The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

m,f»p^' mm .• -r^y. - ••tr.'w#^;"-,"/ ••-fir" *"V.'t!i:? •"ai>r-v-57!'.E! ,,';i\'^>r.\.>>;r.ky\.^,'?^",t^-5 i *- *-" ' ., < • >J , ' *J ^ -•_ - 1 7 -rT-%. ..,...*. •• \'V • •» • • ,«4 J -, *r '( ^ ,. -' *-.^~ -••,=•, ••• '->" --* - "-* i;. 1 ;S ? " .. '•• ? .* • ;.V;jAW.' •!:% i^V- ' M\.:'R W i. --l.-j.--.Cu '!£*.<• *£.'• •• . :-^-' ".wfl*.' J.rtS^i^h.f^":'r; «.Y**. ' «.! -J. • '" • • f •• '-. •-• '< >..'•'< , . 1. v . / , ".' 'X, '* " ..' :•:>. •;- • * , -,' • -J'.'S • ]•>••"• "•'.;. '•*•" £ . .'* " .•" <•* ' &•'. • : /r , \ w"- -* THE McymtY PLADfPBALBR, HoHEintl, n.T, Wr ** #- '^'51 What Will Happen When We Have 200,000,000People? 1. V / OWN FOLKS' LEGEND IS OLD FAVORITE By JOHN DICKINSON SHERMAN INCE 1800 a "riotous century" of growth has doubled the population of the world. This population is now about 1,700,000,000. The statisticians figure that at the present rate of Increase this number will double again in sixty years. And this would mean a world population of 5,000,000,000 at the end of the century. Would this mean a crowded world--so crowded that the struggle for existence would bring about conditions which the present generation cannot even Imagine? Probably it would. Anyway, the statisticians now seem to believe that the rate of increase is declining and breathe a great sigh of relief Sver the finding. American statisticians are busy over the future of the nation in relation to population and food. Bo are the scientists. So is the federal government So are various public-spirited citizens. The press devotes much space to it, as any large newspaper daily makes proof. For 70 years before the Civil war the population of the United States increased 35 per cent each decade. At any rate 2000 A. D. would see a population of 2,000,000,000 people. The rate of increase, however, has fortunately declined to 15 per cent during the 1910-1920 decade. As it is now, we have about 115,000,000 people. At thtfi. same time we Import almost vas much food as we export And our standard of living is the highest in the world. Questions intriguing the scientists, agricultural experts and statisticians include these: How large a population can we actually maintain upon our own land resources? How large should our population become? If we become crowded to the extreme limit, will life be worth living? Experts of the United States Department of Agriculture have recently announced that agricultural production in continental United States could be developed so as to maintain about 300,- 000,000 people--but under conditions about like these: Standards of consumption prevailing in prewar Germany; reclamation»of land to the limit through drainage and reclamation; decrease in number of certain food animals and increased use of pasture for crops; reduction of exports of foodstuffs; increased yield to the acre by Intensive cultivation to approximately that in Germany, Belgium and France. These conditions are made to apply to a population of 300,000,000. How far would they apply to a population of 200,000,000? No one apparently can say. But see how these conditions would work in comparison with oulr present ways of life. In prewar Germany the average annual per capita consumption of meat was 100 pounds; oars is 170 pounds. Land reclamation and irrigation have already done wonders. Yet government irrigation projects undertaken at an immense cost have been practically a failure. And just now there Is a popular outcry against wholesale draining of nwum; lands on the ground that they ar<k, needed to preserve our game birds and waterfowl and fish from extinction. Kill off the cattle and raise crops on the land „they use! Even now the live stock men are conlplalnlng bitterly! Grazing owners in natloniT forests are appealing to congress against forest service. Reduction of agricultural exports! Right now the farmer is wrestling with might and main with the problem of his surplus and his troubles are already a matter for national concern. Increased yield through intensive cultivation!5 It is true that Europeans in places do raise an average of 31 bushels of wheat to the acre while our average is but 14. But there it takes 878 men to grow the wheat that 100 men grow here. The well-being of our future population depends largely upon the product per man. We do not want to put the women and children of the family to work in the fields,„ Malthus achieved fame long ago by his warning to the world that population was increasing faster than the means of subsistence. But Malthus* world had none of the modern improvements. The Nineteenth century, through these modern improvements, saw a phenomenal growth in population while at the same time standards of living were rising. Production kept ahead of consumption. This was largely because of modern facilities for the migration of individuals and for the exchange of goods. For example, 30,000,000 immigrants, mainly from Europe, have entered America since 1820. Again, owing to modern transportation the world is now more of an entitity than were the American colonies ill the Revolution. In the United States, where we have no tariff barriers and our railroads practically make all sections of the country one, the ' doctrine-ef Malthus hardly seems to apply. Yet the conditions both at home and abroad are rapidly changing in important aspects. The desirable free land of the world is rapidly becoming exhausted. Ours Is practically gone. Many European countries are not self-maintaining in food. In America, points out Robert E. Chaddock, professor of statistics In Columbia university and president of the American Statistical society, less than half of our land area can be used for tfrops, because of climatic and topographic conditions. And on this he adds that the best grades of arable land are already In use. Additional areas can be utilized only at greatly increased prices. We have reached a stage in our agricul- - tural, development of rapidly Increasing costs. This is In great contrast to the era of "free land" and rapidly expanding extensive agriculture. Many things are technically possible which are economically impossible on account of prohibitive costs. The experts who estimated that we could maintain 300,000,000 under specified conditions admitted that this would involve a severe reduction in general standard of living because of the heavy costs of utilization." "Without question," says Dr. Hubert Work, Secretary of the interior, "we will need, years hence, all the water that can be stored and all the Irrigable, productive land In the West to feed our people." And here are other points that the secretary has to say in his annual report for .1925--all having a direct bearing on our future: The Bureau of Reclamation was the only one of the 12 bureaus In the Department of the Interior which seemed hopeless two years ago. An expenditure of approximately $200,000,000 for reclamation projects had been made by the Federal " government during: the previous 20 years, requiring an additional $60,000,000 to complete them. The reclamation fund, originally Intended to revolve or be funded in 10 years, had not revolved in •20 years. Although the fund was supplemented by a lump appropriation of $20,000,000 in 1908, repayment to .the government was only 9% per cent ifter 20 years. A fact-finding committee reported 5hat dams and canals had been constructed on ebme projects for the irrigation of lands having "Inadequate water supply And were either not capable of development or had soil Inherently too poor _to support a family. Thr> committee estimated that on this account the Kovernment confronted a^ definite loss of $18,561,146 end a probable additional loss of $8,830,000/ of its capital Investment. Whether the loss to this government Is $26,000,000 f>r double that, 14 not of material concern when balanced against the continuance of a mistaken . policy. The obligation of the government In reclamation was further Increased at the last session of congress by initial appropriations for four new reclamation projects and extensions of three existing projects which will ultimately entail an expenditure of an additional $60,000,000. These further expenditures out of the reclamation fund have been safeguarded by congress by requiring Investigations of economic and agricultural feasibility, and in some cases requiring state cooperation. This policy Is sound and public sentiment will, I believe, support it. We are now entering a new era In the history of reclamation. Its present condition, its difficulties. necessities, and Its promises have been opened Up to congress and to the public with all frankness. It lies within the province of the congress to determine an equitable and economically sound policy which will remedy existing evils and make impossible a recurrence of conditions which have demoralized the Federal Reclamation Service. Professor Chaddock points out that optimists rely on science to offset the scarcity of land and to take care of growing numbers. But the benefits of mechanical invention in agriculture, he holds, have resulted largely because there existed large areas of sparsely settled or unused land which could be developed by extensive methods, with low man power and the aid of machines. The situation is very different when popylation has grown more dense and intensive methods are necessary to produce a larger yield per acre. It Is too much to expect science to maintain the pace already set. Doubtless Professor Chadwick spealy^ ^ with authority. But what will be the effect of such a gigantic project as the proposed utilization of the Colorado river? The Colorado river is one of the great natural resources of the United States. It is 1,700 miles long, rises In Colorado, flows through Colorado, Utah, Arizona, forms for a considerable distance the border between California and Nevada and Arizona, and continues through Mexico, emptying Into the Gulf of California. The territory to which its forces may be applied includes an area larger than many nations. Four important problems present themselves in connection with the development of the river. They comprise the prevention of floods, utilization of the waters for irrigation purposes, production of electric energy, and water for domestic use for southwestern municipalities. On the Colorado river basin more than a million dollars has been expended in its investigation by the various departments of the government. No less than 55 measures have been Introduced In congress providing for various phases of Its development. It has been under consideration by practically every congress for the last six decades. Among the proposals for the river's development Is the construction, of an Immense dam at Boulder canyon. This project is of such magnitude as to challenge the country's ablest engineers. The proposed Boulder dam will be the largest engineering structure of Its kind ever attempted, the maximum development being planned to raise the water surface 605 feet. The reservoir formed will be 120 miles long. The .total cost Is estimated at $200,000,000. Another phase of the development is the com- 'pact that has been formulated between the states of Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and California, intended to regulate, control, and protect the rights of the several states. Including Arizona, to the distribution and use of., the waters of the Colorado river and its tributaries tot domestic and" agriculturtil purposes. This pact has not yet been approved by Arizona, although the legislatures of the other states have ratified It.. . The foregoing of course merely scratches the SIM"face of the subject. There are co-operative marketing by farmers; our forestry problem; the development of waterways, the conservation of natural resources of various kinds--all questions bearing directly or indirectly upon our future population and its food supply. It looks as If the coming generations, whatever we do in an endeavor to take Time by the forelock, will hav« their own troubles. * Cowcatchers for Motor Cars Is Urged A man's life was saved, according to a recent newspaper story, by a "•cowcatcher" on a radial car. The same p^iper recorded the killing of a man by a motor car; it had no "cowcatcher." The cowcatcher was devised to remove obstacles from the path of a locomotive. Somewhat similar devices were Installed on street cars and rad Jala. The deadliest vehicle of all has no device to protect Itself from damage. The locomotive or radial car travels on its own right-of-way, where human beings, cows or other "obstacles" have no right to be. Yet If they-.do stray In the path of the oncoming car they have some chance of escaping deatl> liy reason of the "cowcatcher" or fender provided. The motor car travels on the common highway, where men, women and children have an equal right, but without the chance for safety provided by the "cowcatcher" on the private road. Isn't it about time for a new sort of motor car bumper, one built with a view to protecting the pedestrian?-- Toronto Globe. ^ Odd Muaicat Instrument The bullroarer is an Indian Instrument for producing rhythmic sound, consisting of a narrow, usually recof vmmA, iron about six inches to two feet long and one-half to two inches wide, suspended by one end to a cord, the latter often being provided with a wooden handle. The bullroarer, which is often painted with symbolic designs, is whirled rapidly with .uniform motion about the h&id, and the pulsation of the air against the slat gives a characteristic whizzing or roaring sound. When a barber has occasion to flatter a bald-headed man he asks him if h» doesni want a haircut Really Survival at Longing V Clan Identity. I Wen Is the favorite American legend of ancestry: "There were three brothers of my family who came to this country; one settled In (say) Massachusetts, one in New York, and one In Virginia." It is fairly safe to say that seven out of ten persons are firm believers of this legend, particularly those who are not able to tell who their greatgrandfathers were. Now suppose we consider the likelihood or unlikelihood of this legend. First we note that the brothers are always three In number. They are never two, a much more likely happening. Nor ever four or five; always. just three. Now, Is It likely that the pioneer ancestors of seven out of ten persons were Just three brothers? Secondly, we note that these three settled In three then widely separated, colonies--separated widely not only In point of travel, but In social customs,,' characteristics and means of making* a living, to say nothing of religious' beliefs. • -. The unlikelihood of such a step in seven cases out of ten Is clear when three brothers come over now--If they ever do. They stick together and make for a spot, where there are others like them In calling, In speech, in customs. In these days America Is all one people, one country, and easy to get about In. But In those days there were no Americans (except thte Indians) ; there were scattered settlements of varying nationalities, hundreds of miles apart. And settlers then feared to* go far, not only because they were new to the land, but It was new to everybody else. So much for the likelihood or unllkellhood of the legend. Now for recorded facts. Henry R. Stiles, one of the most eminent of American genealogists, puts it thus: "It Is perfectly wonderful what a vitality this 'three brothers' story has among people. Yet it Is now an almost proven fact that among the thousands of early Immigrants of (he Colonial period such cases could be easily numbered on the fingers of one pair of hands." How did such tradition originate? Doubtless In the nature of the human mind. The mind of man must have an explanation for new facts. Perhaps 100 years ago some one In Massachusetts learned that there were people of his name In Virginia, and possibly In New York. "Same name! Must be some of our folks 1" It Is that "must be," so strong In Its longing for tribal or clan Identity, that by the next generation became a family tradition of fact. For a tribal or clan feeling has been one of man's strongest characteristics for thousands of years. And the three is but the ages-old magic number with which man endows the unknown and the mysterious, from the three Wise Men of the East, and the three of Gotham, to the three and the 33 degrees In freemasonry.-- Boston Globe. SMART FROCK WITH SHORT SKIRT; PARIS COSTUME FOR STREET WEAR Qholera Follow• Drought Recent droughts In the Interior of China have brought epidemics of cholera, according to Information received here. A hundred deaths a day for almost a week are reported from Changsha, Hunan province, and the outbreak shows no sign of diminishing. From Zohcheo district of Hunan 1,500 deaths have been reported, with fatalities recorded in Slangtan and Changcheohslen. The Chinese Red Cross In, Ahose areas is doing what it can to relieve the situation, but. the task Is almost Insurmountable. With the epidemic exists a state of dire famine and thousands are suffering. Crowds of refugees are flocking to the towns, carrying their bundles and belongings. As fast as they reach the refugees the officials pack them on the cars--open trucks--and send them to Shanghai and other ports. Forest Turned to Stone The "most marvelous petrified forest known to man has been found by two geologists in a^ remote valley of the Big Bend region nearly 100 miles from the nearest railroad at Marathon, Texas. Petrified tree trunks of 100 to 150 feet were found standing, and' others of a size, diameter and length, unparalleled In the world, that ha$. fallen. One of these was 890 feet long. The valley In which this stonq forest was found is split by a deep canyon. Its surface IB covered by a thick layer of volcanic ashes which evidently came from a long extinct peak in the neighboring Chlsos mountains, but long after the forest had passed into Its petrified state. We haven't yet learned all there Is to know about the land In which we liTe*. --Capper's Weekly. O f f to t h e F r o n t He was a splendid figure as he stood there in the hallway, his rifle slung over his shoulder, his automatics strapped tightly around his waist and his bag of hand grenades in his hand. His wife and children clung tearfully to him as he tried to comfort them. "Fear not," he said, "I'll return." But in his heart he knew the dangers that awaited him. "I'll call you up at noon," he said, tearing himself away, "and let you know if I'm alive." The door slammed. The wife stood tragically alone in the hallway. The Jeweler had gone to his day's wort- Life. Foolhardy Feat a Only two persons have ever com over Niagara and lived. The first was Mrs. Annie Edson Taylor of Niagara Falls, who shot the falls In an oak barrel on October 24, 1901. Robert Leach of Niagara Falls repeated the feat on July 25, 1911, in a steel barrel. Though battered about neither was severely injured, and .both are still alive. Charles G. Stephens of Bristol, Eng., made the dive on July 11, 1920, In an oak barrel bound with steel, and lost his life. THE youthful brides Insist on dressing becomingly rather than conventionally. No formal bridal robe for her, but a smart frock with short skirt is her choice. The sort that later on, with its sleeves removed, serves as an adorable dance frock with- Just a pink rose or two for the shoulder. Perhaps with a filmy, flowery scarf it will coax all eyes to turn toward the happy girl bride who attends midwinter grand opera. The model in the picture shows how effectively a girlish dress of white satin may be worn with veil en train. For the bride who elects to wed on Joyous St Valentine's day this dress t o •: ' / vp I# i-M ft*.* - -"V'v • |\ m & J V'<\1 * FOR ST. VALENTINE'S BRIDE of gleaming white satin studded with pearls is truly a lovely creation. The long sleeves bespeak smart style, the low round neck declares flattering becomlngness. What more Is there to wish for? An heirloom veil of point lace, to be sure, and a bouquet of lilies of the valley with streamers of gauze and narrow satin ribbons, exactly as the picture portrays. Another youthful bridal gown uses brocaded satin for Its medium. It is styled with a long-walsted semi-fitted upper portion, with a deep set-on flounce which shows an uneven hemline, short in front, sweeping somewhat lower toward the back. Long, tight-fitting sleeves grace this gown with a low, round, youthful neck. The fact that the bridal gown in the picture Is all-over embroidered in pearls proves that beaded effects lnthe left The high collar, the widebuckled belt the Inverted plaits In the skirt are style details observed throughout the mode. Gazelle fur is employed on this two-piece mode of cinnamon-colored suede cloth. Fur also borders the ensemble coat to the right, which further bespeaks a feminine touch in the tying of velvet ribbon bows at the front opening and at the underarm seams. There Is much favor for sports costumes which consist of Jumper with plaited skirt with a long coat, to match, the latter In stralghtline. Compose suits are worked out in ingenius manner, in that while a strict matching is not observed there is a relationship expressed in responsive colorings and certain details. For Instance, a costume may be linked together in that its general coloring denotes Chinese origination. Perhaps the general tone of the outfit may trend to Russian or mid-European. The general Impression may be accented through suggesting a peasant blouse In the * tunic with a printed lining to the coat patterned in gay Russian design. In other words, genuine artistry Is expended in the fashioning of the en- TWO MESSAGES FROM PARIS stead of losing in favor have increased their llkablene8S to such an extent that beads, sequins and motherof- pearl paillettes are elabotating the majority of formal evening frocks. A love of a gown for a debutante 1$ of palest of pale pink satin, starred all over with mother-of-pearl paillettes, Intertwined with sliver thread. semble, so that It presents a perfected unit in its entirety. An achievement of French styling for spring is the long overblouse of heavy allover lace which poses over the modishly flared skirt topped with its matching three-quarter length coat •JULIA BOTTOMLEY. 1IM, Wastern Newspaper Union.) Pearl Necklaces . The newest pearl necklaces are Tery iong and have colored pearls strung at Intervals. They are worn about the throat in a fashion which resembles the lariat of the cowboy. The effect Is extremely chic. The Smart Color Platinum gray is a color which ll rapidly becoming more and more popular, not only for costumes and" hats, but in footwear as well. Decorative Blossoms As large as the famous lotus blossom of antiquity and probably more beautiful, are enormous flowers of shells In shades or yellow, pink, purple and rose color. Bach flower Is made of four fiat transparent shells. Wool Scarfs 7- wool scarfs are made on a tiandloom and are patterned in softtone stripes which suggest the Ro«£n ribDons or scarfs. Strictly tailored styling Is not a leading characteristic of the French couturier. The Paris designer shows a greater art, that of presenting a delightful feminine interpretation of cloth, fur and novelty detail, which because of the inspiration of true genius in nowise contradicts its appropriateness for street wear. The handsome costumes here pictured very charmingly illustrate this point that two-piece suits and ensembles need not be s^yerely conventional to serve as stylish exponents of correct street modes. The vogue for skirt and blouse effect is emphasized In the costume to