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f , CURRENT m COMMENT A QUESTION OF ART. A dlscuerion Is going on in Eng- land over the use of German articles. toe reading of German literature, the production of German plays, the ad- xulK-ioii of German manufactures, Mm reception of Gertnar people and the recognition of the German nation. There are still many whose personal sufferings, or whose patriotic favor will not permit them to have any- thing to do with anything German, now, or for a long period to come, if ver. Many are perplexed as to how long the boycott should remain. Others accept the peace declaration by the nation a an official end ot all hostilities, though not necessarily the beginning of former cordiality. There are Irish people similarly noved to disclaim their nationality on account of the inhuman things lhal are being done. But shall we cease to sing Moore's melodies or to read Charles Leold because Satan iiaa moved from Germany to Ireland? The debate in Hnglaud has been stim- ulated over the playing In Westmin- ster Abbey of a composition by Max tteger, the German who hoped that Che zeppelins would destroy the ab- bey. The organist played the piece at a concert in aid of the fund for the preservation and restoration of th Abbey. Max Reger is dead, but hi- good work survives In spite ot Ills lower mind and Its evil thoughts. Those who object to listen to German music became its composer or the Kaiser was a scoundrel, more or less. Are in <he same clasa a thoe who refuse to sing the hymn "Nearer, My God, to Thee!" because its an- uthor was a Unitarian; or the hymn "Lead. Kindly Light." because its writer afterward H joined the Roman catholu' church. Great works of art and literature rise far abov< the petty limitations we set for our per- sonal and national prejudices, and It U the merit and glory of art that it does lift UB into serener and loftier regions than those In which our tem- poral and mortal antipathies sur- vive. It was the special mark of the b'vist In the Germans during the WAT that they could not recognize the" nobler appeals of art, and the same debasement cbaracterlBe* the acts by which Bolshevism and some other kindred tendencies seek to perpetuate themselves. DEATH STRUGGLE IN PLANTS. Sir Jagadta Chunder Bose nas so frequently proven himself a magician. -In dealing with tn myBtertea of na- ture that no surprise need be fell at another of his discoveries in which fee demonstrated the exact moment wh-n death occurred In plants. He did this in two ways; one by a deli- cate Instrument called a mono- graph, by which when It wa at- tached to th plant the slightest movement* could be registered br pot of |ght Thte Indicated a pam or dath-tlvroes at the moment when the plant ceased to lire, at which life could no longer be pro- Jooged In It. The galvanometer was also used tor the same purpose and the results were similar, showing that the electrical response was vig- oroun whim life wa full and strong, and correspondingly weak as life fail- ed. The resisting power wa shown to temen under repeated attacks a* In the cane In animal life. A plant which normally died at a certain tem- perature, died at a lower tempera- tures after having been subjected to several exhausting strains. Seed- lings u<:cumbed more rapidly than full-grown plants. Anesthetics were !M> applied and exactly similar re- ulU were Indicated a in the case of anlmivl life, the monograph showing the action of the anesthetic, ether being used on a mimosa,, at * certain stage, and latr ttie real death-spasm occurring. All thee experiment* deal with tho phenomena of life, but what life Itaelf U, Is a eoeret a* pro- found an war. No man of science can iy what is life, nor wlvat Is heat or f!r. or electricity, or gravity, or chemical action or any of *he forces with wtotoh we are familiar only through their action of our plane of existence. We may afford ttoeee foro channels for ttieir mnlfet*- Uon. and we. can Invite their pren- nce, end ttiey are amazingly re- eponfllve and obedient to miltable con- dition*, bnt what they are we can no more say that we can nay what space and duration and motion are, or con- Itself. difference of the mass of men do. Witness Ireland, lu which a ma- jority of the population are opposed to murder and assassination but will aot interfere to stop what they dis- approve. The rest of the world is no better organized on an average than Ireland, and If I^enine can ex- tend his agencies, mere apathy would be enough to give him domination. Lenlne declares that Britain and France must be attacked through their colonies and dependencies. "As regards France," he explains, "by judicious propaganda in Northern Africa, and in the case of Oreat Britain by similar propaganda In India." The French have already discovered the symptoms in Northern Africa. Ghandi is carrying on the work of sedition in India. There is no doubt of what Is afoot In Ireland. .Vt any moment all these conditions may become acute. In Uie absence of an International tribunal with aa army to enforce Its decrees it is Im- possible to say what kind of situa- tion may not develop at any moment and become acute. Lenlne expects t( "smash the peace of Versailles and replace the rule of the hiitente Pow- ers by the rule of the proletariat throughout the world." The rule of the proletariat means the rule by- brute force, and with the absence of education, experience, religion or moralH. The first thing done is to suppress all free speech, free thought, free printing as treasonable to the republic. This is brought about by shooting down or otherwise disposing of the cultured and educat- ed classes, the Intelligentsia, and you, dear reader, and we who write would be among tht first to go. THE AROUND TABLE "WHERE WE MAK E FRIENDS Of BOOK*." WORLD REVOLUTION PLANNED. view that the Russian revolution is not an And in Itself but Art to be regarded as the drat fttep to- wards world revolution should not be pawed over lightly. It IB artonlih- Ing what few determined men re- lying on their own nerve and the In- THE BATTLE OP JUTLAND. Since the publication of the priv- ate lettw of Admirnl Van Scheer to the Kaiser written after the battle of Jutland, there ha* been a com- plete re-examlnatlon of all the evi- dence and details of that action with rhe result that the old verdict has- been reaffirmed. Whatever may have been the verdict rendered on special' aspect* of Mil* last great navnl bat- tle the Germans were wo completely out-rated that they never chowed fight atriin but kept their ships In harbor, and completely surrendered at the close of tho war. If this be victory Germany history may boast of It. Criticism 'ias been chiefly levelled at Admiral Jolltooe for not having followed cp hi< advantage, and continuing u night pumult utterly luted or destroyed ttie enemy. Jelli- ! co*. however. playid lafc. Having put th enemy to flight he adopted I>ayberry'n tactics and thanked God h wae rid of a knave. Tho admiral- ty has hastened Uie publication of .|.-lllrifV report since Van Soheer'd letter appeared, and there are one or two now points, particularly the fact that the essential message from a i;cout boat announcing the direction of the retiring German fleet was lost in thn confusion of wireless mes- sages. The low visibility, tbe Htrength of thn enemy's torpedo fleet and the proximity of (he enemy mine field were sufficient reasons to Jus- tify a cautious course. There are several ndmlnslons which Indicate that as nsual the enemy was under- estimated. His armoring wan more efficient, his speed wan much above anticipation, his gunfire wan ex- cellent and accurate, and his ma- n;>fluvrvs snainanllke. But he dared not face the full force of tho British navy and making tho l>Rt of 'he con- fusion following tho lows of t.h Queen Alary, the Murlhorough and other ves- sels, he escaped to his haven whence ho sailed not forth again except to Hurrcnder. CANADA AND THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS. Canada lian proven a Influential at the council board as he WO>H pot- ent In the battleifleld. There is no doubt that thfl imprewilon made among thn nations at the meeting of tho 1/eeKUo of Nations has given her a position in the front rank. Hor de.elslomt have not only been en- niblo and reasonable, but they have been independent ,und they have been supported with a courage, a dignity and an eloquence which commanded reaped and even enttoutem. The banquet tendered by tho South Amer- ican nations to Canada was a spon- taneous tribute of which any country might liavr boon proud. The lOmlr JCoai d Oow'.eh, reprosontlim Persia declared that of all In tho assembly Mr. Kowull most accurately voiced tho thoitghta .unl wtghna of Ura an- cloiit kingdom. This may be re- membered in days to comrv Sir George Koter, whose marriage dur- ing the meeting wag a soda-l event, and Hon. Mr. Doherty both made a nptandld Impression and Canada has received an unequalled introduction on the atage of world polltlca. The admission of Albania to the League was carried by Mr. Rowell'a eloquent "The Little HOUM," Comparison with Booth Tarklng- ton'M "Monsieur Beaucalre" is at once suggested by Che Dimple grace of "The Little House," this romance of London by Conlngsby Dawson. The etory has a charm as elusive as the appealing quality that won so many followers for Maude Adams. It is as endearing as "Roaming in the Gloam- ing" or "Comln 1 Through the Rye." Only poetic thought could endow a house with a personality so warmly human as to permit an author to let walls and starways tell his story for him in the first person without con- sciousness of the Mentity of the nar- rator intruding upon the reader. And that Is what Mr. Daweon has accom- plahed without once breaking the spell. Great, gray London most imperial of cltie, fumis-hes the background for this simple love tory- It is a two-century-old house that spins the thread of romance with all the be- nignity that has come to it from gen- erations of being called "home" by charming people. And what a pic- ture the author conjures up through the mouthpiece of this old house! Mr. Uawson has "embalmed in ink" the I emotional atmosphere that shrouded j that city during tiie raids of the llunx. The little House pretended to like j the excitement. But he couldn't de- | celve himself; lie was delighted when "the little lady who needed to be loved but didn't know it" came with her two children seeking shelter within his walls. ICot far behind her came au American officer, who was having in this raid his first remote taete of warfare. They spend an hour .togetiier in the Little House, the little lady mothering the soldier with words because his smile seemed t,o say "Everybody has always loved and trusted me," and because his pres- ence stanched the ebb of her own courage. A soon as the' danger is past they part without learning eaoh other's Identity, without even saying good-bye, he to go t* France, rfh to carry on her patfa*tic battle agalnt loneliness and sorrow for the young husband who woulo*ovr come back. A year later, when peace has come, the little lady, searching for a home for he.relf and her children, stum- bles upon the Little Howe again and Is glad to find the To Let sign mill out. Somehow we know that the man whom she sometimes thinks of *imply as "the American officer" will come hack. And come back he does, wKh one empty sleeve tucked into the side pocket of his tunic. He is "the wounded officer who needed ret," and when he was in the little lady's company he felt the way a ship might feel when the winds had ceased to buffet and it lay still on a level keel in a sheltered harbor. Miss Stella Langdale's illustra- tions are happiy in tun with the delicate spirit of the story. The boo!c is attractively printed on good paper and in easily read type. "Mr. Brilling Sees It Through" no longer stands by itself as the great expondent of the philosophy of the war. Henceforth, it must share thU positicii with Mr. Beverley Baxter's "The Parts Men Play," says The Standard commenting on the latest book of a young, but rising Canadian novelist. The book which is favor- ably reviewed by oilier London pa- pers, seems to have excited much in- terest in literary London. It is pub- lished in Canada by McClelland & Stewart. "The Little House" by Coningsby Dawson is also published by McClel- land & Stewart. plea. In this Canada was In agree- ment with the mother country which was by no means the case In other Issues. She opposed the technical Commissions, for Instance; she ob- tained reprpentatlon on the Inter- national High Coct of Justice for which Britain had neglected to pro- vide and she took a leading part against the proposal of share raw ma- terials and her stand against Article X was almost spectacular. Much educational value attaches also to the appearance of Canada at the League Assembly in the instruction of other nations as to th relation of the 'Brltush Independencies to the mother country and the operation of the British principle* of freedom and co-operation in general, i It is clear that self-dPtormlnation m-ans niiae- thlnB entirely different to different ople. To some It merely means liberty to raise hell for everybody olse. The British idea, so well il- lustrated In Canada and the other Dominions Is to hive freedom tor one's own development without en- croaching on the right* of others, but in co-operation with them for mutual advantage and for the specific ad- vantage of each In the development of tho peculiar resources and qualifica- tions which each may possess. The loyalty uf Canada to the mother coun- try U a puzzle even to United State* authorities. The moral of it all la that If democracy Is to 'capture the world It must be on the lines of rtrlt- lnh principle and procedure. UNCLE SAM'S FARMERS' MARKET. Considerable alarm Is being felt In agricultural ctrdea over the pros- pect of a hostile tariff In the Unltwi Staten which is to exclude Canadian farm products from "the land of the free and th home of the brnve." Whatever the republican politicians may wish they will nave to think twlo? before they add anything to the cost of living for United Statos vot- er*. In New York this cost is still morn than double the pro-war rale* and th*i tendency is not markedly downwards except In sugar. This maintenance of high prices is un- doubtedly due to tho middlemen, and It Is the same class who arc* seeking to erect tariff walls against food. The producer and the. consumer alike suffer from euch action. In Canada there has been a falling off in prices for cattJtt, and thore Is a tendency to soil off cattle, shi-ep and hogs, al- Uiough stock feed is plentiful. The Christinas poultry market wa ex- cellent and prices were on the top range. Potatoes appear to be har- dening in price. The mild wfiather han given much opportunity for plow- ing, and farm prospects from the wither point of view are excellent all round. Uon in every month of the year and New Ycrk were frozen up at the mouth of the Hudon there would un- doubtedly be a job for a <*anadian amba*ador at Washington to explain what and why and how, and to pull down Khe straits. A good deal of misapprehension exists concerning the polar currents and all the other current, too. There Is a popular idea that the Gulf Stream keeps the British Islands warm In winter. There Is not the slightest effect from the Gulf Stream on the ocean or any dif- ference between the slream and the tmrrounding water half way across the Atlantic. Ir Is the ocean itself that exert* a modifying Influence on temperature as it does on all insular climates. Climate is also largely the effect of magnetic conditions In the earth Itself, and a study of Isothermal lines will convince roost people of this fact. As they vary from year to year, so cllmau varies, and electric, phenomena, of which the aurora borealis is an example, are associated with these changes. It Is entirely problematic whether a ces- sation of tiie current through the Straits of Bellelsle would have the effect anticipated. DAMMING BELLEI&LE STRAITS. A proposal has boon in ado to close the straits of Bellelslo and thus di- vert, tho cold polar currants from this part of tho Gult of St. I/awrenco. It IB suggested that the effect on East- ern Quebesc, on Prince Bdward Is- land and the Maritime Provinces would be to modify th climate so greatly that the present rigorous winters would disappear. But what would Newfoundland say to this, and for the matter of ttoat what would Maine and New York Bay? If tho St. Lawrence were left open for Navia- THE NEWSPRINT SITUATION. The Toronto Globe, The Toronto Telegram and the The Ottawa Jour- nal, ml other paper* of tae metropol- it IP. type are savagely attacking Mr. E. \V. Backus, the owner of the Fort Prances paper mills, and the same gentleman who was recently granted some new timber limits near Kenora by the Drury Government. The Ot- tawa Journal In dealing editorially with the matter calls Mr. Backus -i "selfish foreign profiteer." and eays he "promoted a desperate and dan- generous mess In Canada by defying the Government of this country at a timo when he would calculate on stir- ring up International trouble." The Jouri.ul admits, however, that Mr. l;uckus "among other*" objected to this Government order. evidently having in mind the defiance of Price -Bros., Limited. In the face of tho l.n inl of Commerce order, nnrt thu ultimate victory of Price Bros, i There is getting to be a very strong suspicion among the weekly news- papers of Canada since the Canadian .rrenH Association dissolved and the weekly newspapers got atsulute con- trol of their own affairs, that had a different attitude been assumed to- wards th newsprint manufacturers by the big metropolitan dallies which prnotlcal'y controlled the old {Cana- dian Prer.a Association, much of the newsprint, trouble would have been avoided. At any rate since the Canadian Weekly Newspapers' As- sociation has been controlling the af- faire of the weekly newspapers of Canada they have formed an allot geUier different opinion of some of the newsprint manufacturers. There have, of course, been no concessions in the w.iy of price, but troubles re- garding supplies have been largely eliminated without once having to ap- peal to the Government or any other outside party. The C. W. N. A. officials have found Mr. E. W. Backus, who had the solid backing of the people of Kenora in < is ne- gotltions for the Bngllsh timber limit, to to be kindly gentleman with a gre.it deal of generosity and sweet reasonableness in his make-up and when the matter of supplies for some of the western weekly newspapers that could use his product, which is solely roll news, waa laid before him In a proper manner, he willingly and quickly obliged them. Another news- print representative who Is deserving of tho hearty thanks of the week- ly newspa/pers is Mr. H. B. Donovan of the Canada Paper Company, who on mare thai! one occasion haa gone out of tots way to oblige weekly pub- lishers who could not otherwise get paper. In view of the concerted attack on Mr. iluckuH. by the, metropolitan dull- Public Health Talks (By Dr. J. J. Middleton) Provincial Board of He.lth. . Questions Pertaining to Mdlcal t*jcU Will Be ArMwrtf in This Piper If Letter* Are Sent to Or. J. J. Middletn, Parltanwnt Buildings, Toronto. Smallpox IK assuming alarming .pro- portions in Ottawa and district ac- cording to the jnoat recent repo-ts from tfce Medical Officer of) Health^nd compulsory vaccination of everyone is talked of as^ttif only way of check- ing the outbreak. At the present time smallpox is a real menace to the health and welfare of the people of Canada and the United States. In recent years there has been a carelessness in these coun- tries with regard to the dangers from smallpox, because there has been a long period of comparative freedom from the severe forma of the disease. The cases that have occurred have been few and mild. But since the great war there has been a world- wide increase in the number of cases, partly because during the war. peo- ple from all parts of the globe were brought together in large numbers, and some came from countries where there was much smallpox. The lack of adequate medical and sanitary service in all the fighting countries of Europe, the unfavorable living con- ditions arising out of the war. and the marked falling off in universal vaccination, have resulted in an in- creased prevalence of the disease. In a number of instances it has occurred in severe form. In the Province of Ontario where there has been persisteuc opposition to vaccination, a very severe out- break of smallpox with thousands of cases occurred f'arly this year, and the United States Sanitary Authori- ties declared a quarantine on all travellers from this Province into the United States. California reported more thaa 2,000 cases in 119, and re- ports from several other States in the couth ehow that smallpox has been widely prevalent recently. The Bet Preventive. It is entirely within the power of Uie people to erect a barrier against the disease. Vaccination is -the one measure which has proven its effec- tiveness as a means of smallpox con- trol. The evidence shows conclus- ively that in those countries where vaccination is faithfully carried out, hardly any deaths from smallpox oc- cur; and in those areas where there is public and private indifference to this simple procedure, there is al- ways more or less mild, and, at times, virulent smallpox. The experience of the people of Cuba i one of the most important facts we have on smallpox preven- tion. In 1&96 and 1&97 there were over 1,000 deaths each year from smallpox in tbe city of Havana alone. With the beginning of American oc- cupation of the Island, vaccination was enforced: children were con- pelled to be vaccinated, as were also .all persons wlio -could not produce satisfactory evidence of previous vaccination. The beneficent effect of this common-sense procedure was observed almost at once. Between 1901 and 1917, there was only one death from smallpox in the city of Havana. A similar condition was observed in Japan. Before the prac- tice of vaccination was effectively ca*Tled out, Japan had thousands o"f casas and deaths each year. Epi- demics of the disease were especially severe. In 1909 a law was passed requiring vaccination of each infant within three months after birth. This measure' alone had the effect of greatly reducing the number of cases and deaths. There have beea no serious epidemics from smallpox Jn Japan .since vaccination was gen- erally introduced. Protected Centres. In Canada and the United States there are no centres of smallpox in- fection where vaccination has been thoroughly tried out Some eases are brought in from other countries, or from other areas where the prac- tice of vaccination is lax, but no epi- demics have commenced in these protected centres. On the other hand, in citlee where there is great laxity in the enforcement of vaccina- tion laws, or where there are no laws to be enforced, many cases oc- 'cur each year. Circumstances in connection with a recent case of smallpox at Smith's Kails, Ontarfo, afford a definite in- stance of the value of vaccination in *reventin / g the spread of toe disease. In August 1920, a son of Mr. X. Dor- man of that town contracted small- pox. It was a rather severe case and the family were quaxuttlued for six weeks. An early diagnosis was mads by Dr. .Baton. Medical Officer of Health. Smith's Palta. and all the other members of the- family includ- ing the grand mother, were promptly vaccinated. The vaccination was successful in every case. Smith's J'alls has no Isolation Hospital and the house being small is wae impos- sible t<> isolate the patient Sole dependence against the spread of the disease was placed im the vaccina- tion. After the severity of the case had ceased, the boy mingled freely with the rest of the family. Ttere were no new cases. It is the duty of health officers, publicists, and all others Interested in the public safety, to arouse their communitlec immediately to this menace of smallpox and to enliven public Interest in the passing of vac- cination laws where none now exist, or in the rigid enforcement of such laws as are DOW on the statute books. CARING FOR PLANTS IN THE HOUSE Do you want to keep the charm and beauty of summer with you all win- ter? Would you like to have ferns j and flowers In your house when snow piles high outside? You can do this very easily by spending a little time I pleasurably and raising plants and i bulbs yourself. "But my plants always die," you object. "I never have any luck." After a little serloufe consideration, however, you will find tn*t luck simply means the knowledge and ap- plication of a few important princi- ples. Your first consideration will be the soil of your plant. It should, for most plants, be composed of one part loam one part leaf mo^d or vege- table' matter and one part coarse gritty sand: If there are large roots, a greater proportion of loam will be required. Keep your soH always well stirred up on top, and under no cir- cumstances follow the advice you sonvetlmes hear "to bake it." Fertiliser Is usually not needed for new plants, but may be added to in- vigorate old soil. Either decayed cow manure or bone meAt brings Sat- isfactory results. A recipe for a good fertilizer madp at home i one part nitrate soda., cae part phos- pliate soda and one part sulphate potash. Mix this thoroughly In a gnllon of water and apply one-half pint to an eight-Inch not. (Be care- ful In putting It on the soil not to touch tile foliage with It. Watering tho Plant*. The second and most important consideration is drainage. U sur- plus water is allowed to eland in the bottom of the -pot. It turns the soil sour. Many, many plants; die for this reason. Not only have', a hole In the bottom of the flower poC, but put a coarse iayer of gravey. broken brick or stone in tbo bottom. If you 'want to use a glaaed crock, use it only as an outatde covering for an ordinary flower pot. "I have watered my plant thoiough- ly every few hours and yet it died," you have heard eome one complain. Perhaps that to tho very reason it did not live. There cc.a be no st rule for watering. H varies with the season, the plant and the tempera- ture of th* room. Tie best advice is "water It whenever It haa a dry .look." FVequent sllg.'U tprijiklings TO Ineffective. Sametlmos Jttle files app?w on' the surface soil, which are an Indi- cation of worms deeper down near the roots. A cup of fresh (not air slakod) lime, mixed in ten quarts at water and applied all over the aoll, will usually kill these enemies with two or three applications . MoM plants need sunshine. Geran- iums, heliotropes, roses and foliage plants such aa begonias wiU die un- less they have the direct rays of the gun. Palms, ferna and tvys. how- ever, will live without direct sun- shine. Therefore you can reserve these for your northern windows. Give Them Air. Plaats ned fresh air M much as people do. The windows in Uie room where they ar growing should be frequently opened, but a direct coM draft must not be allowed to blow across them. Neither can they Cbrive in a very dry atmosphere. Place a saucer of water tit the room to eup- ply moisture if the heat to very dry. If your plant happen* to get frozen during the winter, remove it Immed- iately to a cool, dark room and drench U with cold water. Some people think they should revive H with warm water and heated ah-, but they are wrong; the treatment must be grad- ual. The pores of plants must be kept open and free from dust. Put your plants in another room when the sweeping Is being done or else, cover them with a cloth. Never pot your plants in pots too big tor tin-in under the supposition that they will expand to fit them. Rather p*t them In smaller re- ceptacles. When they outgrow these repot them. In order to do tote take out the plant with all its aoil and pC.ace it as it is tn a larger pot and ap- ply more soil around the edges, but be careful not to put In too much. Startino Slips. 'More house plants are grown from slips than from seeds. To do this take a branch half ripe and cut a alit three Inohy long. Takn off all the Jav< except the upper two and root It well in wet sand several inch- es thick putting one &nd one-half Inches of the slip under the sand. Keep this thoroughly motet When the root* begin to grow put your plant, with its sajid. into a pot pro- vided wltb other soil. Somo aHps. mi oh as oleander and ivy, win root in water. Perhapi tile greatest enjoyment In raising plants la derived from plant- ing bulbs. Order your bulbs-hyacinth. tulip, narcissus daffodil and Illy whichever you prefer and put them into a soil composed of one part or- dinary garden loani. oua part old cow manure or bone meak and one part sand, all thoroughly mixed. Keep them well watered and altow them to remain In a cool, dark place tlU their roots are formed. Thte pro- cess usually takes about six weeks. If you use new pots soak them thoroughly before using. Irs. we feel U in only fair to apeak of him and other newsprint makers aa the Canadian Weekly Newspapers' Association has found them since they have had the opportunity of dealing with them direct. Had these men been approached in a dif- ferent manner at the beginning It may be that a lot of the newsprint worries of the publishers during the past four or five years would have been ^avoided. Renfrew Mqrcttry.