The Washington herald., 1910-02-24
AT THE HOTELS

Sonora Tomas Estrada Palma. wife OF
the late President OF Cuba and her txo
sons. Tomas and Rafael. and Miss Cam
dita are stopping at the Arlington for
few days. The purpose Of her visit in this
city was to have an operation performed
on her young son Rafael. who was suffer-
ing from adenoids. Immediately upon her
arrival, Senior Barraneo, the counselor
Of the Cuban Legation. called to present
his respects.
J. NJ Takito, OF Kobe and Yokohama,
accompanied by Mrs. Takito. is at the
Raleigh. Mr.. Takito Is a manufacturer
and importer Of japanese goods and has
factories at Nagoya and Kyoto and stores
in Chicago. Mr.. Takito, like all his coun-
trymen. was as laxative as the proven
bal clam when asked about business IN
Japan, politics, and other questions. he
freely admitted. however. that Japan Is
on excellent terms of friendship with thu
United States. and that there are 10
prospects Of his country going 10 war
with America just yet for a while, prob
ably possibly. maybe, already yet
"Code makers are frequently called upon
to decipher messages which have puzzled
their recipients" said DR.. Herman r.
Valentine. OF New York, a cipher and
code expert. who was seen at the New
Willard, and they usually succeed in
making sensible interpretation. In
deed. they are able to read any cipher,
unless it has been alfred by preconcerted
signals.
This is one reason continued DR..
Valentine. why business houses require
absolute secrecy on the part Of the ex-
perts they employ to make their codes.
and why the books are so carefully guard
ed thereafter.
Since the early days Of cabling BUSH
ness men have found it convenient and
| economical 10 convey information By
means of single words or phrases. Such
word as Jones might mean the price
Of wheat has gone up, and contain other
| facts regard the grain market But these
codes were crude as compared with those
| to be developed later. and now q man
may have a little book weighing half
pound or less representing millions Of ex-
pressions.
1T is estimated that 10000 persons in
/ this country use codes regularly, and
some firms pay 10000 and even $4,000
a year for cabling. Thus the code ex-
perts profession is important and 1t IS
necessary for him to be able readily to
grasp the details OF a business when he
begins to evolve q code for its require
ments.
in order to insure absolute secrecy IN
/ the compilation of its code a firm Will
| sometimes require an affidavit from the
/ code maker stating that all sheets and
papers bearing memorandum have been
delivered, and that the type has been de-
stroyed after printing"
Lewis George Weir. OF Toronto. Canada,
who is at the Arlington. in speaking OF
Canadian navy. said that the idea Of
building a Canadian navy. or rather the
enthusiasm for doing so. has lost much
I Of its feryOr since the fact has transpired
that there is absolutely no danger be-
tween England and Germany
| There was much talk before the ParH-
amentary election of a war between Ger
many and England" said Mr. Weir.
and there has been much talk since
/ that the talk about an invasion of Eng
/ land by the Germans. IS rot and non
sense In other words, it was, as you
Americans would call 2 false alarm
] nu-
with England. and those British politl-
clans who spread the rumor Of Ger
manys hostile attitude toward England
! knew when they made these statements
| that they were not telling the truth.
| They were politicians. purely and SIM
] pie; they wanted more shipbuilding con-
/ tracts, irrespective OF the consequences.
| Canada viii have q navy whenever
| she gets ready for it." added Mr.. Weir
We have been fooled once. but we will
not be hoodwinked again. We have gone
TO considerable trouble and expense, and
have even incurred the suspicion Of the
United States IN making preparations for
a navy, which We might offer Great
Britain should danger arise. Americans
may argue that our navy is meant 10 be
used against that country, and that the
Monroe doctrine protects Canada from
attack by foreign powers. If the Monroe
doctrine means one thing, it also means
that the United States has a right 20
determine whether any Of the countries
on this hemisphere has a right to build
a navy 10 be used by a European power
against another European power"
! Discussing smallpox and vaccination,
Dr. G. R, Weber, Of Philadelphia, who
was seen at the Cochran. said that small
pox was introduced 10 America by the
Spaniards in their conquests, and in the
| eighteenth century was widely spread,
becoming a great scourge. AT a certain
period one out OF every three deaths was
due 70 smallpox, said the physician. IN
a single century, the eighteenth. it is
said. it had 60,OOoeOO victims, France at
one epoch losing 100000 lives through