Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-15


During long years of service as member OF
the House Of Representatives from the
famous 'Shocstring District of Pennsyl-
vania, Mr.. Focht. by virtue Of seniority,
became chairman of the Committee on the
District of Columbia.
There is, let it be understood. marked
similarity between this Committee of the
District and Philadelphia City Council:
Both consist of twenty lone members
they manage the affairs Of great cities and
they get frequently and literally denounced
for doing the things they should not do and
emitting to do the things they should.
Neither body has much chance. for they re
damned If they do and damned If they
DON'T
CONGRESSMAN FOCIlT'S committee is
~ the City Council of Washington.
The House manages all of its affairs. for
it's citizens have no vote.
When the popuace desires something done
they send delegation of emincntly respect
abcs to wait on the committee, although
the burden of public improvements is not
snddled upon them wholly. The Government
shares 1t with them.
Human nature is fancy. the same the
world over when it comes to paying taxes
and levying asSssnents for needed improve
ments in Il municipality.' snid Mr.. Focht.
''Washington is no exception. It's citizens
make as much fuss ns some of the people In
Philadelphia when II comes TO paying their
share for improvements.
Il have to go around and make speeches,
explaining why certain things are done by
the committee and why money is expended.
| always wind up. though. by telling them
that they cannot get something for moth
ing"
Congressman Focht has n contest on his
hands for his return to Congress.
lie says that he is going to win 1t.
believe he will.
DR. HOWARD s. ANDERS tells a very
- interesting episode in the life Of the
late DIR. Joseph Trimblc Rothrock.
DIR. RothrOck whose intrinsic greatness
has never been estimated at its full WORTH
was not only the originator Of forest con-
scrvation in Pennsylvania. but he was
soldier. an explorer. botanist, teacher and
physician and surgeon.
Years ngo one of the then great telegraph
companies conceived tn" idea Of constructing
land line from New York to st. Peters
burg. Berlin and Paris via Siberia,
The line was TO run through Alaska to
Berng Strait and thence across to siberia,
the hemisphcrcs to be united by cable un.
dorneath the strait.
1t was an ambitious project and exploring
parties were sent into Alaska to rcconnoiter
II route if possible.
DR.. Rothrock told me some of the details
of his experiences years ago. but all that ]
recall is the fact that the explorers found
the hazards of erecting and maintaining such
n line in the wilderness too great to be
profitable.
Among his party was the famous woods
man Labarge. for whom Lake Labarge, on
the other side of the White Pass, was
named.
DR. ANDERS' story is purely a local one
- 1t demonstrates the great purposes and
far vision of this very remarkable man. DIR.
Rothrock.
DR.. Rothrock was as DR.. Anders points
out. the real founder of Mont Alto Sann-
torum for Tuberculosis which was ina,i-
gurated and so ably managed by the late DR..
Samuel &. Dixon, State Commissioner of
Health
Early in 1909 n committee of the Penn.
sylvania Society for the Prevention of Tu-
bcrculosts went to Harrisburg to urge an
appropriation of S500.G0 for the establish
ment Of a State sanatorium for tuberculous
cases on a forestry reservation.
The Legislature turned n deaf ear TO the
committee. although DIR. Anders. who was
then president of the society. got an enter
ing wedge for this principle of State duty
in the shape of an appropriation of $1,000.
This was to 60 to South Mountain Camp.
which Dr. Rothrock had already started in
dppcndently.
lie had taken the bull by the horns him
self ms Forestry Commissioner.
South Mountain Camp had very insg-
niicant beginning. but after the Legislature
"
alton was voted and the camp developed into
the now welk known Mont Alto insttu-
ton.
The fact has been lost sight of in the
whirl Of years. but now that DIR. Rothrork
Is dead, DR.. \ndcrs feels that the crcdi,
for this great work should be- given where
it belongs. to DR.. Joseph Trmble Roth
rock the friend of suffering humanity.
r OI'IS A. KERWIN informs me that
Amore than 10000 inventions and sug-
grstions were forwarded from all parts Of
the British Empire to the Admiralty in Lon
don during the World War.
1t will be recalled that Great Britain
sent broadcast request that her children
everywhere who had any suggostions no
| matter how seemingly foolish or far fetched
| to send them TO London. as among them
| might b" discovered something that could
be turned to account in driving the Huns
! to defeat.
Mr.. Kcrwin, at that time residing in
Toronto. sent models of two inventions with
number Of suggestions as requested
| To this day h" does not know whether or
| not the former were utilized.
The models wcr" ultimately returned with
thanks from the Admiralty. and the state
| mcnt that they had been forwarded TO the
Bureau Of Inventions and Explosives. or
some equally expressive title. and would re-
ceivc the bureaus careful attention.
When the model was returned the box
| pore lAc nNlllD'f ", SS,j. an indicate lion that
| that number had been sent to London,
His own model was that of n submerged
trap TO catch German submarines When
the submarine came in contact with the tran
bomb was automatically released, which
destroyed the boat.
T HAVE talked with several indiyiduol.
l. disposed to n belief in the matchmaking
phase Of sp!ritualiSm concerning the verdict
of the three French professors of the Sor.
bonne, who investigated cctoplaSm
This is the term applied to II mysterious
substance which is snid to proceed from the
body Of II mnt"rialzing medium. and which
forms itself into the features Of spirits who
appear at such SeanCeS.
After fifteen srances with Miss Eva -
about whom the Baron Schrcnk Won Not
sink has written II large, finely illustrated
and intensely interesting book. the Sorbonnc
professors declared against cctoplasm
1T is just what might have been cx
pcccd. said n professional gentleman and
an nyowrd spriual!st.
"ln fifteen sittingS these three men. who
| had never had any experience with Inut.ri .