<,. .1 T T X 1 •ducation is essential for perman- ent results, states Homer K. Cal- wr in an article â€" "The Thumb in the Soup" â€" in the current issue of Health, official magazine of the Health League of Canada. He s'.ates that three groups must i»e reached by this education: (1) thepeople who own and operate our public eating places, (2> those who work in them, and (3) those who eat there. Pvjre and undeieriorated food, protected from spoilage and infec- tion served by non-iniectious per- tonnel with clean habits and in clean eating and drinking utensils are the public health requirement for eat- ing and drinking places, Mr. Cal- ver writes. Good light good venti- Ittion and generally clean stvround- ings are most desirable attributes of any food handling establishment, but in the last analysis they have little direct bearing upon disease. Good equipment and proper sup- plies are useful in purveying a non- dangerous food, but they are not essential. "Stainless steel does not prevent the thumb in the soup," says Mr. Claver. "Many a lipstick-smeared glass emerges from inexpertly oper- ated modern dishwashing equip- ment. The little ways in which foodhandlers work can have more effect on health than the most ela- borate things they work with." The author remarks that a chan- nel of infection runs from person to person via the things we eat and drink and the things we eat and ^ This Is High Art â€" Maybe â€" A Ijit pu/zicu: \\ cii, lo i; Adoipnc i-<iudru, rrcucu v\<jitv.i-i j, .ciC He doesn't know whether that sculpture is a bird, an eye, a wheel, or what. It's one of the many modern paintings and sculpture pieces on display at the 16th art exhibition of the Society of Independent Artists in Paris. Another head-scratcher in the show is the surrealistic fierure called "Musician," right. drink from and with. The undis- infected glass can carry the bac- teria and viruses of trench mouth, measles, influenza, scarlet fever /nd the common coW from mouth to mouth. The unwashed hands of a cook can spread typhoid and dy- sentery. The sore on the finger of a kindly member of the Ladies' Aid Society can poison the chicken salad for the church supper. 25,000 M.P.H. No Pioe Dream By S. Burton Heath This may sound like somebody's pipe dream â€" but : Solemn scientists and engineers actually are talking about the pos- sibility of man-carrying airplanes that will fly at 25,000 miles an hour planes that could go outside the rirth's atmosphere, where no air iction would slow their speed, that eould circle the earth at such speed iheir centrifugal force would off- set the pull of gravity. Out in sub-stellar regions, some- where between here and the moon, the engineer could cut his engines. Then plane and crew could cu-cle the earth forever â€" or, at least, un- <il they got hungry and lonely and bored â€" without using any power. When their job was done, or the Brew members couldn't tolerate one another any longer, the engineer eould start his engines, and the plane could fly back to where gra- vity took control. From there on the trip back to earth could be a coast-in. "There are lots of things to be licked before we could do that." remarks Robert D. Grange, project engineer in the Wright .\eronauti- cal Corp.'s gas turbine division, "but •there's nothing that says it's im- possible." The experts do not flirt with such ideas out of idle curiosity, or even to provide future escape for folks who get fed up with human society. The military thinks such a "space ship" would be a valuable weapon. It could hang in the sky, over- looking a full half of the earth's surface at once. With electronic devices, the crew could take con- trol over atomic missiles, launched from the earth, and guide them un- erringly to e.\plode in the Times Square, the Wall Street, the Penn- sylvania -Avenue, the Willow Run of any enemy country that was no more than half a world away. Obviously, nothing like this is just around the corner. But the rocket engine, perhaps even more than the possibiUty of atomic power, makes it an idea from which sci- entists ot substance do not turn scornfully away. Ignoring atomic power lor the time being, the rocket engine is the only power plant that might make such a venture conceivable. For one thing, only the rocket en- gine could provide speeds from 23.- 000 fo 25.000 itiiles an hour neces- Mcrr)' Menagcric-ByWalt Disney r 1 "Tou'ir have to give me a push, dearâ€" I'm getting awful hard to •tart, these cold mornings!" sary to break through the earth's gravitational pull, so that the ship could coast along through space. For another, engines and turbines and jets need air, as a source of oxygen to support combustion. But the rocket engine carries its own oxygen supply, and it alone can operate above the 80,000-to-100,00O foot level at which the earth's at- mosphere becomes too thhi to sup- port combustion efficiently. There are several obvious major problems in connection with such a space ship. They start with the designing of a plane capable of building up, in a few hundred miles, to a speed of 25.000 miles an hour. The cabin would have to stand a pressure of 14.7 pounds to the square inch, inside, against no pres- sure at all, outside, without explod- ing. Insulation would be needed against heat generated by air fric- tion while moving 25,000 miles an hour in the earth's atmosphere; and also against the fact that in space there would be no atmosphere to temper the sun't heat by day or to hold and distribute remnants of that heat by night. In the absence of gravity's pull, there would be nothing to hold down the crew, or anything else that was loose. The rocket engine still is in its infancy. It has been used on ex- perimental fighter planes chiefly be- cause, at the time, no turbo-jets powerful enough were available. Its principal immediate interest is in connection with missiles of the V-2 type. It has helped to achieve^ manned-plane speeds unofficially es- timated to have approached 1700 miles an hour â€" unmanned missile speeds up to about 4000 miles an hour. It has at least one major detect thus far. Its fuel consumption is so enormous that a rocket-powered plane can stay in the air only a few minutes. The name "rocket" is deceiving. Its power does not come from a series ot explosions from rockets, but from the continuous burning of a mixture of ethyl alcohol and liquid o.xygen at a temperature around 5000 degrees fahrenheit. The rocket engine actually is another jet engine that carries its own o.xidizer instead of depending on the air. Like any jet it expels high pressure. Super-heated gases from a rear no.;zle, and these kick the plane along with the same re- action a heavy gange shotgun ap- plies to the hunter's aching shoul- der. \ ery secret work is being done on new propellants to replace ethyl alcohols and liquid o.\ygcn. Most are very poisonous and highly cor- rosive. Some will ignite witii explo- sive suddenness the instant they come together, which creates a ha- zard to experimenters and adds to the problem ot hnding new nia- tciials to contain and utilize lliem. Phe rocket engine'can operate at any speed. buL â€" unless working be- yond the atniospiiere at 1() to 20 mile altitudc^ â€" tiiere is no excuse tor ,using it until speeds tiom 2000 niiles up are required. Any use at loner spcedi, now that turbo-jet and ramjet are avail able, is not because ot the rocket's own virtue*, but mcicly to permit study and experiment with rocket^ before really speedy planes be- come available. /SHoniiTi:;!^ The Last Cry By NOKM.^N naxucH He stood outside his uncle's room, and as he listened for a brief moment to the labored breathing coming from within, his features became became distorted by some sinister emotion. For the physical wreck within the room, his uncle stood between him and his inheritance. Only upon Jason Stonleigh's death would he come into his estate, and only yesterday he learned from Doc- tor Phelps, his uncle's physician, that old Jason would perhaps Uve for years. It was then he had made his decision. .\lex clenched his fists as he thought how simple it would be to strangle the life out of the old man â€" but there was an easier way, one which would never throw an inkling of suspicion his way. His uncle kept a loaded gun in his room, eccentric as he was, he lived in fear of his life. He kept only one servant, who would be away today, and there would be a way today. .•\lex smiled to himself, deeply satisfied with his plan, as he en- tered the room. He greeted hi» uncle with robust good cheer, but hit uncle, a dark scowl upon his thin bony face, sat in his chair silently. There was no movement in his body. "-•Vren't you feeling any better?" he asked with feigned concern, and then the eyes of the two men met, and their glance seemed to sweep aside all pretense between them. "It's been a long wait, hasn't it, .\lex." the old man said with biting contempt, "but I'm afraid it will even be longer. Doctor Phelps has been quite encouraging.' .\lex edged toward the desk in which the gun would be. He open- ed the drawer, felt the brittle cold- ness ot steeL He swept about to Jason Stoneleigh, and the gun was in his hand. "You miserable wretch," he slurred, "I won't have to wait a day longer." The old man's eyes stared wide with terror. His body did not rise from his seat as though he might be frozen with fear. There was only a pitiful crv: "You'll hanij for it. Alex!" .\ moment later, with detached calm, Alex wiped the gun clean of his own fingerprints, and then placed the weapon in the murdered man's hand. He tookone last glance about the room assuring himself there was no trace oi evidence. He was sleeping soundly that night, happy in the thought that in the morning he would be a wealthy man. But it was almost midnight when he was awakened by the Dolce. He was ordered to get into his clothes at once. "But I don't understand,'' he pro- tested, his face white and drawn. Then he succeeded in controlhng his fears, realizing, of course, t!>at this would be only a routine investi- gation. Surely nothing could have gone wrong. He hastened into hia clothes. The police drove him to the tiouse of his uncle. It seemed all of them were awaiting him â€" the state's at- torney men. Jason's servant â€" and in the background â€" Doctor Phelps. "I'm here to give you gentlemen every help." he said, gravely, and the sound of his voice gave 'nim sudden courage. "Tm terribly upset to hear of my uncle's suicide." "Suicide? Y'ou're certain It wa« suicide?" the question was hurled roughly at him. Panic gripped hmi, and his eyes turned desperately to Doctor Phelps. "Surely, Doctor Phelps, you can tell them how absurd i: ;> to think Smart Manager Panic gripped him and his eyes, wild with sudden fear, turned desperately to Doctor Phelps. otherwise. You can't teii t.cm oi my uncle's brooding over his ill-health.** The doctor stepped toward .-Klex, hit face stern, almost menacing. "I can only tell them the truth, .Alex â€" " "Yes, the truth," .\lex pleaded. "Your uncle suffered a stroke a week ago â€" and the gun which killed Jason Stoneleigh was found in hit right hand" â€" the doctor paused â€" "and that hand and the wliole arm were paralyzed." According to a man who should know what he's talking about^- he's F. K. Hare, assistant professor of geography at UcGill â€" what has been acomplished out west, since the passing of the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Act back in 1935, is a pattern which might well be ap- plied to soil conservation through- out all Canada, including Ontario. • • * By 1^46, Professor Hare say?, no less Chan 29,900 dams had been constructed, at a cost of twenty- two million dollars. That seems like a lot of money. It IS a lot of money, for that matter. But it seems small in comparison to the grosa value of agricultural production in the prairies provinces which, in a normal year, is in excess of a bil- lion' dollars. « « » Three things that have been ac- complished are â€" soil saved from erosion; the wheat farmer in many areas is no longer completely de- pendent on that grain for his en- tire income since pastures have in- creased his possibilities of raising cattle; and a large scale irrigation and water-use program has been developed. » « « .\ check-up made in 1946 showed that there were 1.361.000 acres of rehabilitated pasture land support- ing 55.060 cattle. 11.920 horses and 3900 sheep. T'ms pasturage is in fifty different units, and on most of them there are pedigreed bulla, provided imder the act. to raise the general level of stock breeding. m • m Tills good work out on the prairies hasn't stopped, by any means. As a matter of fact it it expected that projects under con- struction on the St. Mary's and Milk Rivers will more than treble the land available for cropping. With dust storms threatening many western areas this year, a lot of folks out that way are going to be mighty glad the Government took the step it did, 11 years ago. « • « .As I said before, it would seem that the folks up around Queens Park might well go in for some- thing of the same sort on a far larger scale than is being done at present. Of course, in Ontario re- forestation is being carried out In several localities, but it wasn't tm- til after the Provincial Depart- ment of Planning and Development had uncovered a tale of erosion, land abandonment and uncontrolled flooding that was simply shocking. « « * You folks who are in the potil- U"y business hardly need me to tell you that uniformity of per- formance among hens is very often the e.xception rather than tiie rule. The performance of full sisters is apt to be almost as variable as t'nat of unrelated females, and the pro- geny of one hen will differ among themselves as much as they do from the progeny of other hens. Circus man John Ringiing kept an eagle eye on the purse strings. One day, says the Milwaukee Jour- nal, a clown came to his office and asked for a $10 raise. Ringiing looked at the man as if he had been struck a blow. "Ten dollar raisel" he wailed. "I don't think the job is worth the $40 I'm paying you now!" The clown didn't press the mat- ter. He didn't think it would be good business at the moment to remind Ringiing that his salary was S60. Deciding to leave well enough alone, he turned and left the office. The moment the door closed be- hind him. Ringiing Ivaned back and chuckled. Nobody knew better than he that the man was earning $60 a week. But he had taken the wind out of the other's sails. Jack: "Well, did you succeed in making vour girl's fat'-.er toe the mark?" Tom (sadly); "Yes, but, unfor- tiinatelv, I was tl'.e n\a:'K This, of course, is a real handi- cap to the poultry raiser, and greatly slows up the improvement in a flock which should, theoretically, b« possible by means of careful selec- tion. • • • Some of this variability is due ta inherited differences; but the great- er portion to the effects of climate^ management, feeding and disease. Yet two groups of birds that are housed, fed and managed alike caa differ more widely in performanct than groups upon *hich different treatments have been' deliberately imposed. So the experts have come to the conclusion that very minute differences â€" so small that they are not even recognizable â€" can have a profound effect on performance. • • » The same experts say now that unsatisfactory incubation can be one of the more important causes of this lack of uniformity. The rate of egg production oi a laying pullet can depend not only on the care she gets during her laying year, but also on the treatment she got dur- ing brooding and rearing â€" yes, evea during incubation before she was hatc'ned. • • • Here's a really striking example of what I'm talking about At a Dominion experimental station out in British Columbia eggs from three sires were incubated up to the four- teenth day in a machine which ha- bitually gives satisfactory perform- ance. Then one half t.he eggs frooa each sire was transferred to anotiier machine for completion ot the hatch. « * « Temperatures in this second ma- chine were at lOOF for the top trays and 9SF for the trays imme- diately below â€" these being the only two rows of trays used in the tesc The chicks hatched from both ma- chines were brooded and reared to- gether, and carried through t.heir first laying year in the same pens. * » » So what happened? Well, from the good incubator 92 per cent of the pullets housed survived ths year and averaged 229 aggs per bird. From the machine where 'naif the eggs were at 95F temperature only 47 per cent survived and aver- aged a mere 187 eggs per bird. « • • Xow those are mightly big dif- ferences â€" too big to try and laugh off â€" and they indicate that unsatia- factory conditions of incubation caa have a profound effect on the future performance of a pullet. \ai, say* the Department of .\griculture at Ottawa, these facts place a iieary responsibility on hatcherymen, ia- soiar as the quality not only of the chicks but also of the future lay- ing stock is concerned. For It would seem that no amount oi care during the brooding, rearing an4 laying period can nullify the effects of unsatisfactory conditions of ia- cuhation. Royal Vacation for Princess â€" .\ dip in the blue waters oti the Isle of Capri is in store tor Princess Margaret Rose, as she stepe in a rowboat on a private beach on the Italian isle. Helping thf Princess aboard are her gentleman-in-waiting. Major Thomas Harvey (left) and a boatman. The photographers were not permitted within 500 vards of the scene. JITTER ASWkYGtINRSRPIMNTlNsV NOr?I»«, BUT 1^ Sa«NS»..WHM-l>OY0O CANR£APl..THfi$I ^(NOINAaOUTSWWf GUNS' OWicTWIrt PtU. ^â- ^C 1^ -'VHOWJpBONtT '^ON* PWJT TT/«!PBNnf«, TWO mitn («Mr...«Hn au. ssr ^ By Arthur Pointer «rf