anaheim-gazette 1923-09-27

REVIEW OF WORK OF STATE HIGHWAY COMMISSION Chairman Toy Tells What That Body is Doing Editor Gazette: The California highway commission came into office a little over seven months ago, and it has been quite a chore for us to familiarize ourselves with all of the details of this stupendous work. That, however, has been done not only by our traveling thousands of miles over California highways, but by calmly studying the situation and conferring with those who, because of their familiarity with the subject, might give us enlightment. Needless to say, we have learned a lot and as time goes on we will continue to acquire knowledge that will better enable us to build the proper kind of highways and thoroughly maintain them. We are taking every advantage that is possible of the mistakes of the past and hope and know that we are going to supply the users of the highway with something that surpasses the thin and inadequate pavements that have been built. The old commission endeavored to standardize a design. We do not believe in that. It is folly to build the same design or type of highway where the traffic is light as where ti is heavy or where the subsoil may be spongy and where it may be thoroughly compacted rock. We are insistent that our engineers make the design meet conditions and that is what they are doing. From this sort of policy it is readily ascertainable that in some places we will build considerably wider and heavier pavements while in the outlying districts of the state where the need for highway is great, we will first build a graded roadway and surface it with local materials. This will open much of our undeveloped part of the state nation is that the citizenry of the state want the job done and at as early date as possible compatible with good engineering and sound business. A means must be found for raising this money. In the past we have had long termed bonds and short lived roads, making it very apparent that a new method or a combination of methods must be devised. The last legislature provided for the creation of a non-salaried commission to solve this problem and report to the next session. I believe this commission will shortly be appointed by Governor Richardson. In conclusion, let me point out that the highway commission is but the servant of the people. An agency if you will of transferring the funds given it by the public into highways. We have no other object nor are we actuated by any other desire than to serve well. If the truck owners, who are an important part of the traveling public, and the one class who are one hundred per cent of the time following business pursuits, desire more and better highways, they can best obtain them by putting their shoulders to the wheel in the endeavor to suplpy us with construction funds. It is our unction to spend the money given us, judiciously and well, but it is the duty of the public to say whether or not we shall be supplied with those funds. As I said before, it is my impression that the public wants to proceed. I hope this information may be of some value to you and your readers. I can assure you it is a pleasure to supply it. With best wishes, I am Yours very truly, HARVEY M. TOY, Chairman of California Highway Commission. OIL SECURITIES unfair and inequitable Investors should reoil projects are specThe above announcebe misconstrued by therfic. There are many companies. Read thertain the amount of cohow much watered stock or units ,is o financial structure Ascertain the location inquire from some w putable authority be this way legitimate be injured or prejudily speculative cannot the guise of the p what percentage o will participate in. ONE MAN'S In discussing the ration, growth and lature foreign trade United States recent land economist of t department of agriculpresent agricultural mere episode in therward economic scarce able for agriculture ed by the increaWhereas it now applan unwieldy surplus which we are compeworld's bargain coundecades the export s ed States will have e ed and we shall fijected to the decree upon foreign sourcesupport of this theory ed out that the tota the United States i creasing and was leawas in 1900, and thateen principal crops cent less in 1922 thaof the continued intion. The large im We are insistent that our engineers make the design meet conditions and that is what they are doing. From this sort of policy it is readily ascertainable that in some places we will build considerably wider and heavier pavements while in the outlying districts of the state where the need for highway is great, we will first build a graded roadway and surface it with local materials. This will open much of our undeveloped part of the state and, we believe, will encourage agricultural pursuits in those regions more than anything else. When the need becomes greater, and funds are available it will be possible for us to lay a pavement and then we will have a compact grade upon which to do it. Aside from the inadequacy of the design of some of our highways of the past, notably the narrow, oud f inch pavements, much o the failures can be attributed to sub-grade conditions. Aside from the inadequacy of the design of some of our highways of the past, notably the narrow, oud f inch pavements, much o the failures can be attributed to sub-grade conditions. Too much haste has been used with the result that the pavements have broken down as the grades settled. Then again, there has not been the study made of how to treat these soils so as to make a poor soil into a good and substantial sub-grade. Our engineers are giving this matter the greatest thought and are now making detailed investigations. We are going to know more of this subject before millions more of money is spent. The providing of a stable foundation is nothing more than an elementary principle of any kind of construction and I am sorry to say that it has too long been overlooked here in California. While we are not going to have a standard, the concrete pavements which we build will be at least six inches thick and undoubtedly thickened at the edges as the Pittsburg tests indicated should be the case. Our engineers have investigated these tests; in fact, actually co-operated in them and we are utilizing every bit of knowledge that was obtained there. Probably more than anything else, these tests showed the need for more investigations. There is another angle to this highway situation aside from the details of construction and that is the impled rock. I hope this information may be of some value to you and your readers. I can assure you it is a pleasure to supply it. With best wishes, I am Yours very truly, HARVEY M. TOY. Chairman of California Highway Commission. OIL SECURITIES Again the state corporation department desires to broadcast a warning to the citizens of California contemplating investment in oil securities. Particular attention is directed to purely promotion companies proposing to drill oil wells in what is known as the Santa Fe Springs, Signal Hill and Huntington Beach districts. Supplementing the previous numerous notices to the public to use caution this announcement is sent out. From authentic sources we are receiving almost hourly confirmation of the report, that the curve of decline in production in these territories is much more precipitous than any average geologist has heretofore filed with the corporation department. A critical situation exists. There has not been a sufficient time elapse in which to tell definitely at what curve this decline will be projected definitely. Until more definite data is obtainable the policy followed by the corporation department in granting permits to sell securities in these sections will be as follows: Applications for permits to sell securities in all new drilling projects in the Santa Fe Springs, Signal Hill and Huntington Beach territory will receive the closest scrutiny. Such applications will be denied unless reliable proof can be produced for the department to determine that there is some hope of a reasonable amount of oil to be recovered. The limit for the most favorably located wells in the new territory of Torrens will not exceed $75,000 per acre drainage area. Applications for permits to sell securities in reorganized oil projects in Santa Fe Springs, Signal Hill and Huntington Beach will receive the closest scrutiny. The amount of the original capitalization per acre drainage area will be taken into consideration before additional securities of any company will be permitted to be offered in California. In case any wants to proceed. I hope this information may be of some value to you and your readers. I can assure you it is a pleasure to supply it. With best wishes, I am Yours very truly, HARVEY M. TOY. Chairman of California Highway Commission. OIL SECURITIES Again the state corporation department desires to broadcast a warning to the citizens of California contemplating investment in oil securities. Particular attention is directed to purely promotion companies proposing to drill oil wells in what is known as the Santa Fe Springs, Signal Hill and Huntington Beach districts. Supplementing the previous numerous notices to the public to use caution this announcement is sent out. From authentic sources we are receiving almost hourly confirmation of the report, that the curve of decline in production in these territories is much more precipitous than any average geologist has heretofore filed with the corporation department. A critical situation exists. There has not been a sufficient time elapse in which to tell definitely at what curve this decline will be projected definitely. Until more definite data is obtainable the policy followed by the corporation department in granting permits to sell securities in these sections will be as follows: Applications for permits to sell securities in all new drilling projects in the Santa Fe Springs, Signal Hill and Huntington Beach territory will receive the closest scrutiny. Such applications will be denied unless reliable proof can be produced for the department to determine that there is some hope of a reasonable amount of oil to be recovered. The limit for the most favorably located wells in the new territory of Torrens will not exceed $75,000 per acre drainage area. Applications for permits to sell securities in reorganized oil projects in Santa Fe Springs, Signal Hill and Huntington Beach territory will receive the closest scrutiny. Such applications will be denied unless reliable proof can be produced for the department to determine that there is some hope of a reasonable amount of oil to be recovered. The limit for the most favorably located wells in the new territory of Torrens will not exceed $75,000 per acre drainage area. Applications for permits to sell securities in reorganized oil projects in Santa Fe Springs, Signal Hill and Huntington Beach territory will receive the closest scrutiny. Such applications will be denied unless reliable proof can be produced for the department to determine that there is some hope of a reasonable amount of oil to be recovered. The limit for the most favorably located wells in the new territory of Torrens will not exceed $75,000 per acre drainage area. Applications for permits to sell securities in reorganized oil projects in Santa Fe Springs, Signal Hill and Huntington Beach territory will receive the closest scrutiny. Such applications will be denied unless reliable proof can be produced for the department to determine that there is some hope of a reasonable amount of oil to be recovered. The limit for the most favorably located wells in the new territory of Torrens will not exceed $75,000 per acre drainage area. Applications for permits to sell securities in reorganized oil projects in Santa Fe Springs, Signal Hill and Huntington Beach territory will receive the closest scrutiny. Such applications will be denied unless reliable proof can be produced for the department to determine that there is some hope of a reasonable amount of oil to be recovered. The limit for the most favorably located wells in the new territory of Torrens will not exceed $75,000 per acre drainage area. Applications for permits to sell securities in reorganized oil projects in Santa Fe Springs, Signal Hill and Huntington Beach territory will receive the closest scrutiny. Such applications will be denied unless reliable proof can be produced for the department to determine that there is some hope of a reasonable amount of oil to be recovered. The limit for the most favorably located wells in the new territory of Torrens will not exceed $75,000 per acre drainage area. Applications for permits to sell securities in reorganized oil projects in Santa Fe Springs, Signal Hill and Huntington Beach territory will receive the closest scrutiny. Such applications will be denied unless reliable proof can be produced for the department to determine that there is some hope of a reasonable amount of oil to be recovered. The limit for the most favorably located wells in the new territory of Torrens will not exceed $75,000 per acre drainage area. Applications for permits to sell securities in reorganized oil projects in Santa Fe Springs, Signal Hill and Huntington Beach territory will receive the closest scrutiny. Such applications will be denied unless reliable proof can be produced for the department to determine that there is some hope of a reasonable amount of oil to be recovered. The limit for the most favorably located wells in the new territory of Torrens will not exceed $75,000 per acre drainage area. Applications for permits to sell securities in reorganized oil projects in Santa Fe Springs, Signal Hill and Huntington Beach territory will receive the closest scrutiny. Such applications will be denied unless reliable proof can be produced for the department to determine that there is some hope of a reasonable amount of oil to be recovered. The limit for the most favorably located wells in the new territory of Torrens will not exceed $75,000 per acre drainage area. Applications for permits to sell securities in reorganized oil projects in Santa Fe Springs, Signal Hill and Huntington Beach territory will receive the closest scrutiny. Such applications will be denied unless reliable proof can be produced for the department to determine that there is some hope of a reasonable amount of oil to be recovered. The limit for the most favorably located wells in the new territory of Torrens will not exceed $75,000 per acre drainage area. Applications for permits to sell securities in reorganized oil projects in Santa Fe Springs, Signal Hill and Huntington Beach territory will receive the closest scrutiny. Such applications will be denied unless reliable proof can be produced for the department to determine that there is some hope of a reasonable amount of oil to be recovered. The limit for the most favorably located wells in the new territory of Torrens will not exceed $75,000 per acre drainage area. Applications for permits to sell securities in reorganized oil projects in Santa Fe Springs, Signal Hill and Huntington Beach territory will receive the closest scrutiny. Such applications will be denied unless reliable proof can be produced for the department to determine that there is some hope of a reasonable amount of oil to be recovered. The limit for the most favorably located wells in the new territory of Torrens will not exceed $75,000 per acre drainage area. Applications for permits to sell securities in reorganized油项目在圣地亚哥的交通状况中起着重要作用。美国的交通状况是全球最发达的城市之一，也是世界上最重要的城市之一。 The opinion advanced economist seems unentitled but does not feel that cultural lands are poorer and that crease has not kept increase in population. The opinion advanced economist seems unentitled but does not feel that cultural lands are poorer and that crease has not kept increase in population. Our engineers have investigated these tests; in fact, actually co-operated in them and we are utilizing every bit of knowledge that was obtained there. Probably more than anything else, these tests showed the need for more investigations. There is another angle to this highway situation aside from the details of construction and that is the important one of finance. We came into office finding almost a depleted treasury, so far as construction funds were concerned. True, we had some money, but the nature of the activities of the old commission and the mandates of our constitution has tied our hands so that we cannot spend it in all cases where we would like. We have found in our travels about the state that the clamor for more highways is great. Every day, yes, even every hour almost, we have requests for more construction and it is the hardest part of our work to have to tell these people that it is impossible to proceed for lack of funds. There are very few of these requests but that have merit. Many of them are obligations incurred when the bond issues were passed. Others are meritorious in that the work is vitally needed. The financing of maintenance and reconstruction is well taken care of by the new motor vehicle act, passed by the last legislature, in which is included the two-cent gasoline tax. Our engineers have estimated that it will require about $200,000,000 to complete the present state system. This money must be forthcoming if we are to do the work. My own opin- Torrens will not exceed $76,000 per acre drainage area. Applications for permits to sell securities in reorganized oil projects in Santa Fe Springs, Signal Hill and Huntington Beach will receive the closest scrutiny. The amount of the original capitalization per acre drainage area will be taken into consideration before additional securities of any company will be permitted to be offered in California. In case any companies have violated permits by secret rebating or paying excessive selling commissions, such applications for permits in reorganization projects will be denied. Companies operating in Signal Hill, Santa Fe Springs and Huntington Beach territory, that have only partially financed, will be required to make a more complete showing before the department will issue an order releasing impounded funds. In event that the records of the surrounding wells show little or no hope of obtaining a producing oil well rigid measures will be adopted. The signing of waivers by the persons who have already subscribed to buy securities in companies effected as described in the above paragraph must contain a statement of the possibilities of success. Subscribers are urged to read such waivers carefully before attaching their signature to the same. The state corporation department cannot assume the responsibility for the guaranteeing of the success of such projects even then. The public should bear in mind that it is mandatory upon the commissioner of corporations to issue a permit unless it can be shown that the plan of business of the applicant for a permit is unjust, WHAT FOREIGN A prominent Newly describes the United States doors to still owe us money. Now won't he pally what door he how and when? Just as free to buy day as they ever w show that they ar ly now than they We have put no ex not hampered any If our customers freely as they mi to any action on ow us huge sums quite possible tha less than they w cause they haven which to pay. M they are recovering producing more o and therefore, bu than they otherw theless, the fact ANAHEIM GAZETTE State early good missing had saved at theeththe mission to comby that the vision it to giv-We the well, say plied, it public of sellers to unfair and inequitable. Investors should remember that all oil projects are speculative. The above announcement should not be misconstrued by the investing public. There are many legitimate oil companies. Read the permit. Ascertain the amount of capitalization and how much watered or promotion stock or units is contained in the financial structure of the company. Ascertain the location of the well and inquire from some well informed, reputable authority before investing. In this way legitimate projects will not be injured or prejudiced and the highly speculative cannot hide behind the guise of the permit. Ascertain what percentage of production you will participate in. ONE MAN'S OPINION In discussing the relation of population, growth and land supply to the future foreign trade policy of the United States recently, Dr. L. C. Gray, land economist of the United States department of agriculture, said: "The present agricultural depression is a more episode in the general trend toward economic scarcity of land available for agriculture and forests, caused by the increasing population. Whereas it now appears that we have an unwieldy surplus of farm products which we are compelled to sell on the world's bargain counter, within a few decades the export surplus of the United States will have largely disappeared and we shall find ourselves subjected to the decreasing dependence upon foreign sources of supply." In support of this theory Dr. Gray pointed out that the total crop acreage in the United States per capita is decreasing and was less in 1922 than it was in 1900, and that the acre of nineteen principal crops was nearly 2 percent less in 1922 than in 1919, in spite of the continued increase in population. The large increase in our surare still buying from us more than they did before the war. But, to return to our New York banker friend who says we are closing our doors. In the absence of any other explanation of his remark, there is only one inference to be drawn. He is evidently angry because the United States does not cancel some $11,000,000,000 of debts due from European nations to the United States. That would make European nations great buyers of our products—but it would impose upon the people of the United States the burden of taxing themselves to pay off $11,000,000,000 of Liberty bonds still outstanding. Possibly this is not what the New York banker wants the United States to do. There are a number of people who complain of our "isolation" and who want this country to "do something for Europe." Not one of them, however, is frank enough to come out and state in plain English definitely and specifically what he wants us to do. Joining the league of nations would be a n.e.r.e formality. What would our internationalist friends have us do after joining the league of nations? How much of the debt do they want to cancel? How much more money do they want us to loan to Europe? How large an army do they want us to send to Europe to enforce peace? How much of the navy do they want sent over and how long do they expect it to stay? If our internationalist friends would be a little more specific, we might be able to judge the merits of what they have in mind. In the meantime we are not closing any doors against customers. CO-OPERATIVE MARKETING It is good news to farmer organizations generally, that the Sun-Maid Raisin Growers' association and the government have reached an understanding. According to an announcement, He was in Russia two and a half years, and has just returned, bringing first-hand and fresh glimpses of the Soviet regime. One of the incidents he tells is so characteristic of the present regime that it will be repeated herewith. The Russian soviet officials have realized that the only way to insure the continuation of the communist philosophy in Russia is to instill it into the minds of the young children who are receiving their education. The officials are taking a leaf from the book of Germany, which was able to build up a huge war machine upon the psychology of the school children, who had been told for a generation that Germany was surrounded by a "ring of steel"—by enemies who plotted her downfall and must be conquered in order that the fatherland might be saved. The soviet officials are therefore willing to resort to the most infamous and excrable lies in order to mould the minds of innocent children in the communist cast. When a consignment of American food supplies arrived, the soviet officials decided to use it as a means to discredit religion and build up the prestige of their own philosophy. This incident came under the observation of Major Mathews. Hundreds of school children were brought together into a school room for a demonstration in connection with the government's anti-religious crusade. A soviet official asked the children if they were hungry and when they replied that they were, he said: "Pray to God for food." They prayed and in a short time the official said: "Have you no food yet?" Of course the children answered "No." "Pray again; pray harder," said the official, and in a little while again asked if food had come, and again the children answered "No." Then, said the official, "pray to the soviet government for whole world." That got it canon desire for it. It is an element which failure. IS OURS A River here for price off-matic coo southern greatly dries. Thirty "we never mer monto be seen weather ethe eclipse is changing getting o fall is inc. The Re been pre week. The opinion ting, that ner differ that mysr are at w tea sea. To speed way to chase are bunker Study tables of ment for and you years tha season w year will cycle o is no change always w There he earth tering. or for tht ed States will have largely disappeared and we shall find ourselves subjected to the decreasing dependence upon foreign sources of supply." In support of this theory Dr. Gray pointed out that the total crop acreage in the United States per capita is decreasing and was less in 1922 than it was in 1900, and that the acre of nineteen principal crops was nearly 2 percent less in 1922 than in 1919, in spite of the continued increase in population. The large increase in our surplus for export, he said has been made possible by the decreased crop land used for production of live stock particularly beef cattle and horses. The expert also finds that the yield per acre of land and crops has not increased during the past two decades. Dr. Gray also declared that there has been a tendency recently to focus the explanation of the sudden decrease in the prices of cereals on the large American export surplus. To refute this theory he advances the fact that bread cereals for the world's market and the world's supply of these cereals has not been materially larger the last two years of price depression as it was in the five years preceding the war. He also declared that the supply of bread cereals available for consumption in the principal countries of western Europe has been smaller during the last two years than it was before the war, in spite of the large increase in exports from the United States, Canada and the southern hemisphere. In concluding, Dr. Gray said: "Considering the quality and location of our undeveloped lands, and making due allowances to probable changes in consumption and in methods of production, we shall not be able to expand our grain production sufficiently to maintain our population a few decades from now in the face of the competition of the large Canadian surplus of cereals unless protection shall be afforded to our producers. In a comparatively short period we shall be forced to make the choice that confronted England in the middle of the last century which resulted in the repeal of laws restricting the importation of cereals." The opinion advanced by this noted economist seems radical at the present time, but cold figures for the past two decades have warned us that agricultural lands are rapidly becoming poorer and that the production increase has not kept in step with the increase in population. Though all CO-OPERATIVE MARKETING It is good news to farmer organizations generally, that the Sun-Maid Raisin Growers' association and the government have reached an understanding. According to an announcement from Washington, the new association, organized under the Capper law, has not been under investigation, but certain practices of the old association, now in process of liquidation, were the subject of inquiry. A satisfactory compromise was reached on all but two points, and the legal department has apparently cut the Gordon knot by turning the matter over to the department of agriculture. It may be assumed that the latter branch of the government will be made interested in a practical working program than in the purely legal aspect of cooperative marketing. The conflict goes deeper than a mere disagreement between the attorney general and the secretary of agriculture. These two officials are merely representatives of two conflicting industrial ages. The one (the attorney general), is sworn to enforce the legal concepts that developed in an age of individualism. The other (the secretary of agriculture) must recognize that co-operative marketing is an economic present-day fact and that it must be permitted to function. The attorney general had no object to co-operative associations in theory, but held that the means these associations take to control and discipline their members are illegal. These associations take title to the pooled produce and assess penalties against the growers who break their contracts. The secretary of agriculture recognizes that as a practical matter these organizations must have a means of discipline. If not, there unfortunately would be some who would treat their contracts as scraps of paper. Secretary Wallace, therefore, has announced that he is disposed to approve the means of control worked out by the raisin and other farmer associations to hold their membership to their engagements. The upshot of the whole affair seems to have been that Daugherty turned the whole problem of working crusade. A soviet official asked the children if they were hungry and when they replied that they were, he said: "Pray to God for food." They prayed and in a short time the official said: "Have you no food yet?" Of course the children answered "No." "Pray again; pray harder," said the official, and in a little while again asked if food had come, and again the children answered "No." Then, said the official, "pray to the soviet government for food." While the famished little ones were doing so, curtains were pulled back from a stage at the end of the room, revealing the store of American food stuffs. The answer to the last prayer had been made swift and abundant. This sort of despicable lying is said to be characteristic of the regime. Major Mathews came in contact with many instances of rank deception and perfidy. Everything is subordinated to the one aim of making the people believe that the communist system, advocated by the soviet, is the coming form of government, not only for Russia but for the WHAT FOREIGN MARKETS HAVE BEEN LOST A prominent New York banker, evidently of internationalist affiliations, describes the United States as "closing our doors to our customers who still owe us money?" Now won't he please tell us specifically what door has been closed and how and when? Our customers are just as free to buy in our markets today as they ever were, and the records show that they are buying more freely now than they did before the war. We have put no export duty, and have not hampered any buyer in any way. If our customers are not buying as freely as they might, that is not due to any action on our part. They still owe us huge sums of money, and it is quite possible that they are buying less than they would otherwise because they haven't any money with which to pay. More likely, however, they are recovering from the war and producing more of their own needs and therefore, buying less abroad than they otherwise would. Nevertheless, the fact remains that they "The truth about Russia," which is often heralded as one of the things to look forward to, and which is supposed to be non-existent at present, has been discussed in many different keys, and every observer has had a different story to tell. Americans who go to Russia to observe conditions there see many phases. Many of them are carefully herded and watched so that they do not see the unfavorable aspects of the soviet rule. Others probably obtain an unfavorable prejudiced view the other way. However, the testimony of Macrj Philip Mathews, of the United States army, executive assistant to General William N. Haskell, head of the American relief administration nin Russia, ought to be pretty reliable. two and a half turned, bringing limpses of the he tells is so represent regime and herewith. officials have way to insure the communist to instill it inyoung children their education. gag a leaf from which was able or machine upon school children, for a generation grounded by a commies who plotmust be conthe fatherland are therefore most infamous order to mould children in the of American the soviet office as a means to build up the philosophy. This the observation children were a school room connection anti-religious the children when they he said: "Pray prayed and in said: "Have Of course the "Pray again; official, and in asked if food the children ansaid the official, government for whole world. That government is built upon lies. It is conceived in treachery and the desire to overturn other governments. It is an impossible, ghastly experiment which is rapidly proving to be a failure. IS OUR CLIMATE CHANGING? A Riverside man who has lived here for 35 years calls at the Enterprise office to tell the writer that climatic conditions in Riverside and southern California have changed greatly during his residence here. "Thirty-five years ago," he declared, "We never had any rain in the summer months. There never was a cloud to be seen. Fogs were rare. Such weather as we had last week during the eclipse was unknown. The climate is changing in that the winters are getting colder, and the annual rainfall is increasing." The Riverside man's remarks have been pretty generally echoed this week. Thore seems to be a general opinion that ocean currents are changing, that ocean fogs are in some manner different than in former years, and that mysterious, unexplainable forces are at work in the atmosphere and the sea. To speak plainly, there is but one way to characterize such beliefs. They are bunk, says the Enterprise. Study the rainfall and temperature tables of the United States government for this section of the country, and you will find that in the last 40 years there has been no change. One season will be dry; another wet, one year will be cool; another hot. The cycle of the years continues, but there is no change. Conditions are as they always were. There is no question, however, that the earth, like all finite things, is altering. But the space of a century, or for that matter of 20 centuries; is not sufficient to show it. the climate of southern California will be just what it now is 1000 years from today. JAPAN'S NAVAL LOSS Naval experts at Washington regard the estimate of $50,000,000 loss to the Japanese navy as a result of the earthquake as the minimum amount and believe that when the final details are available it will be found that the cost of rebuilding the lost units and the delay in restoring the navy to the full power authorized by the Washington treaty will be even greater than the present estimated money loss. Fifty million dollars would represent no more than the total loss of the Yokosuka naval base, which at first was reported entirely destroyed. Japan's highest point in naval expenditure was reached in the fiscal year 1921-22, when nearly $250,000,000 was spent as against $476,000,000 by the United States, but these Japanese figures were about $60,000,000 in excess of those of the previous year and more than $100,000,00 in excess of Japanese expenditures in the year 1919-20. Very much of the increase represented new construction. But new construction has ceased almost entirely under the treaty of Washington. If the Yokosuka base has been destroyed, the ability to resume ship construction speedily also has been destroyed, for the building plant was established there. This loss, actual and potential, is really the severest blow at he efficiency of the Japanese navy and cannot now be measured in the terms of dollars and cents. LITERACY TEST BENEFICIAL One of the favorite falsehoods of the proponents of unrestricted immigration is that under the literacy test crooks and other undesirables can get ed the children and when they he said: "Pray prayed and in inal said: "Have Of course the ." Pray again; official, and in asked if food the children ansaid the official, government for finished little ones were pulled the end of the store of American power to the last swift and abunlicable lying is historic of the re- Everything is one aim of make that the com-cated by the form of govern- Russia but for the ment for this section of the country, and you will find that in the last 40 years there has been no change. One season will be dry; another wet, one year will be cool; another hot. The cycle of the years continues, but there is no change. Conditions are as they always were. There is no question, however, that the earth, like all finite things, is altering. But the space of a century, or for that matter of 20 centuries; is not sufficient to show it. "A thou-sand years are as one in the sight of the Lord." Mountains are being lev-elled, sea coasts are rising and lowering, but we are unable to observe it, any more than we can see the growth of plant or animal life. Our lives are too short, when compared with the history of the universe, to note these great but slow changes in our world. So don't be uneasy. When a man tells you that the climate of southern California is getting warmer or colder, or that the rainfall is becoming greater or less, don't worry. He doesn't know what he is talking about. Barring some unforseen happening, LITERACY TEST BENEFICIAL One of the favorite falsehoods of the proponents of unrestricted immigration is that under the literacy test crooks and other undesirables can get in—being able to pass the literacy test. The falsity of such an assertion is readily apparent. The literacy test does not admit any person who would be inadmissible on other counts. It merely adds one more requirement as a classification for admission. A man of vicious character, an anarchist, a diseased person, a pauper, would be inadmissible regardless of the literacy test. Passing that test gains no man admission who would be otherwise excluded. If the literacy test superseded all other tests, there would be some ground for criticism, but the literacy test merely raises the general standard of immigrants. If the Edison Partners Took the Lark popular train running from Los Angeles to San Francisco carries about 150 passengers. If 62,000 Stockholders decided to make the trip it would take over a year for all of them to go to San Francisco. 62,000 Stockholders decided to make the trip it would take over a year for all of them to go to San Francisco. G EASY TO BECOME A PARTNER Pct. Preferred Stock is sold at all Edison offices on the monthly payment plan or for cash. Southern California Edison Company Owned by Those It Serves·