Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-07-02

felled conifers the lumber industry IS
wasting other valuable materials s IN
found that II the needles are crushed
instead Of chopped before being dis
titled excellent fiber can be recovered
from the residue. This has been useo
in upholstery, as a substitute Tor nalr
in making wall plaster and for weav-
ing into mattings and other products.
It is even stated that the nnest OF the
vegetable hair" makes excellent sur
gical dressings. II for no other rea-
son than the important one Of contrib,
uting to fire protection Of the national
forests, the forest service omciais are
hopeful that capital may be Interested
products from this long overlooked raw
material
In order that information as to what
has been done may be available to the
different states which may
and to teachers. the Unit
teachers. ed States bureau of edu-
cation has recently completed a study
Of measures taken in various parts OF
the country for pensioning or provid-
ing retirement pay for teachers who
have grown old or become disabled in
granted under state laws. it was found.
in thirty three of the forty-eight states.
In only twenty-one Of these, however.
is the legislation state wide In its ap-
plication. applying in the others to
group of counties or cities, and In some
cases only to the single county or city
in the commonwealth Of predominant /
Importance. In only eight states are
the pensions paid entirely out Of state
funds. the teachers in the other states
having pension laws either contribut-
ing to the fund in partnership with the
state or providing the fund wholly
themselves The latter plan Is neces
sary only in Utah, Michigan and Loutsi-
ana.
New Jersey has the distinction Of be-
ing the first state to leFislate in regard
taken in 1895. but provided for funds
raised wholly by teachers. The most
generous states in the matter of pen
sions. 1t was found. are Arizona and
ers. and Kentucky in regard to teach
ers in three cities. In all three cases
the pensions are $500 year and are
available after TWENTY-FIVE years of
service as teacher. While the entire
amount is paid by the state in Arizona.
contributions of per cent Of salaries
are required in Kentucky and 81
month in Montana
An indication that pensions systems
for teachers may be expected to be
adopted generally is seen in the fact
that the farthest step in the matter
the wholly state-supported plan-has
been taken by states in practically
every section of the country-Arizona
and Colorado in the west. Alabama and
Tennessee in the south. Maine and New
Hampshire in the north and Rhode Is
land and Maryland in the east r.
The seemingly obvious connection
between the great reduction in the
phosphate rock indus
American try Of the United
States as result of
fhospnates. the European war. as
shown by Investigations of the geo.
logical survey. and the reported crop
conditions of Germany-heretofore our
largest purchaser Of the fertilizer-is
proving OF great interest to some Of
the governments agricultural experts.
The situation is made the more inter-
esting by the fact that the United
States has been as dependent on Ger
many for potash. one of the three nee
essary fertilizer elements. as Germany
has been dependent on us for one of the
other two substances. |
Before the war the best of the phos- |
phate rock from the great deposits Of
Florida was shipped to Germany and
used literally in the agriculture of the
population and high degree of de-
velopme emit, was largely dependent on
fertilizers. Many of the Florida mines |
were. in fact. controlled by German |
phate become in the German scheme Of |
agriculture. Practically no American |
phosphate has found its way to Ger
many since the opening of hostilities |
in Europe. and it is known that there |
are no other sources OF phosphate in |
the territory accessible to the central |
powers. |
German crops were poor last year,
and, in spite of the off1cial German ex-
PLANTATION that this was due to un-
government specialists in this country |
are inclined to believe that the lack |
OF American phosphates was an i'm
portant factor in the situation. These |
reports on German crops for the pres- |
emit year. because, according to their |
hypothesis. the output should be still |
less the second year without the Gus
.onaaIy ieftllizers even though weather |
conditions may have been favorable.
The elimination of the German mar
ket for our phosphates. the geological
survey nnds, has practically cut the /
trade in two in regard to amount. and !
has more than halved 1t in so far as |
value Is concerned. While more than |
S,oooooo tons Of the rock valued at |
the last year unaffected by hostilities.
only slightly more than 1900, 900 tons
was produced last year. and the value !
Another way in which the European
war has affected the phosphate indus (
try, according to the geological survey,
Is by creating a great demand for sui
facture: This has increased the
price of the active reagent that its use |
in the manufacture Of acid phosphate
has been greatly reduced. Lack Of de-
mand for raw material by this allied |
industry has In turn reduced phosphate
rock production.