Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-04-18
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OF SODA water, milk shakes or egg
drinks in one form or another when
the new Federal tax goes into ef-
feet on May 1 can be imagined. It
will mean one cent on each nickel
or dime drink. In other words the
six-cent soft drink" will go mp be-
side the six-cent car fare and other
things; which we have gotten &C
customed TO because of the kaiseSs
There will be many sharp things SAID
but as the time for collecting the
tax will starts with the coming of
warmer weather, the sales will not
diminish; but the demand for COP
per cents will be moving onward.
But there is another side to the
new tax and its effects and it will
come from the people who sell such
commodities as soda water. They
will have to keep records of the tax.
One prominent business man, who
has three stores, said the other even
ing that 1t will cost him a thousand
dollars to install the cash registering
appliances needed to collect the tax
and keep his own business going.
There are others who will be ar.
fected in a lesser degree. The soda
tax is going to be about as unpopu-
lar as the three-cent stamps and it
will probably end as quickly, be-
cause there is a great big election
due next year.
One of the most difficult phases
OF the housing problem confronting
this and other cities is the high cost
of building. which makes it almost
impossible to build desirable homes
and rent them at figures which the
poor people can afford to paw
| Everybody realizes how important
1t is to rid the city OF novels and
tumble-down dwellings, but how to
provide better places for the un-
skilled labor which uses them chiefly
as dwellings is difficult to determine.
1t is in such places that disease
germs are bred by the million and
where tuberculosis finds most of its
victims. John Molitor, State housing
expert, speaking before the women
of the housing survey at the Civic
Club the other day, said that the
scourge of tuberculosis is great in
houses where bad living conditions
exist. Evidence exists" he said,
that germs of this disease live and
maintain their vitality for long
periods in bad housing conditions,
that darkness and dampness are con-
ditions in which they continue to
thrive. Sunlight, bright daylight
and fresh air will end their exis-
tence in n brief time. In dark, un-
ventilated places the tuberculosis
germ may live for a long time.
mo means has as yet been devised
to provide proper housing for the
very poor" said one expert during
the recent visit of the Chamber of
Commerce trip to Yorkship Village,
!, but we are providing fine homes for
the skilled laborer and his family"
Then" said man in the Harris
burg party, you have not solved the
housing question, for it is the very
poor who need your help most"
; Just the same the situation is
puzzing. Relief is needed, every
body knows that. But how to pro-
cure it is q question that will re-
quire the attention of the best minds
not only of this city, but of big,
broad men everywhere.
The Susquehanna river does not
seem to have lost any Of its attrac-
tions for ducks. The seasons for
shooting them are changed, but the
ducks seem as numerous as ever
and as though they were aware of
the limitations of the law, moro
sassy" than in years gone by, when
we used to get up around 1880 a. m.
and go out in round bottom boat
and wait for the f1ocks among the
grass patches at the upper end of
the city. One of the odd things
} about the ducks is that they have
been coming to feed on patches not
far from where the sand and coal
dredges work and are not bothered
by the moving craft to any extent.
The ducks, say the men about the
river, are nice and fat and frisky.
Now that the war is over, the
Harrisburg Public Library is COM
ing back into its own not only in re-
gard to it's circulation, but, oddly
though, in its work among the chill
dren. The March report of the in
stitution shows that for the fourth
time in the history of the Library,
tho circulation went over 10000,
the exact figures for the month be-
ling 1926. In other words, about
one person in each eight in Harris
burg took out a book last month.
This is the best March record. In
regard to the work among the chill
dren, over 100 books were circu-
lated and the Library was crowded
at the story hours and other periods
set aside for the youngsters. There
were almost 5000 readers at the
Library during the month. The Lii
brary is also now acting as head
quarters on questions relative to sol
diers and the war camp community
service. Special work of practical
work for Americanization is also be-
ing handled by the Library.
Ex-Governor John Franklin Fort,
of New Jersey. was visitor to Har-
r'sburg yesterday, being the guest OF
Highway Commissioner Lewis S.
Sadler. Governor Fort was i'm
mensely interested in the Capitol
Park plans and Harrisburg's treat
, ment of its river front. Commission
, err Sadler explained to him the plans
( for the primary highway system and
how under it every county in the
, State would be linked up and many
miles of lateral or secondary roads
constructed. Harrisburg will become
more of q center than ever under
this plan. The brother of Mr.. Sadler.
, the late General w. F. Sadler, Jr.,
.. was adjutant general of New Jersey
A. LNork al, ir,i 81 ra tioY,