Semi-weekly herald., 1912-12-30
NEWS FORECAST FOR
THE COMING WEEK

WASHINGTON, d. c., Dec. 2S.-
President Taft's return from Panama
VIII mark the resumption of activi-
ties III official circles in the 1apital
after the customary Christmas recess.
The presidential party is due to ar
rive in Washington Tuesday after
noon. The ncA, day the President
and Mrs. TAT will hold their last
-New Years reception at the White
houe. The program established by the
custom of many years will be follow
ed, the function beginning at II in
the forenoon with the reception of the
members of the cabinet and diplomat
ic corps and continuing through the
list of thc judiciary, senator's and
representatives. officers of the army
and navy and so on until the plain
people" are reached.
Both houses of congress will re-
convene Thursday. In the senate the
Impeachment trial of Judge Robert
". Archibald of the commerce court
~lll be resumed Friday, when Judge
Archibald is expected to take the stand
in his own defense.
Hearings before the house commit
tee on merchant marine and fisheries
il the so-called North Atlantic ship
ping pool are scheduled to begin
Thursday. The purpose of the inves-
tigation is to determine whether the
commerce between the United States
and the South American countries is
under the control of a steamship com
bine.
The closing of the ranks dinner of
the Republicans, which was first spo-
ken of for Dec IA, has been definitely
fixed foi next Saturday night at the
Waldorf Astoria in New York. Presi
don't Taft is expected to attend, to-
gether with many other leaders of the
Republican party to show that the
panty is a vigorous political unit de-
s2i,e the results OF the November cleo
ton.
The first few days of the new year
viii see the Inauguration of governors
and the meeting of legislatures in
many of the states.
The first day of the year, as usual
will see number of important
changes in the government service
the putting into effect of new laws
and regulations and the Inauguration
of new policies by great Industrial anc
financial corporations By far ths
most important event of its kind will
be the inauguration of the parcels
POST service, which will become al
accomplished fact next Wednesday
after many years of agitation anc
discussion.
What is probably the broadest pen
sion policy yet adopted by an Ameri
can corporation for the benefit of it,
employees will be put into effect tn,
first of the year by the Bell interests
embracing the American Telephon,
and Telegraph company, the Western
Union Telegraph company and thei
affiliated concerns. A fund of $40,
100000 has been set aside to provid
pensions, sick and accident benefit
and life insurance for the 175,000 EN-
ployes of the companies. Besides EN-
ployes the new plan will include thei
families and dependents.
The centenary of the birth of 81
Isaac Pitman, the inventor of the &C
cepted system of shorthand now i
use throughout large part of tn
world, will be commemorated Satur
day Sir Isaac Pitman was born i
the town of Trowbridge, England
Jan. A, 1913. His system has bee
adapted to twenty different lar
guages.
Wages in Japan have risen on tn
average over so per cent in the las
ten wears. During that time the aN