The Mena weekly star., 1921-03-17
Briefly Told
pEARBoRN INDEPENDENT

collars to the ton.
 A wood so hard that steel-cutting tools must be employed in working with it has been found in the African interior. The trees arc cut down with chisels or super-tempered saws or pulled up by the roots.
 Births in England and Wales in 1920 were the highest ever recorded, and the death rate the lowest, accord ing to official reports.
 
 No vessel of any nationality may enter a United States port or come within the three-mile limit bearing in- toxicating liquor in transit without be- ing liable to seizure under the Vol- stead act, according to the Depart ment of Justice.
 Newspapers in China are sold two and three times over. Papers of the previous days issue are redistfibuted among the lower class population. They are then distributed again by being sent out to the villages and country districts where they are sold at fraction of the original cost.
 A former soldier now living in Wall colt, North Dakota, recently received a notice from the War Department, addressed to his family, citing him for bravery ''in giving his life on the bat tlefieIds of France" His efforts to correct War Department notice to his family that he had been killed in ac- ton in 1918 have thus far been futile.
 The stems and leaves of the burn ing tree" of India are covered with fine hairs similar to those of the net tie, but of more virulent nature. When touched the sensation felt is of being burned with hot iron, the pain lasting several days and extending over the entire body.
 
 Silk substitute has been manufac- tured from the web of a spider native to the island of Madagascar. It is claimed the product is far superior in many respects to anything that has ever been devised from real silk.
 The cocoanut palm supplies all the needs of the natives of the South Seas. The leaves of the tree when young are eaten, when old woven into clothes, baskets, bedding, paper, hats and thatch. Spears, arrows, brooms, torches and paddles are made of the ribs of the older leaves while the flowers yield wine, sgar and vinegar. The fruit yields food, oil, mating and cord.
 Cement is being used as a substi- tute for lead in joining cast-iron water pipes.
 In northern Siberia most of the food sold in shops is frozen. Meat is hacked with axes and milk is sold in long sticks. The cold is so intense at times that no children are to be seen in the streets.
 The natives of the West Indies have named the hurricane warning flag which is displayed by the weather bureau, "the devils handkerchief. The hurricanes are named after the saints of the church, and mar riage dates, birth dates and death dates are reckoned from them.
 Isinglass is made of the dried swim ming bladder of several varieties of fish. The best quality of isinglass comes from bladders that are dried in the rays of the sun. The final operation consists of rolling the pre- pared bladder between two polished iron rollers.
 
 To protect themselves and their homes against robbers the women of four Pittsburg suburbs have organ ized q pistol club A former major of the United States army gave the women their first lesson in the use of firearms.
 Unless there were airplanes to To- cate the vessels, one enemy warship, riding the waves beyond sight of the skyscrapers in New York City, could hurl tons of poison gas into Manhat- tan within an hour and the metropolis would be at its mercy, according to the commander of the Third Naval District.
 The Example of Belgium.
 The Belgians are only a little less an inspiration to the rest of the world