The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-05-14
Must Practice Patience


 Finance, industry, trade and trans portation are each under the influence or war more than at any time since the tragic struggle in Europe began" says Henry C1ews in his weekly financial review.
 with the crush of new legislation, which threatens much that will prove experimental and require revision. The administration is also overtaXed with extraordinary demands and innumera- ble big problems, requiring the highest order of statesmanship Our task of preparation Is a huge one, and occa- sional blunders must be expected, but rapid progress is being made and pa tience as well as self sacrifice should be practiced on all sides. The spirit of patriotism and cooperation is growing in all directions and aiding the gov ernment in every possible manner.
 "Just now we are in the midst of a transition period when confusion is at it's maximum. Within a few weks the
 
 working more smoothly, and gradually the nation will settle down to more normal state as it becomes accustomed to the new conditions. There is no req son to view the future with msgivings. All we need is sober confidence. and energetic action. Our entry into the war will beyond question insure two things: an earlier ending and suc- cessful ending, although we must not fail to prepare for longer and more intense effort than commonly realized"
 --s.--
 STRANGE COCK-OF-THE-ROC From 'In Quest of the Cock-of the
 Rock, by Leo E. Miller, in the May
 Scribner.
 The sun was now directly overhead, and the fierce rays entered the narrow con- fines of the canyon so that t was stiff lingly hot. Angry peals of thunder warned us of the approaching storm, and their midday rest roared dismally. Above, the river flowed like a greenish stream of molten glass; below, it dashed through the gorge with a dull roar and to the towering boulder in the center clung a treasure, to possess which men had risked their lives; but on the very verge of success we seemed likely to fail. Even the Indians. pioneers of the jungle, shook their heads doubtfully and wanted to re- turn.
 We tried the only remaining resource. With poles and lines, two of the Indians and myself picked our way to a number of small rocks that jutted out of the an- gry flood at the very mouth of the gorge. The other Indian spliced together joints of slender bamboo and climbed out into the branch of the fallen tree which had lodged against some rocks. From this precarious position he had made repeated thrusts at the nest; finally it fell and be- gan It's maddening career in the whirl- pool. Around it went, many times, and then shot straight for the gorge, careen. |. ing toward the rock on which Juan stood As we shouted encouragement, Juan dived. In spite of the fact thathe was 8 powerful swimmer, we doubted if we N WI 'eo iiiii e'Soiii, pul dlicr WHde seemed minutes he reappeared, battling furiously with the flood that sought to sweep him into the maelstrom. We threw him a line and dragged him ashore. Tn his mouth he held the precious nest, q young bird, drowned, still clinging to the grass lining. s | Later, and under circumstances hardly less thrilling. we found ether birds and nests with both eggs and young. but we took only those that were absolutely necessary The others, and there were many, we left to the eternal mystery or | the wilderness, to dance in the shadows and to woo their mates beside the rushing waters; to rear their young and to lead the life that was intended for them from the beginning