The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-12-26

eager demand, especially among SCu- dents who depend largely upon refer ence books, for fresh editions that bring knowledge, alphabetically ar ranged, up to date. All encyclo- lpaedias, even those that gave us the Hast word' in the department of general information, now seem anti quated.
 The titanic war of 1914-1S, which changes the map of the world, must have exhaustive cyclopaedic treat ment. Compilers and editors of en- cyclopaedias are already busy, and as early as possible after the signing of the treaty of peace stupendous works will issue from the press. There will be many rival publishers and can vassers for this or that encyclopaedia will be more numerous than ever.
 The ancients had encyclopaedia dic- tionaries, but well known authority says that the word encyclopaedia was probably first used in English by Sir Thomas Elyot, in the sixteenth cen- tury. The first alphabetical encyclo- paedia written in English was the work of a London clergyman, John Harris, born about 1867. Several valuable encyclopedias appeared in the eighteenth century, but they were confined to two or three volumes.
 The earliest edition of the Encyclo- paedia Britannica was completed in 1771, in three volumes. It contained 2670 pages and was doubtless con- sidered marvel of enterprise. Each succeeding issue was more compre- hensive than the one which went be- fore. The Britannica reached the point of highest excellence in it's eleventh edition, published in twenty nine volumes, in 1910.
 As vast labor is required in revising and modernizing great encyclopaedia it may be year or two yet be- fore the twelfth edition makes it's ap- pearance.
 In the meantime cheaper encyclo- paedias with up-to-date claims will floSd the market, all of them worth while, even though they be not up to a very high standard.
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 Nearly six billion of currency and money is in circulation among the people, leach individuals share in this sum" being approximately s5s But at this time of the year, when Christ mas has made the usual demands, many a good fellow is bit short of his share
 General Bliss tribute to General Pershing was strong and glowing, but the commander of the Americans expedi- forces deserved all that was said of him. Pershng comes out of the war an illustrious hero and he is as modest as he is able and intrepid.
 # < F Thousands of citizens of Jefferson have enrolled in the Red Cross. but now that the membership cam 1 paign has been extended many more thousands will be found wearing the | Red Cross button.
 # # x l A heavy snow is not improbable, but | It does not follow that slelghing will | be in order. Only once in great while | do our snows lie long or deep upon the ground.
 Birmingham is feeling it's first real | winter of the season. Freezing wealth er is good for the health of the com and good for farm and garden.
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 If Christmas brought us low tempera- ture it came with joy and gladness. Never perhaps. were there so many | happy hearts in Birmingham.
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 No, it is not too soon to formulate your New Years resolutions. But the matter of keeping your good pledges is more important
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 Wages will remain high, but it is pre- Iicted that the high cost of living will i begin to decline in the not distant flu ure.
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 The hoodlum observance of Christi | mas is a thing of the past and the orderly public is glad of it.
 PEDIGREED BIRD Fro mthe Montreal Star.
 Bushrod was establishing pigeon