Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-04-15

plying between CneSe pOrIS anu Cno OulCeu
States.
Information on the smuggling menace was
readily collected by the agents who recently
visited Nassau and Cuba, it was said. Off
Gals believe that with regular men stationed,
in the cities from which liquor is brought to
this country, the Prohibition vessels can be
kept in touch with the plans of rum runners
by wireless and give valuable assistance in
making the Florida coast dry.
Poor America
PLAINLY you don't want to hear the TRUTH.
remarked the Rev. O. G. Poland of Waltham,
addressing the New England Conference of
the Methodist Episcopal Church at Maiden,
Mass, after the report of the Committee on
the State Of the Community, of which he was
a member, had been received with anything
but favor.
The report set forth that America appeared
to be making laws to break them"
Divorces multiply" it continued; armies
of bootleggers operate on land and sea; wo-
men have responded to their new freedom by
shocking styles of dress and by smoking"
The Rev. G. S. Sanderson of West Spring
field objected to a statement in the report
that foreigners are tn eonly ownres of stills
in this country and should be deported. The
was accepted.
Canine Caddie
President Hardng's golf companions, who
are wondering at his improved driving, must
credit Ladde Boy, the White House Airedale.
Laddie Boy has made it possible for Mr..
Harding to practice the long shots in the
south White House grounds unobserved ex-
cept by his mute, assistant.
On some of the warm spring evenings, ac-
nrHi in IN
the president has been slipping away from
his office about o'clock and taking his
driver to the rear groundh, inclosed from the
public by a hedge. Laddie Boy, who alone
accompanies him, has learned to spot where
the balls go and rounds them up and returns
thin to his master.
French Peril
That the birth ra in France depends on
economic conditions-rising when trade pros
pers and declining when it falls-is indicated
by statistics now published. These are SO
alarming that the cry of a national periP' is
again raised.
In 1919, when trade was booming, the
number of marriages increased steadily and
the birth rate rose rapidly until the climax
of economic prosperity was reached in France
at the beginning of 1920. Since then the
number of marriages and teh birth rate hace
continued to fall Now the birth in France
outnumber the deaths by only $4,000, while
in Germany tnere are oOO,VOV more pICnS
than deaths.
Prof Variot Of the Children's hospital,
founder Of the free milk dispensary and pres1-
dent of the repopulation commission, warns
the country of it's danger, and declares that II
the situation is not improved, France will
have become a nation of 25, 600, 900 people
in forty years. Prof Variot attributeh the
fall in the birth rate to economic depression,
to the housing crisis, which dissuades people
from marrying, to the high cost of living and
to the lower standard of public morals.
In one direction, Prof. Variot says, there
is a ray of hope The fight against infant
mortality has been successful in reducing the
death rate from IS per cent for children UNI
der one year to IL per cent. But he urges
the stern repression of criminal practices and
Of birth control. In many quarters he says,
Frances declining birth rate is given as
reason which may tempt Germany to make
war on her again in the near future.
Alien Property
An accounting of the 100000 worth
of enemy property held by the Government
was given the Senate this week in report
filed by Alien Property Custodian Thomas w.
Miller in response to resolution by Senator
King (Dem., Utah).
Discussing the $415 100000 of American
claims against Germany, Mr. Miller recalled
the terms of the Knox-Porter peace resolu-
ton, indicating that no disposition should be
made of enemy property held by the united
States until the German Government had
provided for the satisfaction of all American
claims He asserted that Congress must
evolve some plan whereby American claims
against Germany may be adjudicated.
''There are several classes Of claims against
Germany" Mr.. Miller said, "as for instance
those of Americans whose cash was seized by
the German Custodian, and who are now be-
ing offered the return of their money at thd
deprecated value of the mark which to-day
is valued at one-third of a cent to reach
mark or reduction of 72O per cent from tho
pre-war value This proposition amounts ia
practical confiscation on the part OF the Ger
man Government. There are also claims on
file with the State Department for the loss
of property and life at sea, growing out oil
submarine sinkings previous to April 6, 1917.
eff the German property were returned
to-day without any conditions, the tax laws
in force in Germany would require German
nationals or other people under the jurisd1c"
ton of the German Government whose prop
erty was returned to them, to give up in taxes
to the German Government major portion
of the funds returned. 1t has been sug-
gested that the amount of money which the
German Government would realize from such
taxation might form the basis of fund to
be left in this county, the same to be ap-
piled for the satisfaction of claims of Ameri-
can citizens against Germany, when these
claims are adjudicated.'
Mr.. Miller's report consisted of thousands
of typewriter pages giving details Of about
$4,000 active trusts representing property in
every State and territory in the United States
and the Philippine Island and Hawaii.
Answering charges by Senator King that
property had been seized since peace was
made with Germany last July, the report de-
clared that the last property seized was that
belonging to Grover Cleveland Begdroll,
which was seized Nav 27 1921.