Evening star., 1923-08-16

-
ened away from the latter. II the
wretches are so desperate as that, it
VIII be necessary to change the COM
cool weather approaches. Nothing
precious is safe.
One square inch of crinkled and
faded paper sold at auction last Tues
day evening at the shoreham Hotel
for $3.50. 1t was a postage stamp Of
British Guiana, issued in 1856 and
used to carry q letter. 1t had cost its
original owner cents and. being
cancelled, had fulfilled it's mission in
the world. Yet 1t was listed in the
catalogues rs worth $4,000 and might
have brought nearly that sum, even
among dealers. II tiny bits of its cor
ners had not been trimmed, and 1t
had not been wrinkled.
k X II y
Five hundred and sixty dollars!
From utilitarian standpoint, as use
less as a second hand cigarette paper
upon guttersnipe. From the stand
point of historic information. no more
interesting nor Informative. 1t con-
tanned a bit of pioture-worthless to
art--printed in faded blue ink, more
Or less soiled. 1t was doubtless COW
cred with insanitary germs. The
price actually paid would have kept
alive for years some starveling in
Europe or the orient.
The price of a wrinkle and three or
four bits OF blank paper as large
as one of the types of this printed
page Is measured by the difference
between $4,000 and $3.50. Could alb
surdity go farther? That difference
would buy good automobile, or
finance a trip to Europe, or educate
an art student abroad, or support a
missionary for several years, or put
several aged men or women in
homes for their declining days.
X X Il
But, after all, what has been done
Nothing has been destroyed There
is as much gold and precious stones.
also food and clothing. in, the world
as before that sale. Certain sums of
money have travelled from one pocket
to another, but the money still exists
and retains its ability to finance all
the meritorious enterprjses hinted
above
The exravagance of the rich, how
soeVer foolish. Is no hardship on the
poor, so long Is that extravaganza
simply releases wealth from hoard
ings TO put 1T into circulation. 1t is
crime against society only when it
destroys the products of labor-not
when 1t releases possession to others.
X
Cleopatra dissolved pearls in her
wine and drank them. Pearls are but
ornaments, and the more she drank
the more profitable was the labor of
dlVers after the rare gems. But IL
Cleopatra or some modern war lord
devastates the orchards of an in
Vaded country, or IL an incendiary de-
stroys elevators laden with millions
or bushels of grain, something is de-
stroyed whose loss adds to the strug-
giles for life. That is wicked
Cancelled stamps are more useless
, than pearls. Spending money for
Cancelled postage stamps is not wick
ed. 1t puts money into circula-
ton. 1t may be joy-ride for the
dollars. Joy go with it!
Nobody who is married is required
to accept verbal abuse from his rela-
tives-in-law. A wife who is driven
from home by the Trades of her
mother-in-law may sue her husband
for desertion-constructi desertion
being his failure to provide for her
peaceful home. That is one late
! ruling of a learned Judge. We must
| have peace il We have to marry for it.
Here is another: A ship which
movers" outside of the three-mile "a
limit. yet aids or abets the traffic in
Illicit liquor. with agents or dealers
on shore, may be captured and con-
| f1scated, land international law is OBJ
| liged to recognize "hovering" as an
| international crime.
Looks as though the war which
was fought to make the world safe
! for democracy had not been fought in
! vain.
Copyright. 1928 by Paul V ColIinsl