St. Louis Post-Dispatch from St. Louis, Missouri • Page 20

PAGE 20 ST. LOUTS POST-DISPATCH, THURSDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 23, 1926. ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH CARMI THOMPSON'S REPORT Since it was discovered that the Philippines are a great potential eonrce of rubber, as well as other Founded by OSEPH PVU1ZER Daxmbn 11 1678 Pubiuhed by The Pulitzer Publislung Company Tltxttt Hcuitvnd Uuvt Street tropical products badly needed by American Industry, their chances of achieving complete independence from the United States went glimmering Politically, the Thompson report and the Wood Forbes report of 1921 are of one piece- They are both opposed to Phil- THE BLIGHT OF POLITICS. The Post Dispatch baa not taken much interest In the movement to recall Mayor Miller.

We comment ed freely and severely on his public acts which were the basis of the recall movement. But since Mr Miller was elected by the people over oar protest, we thought the question of recall would better be settled by public opinion and popular action. The movement, it appears, is likely to fail, not on account of the lack of. popular support, but through political Jugglery. There was enthusiastic popular support.

The signatures to the recall petition reached 87.000, over 20.000 more than was necessary. When it came to election however, the movement hang fire. The original plan of holding the recall election in No vember was changed The reason was not clear, but lopine independence "at this time," which means, of course, an 'ndefinite period. We do not believe there is any inherent harm in the Idea of developing the Philippines Industrially and commercially Everything depends on the manner in which it Is done. The Filipinos a-e not dull people Their history for the past 25 years shows they are abundantly gifted.

Even the Wood Forbes re THE POST-DISPATCH PLAT-FORJL I know thai my retirement will make no dirf'reiK in tu- i-nnlinaJ principles, thai It rrlll always- right for psrres or reform, neter tolerate Injustice or corrupt km. always-fight demagogue of ail part ie. never belong to any party, always oppose privileged cla and puhlit plunderers, never lack -sympathy wltb the poor, always remain demoted to the public welfare, never he Wis fled with merely printing news; always he draxtli-ally tndeHndnt: never be afraid to attaeli wrong whether predatory plutocracy or predatory poverty. JOSEPH PUUTZEK. April 10.

1907. port said "it can be safely stated that no people under Wm -JJrS i i it waa vague'y hinted that If it were held in Novem ber it might interfere with the regular elections Now we know what happened Ex-Senator Williams thought that the recall election in November might force him out of his favorite position of neutrality and compel him to take sides That was unthinkable under the circumstances. So. upon his demand, the recall election was postponed until spring. Since about or 6000 will be necessary to revamp the petitions and ex-Senator Williams has only contributed $1000.

there is not much chance of a recall th friendly tutelage of another have made so great i progress in so short a time." Why not let the Flli-rsnos develop themselves, with such advice and aid from the United States as they need? When Col Thompson suggests that the land laws of the Philippines be changed, he is treading on dan gerous ground With the Instinctive wisdom of a simple people who have had many- vicissitudes, the Filipinos have guarded themselves against big land LE ITERS FROM THE PEOPLE grabs If their land laws are changed, the Initiative Three Great Universities. election should come from the Filipinos themselves, without To lh Editor of the Hosi I'UWUh coercion from the United States. attention has been called by various alumni and professors to a re The land question is loaded with dynamite. In tieir present nervous state, any suggestion to deprive the Filipinos of their land or to coerce them Into giving up their land would be received by them with Former Senator Williams got what he wanted. But how about the people, whose sentiment was aroused by appeals to their consciences and who contributed to the fund and signed the petitions, under the im pression that the recall committee intended to per form a notable public service and wanted their aid? Politics won, but the recall supporters were bam boozled Noi long ago the Post-Dispatch referred to the malign influence of politics on every phase of law en utmost alarm.

They are already disillusioned po litically. They have come to regard the preamble of the Jones act as so much rhetoric. But they at least hive retained control of their own resources. By no species of trickery or fore, should that con trol be taken from iheni. We have tutored them do- forcement, particularly in the criminal courts.

The blight of politics is not confined. It taints everything touching public affairs and governmental action. The blooming recall movement is blighted by political jugglery. Ml THE GANG CARRIED ON. "Theft, graft and extravagance" are charged against the Alien Property Custodian's office by Sen I l.tically They might be willing for us to tutor them ecnomically.

But tutelage is not enslavement. There should be a strict line drawn between economic development and economic exploitation, and the Filipinos themselves should draw that line. In the meantime, since the present policy of the Government Is dead against Independence, we should at least remove the military autocrat who Is now Governor-General and replace him with a sympathetic civil official, whose aids also ill be men drawn from civil life. Gen. Wood Is and for years has been at daggers' points with the natives, who distrust, hate and fear him.

MR. TILLES SETS A PACE. Ia past times the Post-Dispatch differed violently with A. Tilles with regard to methods of making money. We felt Impelled to drive the catch-all poolroom, the merry-go-round race -track and the bucket ator Borah, who explains, however, that this cohdi tion has obtained -over a period of eight years.

If that is correct it, obviously, did not originate with tbe Harding regime, but was established and operated cent article In the Post-Dispatch in which reference was made to Missouri and Washington Universities as "the two premier institutions of the State," or words to that effect. I have no desire to detract from the merits and prestige of these truly great universities, and at the time of the article I hesitated to i-oice protest to the statement leet my action jeopardize their mutual relations as well as our good will towards each one of them. The use 1 1 the word "premier" preceded by the definite article Infers a meaning, which in timates what is not a fact, namely, that there are but two outstanding universities in the State. There are three great universities in the State, not two, as has been lightly observed Of these three I am not sure that St. Louis University is third in strictly college enrollment, number of alumni or number and qualifications of faculty St.

Louis University by standardizing agencies is class A in all professional and academic schools As a matter of fact, inspection is invited to records made at State board examinations In medicine and in law. as well as to a recent State dental survey. In number of states and foreign countries represented in the enrollment. St Louis University is first. If years be a criterion.

St Louis University Is the oldest university in the entire West. By everv standard of age. service and scholastic attainment, St. Louis University Is entl tied to a position among the universitlas of the State. A loading paper of a State famous for its educational aims should not be nn-aware of these facts at its very doorstop Louis University expects her place in the estimation of the Post-Dispatch f-s she has held her place in the hearts of J-'L.

Louisans and Missourians for more than a century. JOHN WAT sn. Director of Publicity. during the Wilson administration. But having found this graft functioning efficiently, the Ohio gang, true to form, carried on.

COLUMBUS HAILE. Elevation of Columbus Haile to the presidency of the Missouri, Kansas Texas Railroad is a -matter of particular gratification to St. Louis and the Southwest, both of which have known Mr. Haile for a long time. There is an advantage in experience all the way np from the bottom to the top to one in such a position of responsibility as Mr.

Haile assumes, and he has had it- He virtually grew up with the Katy, and came at last to the presidency from a remote clerk ship in Texas. That soft of thing confirms one of the finest of American traditions, and In Mr. Haile's case it was richly deserved. THE LAD WHO BELIEVES THAT PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL COMES DOWN THE CHIMNEY. shop out of business.

But we agree with Mr. Tilles in the method which he has chosen to dispose of a iargt part of his fortune. In placing, In his lifetime, the munificent fund of 1,250.000 In the hands of Archbishop Glennon. Rabbi Harrison, Judge Priest and Louis P. Aloe, as trustees, for the benefit of destitute widows and orphans.

Mr. Tilles has set an example of thoughtful and generous charity. Nor Is this fund all that Mr Tilles has done. He has been exceptionally generous to the poor of his home town. Fort Smith One of the good features of his gift is that its benefits are open to all, regardless of race or religion.

Such examples of generous giving during life are rare In St. Louis far too rare and Mr. Tilles has set a rattling good pace for his fellow citizens who have been blessed with an abundance of wealth. JUST MINUTE The MIRROR of PUBLIC OPINION tCopyrUht. 12S.

HLlilLMI FOR THE V1CTOIUAX31 I The cold wave has not affected OS. A the linotype operator set what was Hurrah for the Victorian era, whsB were men. Tennyson w-as laureal Christmas card3 had no verse OB tK2 We recently learned that Tennyrws turned down an offer of $5000 t-rl Remember the lij-oners. To tb Editor of tfie Post-DinatcB IT f-ems rather a paradox and a sneer our present-day Christianity in these aays of Santa Clans when our le-voted Post-Dispatch is giving a big Xmas festival and all America Is gay and bright with candles and trees that the Welfare l.easrue should be forbidden to entertain the prisoners in jail In the Bible it says, "'In prison and ye visited me not." Almost all criminals are poor. Ninety per cent have been always poor.

Poverty drove them to crime. The pangs of poverty and degredation would seem sufficient palliation to make those who are rich, affluent and happy at least Dity them and be merciful to such a small extent as to at least lift them out of their condition for at least one day. i. Xmas tlay. MRS.

JOHN BEVERLY ROBINSON. THEN AND NOW. From the Brookfield (Mo.) Daily Argus. ESTERDAT there were 29 prisoners the Linn County jaiL charged with vari- ous crimes. Going some.

In crime, is it not? Remember how our well-meaning men of the cloth, and those professional prohibition advocates used to say, in apparent sincerity: "Do away with the saloons and will be no need of jails," and "give us prohibition and eave millions in criminal costs?" Well meaning, but erroneous in idea- Criminal cost In this country has increased ten fold in the past decade, while crime and taxes increase steadily. Doing away with the saloon evil was a good thing in many ways. It is claimed It has decreased poverty. That Is more or less a moot question, but let's give it the benefit of the doubt, and say it has. But that it has "emptied the jails." or that it has decreased the tax burden for criminal cost, is the reverse, as all taxpayers have reason to krow.

Maybe that especially dense pall of gloom that overhung the city was the atmosphere's reaction to he Hornsby trade. A PRECIOUS GIFT. As a Christmas gift to the sick poor of St. Louis more than S00 medical and dental students of St. Louis University have offered their blood for transfusion purposes.

Ordinarily, one pint of blood costs $50, a rate beyond the purse of many who need strong blood sorely. It is a fine sacrifice the students are making, one that brings to them the appreciation of the community and the gratitude of the destitute sick. NO CORNED BEEF FOR CHRISTMAS. From the Tulsa World." HE "salt horse situation In the CnUcd States Army has become acute, says a military bulletin, and in consequence there are. orders flying about from headquarters ar Governors Island cautioning commanding officers to be more conservative wita the briny morsel.

Not since the well-remembered World War has the army experienced a shortage of "corned willle," nor was the most imaginative soldier in he service capable of visualizing: a corned-beef-lesa army even in his wildest flights of imagination Yet it is true that artny is short of food which even in its heydey could hardly be called popular. At headquarters the powers-that-be impatiently await returns from the various districts enumerating the one and two-pound tins of the now treasured food found in nooks nd crannies of the storerooms and warehouses. All this excitement in the ranks was brought about because the bids for furnishing a new stock were thought to be too high and were, therefore, rejected. A SILK-CLAD LAB0RITE. The British Labor party has just won a sumptuous victory by electing Oswald Mosley its Representative in Parliament from Smethwick.

Oswald Mosley? How come? Surely that name connotes nothing sweaty, grimy or toilworn. There's 'a chappie, you might think, he' was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. You would think right, too. He was. What happened what mutation of fortune occurred to make Oswald a Laborite? The one notable change in his affairs was the substitution of a solid gold spoon for the natal silver.

This was accom plished by marrying the titled daughter of Lord Curzon. who wa3 also the granddaughter of Levi Leiter. one of Chicago's first millionaires. Coin and kudos! Gold and glamour! Spatted and monocled. Oswald campaigned Smethwick in a limousine piloted by a liveried chauffeur, while the proletariat volleyed it3 cheerios.

How much of a statesman Oswald may prove himself as a Laborite is for the future to disclose. He was once a Conservative, later a Liberal, without setting the Thames ablaze. But whatever cause he espouses, whatever ism he affiliates with, he will bob up serenely. No one need worry about a spokesman of tbe lowly masses when he wears silk lingerie. for Christmas cards.

Can yOB t-ugine that? Neither can we; thewC- hurrah for the Victorians! And a faaijy f-ome modern poets NOT to writs for Christmas cards is In order. SCIENTIFIC NOTE. Black snow, which fell recently In was looked upon as phenomenon. AayO er sort of snow would be unusual i FABLE. Once upon a time a man was opwtt oc, and never told anyone about tb ter afterwards.

A New York roan with 1623 10-eenttC diamond rings was arrested and caC with petty larceny. What constitutes larcenv. we wonder. I Judge Landls will earn that tacwC-salary. WINTER PAGEANT.

Maybe we would have done much better to trade Mr. Breadon for some other owner. TRIBUTE TO A TEXAN. From the Chicago Tribune. BIG BUSINESS ON TRLL JESSE RAINS FORD SPRAGUE in Harper's EPRESENTATIVE "SAM LOW of Brenham in Texas has retired after 10 THE WOODS APPOINTMENT.

Mr. Coolidge has allowed himself to be hornswog-gled by the Pennsylvania gang into nominating Cyrus E. Woods of that State to a vacancy on the Interstate Commerce Commission. Tbe nomination is most pleasing to Senator David Reed, who went on a rampage some months ago because hi 8 State, which originates a large proportion Magazine for December. Baseball got two terrible blows yesterday, but shows that it is a glutton for punishment.

NDER the system known as Big Busi ness, the United States haj become vast (Sonnet sequence.) Of God. the Highest Genius, well I Who made each blade of grass, eacat-and tree, i Each scenic land effect, immensity Of ocean's waters, and the crimson fl Blaming It On Homs-by. T'j the Editor ff th Poor risrr.t-Si WE have often wondered what would happen if an Irresistible force should meet an immovable body, here seemed to be something: In the local baseball situation which might fu-liish the answer. Yet when the apparently Irresistible Hornsby collided with Sam P.readon last Monday he caromed of with sufficient force to take him ill the vay from St. Louis to New York.

Now we know what became of the hop when rhey took it out of the lively ball. Thy must have Inoculated the managers wth it, for they fftn to be hopping all vrr the baseball landscape. It seems that Hornsby overreached himself He evidently believed that be so Indispensable to the team that he could safely dictate bis own terms, without fear of their rejection He seems to have been mistaken, and more's the pi.y. In spite of his anxiety to "protect Himself, he has instead been demoted to a position where hi? prestige and his salary also may be much less than they would have been had he remained hare Well. Tolks.

we have had our little baseball spree. We were deliriously happy for several days and intoxicated with tbe Jo or victory: but like most forms of di5-pation it seems to have left a bitter taste tn tbe mouth. But che up Though the soot and fog may make things appear a bit pleomy Just now. vt eld Sol will be shining as brightly as ever train next summer. o.

S. Of that far distant sunset's overflow. THE ERNEST WALLACE CASE. The job of Public Prosecutor is not entirely concerned with sending guilty men to prison. It enjoins another duty, namely, to Eave innocent men from punishment.

Howard Sidener, Circuit Attorney, became convinced that Ernest Wallace did not commit the crime for which he was serving a 20-year sentence at Jef ferson City Another man confessed to the crime, police who had worked on the case decided Wallace The changing moods of nature seemv A breathless miracle, and certainly His mind, if not Immortal, long age years in the House. During that time he has never made a speech. He retires not because of a dissatisfied constituency, but by his own choice and to take a seat on the Texas bench. We suspect that he is a credit to his constituency and we know his constituency is a credit to bim. We ha'ven't a doubt he was, as alleged, a useful publ'c servant and it is indicative of good jenw In his district that they didn't measure "hat service by lineage in the Congressional Record or by the number of pounds of oratorical steam he could let off.

Debate is rot without its uses, but It is less important than hard work In the committee rooms and the study. What Mr. Low's affirmative services were we do not know, but at any rate since be reduced the amount of futile talk on the floor and of waste paper in the Record, he earned In that regard the gratitude of tbe republic. If he could add to his record the proud boast that he never Introduced a bill he would deserve a but in the Hall of Fame. Should have belled Its own entirety.

But no! He still creates for us anew: Today. It is a fantasy of ice A crystal wonder Is the maple tres, And farther on. though gray, all too, Is garbed in crinkling fringe and beai i vic-e. CONSTANCE B. FINKENArV CHRISTMAS TRACED.

ly prosperous. Yet In the midst of this prosperity one finds 'in private interviews with thoughtful executives of Big Business a tendency toward worry, a ques-" tioning if Big Business can maintain the pace it has set. A composite report of many such Interviews might be set down as follows: "Twenty-odd years ago, when the theory of Big Business and mass production Srst began to be put Into practical effect, we tacitly promised that if the American public would buy machine-made goods, the cost of living would be reduced for everyone. Yet we have not been able to make good this promise In some few instances mass production has reduced prices; but in far greater number of cases the public pays more for goods than it did formerly." Very recently the Americai, business periodicals carried a news story concerning the sales campaign of a certain corporation which manufactures what may here be called Musical Gadgets On a certain date the forces of attack gathered in a Missouri metropolis. Executives of the corporation, working in conjunction with local shopkeepers who sell Musical Gadgets, had already prepared plans by which the city was divided Into sections after the methods of the Liberty bond campaigns during the war.

An army of young ladies were engaged fot preliminary work, and when all was made ready these descended upon the householders of St Louis. The irade press gives the number of sales made daring this astonishing campaign, but reports nothing as to the 'expenses of selling Certainly the costs must have been out of ordinary But no matter what the cost, other Industries must adopt equal! intensive methods or lose their share of tbe country's Income. Executives of Big Business who do hot approve of strong-arm selling are forced Into It by those who do Big Business Itself is still an experiment, an adventure In economy. was innocent, and the jurors who convicted him signed a petition admitting they were wrong. With these and many other facts which he devel oped in two investigations.

Sidener conducted a win ning Tight release Wallace and return him to his family by ristmas. The Board of Paroles and Pardons agreed to recommend his parole and Gov. Baker went the boaru one better by granting Wallace an unconditional pardon. No doubt Sidener derives much satisfaction from the happy outcome of a case which was complicated by Wallace's escape from the penitentiary just as Sldener's efforts were about to bear fruit- Upon the advice of bis attorney, Sigmund Bass. Wallace returned voluntarily, whereupon Sidener renewed his efforts and was successful.

There is much talk nowadays about how hard it it to convict a man of crime. This case shows how of the railroad traffic of the country, was not rep resented on the commission. At that time. Reed made threats that he would withdraw his support from the administration unless the next vacancy were given to a Pennsylvanian. In gratifying Senator Reed, however, Mr.

Coolidge antagonized Senators from Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky, who fear that the appoint ment will prejudice certain advantages over Penn sylvania which those states now enjoy In coal rates, and Senator Edge of New Jersey, who had been fight ing vigorously for the reappointment of Commissioner Cox. Mr. Coolidge also antagonized the public, because Cyrus E. Woods, as personal campaign manager of George Wharton Pepper, was mixed up In the notorl ous Pennsylvania primary which resulted in the nomination of William S. Vare.

It is contended that Mr. Woods had nothing to do with the spending of the enormous Pepper fund. That may or may not be true. In any case. Mr.

Coolidge was very bold In singling out lor preferment a man so intimately identified with the Pennsylvania pri mary. Another factor which has caused objections to be made against the appointment Is that Woods is a former attorney for the Pittsburg Coal now party to a case before the commission which com plains against the advantages Kentucky and West Virginia mines enjoy over Pennsylvania. This Is an old and bitter question, on which the commission Is said to be about evenly divided. Politically and morally, the Woods appointment Is open to question The President cannot escape tbe charge that he has in some degree bestowed his accolade upon the Pennsylvania Primary. ANY CHANCE FOB BOUNCER JOB ABOUND HERE, OLD TIMER? (From the Detroit News.) The rnajraziue: Parfum pour madam mademoiselle: si chic; si Parisien; 4 ravissant.

Him: Mu-t pretty good: true" rB her some for Christmas. Her: Can't that egg think ef anytbtn perfume? Whoops! 1 Commerciallietl Baseball. Krtfwr of th. Pnot-Ptiimttrb AFTER, as Mr. McAdams would sir.

we thought would "almost never" get a pennant, and then Rogers Hornsby wins one for ua. and then Mr. Breadon gives said Mr Hornsby his walking papers. "Oh. Boy! Ain't it a grand and Klorioue feeling?" as Mr.

Brlggs would say. We must all. however, render all due homage to Mr. Breadon for his capacity wuo marvei mat haseDaii rvru the national game in spite of ehe-ais consider go probi- I na the motion picture Industry. OLD SONGS REVISED.

Hang up the baby's stocking. And be sure you don fprg That some of these modern ba bit Would like to see Christmas difficult It Is, once a man has been convicted, to get him out of prison, even upon the strongest showing or Innocence. Three years ago. when Wallace first began serving bis sentence, the movement to release hitii was begun, but made no headway until another man confessed the crime Even then, it reqaired nearly 11 months to perfect and complete the case In this case Circuit Attorney Sidener did a highly creditable piece of work. as a business man.

The manager of a pennant-winning club is a tempting morsel for Any baseball magnate, and Mr. Breadon evidently thought that more lucre forthcoming from direct rale Hornaby than by exploiting' htvti as a boi offio attraction Commercialised baaeball apparently cares little fo the feelings of the fans EDWIN ASHLEY LAM EL History and voters tn Philadelphia Uon repeat thercsel vea. I In Kansas City the members of th CC? Council Ice to ev a man smoke i More patriotism haa been cnoo the fcanUJlHg of alien property..