The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1921-10-01
NewY6rk,
Letter.
NAcyJea'neRn Price


New York. - The Socialist party Is
having some difficulties in its city
campaign. Searching for an issue Of
general appeal, 1t hit upon that Of
municipal laundries. Markets, ice fac
torle san dother useful institutions
had bee nsuggested for city ownership
in previous battle bu the thought Of
publicly owned laundry had not been
specifically tried out. 1t seemed at
tractive. Certainly the woman's vote
would be intrigued at the thought of
down-trodden housewives budding up
the weeks wash and turning It over
to be done free of charge The issue
was announced. But alas! 1t devel-
oped that surprisingly large number
of the party's membership are laundry
workers; and they rose volubly to
arms at te idea of their jobs being
taken away from them in this fashion.
The laundry idea has accordingly been
dropped fro mthe public speeches but
murmurs of grief are still heard.
Ny
The Santa Claus burglar Is New
York's latest novelty. This playful
criminal strips the jewels or silver
ware from one apartment only to stop
in at another dlruig the same night
and leave some part of his loot as a
keepsake. His intentions are undoubt-
eddy kind but he has endangered
neighborly friendships in some in
stances such as that when Mrs. Third
Floor came upon wrist watch adorn-
ing the daughter of her first floor ac-
uuainance which formerly and legally
belonged upon her own arm. The ex-
PLANTATION that it was found" on the
dresser failed to carry until other
stories of similar takings and givings
were bruited about, with an occasional
explanatory note left by the burglar
himself.
Ny
The day is pretty nearly past when
women's colleges will be considered
as trailers to the aims Of mems. DR..
Henry N. MacCracken, President OF
Vassar, has aroused intense interest
and discussion in the academic world
by a statement made in New York the
other day in which he pointed out the
elements of superiority which the col
leges for women have already obtained
over the older institutions which look
after their brothers. Briefly they are,
as analysed by Or. MacCracken, the
abolition of fraternities; greater de-
gree of utilization of the fine arts;
closer relations between the faculty
and students; abolition of hazing;
self-government; limitations of enroll
ment; cooperation in the discussion
and solution of vital problems. The re-
suits of these tendencies and achieve
ments in the girls colleges, Dr. Mac
Cracker believes, are truer prepara-
ton for life in the world outside Of
college walls and keener enjoyment
of college itself.
Ny
Among other thoughts which are
hurled at our metropolis by the coun-
try at large is that we die much quick
er and more often than our less crowd
ed neighbors. very mother who sees
her boy or girl leave the home town to
take up work in New York city spends
a considerable part Of the first two or
three months expecting word that her
child has been killed by automobile,
gunman, or restaurant food. Conse-
quently we are doing some gloating
over the figures just issued on our
death rate. 1t is SIT per thousand a
year, which doesn't tell the story as
neatly as it does to say that 1t is just
a bit more than hal fthe normal NOR
tally rate for the entire United States,
including all our health resorts and
wind-swept prairies.
Ny
Head walters are resourcveful and
brave. They learned to be back In the
pre-volsteadian days and the qualities
have not been entirely unnecessary
since that time. Over in the theatrical
district, a new complication was
thrust upon one of these well-trained
men the other evening and he accept
ed It like soldier. The complication
was a crying baby, one-eighth Of
family party. The mother tried all
her arts and the other diners looked
irritated, but the baby cried on. Fin
ally the head waiter picket it up in his
arms, went out into the lobby and be-
gan a walk and talk that had
soothing effect. Within three minutes
the baby was cooling, the family was
dining peaceably and all signs Of dis
tress had left the brows Of the disturb