The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-05-06
oday What Are We Worth? New Russian Unit. Whats the Best Road? A New Treaty.
 By ARTHUR BRISBANE
By ARTHUR BRISBANE

Last year the people Of this coun- try took out nine thousand million dollars more life insurance than in any other year except one. The total insurance on the lives of Americans amounts to nearly fifty thousand million dollars.
 How much are the hundred millions of Americans really worth? Nobody can answer that question but it is sure that they are worth many times fifty thousand millions of dollars.
 They are worth all that the United States is wc tn farms, factories, ' mines and as much more as intelli- gence. courage and skill can get out of the ground
 The wealth of the country is repre- sented by its natural resources. plus human intelligence working through machinery. How much was this country worth when there were only Indians to ride over It and kill wild animals and each other?
 Russia has officially given up the gold ruble as the basic ot value. Some other unit is to be established, perhaps goods. perhaps day of Rus sian labor. Years ago this downfall of gold would have delighted Mir. Bryan. But now he is off on an- other track. hunting Darwin over the mountains and through the val leys. Besides. nations that have , ra1 q 1tyo od fN LNfI fn ern1G siofr to the gold basis seem to be doing rather well, comparatively.
 What will be the perfect road when built. when all earth travel is in auto : mobiles and steel road destroying horseshoes are gone? Many sub stances have been used. clamshells. slag. rubber. seaweed. cotton, straw. blanks. In Valencia Spain. a road of steel has been used for 20 years, and here cement roads are reinforced with steel. laid in sections to allow for exparsicn.
 The cheapest road is the road that lasts longest. as the cheapest roof is the roof that lasts longest. Tn these dull days for the steel industry, it might pay to try the Spanish steel road here.
 An Egyptian king kept 100,o0o men working for 10 years, laying a great stone road for transporting materials of which the pyramids were built. Why doesn't this government use some of the gold piled up in it's treasury to build roads that the country needs, and give work to men that need 1t?
 Some were shocked when Germany announced treaty with Russia. England was shocked when she was told. after the thing was done, that the Italians and Turks had made a Atreaty. Now there Is talk of a Ger m an- Russian Turkish Bulgarian Alli- < Knee.
 8 What will surprise most of all. if ft comes along, and very likely it will. will be '.an arrangement" very close to a treaty between England and Germany.
 Most important is that treaty and many Englishmen think it will come, will be an arrangement for Germany and England to work harmoniously Tn Russia, not fighting each other but developing whatever there is to be developed, Business soon forgets haired.
 
 why "a Russian ambassadors having no connection with the present gov ernment of Russia Is recognized at Washington, and allowed to spend in his own way. tens of millions of American money lent to Russia. The government would not recognize, or allow It's money to be spent bv an ambassador appointed in this coun- try by the former Kaiser of Germany. Why recognize as Russian ambassa- dor, man, however, estimable. ap- pointed by kerensky five years ago?
 Beware of eggs and mayonnaise dressing mixed. A Paris magistrate died after eating the mixture which had been allowed to stand for some lime. Cream, eggs and mayonnaise dressing mixed up must be eaten at once or-look out. French doctors warn you that this mixture develops microbes unlimited if allowed to stand, and may cause death.
 Moses would not allow milk. but ter or any milk product to be eaten with meat. He knew nothing about microbes, never heard of them. But be knew good deal about health. especially in his own warm climate. j Ire Canadian navy in one year costs less than two million dollars This shows what can be accomplished by an agreement between nations, when based on sincerity and com mon sense.
 We agree with Canada to keep no fighting ships on the Great Lakes. Canada knows we have not the most remote intention of attacking her at any time, on land or water. So she Is able to save her money Without that Great Lakes agreement the Canadians would be taxed tens of millions every year to keep up ships uselessly and waste the time of val uable workers.
 As the money spent on navies. armies and pensions could be saved If the average of intelligence were a little higher.