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ad " their trail. - te a : A of eo "wg help ~but wish, however, that more" _ chin-strap bonnets are mean' to be * Windsor who had the world's tongues " who are providing us with first-class ._Jovers, however, their fame anc name "duty. This country, Le says, expects 5 3 contifiue to depend on Great Britain LY; Todos to Predict N Likely to Reach Old Age | me to reveal the blood pressure dif- oR It is not true, Dr. Pearl reported, # day is due to saving the lives:of more % babies and children, he said. \_ Commentary on the ~ Highlights: of the Week's SPRING HATS--'Pancake crowns, bumper brims, bonnets with chin dtraps will lead in this year's parade spring hats," the fashion 'papers us. And already we see on the sts Of Ontario's small towns, layge (#wns; our style-conscious wo- menfolk strutting about with the latest millinery confections atop their heads. - The impartial (?) observer cannot women had chosen styles ko suit them, had only realized that those worn by coy, sweet young things ... . As it is, there are altogether too many worldly-looking women peering out from -under- unsophisticated brims, who make us think too readily #f Little Red Riding Hood's Grand: mother . , . : * --_--0-- BIG NAME ROMANCE--Last year «jt was the Duke and Duchess of wagging--the love story of a century, fo it seemed. This spring it is Greta Garbo and Leopold Stokowski, two! of the biggest names in the news, vicarious romance. As in the case of the other two 'would appear to stand in the way of "uninterrupted happiness, since the hounds of publicity are forever on --_---- "CANADA SHIRKS"--Writing in the New York Commentetor, an Ameri- can political observer undertakes to criticise 'the foreign policy of Can- ada, who, with the other British Do- _ minions, he claims, is not doing' her in the event of war to be defended by the British Navy but 1s doing no- thing in the meantime to strengthen that navy. } ; "In Britain," our critic points out, "every person on the average is pay-- ing $45 a year for the:defence of the Empire. In the Dominions, each "white person pays less than a tenth of that. sum. ~~ Why, the United States is spending more: hard cash for the defence of the English-speak- ing world including Canada, than all the Dominions, ten times over." Hard words, those. But cold, bit- te fects nevertheless, : Frc your own point of view, the situpiicn iq rather bad, since if wé for the protection of our shores, we dare not speak for ourselves nor take independent action .in world affairs. In spite of the Statute of Westmin- ster (1931), then, we keep on hang- "ing to Britain's apron strings, and allow: London to make our major de- 'cisions for us. News . . . ¥ BE i 3 r---- ---- By Elizabeth 'Eedy SHANSI FALLS With fhe virtual taking over last week of China's Shansiprovince by the Japanese, the Rising Sun armies are in position for a westward drive across the Yellow River into the heart of the Chinese Red territory, the mysterious North Shensi area, the country with a "question-mark." (Few ivhite people have succeced- ed in penetrating as far as the Com- .munist strongholds there. Edgar Snow in his "Red Star Over China" tells the story of a sojourn in this stamping ground of the Chinese* Red forces presents photographs of peo- ple and places never before caught by the camera; describes a visit to the capital of the '""mobile Chinese Soviet" in the north central portion of the area.) ; The outcome of a campaign in this territory is unpredictable, since Rus- sia at any time might come to the help of the Chinese Communists, Nevertheless Japan now proposes to go ahead and make good her oft-re- peated declaration that the real ob- ject of -the present hostilities is to 'wipe out Red influences in North China. . = @® --o0-- THE WORST DRIVERS--Addres- sing delegates to the Ontario Motor League's Annual Conference, George A. Hodgson, chief examiner of driv- ers of Ontario, declared last week that at least 80 percent. of the car -accidents occurring in this province 'were caused by drivers whose experi- ence amounted to five years or more. In.other words, it is the experienced drivers who ought to know better who pile up the worst records. "Furthermore", he said, "the col- our-blind driver is safer than the man who is not colour blind. Hegean tell you immediately that the tof Tight is red and the bottom green. Our dif- ferences are with-those who have all their faculties." Apparently, then, the more a man is aware of his deficiencies, the more alert and careful he will be. --_---- TEETER-TOTTER -- An Assoclated Press despatch reads: "Poland step- ped into the diplomatic forefront this week as a possible balance between Great. Britain and France on one side and Germany and Italy on the other, in 'proposed European agreements." Behind this news lies a multitude of interrelated facts, chief of which are: following his conversations with Prime Minister Chamberlain of Great Britain, which he hopes to conclude successfully, Premier Mussolini - of Italy is expected to propose an alli- ance of four great powers who will run Europe's affairs; France would be unenthusiastic about such a plan unless Poland, her ally, were invited to participate in the talks, Length of Life Biologist Able to Tell If Men Discovery of a biological index that predicts the length of a person's life in average figures after he is adult . was reported last week by Dr. Ray- ymond Pearl, famous biologist of ~~ Johns Hopkins University. . "He talked to the'New York Aca- demy of Medicine on "The Search of Longevity." He made the first public announcement of the "index" for foretelling length of life. The indices are bio'vgical measure- ments, ranging from pulse rate to body shape. They show in effect who shall survive' the attacks of disease sufficiently. to expect a-ripe old age. in the heart and blood vesse' class, two groups of white men, 193 in' each, were compared. They were first seen at ages ranging from 20 to 60, an average of 40. They were followed until all died. : ' 26 Years Difference One group was long-lived; the oth- er short-lived. The long-lived men averaged 26 years apiece more than 'the others, 25 " These long-lived men had slower pulse' rates. - The differences, r. Pearl 'said, were quite small, around four beats a minute less, But this slight difference was statistically sig- nificant. : : The long-lived men had different blood: pressure than the short-lived. Dr. Pearl said he did not wish at this - rences. The men who lived long averaged six pounds each less weight, notwithstanding that all the men in \ both classes were average build and % weight. ~ Long-Lived Small-Waisted The men who lived long had small- er chest girths - at expiration of breath, and smaller waists at the na- vel level. : that the "absolute" length of human life 'has lengthened. Actually, he said, fewer persons alive at 70 to- day survive until 90 than 40 years ago. The lengthened life span of to- N The Great Lakes Fishing Industry Commercial Catch Totals 120,- 000,000 Pounds Annually "American -and Canadian-commercial fishermen take some 120,000,000 1bs. of fish out of the Great Lakes annual- ly, valued at approximately $8,000, 000, says the Detroit Free Press. "And yet, as the result of lack of proper regulation, this important in- dustry, conservation experts warn, faces extinction. . The outlook for it is so serious that representatives of the United States and Canadian governments, as well as the governments. of Ontarlo and of the eiglit states bordering . on. the Great Lakes, met in Detroit in Febru- ary to agree upon a unjform protec- tion of small fish. > ob Decline In Whitefish The decline of the whitefish catch from 3,500,000 to less than 500,000 pounds annually is only one measure of the fate in store for the Great Lakes fisheries if something effective {s not promptly done to curb the rav- 'ages of cut-throat competition among the fishermen, who seem to act on the assumption that a fish in the net is worth two in the water. . The end of that sort of thing is bound to be tlie extinction of the stock, of commercial fish in the lakes--and, with it, the destruction of the profit- able business of supplying tables with 'piscatorial delicacies fresh from local waters. ' . Hats Off! England is not the only country with antiquated laws. An ardent film-goer in Akron, Ohio, has re- cently discovered that a 41-year-old "| Jaw, never repealed, forbids: women to wear large hats in theatres. He has now invoked the law, which has to be carried out by theatre man- agers, and can go to his favourite cinema with a guarantee that his view will not be obscured. As the result of spare-time study more than 500 miners have left the mines of South Wales to enter pro: fessions in the last three years, A--C Foresees Oc Canadian Minister of Transp Predicts Trans-Canada Airlis. Ocean Service Will Be In Fo Within a Year--21 Pilots N Ready Trained. Ocean-to-ocean mail sefvice Wi be in operation on the Trans-Canaf Airlines within a year, the Ho of Commons was informed last w by Minister of Transport C. D. Ho : Two Trips Per Week- He: also made the announcemet} that it is "quite within the realm 4 possibility" that a regular air maj service across the Atlantic Ocean consisting of two trips each way pe end of the present year. Earlier in the day, the ministel had secured first reading for a bi allowing Trans-Canada Airlines in the company operating the ocea service, as provided for under termg of an agreement with Great Britain, the Irish Free State and Newfoundf land. The Trans-Canada now has 21 pi lots. The minister boasted that they are equal to any in the world ang are familiar with the British syst of navigation, The service from Vancouver Winnipeg is "pretty well complet he said; and the jump fiom Mont to the Maritimes will be pushed ah as soon as the weather permit: the spring. ~~ - Vancouver to Montreal The trans-Canada, Mr. Howe said, will have a thorough service from Vancouver to Montreal with only oné feeder, from Lethbridge to Edmon- ton. It was the government's in- tention to leave ordinary feeder ser- vices to private enterprise. Tenders for air mail services connecting the main cities of Saskatchewan, are be- ing called now. It was generally the government's intention, the minister said, to ex- tend aviation to all part of Canada when air mail warranted it. License Numbers Camera Has Been Invented That Will Snap Numbers on Fast * Automobiles at Night A camera capable of photographing licences of speeding automobiles at night was brought forward last week by the Pennsylvania State police as a new_weapon in the staté"s war on highway accidents. = } Commissioner Percy W. Fdbte said that the camera would be installed soon in many of the patrol's white "ghost cars" that took to the road some time ago to combat highway law violations. : SENG Pierces Brightest Rays Infra-red. cameras are being devel opend for police use by Capt. Flavel M. Williams, retired naval officer and fog camera expert, who was drafted by the Pennsylvania force to carry on his researches. : The photographic marvel, Foote sald, is expected to pierce the bright- of the car at the same time. Foote said that he planned to place the equipment in three or four cars troops in Pennsylvania. Front-or Back Plates The camera would be set up close to the windshield of the "ghost" car, and could photograph through the glass of the windshield, getting the license plate of a car in front or of a 'vehicle coming in the opposite di- rection. 4 . Nearly 320,000 decorative trees are to be planted in County Durham in' England. : Fligh{= week, will be in operation before th{l te) as purchase a certain allotment of stock {= Photograph Speedy est headlight rays and clock the speed | operated by each of the 18 police bn Ry or NA ot Ea ail "ring 1938 Ratifies : Trade Treaty to Gain -- Dominion s Higher on Several Products VA. -- The Franco-Canadian ty, ratiftled last week by the hamber of Deputies, is an ~ of the 1933 and 1935 com- \greements.. Most important s to Canada are larger quo- d and zine in pigs and bars. ~ amount to about $700,000 0 about $200,000, wing other Canadian com- ese, tomato juice, mowing lectrical apparatus, elastic manufactures of asbestos. 'rangenients also were made administration of the quota d salmon. ~ 8 of the French minimum e also been extended to the Canadian products: Sweet- densed milk, artificial carbon- hagnesia, uranium oxide, tel incandescent mantles, calf 3 and alcohol stoves, lamp and parts, Russo-Japanese Tension TOKIO--A vigorous Soviet protest this week registered renewed tension fn Japan's troubled relations with the Soviet. Moscow protested against the continued detention of two Rus- sian steamships in northern Japan ports and of a Soviet airplane in northeastern Manchoukuo. The Jap- anese came back with charges that Soviet authorities were "Sllegally holding" 58 Japanese subjects in Russian Sakhalin and nine Japanese vessels. Want to Probe Cures TORONTO. --Legislative authority for a Government-appointed Commis- sion to investigate secret cancer cures was sought last week in the Ontario House by Hon. Harold J. Kirby, Min- ister of Health. Revelation of formula and details of treatment are required by the bill, according to the Minister. Sweeping powers to inquire into any type of "so-called cure" are provided. Successful Guerilla Tactics SHANGHAL---Chinese 'reported over the week-end that guerilla bands had recaptured a dozen towns in con- quered territory north of the Yellow River. Japanese artillery meanwhile bombarded strategic cities on the south bank. Most of the reported Chinese suc- cesses were along the Honan-Hopeh border, forty to sixty miles behind the Japanese advance lines, which were held up by the broad river. The Chinese also said a Chinese cavalry detachment repulsed a Japa- nese drive against Lini, in Southeast- ern Shantung, killing 500 Japanese. Stock Exchange Setback Stock markets on this continent last week took some hard knocks but 'after a few hours of slipping prices, "they staged a practical comeback. 'The recovery in the face of the: failure of Richard Whitney & Co., a prominent New York stock exchange firm, was regarded as an excellent | demonstration of the strength under- lying the market. ~ Held On 38 Charges TORONTO.--Thirty-eight . charges of theft, robbery and shopbreaking were laid last week after hours of persistent questioning of four 'teen- 2 VOICE of THE WORLD AT LARGE | CANADA 7 THE EMPIRE the - PRES CANADA Extinct Species? The Y.M.C.A. in Toronto. is con- ducting a course to cure blushing and there will be a little mild speculation as to where they find folk nowadays that do blush.--Peterbcrough Exam. iner. Humanitarian Feelings We say "amen" to the indignation of Tavistock people, directed toward the unknown hit-and-run driver who killed a wire-hair terrier puppy in that village. The mean killer neither slowed down in an attempt to miss the wee dog, nor to make amends after running over it, Contrast this incident with one in Dubuque, Towa, where 12 men worked for ten days to rescue a small terrier from a fox hole.--Stiatford Beacon-Herald, Away From Strangulation Modern machinery has enabled fever peonle to produce more on the farms. This has inevitably been re- THE EMPIRE Australian Foreign Policy Australia's distinctive interests re- volve around two different centres; the Pacific and the British Common« wealth of Nations. Our geographical position and our economic welfare inevitably mean a regional preoccu- pation with the Pacific. In many re spects we share parallel interes's with the United States, and one of the recognized planks in our foreign policy. must "be the development of Australian-American friendship and co-operation. We desire to place our trade and other velations with ~ Japan on a satisfactory footing. We yecognize her economic difficulties, but, on the other hand, we cannot remain blind to the Japanese aggres- sion which has aroused even India to strengthen her defences, ani any potential threat to our security re- minds us that we can only find safety in co-operation with Great Britain, just as our interests and loyalties are ineluctably bound up with the Empire.--Sydney Herald. flected on the villages. But there is as men ToT iy ASR ALAR as a, stiam that urhas oa! oe Fh Bs L 1 - i: Fs Flying A Plahe . At 36,000 Feet French Bombing Pilots Make Daily Flights In Sub- Stratosphere French bombing pilots are learns ing to fly at the 36,000-foot level which their officers say will be the normal ciulsing altitude for bombers in "the next war." . ; ' Equipped with light masks and oxy- gen tanks, the French "high filers" make daily flights in the sub-strato- sphere, preparing for the day when anti-aircraft gunners will be looking for planes in lower altitudes. Next Cruising Altitude Erhard Milch, Germany under-secre- tary of alr, said in Zurich recently that in case of hostilities bombing planes would fly .above 32,000 feet in normal operations, k Promutly French newspapers asked whetiior the general staff of the ale army had taken adequate steps to teach French bombing plana pilots to fly at that height and it France had the equipment to take them there. The air ministry immediately let it>~ ba known that "almost all" French | bombing planes could cruise at that altitude and stated that French pilots had been "fifing regularly" around the 26,000-foot mark for more than a year, Used to Oxygen Tanks Oue of the main schools for high flying pilots is at Istres, west of Mar- geilles, where military pilots with standardized army equipment make daily hops. One of the pilots said: "At 23000 feet over Marseilles you. J we taxes and crowded streets of the =~ Industry is said to: be following tne same pathway. Hydro and rapid transportation cancel many of the advantages once possessed by the city. It will be interesting to see what succeeding years contribute to the problem.--London Free Press. No "Saturated" West There is a limiting factor holding down Western--and, for that matter, Canadian--population growth. But that factor decidedly is not "satura- tion" or overloading of the physical resources. The soil of Western Canada is neitlier overcrowded nor overloaded, nor anywhere near that condition. A look at Russia, with its 165 million people, challenges not only comparison but serious study. Naturally, we do not want to des- cend to the Russian standard of liv- ing, but "standard of living" is it- self a shibBoleth which might well be analyzed. = Some of the ideas and habits by which we mould our lives in Canada might be revised with be- nefit to everybody in the Dominion --but the scientists who are most capable of attacking the problem have "no actual data" and are so burdened with routine that they have no opportunity to give the long- view leadership which might inspire the people and -start a new era of progress. v aged 'boys caught by an unarmed po- :. lice chief after an ecighty-mile-an- ' hour auto chase and a five-mile man- hunt through the bush near" Whitby. To Open Empire Fair LONDON.--The King and Queen will open the Empire exposition at _ Bellahouston Park, Glasgow, on May 3 and visit poor 'districts in Glasgow the following day, it was officially announced this week. Civil Aviation To Go Ahead LONDON.--Great Brita is make a boldér bid for international air traffic. ~~ Concurrently with the upbuilding of the Royal Air Force, the Govern- ment announced last week it will give increased stimulus to. civil aviation. Measures are to be taken within the Air Ministry to strengthen the or- ganization dealing with civil aviation. Singapore. x U. S. S. Memphis Pays Visit to Singapore Steaming through Johore Straits, the U. 8. 8. Mémphis is shown ariving at 'Great Britain's new naval base at to involved in similar miseries. Bul we overlook one factor of transcendent importance-- never betore in history has it been so obvious that war can- not pay, even when all the bombs and tanks and artillery are on one side, as they were in the Abysinian affair, Without foreign credits Italy can do teritorq Ihave already, in this ar- policy. 1 have already, in this ar- ticle, called attention to the cost in men and money of the German and Italian war in Spain--a war waged by these non-Spaniards with that "sinking feeling that any pickings at the end of it are more likely to go to the City of London than to. Berlin or Rome, example is that of Japan. Her en- tire resources are now involved in a campaign which will almost inevit- ably ruin her |. . It seems almost unbelievable that any nation should manage to forfeit so much good will in so short a time. Who, after such examples, will dave to start a new war? --Vernon Bartlett in World Review (London). Canadain Invents Insulating Silk Dry Steam Treatment Found to Increase Silk's Electrical Resistance Powers Silk insulation that exhibits 1314 to 17 times more electrical resistance than ordinary silk is revealed in a pa- tent granted at Washington, D.C, to Alfred €. Goodings, of Toronto. * The inventor has discovered that silk of such high insulating value can be obtained by treating the material with dry steam. Thus less silk would be needed to produce the same am- ount of insulation. The fine wires used in many electrical instruments are insulated with windings of silk thread. According to his process, the silk fiber is placed in a chamber previous- ly heated to 150 degrees Fahrenheit. The dry steam at a temperature of 220 degrees Fahrenheit is introduced. The treatment lasts for 20 minutes. After this, the silk is dried and ready for its use as an insulating wrapping. German Autos Hit Are Making Inroads. In Britain And Dominions With Sub- sidy On Exports' Alithough the German "People's Car" has not vet appeared, other types already in production are mak- ing such inroads in the British mar- ket as to cause anxiety among London and Oxford manufacturers, Whereas only twenty-three German automobiles were imported into Dri: tain in January, 1937, the number jumped to 1,067 last month. Moreover, it is said that, owing to the German subsidy, German trucks and heavy oil vehicles are being imported into South Africa, Ceylon and other British Do- minion markets at prices with which neither British nor American makers can compete, According to the Daily Telezraph, the prime purpose of the German sub- sidy arrangement is to obtain credits abroad for essential imports. last year's automobile exports, it is believ. ed, actually paid for all the rubber for tires required on Glermany's own au- tomohiles. Moscow proclaims that its new sub- way is the most beautiful in the But the most impressive | South Africa Has ~ Vast Health Plan Medical Service, Hospitalization And Maternity Benefits Involved - 7 JOHANNESBURG, South Africa-- If a scheme to provide medical and other similar benefits to, the people of South Africa is adopted by the Government, a gift of £5,331,691 (about $26,658,455) annually will be provided in the Union. The scheme, which was outlined in the annual report of the Depart: ment of Public Health, includes: -- 1. A general medical practitioner service including free drugs, medical and curative appliances. 2. Specialists' services. 3. A payment towards the cost of hospital treatment of those employ- ed persons and their dependents who would in present circumstances be required by provincial hospitals to | make some payment towards the cost. 1. The payment of a lump sum oft' confinement of an employed woman or the wife of an employed man. 5. A payment of a lump sum for _the cost of burial of an employed, person or his dependents. 6." A cash payment during periods of sickness. te National Health Insurance "The adoption of a scheme of na- tional health insurance such as that recently recommended by the depart- mental committee of enquiry," says Sir Edward. Thornton, "is one which would make an enormous improve- ment in the public health of South. Afriga. Broadly, the scheme will ap- ply to all employed persons, includ- ing dependants of cither sex or all races who are resident in the area of local authorities and are earning not more than £400 (about 32,000) per annum." . It is explained that the funds re- quired for the provision and admin- istration of these benefits will be de- rived from contributions by the Gov- crnment, employers and employed people in the proportion of approxi- mately: Government, 1.412%, employ- ers, 19¢, and employees, 364%. Lost And Found In The Vatican The absent-mindedness of sight. seers in the British Museum, London, lingland, is proverbial, but visitors to the Vatican are almost as bad, and the Vatican's Lost Property Of- fice has some curious articles to deal with, Among the items lost in one month recently, were a woman's frock, two dogs, two undergarments, two bathing suits, one vevolver, eight bicycles, an album, 30 purses, a bracelet, a letter of credit, four hats, eleven sums of money, six docu- ments, three photographs, three cam- eras, seven pairs of spectacles, eight umbrellas, four watcRes, seven foun- tain-pens, nine cards of identity, ten pairs of gloves, seven attache cases, two fans and thirty-five assorted ob- jeets. But perhaps strangest of all were the 55 pocket cases and 21 hunches of keys which were lost by Vatican visitors who have not yet applied to the Lost Property Office for their re< world, turn, ; | fr rag pa Hi lr 3 ~~ OR re ee » ",