The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1916-06-08
=. THE ONLOOKER :.
Word Sketches of Topical Events
By sHam

Contrary to some opinions, no longer
matters of personal taste the part of rulers as in
the olden times, when affront the grand daugh-
ter of reignng prince might embroil nations in
strife. The wars today are founded mostly on po-
litical and economic necessity. japan, in the war
with Russia illustrates this point. A country grown
suddenly enlightened, naturally resourcefu and
ageous millions of population leaving the mother
land for want of land. Then the war with Russia
and the acquisition of Korea and other rich territory
in China expansion follows and the citizens of ia
pan may migrate from their crowded islands to fer
tile colonies.
War will never until human nature
changes or international restraint is forced There
is nothing in the history of all creation from the
time Of Adam that shows basic change in the ambi-
tons OF mankind towards good and evil. Nothing
warrants the belief that universal peace is at our
doors of its own volion- without being first Great
ed
Great events in history, as the coming of the
Saviour, universal education, arbitration, etc. mark
epochs in the development of civilization and the
present conflict will no doubt exercise an important
influence on mankind. In common with other infu-
ences the lesson will be of restraint and consd-
Grafton.
Human nature will not change one iota after
this but the common welfare of all neonles NAV
be the fulcrum that will induce humanity to observe
code of general laws for ALL Moral ethics cannot
be leglsated into the people, but education is rapid
ly showing them the futility of war; If future GEN
eratlons eliminate armed conflict it will be because
OF self interest, because of sudden change in
human nature.
Blind bat' is an adage that has seen much
service. In the light of recent experiments with the
tactile sense of this flying mammal the question arises
as to whether the bat is dependent for sight
upon it's eyes,
Ernest Thompson Seton, the author naturalist
in The Story of Atalapha" describes an interesting
test of the tace of the hero of the tale "At-
alapha" the Dig Frosted Bat.
After sealing the eyelids with wax, the captive
was permitted to fly in the room. The bat at once
made circuit of the four sides seeking an opening
through which to escape. Never did it as much as
touch wing tip to wall ceiling 1t paused at
knot holes and cracks-in moment decided the ap-
erture was not large enough for its purpose and flew
on, always at top speed Passages between the ant
ers of a deer's head, the rungs of of chairs, and
wires stretched at all sorts of angles, were safely
nav1gated. When the passage appeared very mar
row. the speed of "Atalapha" was momentarily les
sened. When a blue bottle fly was released in the
IHe UaI Will scared eyellQS made 1t
as aware of it's presence and snatched it in mid air
without apparent effort.
The law of compensation does not account for
this keenly developed actile sense of the bat; we
know 1t can see in subdued light while in bright
sunlight it appears to lose the power entirely.
Perhaps the wonderful tacte sense of the bat
is an inheritance from the age of mythology where
legend pictures them inhabiting the darkest and
most inaccessible caves.
The bat possesses of sight for which un-
fortunate blind human beings would give untold
wealth.
Many will recall the reign of Bill Anderson,
better known "Broncho Billy in the movies of
few years ago. One of the ever present features
from every conceivable angle and at least fourteen
times to an ordinary length film.
The picture we saw last week reminds us
strongly of the cowboy and chases now happi-
ly of the past The gun section the gaop, was
shown eight times We could close our eyes, count
ten, and the mad race" of the artillery was still
with
Possibly poor benighted aymen on this side
of the film wouldn't get' the meaning of race un-
less we had it pounded into us dozen or so times
Or is the real reason for the inevitable REPETITION of
desire the part of the film makers to
"pad' the film?
Apparently the most detestabe species of
vulture grow larger and powerful as time rolls
onward