WORLD HAPPENINGS
OF CURRENT WEEK
Brief Resume Most Important
Daily News Items.
COMPILED FOR YOU
Eventi ef Noted People, Governments
and Pacific Northwest, and Other
Things Worth Knowing.
The relchstag has decided to pro
long the term of Frlederlch Ebert in
the German presidency until June 30,
1925., The vote for the extension was
314 to 76.
The Terminal Railroad association
in St. Louis has re-employed about
450 of its COO union shopmen who
went on strike July 1, it was announc
ed Thursday.
Forced into debt by the advent of
prohibition, according to Its officials,
the town of, Gross Point, 111., Tuesday
announced its' city hall was for sale
and advertised for bids on it.
The Japanese cruiser Chikuma has
been ordered to proceed to Vladivos
tok at the request of the consul-gen
eral there, according to a cable dis
patch to the Nlppu JIJi, Japanese lan
guage newpaper in Honolulu.
One thousand tons of food supplies
bought by the American Red Cross
for the relief of Smyrna refugees left
New York port Tuesday for Athens
Other shipments will be made "as fast
as sailings for the near east can be
negotiated.
Under the terms of the convention
concluded beween the British and
American governments in May, wilful
deserters or wilful non-supporters of
minor or dependent children are sub
ject to extradition between the United
States and Canada.
Overseas casual detachment No. 49
of the American army of occupation
loft Coblenz Monday night for Bremen
to board the steamer America for
New York. The detachment com'
prises about 60 men, being the first
to leave not containing any war brides
or children.
The supreme court of the United
Stutes will be asked to issue an order
' restraining the government from en
forcing the prohibition laws against
transportation of liquor on foreign
ships touching at American ports and
on American ships outside of American
coastal waters.
The money Bpent for the reconstruct
tlon of northern France devastated
by the Germans In the great war is
entirely responsible for the doflclt of
four billion francs In the French bud
got for 1923, declared Maurice Bakan
owski, budget reporter, to the cham
bor of deputies.
. An earthquake of "moderate inten-
slty," estimated to be about 5200
mllos south of WaBhlngon, D. C. was
recorded Tuesday on the seismograph
ut Georgetown university. Father
Tondoren, director of the observatory,
said the tremors began at 4:34 P. M
and continued until about 5:30.
Informal communications from th
five central American governments in-
vlted by the United States to meet In
conference in Washington, D. C. in
December for discussion of arms 11ml
tntion projocts and other matters, in-
dlcuted early acceptance of the invl-
tntion and appotutinent of the five
delegations.
Detectives in Macon, Ga., Monday,
found Hint the altar had been convert
ed into a bar. Through a broken
studied glass window they saw a man
lifting a glass of liquor to hit Hps, the
officers said. They rushed In and say
they seized two jugs of moonshine
whiHky, hidden undor what had been
the mourners' bench. One arrest was
made.
' "Foolish and vulgar display of
wealth," is one of America's greatest
problems, Bishop Francis McConnell
of Pittsburg told the board of man'
agora of the Women's Home Mission'
nry society of the Methodist Episcopal
church In annual convention here Mon-
day afternoon. Bishop McConnell was
inclined to blame women for much of
the display.
A modification of Great Britain
position rcgnrdlng reparations, ludlcat
ed by Sir John Bradbury at a meet
Ing of the reparations commission
Tuesday, will make it possible for the
commission to leave Paris for Berlin
next Sunday with an unanimous allied
agreement on what measures will be
Imposed on Germany's financial ad
ministration for the purpose of avert
lug a total collapse of that country.
ALLIES QUIT SIBERIAN R. R.
China Informed U. S. Is Concerned in
Preservation of Road.
Washington, D. C Withdrawal of
allied troops from Siberia has been
followed by relinquished control of the
Chinese Eastern railway on the part of
the American, British, French, Italian
and Japanese governments through
their representatives! on the inter
allied committee at Vladivostok and
the technical board at Harbin.
Each of the five governments, it
was announced Monday at the state
department, has instructed its rep
resentatives on the two commissions
to conclude their affairs and imme
diately terminate further activities,
leaving future management of the
railway in the hands of its board of
directors.
It was recalled in connection with
the announcement that consideration
had been given the Chinese Eastern
railway question during the Washing
ton conference and at that time sug
gestions had been made to the Chinese
government that It would be advisable
for it to invite the continued co-operation
of the five nations in maintain
ing and operating the railway as a
trust, pending re-establlshment of a
recognized government In Russia and
final disposition of the railway's af
fairs. Failure of the Chinese govern
ment to extend the Invitation In ac
cordance with these suggestions, it
was indicated officially, had been fol
lowed by the allied action as announc
ed Monday.
Formal notification of the decision
of this country to relinquish control
of the railway, In company with the
four other governments, was contain
ed in a note made public at the state
department and cabled to Minister
Schurman for delivery to the Chinese
foreign office at Pekin.
This note made it plain, however,
that the Washington government re
affirmed "its concern in tile preserva
tion of the Chinese Eastern railway
with a view to its ultimate return to
those in interest without impairing
any existing rights as well as Its con
tinued interest In the efficient opera
tion of the railway and Its mainten
ance- as a free avenue oi commerce
open to the citizens of all countries,
without favor or discrimination."
ITALY'S EX-REBEL
IS PUT IN POWER
Rome. Benito Mussolini, the fas
cist! leader, who triumphantly entered
Rome Monday, has undertaken the
government of the country with men
of his own selection. He came to
Rome on the invitation of the king,
with whom he had a long audience,
after which he named his ministers.
Prior to the selection of his cabl
net and directly after his Interview
with King Victor) Emmftiuel, Mus
solini, addressing the great crowds
from the balcony of the hotel, declar
ed with great emphasis:
We have not accepted the form
of ministry, but have accepted the
form of government."
He laid great stress on the word
"government," at which the crowds
cheered.
"And." he added, "Italy will have
a government from now on."
Mussolini then called upon the
crowd to acclaim: Long live the
king!" "Long live Italy!" "Long live
the fasclstl!"
The fact that the ex-revolutionist,
w Italy's premier, placed the king
first, was cheered by the multitude
Wearing a black shirt and show
Ing traces of his long journey by
train and automobile, Mussolini pre
sented himself before the king, who
greeted him warmly. The square In
front of the qulrlnal was filled to over
flowing and fusclsti and regulars
Joined In keeping order. His departure
from the palace was the occasion for
another enthusiastic demonstration
the crowds fulling in behind his auto
mobile and imirchlng to the Hotel
Savoa where the fascist! were in full
chargo, no regulars being visible.
365 Egg Laid In Year.
Tacoma, Wash. Two world 8 rec
ords for egg laying have Just been
broken in the third annual coutest
conducted by the western Washington
experiment station of the Washington
State college, it was announced here
Monday night. The contest, conduct
ed at the station at 1'uyaltup, result
ed In a White Leghorn pullet owned
by H. M. Leathers of Woodland,
Wash., laying 365 eggs with a day to
go before the year expired.
Missionary Is Seized.
Shanghai, A bandit army that loot
ed and nartly burned the town of
Shangtsaihslen, province of Honan
Saturday night, carried oft II .E. Led
gard of the China Inland mission and
other missionary workers, according
to advices received here from Hankow
Madam Ledgard and her child eluded
the marauders and escaped.
RAIL
BOARD
S
LIVING WAGE PLEA
Lines Would Be Ruined, Is
Declaration.
PRESENT PAY JUST
Workers' Slogan Called Utterly Im
practical and All Objections
Declared Answered.
Chicago. The public and railroad
groups of the United States railroad
labor board, attacKing me tneory ui
the "living wage" as a basis for de
termining the wages of railroad work
ers, in an opinion made public Sun
day night declared that Buch a course
"if carried to its legitimate conclusion
would wreck every railroad in the
United States and, if extended to other
industries, would carry them into com
munlstio ruin."
The opinion in the form of a re
joinder to a dissenting opinion filed
A. O. Wharton, labor member, in
the recent decision increasing the
pay of maintenance of way employes
two cents an hour, declared that if
employes were granted a 72 to 75 cents
minimum wage for common labor with
corresponding differentials for other
classes an increase of 125.7 per cent
the nation's railroad wage bill
would be necessary. This, the opinion
said, would add $3,112,952,387 to the
annual payroll, bringing It to $5,589,
445,993, which would mean, it adds,
an annual deficit to the carriers of
$2,241,639,518.
Even if the 48-cent minimum wage
requested by maintenance of way
workers were granted and correspond
ing differentials were made for other
classes of employes, the opinion said,
an increase of 50.45 per cent in wages
would be necessary, adding $1,249,390,-
994 to the annual wage bill of the
roads, bringing it up to $3,725,884,540
thus forcing the carriers to raise an
annual deficit of $378,078,125.
The phrase "living wage" was term
ed in the opinion as "a bit of melli
fluous phraseology, well calculated to
deceive the unthinking."
"If the contentions were that the
board should establish a 'living wage'
the majority would readily accede to
the proposition," the opinion said,
"and, as a matter of fact, the board
In this instance, as in all others, has
granted a living wage. '
But the abstract elusive thing call
ed 'the living wage', confessedly based
upon a makeshift and a guess, cannot
receive the sanction of this board,
because it would be utterly impractical
and would not be 'just and reasonable1
as the law demands."
Mr. Wharton's dissenting opinion
and the supporting opinion in reply
were attached to the formal decision
Increasing the pay of maintenance of
way employes 2 cents an hour, estab
Hulling minimi ranging from 25 to 37
cents.
The United Brotherhood of Main
tenance of Way Employes and rail'
way shop laborers held a strike order
affecting 400,000 men In abeyance last
July after the board had reduced
wages pending a request for an in
crease based on the contention that
the cost of living had advanced and
wages In other industries had been
raised.
Washington, D. C The Association
Against the Prohibition Amendment
announced Sunday night that it would
support 249 candidates for the sen
ate and house who stood for a modi
fication of the Volstead act to permit
the manufacture of light wine and
beer. In a preliminary statement ten
days ago the association listed 202 can
didates. The, additional 47 are run
ning in eight states, and the state
ment said the association would "im
mediately get behind them."
Farmer, Aged 117, Dead.
Saskatoon, Sask. News reached
here Sunday of the death of Henry
Lorenz, a farmer in Pleasautdale, at
the age of 117. According to family
records, he was born in Austria May
9, 1805. Up to a year ago he was a
heavy smoker, but the Increased price
of tobacco caused him to stop, he said,
He did the chores on his farm until a
few days before his death.
Prank Costs Boy's Life.
Omaha, Neb. A Halloween prank
cost the II fo of Edward Jasda, 17, Sat
urday night He was electrocuted
when he attached a wire to a gate
which he and five companions carried
to a street Intersection and attempt
ed to suspend it from an aro light
wire.
Mary Marie
By
ELEANOR H. PORTER
Copyright by Eleanor H. Porter
CHAPTER IX Continued.
21
It was almost dark when I had fin
ished the manuscript. It was written
on the top sheet of a still thick pad
of paper, and my fingers fairly tingled
suddenly, to go on and cover those
unused white sheets tell what hap
pened next tell the rest of the story ;
not for the sake of the story but for
my sake. It might help me. It might
make things clearer, It might help to
Justify myself la my own eyes.
Not
course
And the Way He Drew Her Into His
Arms and Kissed Her.
(about leaving Jerry, I mean), but that
when I saw it In black and white
could be even more convinced that I
was doing what was best for him and
best for me.
So I brought the manuscript down
to my own room, and this evening I
have commenced to write. I can't fin
ish it tonight, of course. But I have
tomorrow, and still tomorrow. (I have
so many tomorrows now! And what
do they all amount to?) And so I'l
Just keep writing, as I have time, till
I bring it to the end.
I'm sorry that It must be so sad and
sorry an end. But tnere s no otner
way, of course. There can be but one
ending, as I can see. I'm . sorry,
Mother'll be sorry, too. She doesn't
know yet. I hate to tell her. Nobody
knows not even Jerry himself yet
They all think I'm just making a visit
to Mother- and I am till I write that
letter to Jerry. And then
I believe now that I'll wait till I've
finished writing this. I'll feet better
then. My mind will be clearer. I'll
know more what to say. Just the
effort of writing It down
Of course, If Jerry and I hadn't
' But this is no way to begin. Like
the little Mary Marie of long ago I am
In danger of starting my dinner with
Ice-cream instead of soup! And so I
must begin where I left off, of course.
And that was at the wedding.
f remember that wedding as if It
were yesterday. I can see now, with
Mary Marie's manuscript before me,
why it made so great an impression
upon me. It was a very quiet wed
ding, of course Just the members of
the family present. But I shall never
forget the fine, sweet loveliness of
Mother's face, nor the splendid
strength and tenderness of Father's.
And the way he drew her Into his arms
and kissed her, after It wns all over
well, I remember distinctly that even
Aunt Hattle choked up and had to
turn her back to wipe her eyes.
They went away at once, first to
New York for a dny or two, then to
Andersonvllle, to prepare for the real
wedding trip to the other side of the
world. I stayed In Boston at school.
In the spring, when Father and
Mother returned, and we all went back
to Andersonvllle, there followed a long
period of Just happy girlhood, and I
suspect I was too satisfied and happy
to think of writing. After all, I've no
ticed it's when we're sad or troubled
over something that we have that tin
gling to cover perfectly good white
paper with "confessions" and "stories
of my life." As witness right now what
I'm doing.
I had Just passed my sixteenth birth
day when we all rame back to live In
Andersonvllle. For the first few
months I suspect that just the glory
and the wonder and J? of living In
the old home, with Father and Mother
happy together, whs enough to fill sll
my thoughts. Then, as school began
In the fall, I rame down to normal liv
ing again, and became a girl just a
growing girl in her teens.
How patient Mother was, and Fath
er, tool I can see how gently and
tactfully they helped me over the
stones and stumbling-blocks that strew
tlie pathway of every sixteen year-old
girl who thinks, because she has
turned down her dresses and turned
op her hair, that she Is grown up, and
caa do and think and talk as she
pleases.
It was that winter that I went
through the morbid period. Like our
childhood's measles and whooping
cough, ' It seems to come to most of
us us women children. I wonder
why? Certainly It came to me. True
to type I cried by the hour over fan
cied slights from my schoolmates, and
brooded days at a time because Fath
er or Mother "didn't understand." I
questioned everything In the earth
beneath and the heavens above; and
In my dark despair over an averted
glance from my most Intimate friend,
meditated on whether life was, or
was not, worth the living, with a pre
ponderance toward the latter.
Mother dear mother ! looked on
aghast. She feared, I think for my
life; certainly for my sanity and
morals.
It was Father who came to the res
cue. He pooh-poohed Mother's fears;
said It was Indigestion that ailed me,
or that I was growing too fast ; or per
haps I didn't get enough sleep, or
needed, maybe, a good tonic. He took
me out of school, and made it a point
to accompany me on long walks. He
talked with me not to me about the
birds and the trees and the sunsets,
and then about the deeper things of
life, until, before I realized It, I was
sane and sensible once more, serene
and happy in the simple faith of my
childhood.
I was seventeen, If I remember right
ly, when I became worried, not over
my heavenly estate now, but my earth
lv one. I must have a career, of
course. No namby-pamby everyday liv
ing of dishes and dusting and meals
and babies for me. It was all very
well, of course, for some people. Such
things had to be. But for me
I could write, of course, but I was
not sure but that I preferred the stage.
At the same time there was within me
a deep stirring as of a call to go out
and enlighten the world, especially
that portion of it In darkest Africa or
deadliest India. I would be a mission
ary. Before I was eighteen, however, I
had abandoned all this. Father put
his foot down hard on the missionary
project, and Mother put hers down on
the stage idea.
So I wrote stories but I did not get
any of them prlnrd in spite of my earn
est efforts. In time, therefore, that idea,
also, was abandoned ; and with It, re
gretfully, the Idea of enlightening the
world at all.
Besides, I had Just then (again if I
rememlier rightfully) fallen In love.
Not that it was the first time. Oh,
no, not at eighteen, when at thirteen
I had begun confidently and happily to
look for It! What a sentimental little
piece I was! Hew could they have
been so patient with me Father,
Mother, everybody!
I think the first real attack the
first that I consciously called love,
myself was the winter after we had
all come back to Andersonvllle to live.
I was sixteen and in the high school.
It was Paul Mayhew yes, the same
Paul Mayhew that had defied his
mother and sister and walked home
with me one night and Invited me to
go for on automobile ride, only to be
sent sharply about his business by my
stern, Inexorable Aunt Jane. Paul was
In the senior class, now, and the hand
somest, most admired boy In school.
He didn't care for girls. That is, he
said he didn't. He bore himself with
a supreme indifference that was mad
dening, and that took (apparently)
no notice of the fnct that every girl In
school was a willing slave to the mere
nodding of his head or the beckoning
of his hnnd.
This was the condition of things
when I entered school that fall, and
perhaps for a week thereafter. Then
one day, very suddenly, and without
apparent reason, he awoke 'o the fact
of my existence. Candy, flowers, books
some one of these he brought to me
every morning. AH during the school
day he Was my devoted gallant, danc
ing attendance every possible minute
outside of session hours, and walking
home with me In the afternoon,
proudly carrying my books. Did I say
"home with me"T That Is not strictly
true he always stopped Just one
block short of "home" one block
short of my gate. He evidently had
not forgotten Aunt jane, and did not
intend to take any foolish risks 1 So
he said good-by to me always at a
safe distance.
This went on for perhaps a week.
Then he asked me to attend a school
slelgh-rlde and supper with him.
I was wild with delight At the
same time I was wild with apprehen
sion. I awoke suddenly to the fact
of the existence of Father and Mother,
and that their permission must be
gained. And I had my doubts I hsd
very grave doubts. Yet It seemed to
me st that moment that I just had to
go on that slelgh-rlde. That it was
the only thing In the whole wide world
worth while.
1 can remejuher now, as if it were
yesterday, the way I debated In my
mind as to whether I should ask
Father, Mother, or both together; and
If I should let It be seen how greatly
I desired to go, and how much It meant
to me; or If I should just mention It
ss In passing, and take their permis
sion practically for granted.
I chose the latter course, and X took
a time when they were both together.
At the breakfast table I mentioned
casually that the school was to have
a sleigh-ride and supper the next Fri
day afternoon and evening, and that
Paul Mayhew had asked me to go with
him.
"A slelgh-rlde, supper, and not
come home until evening?" cried
Mother.. "And with whom, did you
say?"
"Paul Mayhew," I answered. I still
tried to speak casually; at the same
time I tried to indicate by voice and
manner something of the great honor
that had been bestowed upon their
daughter.
Father was Impressed plainly Im
pressed; but not a. ail In the way I
had hoped he would be. He gave me
a swift, sharp glance; then looked
straight at Mother.
"Humph I Paul ivlayhew! Yes, I
know him," he said grimly. "And I'm
dreading the time when he comes Into
college next year."
"You mean " Mother hesitated and
stopped.
"I mean I don't like the company
he keeps already," nodded Father.
"Then you don't think that Mary
Marie" Mother hesitated again, and
glanced at me.
"Certainly not," said Father de
cidedly. I knew then, of Course, that he
meant I couldn't go on the sleigh ride,
even though he hadn't said the words
right out. I forgot all about being
casual and Indifferent and matter-of-course
then. I thought only of show
ing them how absolutely necessary it
was for them to let m go on that
sleigh ride, unless they wanted my
life forevermore hopelessly blighted.
I explained carefully how he was
the handsomest, most popular boy In
school, and how all the girls were Just
crazy to be asked to go anywhere
with him j and I argued what If Fath
er had seen him witti boys he did not
like then that was all the more rea
son why nice girls like me, when he
asked them, should go with him, so as
to keep him away from bad boys. And
I reminded them again that he was
the very handsomest, most popular
boy In school; and that there wasn't
a girl I knew who wouldn't be crazy
to be In my shoes. i
Then I stopped, all out of breath,
and I can imagine just how pleading
and palpitating I looked.
I thought Father was going to re
fuse right away, but I saw the glance
that Mother threw him the glance
that said, "Let me attend to this,
All During the School Day He Was My
Devoted Gallant
dear." I'd seen that glance before,
several times, and I knew Just what
it meant ; so I wasn't surprised to see
Father shrug his shoulders and turn
away as Mother said to me :
"Very well, dear. I'll think It over
and let you know tonight"
But I was surprised that night to
have Mother say I could go, for I'd
about given up hope, after all that
talk at the breakfast table. And she
said something else that surprised me,
too. She said she'd like to know Paul
Mayhew herself; that she always
wanted to know the friends of her
little girl. And she told me to ask
him to call the next evening and play
checkers or rbess with me.
Happy? I could scarcely contain
myself for Joy. And when the next
evening came, bringing Paul, and
Mother, all prettily dressed as It he
were really, truly company, came tnto
the room and talked so beautifully to
him, I was even more entranced. To
he sure, It did bother me a little that
Paul laughed so much, snd so loudly,
and that he couldn't seem to find any
thing to talk about only himself, and
what he was doing, and what he was
going to do. Some way, he had sever
seemed like that at school. And I
was afraid Mother wouldn't like that
(TO BE COSTlNt'ED.)
Excuses are seldom of moment