Middletown transcript., 1916-01-15

/ UOllblC6l IClNSuCU AAAl5OAs 4nCAO -
an old-time feud between you and your
neighbors to the west"
That is history" replied the visitor
noncommittally 1--WE are now at
peace"
Never peace" denied Allison.
There will never be friendship be-
tween phlegmatism and mercurialism.
You might rest for centuries with your
neighbors to the west. but rest is not
peace"
Excuse me, but what do you mean?"
and the visitor stared stolidly.
"In your affairs of mutual relation
ship with the land to the west, there
are not less than a dozen causes upon
which war could be started without
difficulty" went on Allison. "In fact.
you require perpetual diplomacy to
prevent war with that country"
The visitor locked his thick fingers
quietly together and kept on stolidly
staring.
"You are about to have a war;" Alli-
son advised him.
mo, it is not true" and the visitor
went so far, in his emphasis, as to un-
lock his fingers and rest one hand on
the back of the other.
81 think 1 am a very fair prophet. +"
said Allison easily. Il have made
money by my prophecy. l have more
money at my command at the present
time than any man in the world, than
any government; wealth beyond han
ding in mere currency. It can only be
conveyed by means of checks. Let me
show how easy it is to write them"
and, drawing a blank book to him, he
wrote check, and signed his name,
and filled out the stub, and tore it out,
and handed it to the visitor for inspec-
ton. The visitor was properly pleased
with Allison's ease in penmanship.
81 see," was the comment, and the
check was handed back. He drew his
Straightforward derby towards him.
81 have made mistake" said Alli-
son. Il have left of a cipher" and
correcting this omission with a new
check, he tore up the first one.
81 see," commented the visitor, and
put the second check In his pocket. .
That had required considerable out
lay, but when Allison was alone, he
went over to his globe and made an
other long, red mark.
A neat-waisted man, with a goatee
of carefully selected hairs and lux
uriant black mustache, called on Alli-
son, and laid down his hat and his
stick and his gloves, in neat little
pile, with separate jerks. He jerked
out cigarette, he jerked out match,
and jerkily lit the former with the
latter.
Il am here" he said.
II am able to give you some impor-
tant diplomatic news" Allison advised
him. Your country is about to have
war with your ancient enemy to the
east It will be declared within a
month"
at will be finished in a week"
prophesied the neat-waisted caller, his
active eyes lighting with pleasure.
Possibly" admitted Allison. Il I'M
derstand that your country is not in
the best Of financial conditions to un-
dertake a war. particularly with that
ancient enemy"
'The banking system of my country
is patriotic" returned the caller. Its
only important banks are controlled
under one system. 1 am the head of
that system. l am a patriot" and he
tapped himself upon the breast with
deep and sincere feeling.
How much revenue does your po-
sition yield you personality"
A shade of sadness crossed the
brow of the neat-waisted caller.
1T does not yield you this much,
and Allison pushed toward him a lit
tie slip of paper on which were in
scribed some figures.
The callers eyes widened as they
read the sum. He smiled. He shrugged
his shoulders. He pushed back the
slip of paper.
'If your banking system found it
impossible to be patriotic, your gov
ernment would be compelled to raise
money through other means. 1t would
not withdraw from the war"
"Never!" and the neat-waister caller
once more touched himself on the
breast.
''It would be compelled to negotiate
a loan. If other governments, through
some understanding among their
bankers, found it difficult to provide
this loan. your government would find
it necessary to release its ownership.
or at least it's control of its most valu-
able commercial possession.
The caller, who had followed Al
lison's progressive statement with in
terest. gave a quick little nod of his
head
THAT most valuable commercial
possession" went on Allison. lis the
state railways. You were convinced by
my agent that there is a new and
powerful force in the world, or you
would not be here. Suppose point
out that it is possible to so cramp
your banking system that you coulo
not help your country, il you would;
suppose 1 show you that, in the end.
your ancient enemy will lose his iden-
tity, while your country remains in
tact; suppose l show you that the
course 1 have proposed is the only
way open which will save your coun-
try from annihilation? What then?"
CTO BE CONTINUED3
It's a big job said the visitor.
But guess even Napoleon. if he had
had all our troops to fight with here.