The Connecticut labor news., 1923-11-10
BY THE WAY Comment and Criticism About Things Doing in the World.

Bishop Wilbur P. Thirkfeld, who is directing the work of the Methodist churches in Mexico, recommends to President Coolidge that all the United States forts along the Mexican border be dismantled.
 than a hundred years the United States has been getting along very well with out forts on the Canadian border and there seems no good reason why the nation should not get along equally as well without forts on Mexico's border. The forts are undoubtedly a constant ir- ritation to the Mexicans and are a bar to that full and sympathetic understand- ing which should exist between Mexico and the United States.
 Bishop Thirkfe1d suggests that the money now spent on maintaining the eleven forts along the Mexican border, with their more than 5000 men and 45O officers, might be better employed ill es- tablishing scholarships to bring young men and women from Mexico to Amer ican universities. His suggestion IS sound and should be supported, as should ali moves that tend to promote friendly relations between nations. One of the greatest needs of the world is interna- tional friendship and Bishop Thirkfeld's s suggestions, if put into effect, would promote peace and the punishment of the worlds curse, war.
 1. C. Probert, Washington manager of the Associated Press, characterized the newspaper reporter as great edu- cator in a talk before Washington news paper men.
 ''He brings one part of the world to another part; he is the person who has more to do with the worlds progress than any other class of men," MT. Pro- bert said.
 and tact; they are educated and appre- ciative of the responsibility which rests upon them," he added.
 What MT. Probert says is largely true. Newspaper men, however, could be greater educators if they were not held down at every turn by their en- ployers, who often represent special in terests that are robbing and exploiting the people If the reporters and other men who actually get out the newspape were permitted free hand, they could do wonders at dispelling the darkness of ignorance. Too often they are per mitted to write only what their ployers think best for the public to know and as a result, much vital news is ig- nored or given scant mention.
 The one bright ray in the situation is that the labor press Is becoming, strong CT and more powerful and Is giving men the opportunity to tell the public of the really significant hap penings of the world.
 Not many persons will be disposed to question the assertion of the Near East relief organization that Ita1y's recent seizure of the 11nfortifed island of Cor fu lis bound to have seriously un- settling effect on the whole eastern situa- tion for a long time to come" When the Italia fleet to take Corful and the fleet bonbarded the town, killing a num- Der of orphan children bathing -on the beach, he took long step on the bloody path leading toward barbarism and the destruction of civilization.
 Plans for the improvement of the El- lis Island immigration station at New York should meet with public approval. There is no doubt that conditions at FL lis Island are bad, and dueto lack of ade- quate buildings and equipment. Inn provements should be made as speedily possible.