for dealers to "cash in'' on exemption slip* for which no refunds ever were made to purchasers Incidentally, it 1 should open the way for a new bunch of special inspectors to be paid out of the gasoline tax funds. The whole system would be greatly simplified by making the gasoline tax apply to ail gasoline sold. It is the frank aim of this special levy to get more money for use on the roads^fd everybody is concerned shout roads. How Do You Explain It? Europeans are so disgusted with prohibition in the United States that they try every possible means to avoid our immigration laws and get in.—Pittsburgh Gazette Times. Worm*. The worm will turn, but the par ticularly mean one* won't turn out and give another chap the road.— Bong Beach Telegram. I_T AVE The Omaha Morning Bee or The Evening Bee mailed to you when on your vacation. Phone AT landc 1000, Circulation Department. SINCLAIR Consolidated OH Carp. FIRST LIE! SOLD BONDS Price 94 Yield 7.15% Omaha Trust Company 200Picture Miles alone the Columbia River ‘pacific North* Through that stupendous gorge where Multnomah, nearly 700 feet high, and her many sister waterfalls, tumble into the mighty Columbia River. Glistening in the distance are those sublime snow crowned peaks, Hood, Adams. St. Helens and Rainier. You will enjoy the brilliant cities — PORTLAND, TACOMA, SEATTLE and SPOKANE. Steamer trips on Pupet Sound to Vancouver and Victoria and by the"Inside Passage” to Alaska. Motor rides to Mt. Rainier, Mt. Hood, Astoria and seaside resorts. If you have time, r»tum via California, it costa only $18.00 mors. Include Yellowstone and Crater Lake National Parka by aid# tripa See Salt Lake City, scenic Colorado and Denver on the way. Low Summer Fares Write for Free Booklet You’ll find the illustrated booklet “The Pacific Northwest and Alaska ** helpful in planning a vonderful vacation. Two tplcndid tr»in»_ORKGON-WASHING TON LIMITED and CONTINENTAL LIMITED. For information, atk— A. K. Carta. City Paw Agent, U. P Systettk 141* Dodge Sl Omaha. Fhont Jackson ,tis Consolidated Ticket Otter l' moo Station 141k Dodge St.. Phone Atlantic 4114 or 10th and Matey Streets l/nion Pacific