The Washington times., 1921-10-18

in spite OF jeremiah and me and all
the other prophets who view with
alarm. There is good while to wait
yet, according to the papers read II
the recent meeting of men OF science
at Edinburgh.
The more the men OF science learn
about geology and chemistry the
longer they are inclined to think this
old ball of an earth has been turning
and is likely to keep on turning.
New HeatGiving Energy.
Thirty years ago Lord Kelvin fig
ured that in twenty million years the
sun would no longer give light and
heat 10 this little plant and the other
planes that busily center around her.
But he said. provided no new
sources OF heat were discovered" Now
we find that new heat-giving energy
is being released by the way the
atoms bat around among themselves
to such an extent that men of science
are wondering why the earth should
not be getting warmer instead of cool
er. Lord Rayleigh now offers the
world six thousand million years, In
stead of Kelvin's twenty million, for
| life to trifle away its time on the
planet.
In six thousand million years we
may learn a good deal. 1t Is only
few thousand years since man, the
only progressive animal, learned TO
write and leave his experiences and
discoveries to his grandchildren to
make what they could Of.
Even the law may be more encour-
aging in much less than six thousand
II 10 lat thnItyhf
emanating from the Solicitor-General
of the United States that makes one
think a good part of this time may
be needed
Mr.. Beck writes to the New Repub-
lie, trying to explain away his toler-
ant remarks about mob law. as long
as it is turned against radicals.
Not to step over the gentle treat
ment of the italian equivalent OF the
Ku Klux Klan, let us notice what this
high legal officer of the Government
thinks of law in this country.
Most of us, of course, only say we
believe in the reign of law. As fact.
we believe in it only when 1t goes the
way we want ii to. But 1t seems
little different IL the active head of
Federal justice takes the same view.
Regarding a notorious case, in which
it is admitted by both sides that a
most important witness committed
perjury, Mr.. Beck says:
II confess my inability to sit in
judgment on a result in which twelve
jurymen. a trial judge, Supreme
Court and a Governor Of a State
alike concurred."
Exhibit of Ignorance.
1t would be difficult to crowd more
ignorance and Misrepresentation into
one sentence. The perjury, procured
by the prosecution, was confessed
after the jury had nothing more to do
with the case. The Supreme Court
of the State expressed fully the point
that technical limitations prevented 1t
from taking up the case after the
perjury was discovered.
The trial justice has made a public
statement that the situation in which
man, whether good or wicked, is
denied a retrial after subordination Of
perjury by the prosecuting attorney
has been admitted is a public disgrace.
AS for the Governor, his conduct is
his own affair. Presumably he feels
the same as Mr.. Beck seems to feel
that IL one of those bad fellows that
we are excited about Is convicted of
murder by perjured testimony, so
much the better. France felt that way
about the Dreyfuss case until Zola was
able to reach the public conscience.
President Wilson had the case fully
Investigated by the appropriate Fed
eral body, and then, as he could not
act himself. he telegraphed the Gov
ernor urging him to act.
This contempt of the principles of
law by our higher-ups generally is
one of the most dangerous features of
our present national mood. However,
in six thousand million years much