Evening star., 1923-07-14

| Clocks run faster at night than in
the day, says DR.. Tucker of Lick OBJ
servatory. The statement is confirmed
Observatory, who says:
I'm the observations by fundamental
methods, where dependence is placed
upon the constancy of clock rate
through the twenty-four hours of the
day. more or less, these errors would
reach their maximum values of be-
tween 0.02 and 0.03 of a second, at
about six hours from the mean epoch
of the observations"
1t has required a lot of trouble for
these learned men to confirm what the
unlearned youth has known for 10!
these many years. Who that has ever
| worked on salary and watched the
clock toward quitting time drag its
moping hands around the dial has not
observed its tagging pace? Who that
has been enjoying an evening with his
sweetheart has not jumped with pain
ed amazement, when the racing CLOCK
chimed hour after hour, like fire de-
| partment running to fourth alarm
conflagration?
1t may be that the learned and abb
struse astronomers know what their
figures mean. Will they explain to the
layman whether the night pace hits 1t
up at the merry dance of 0.03 seconds
on every hour, or whether 1t comes
closer to reasonableness. and means
that every second jumps 0.03 faster
waiting public plainly and with
greater accuracy? These barren gem
eralities might get on somebody's S
nerves.
Howard University Is one of the
very few colleges in America which
maintains a school of theology for
colored students. 1t announces that
there is need at present for 1900
more colored preachers with theolog-
ical training. There are $4,000 col
| ored churches in the United States,
and last year less than 100 colored
preachers were graduated.
In recent years there has been a
great revival of interest in teaching
| illiterate adults to read and write.
At the end of the second year of
such training in a school in one of
the southern states, the enthusiastic
teacher seemed somewhat discouraged
when she modestly said that she had
had only four pupils. one of them be-
ing a preacher, whom she had taught
to read and write. But that is
something, isn't it?" she asked
ttmidly.
Common business sense in the pay
ment of pensions to war veterans and
! their widows has been applied to the
voucher red tape, hitherto required
of the pensioners. Hereafter the
monthly checks will be their own
vouchers. and will be mailed without
formality, each month. Only when
pensions are to be paid TO others
than the pensioners will vouchers in
advance be required.
The voucher system has been a seri-
Gus hardship. especially upon aged
widows living in the country. IT
has been necessary for them to travel
long distances. in all kinds of wealth
er. carrying two witnesses with them.
in order to appear before a notary or
other official. to swear to the month
ly voucher. Now the government
check, which, of course. has to be
properly endorsed when it is cashed,
is TO be taken as sufficient evidence
that the money reaches the proper
party. Business practice had long
since recognized the efficacy OF even
a private check. when used as a re-
ceipt.
The government saves money by
the abolishment of the requirement Of
/; 100000 vouchers monthly. They had
to be made out at the pension bureau.
ready for signature. mailed to the
beneficiary, mailed back after being
signed. checked with the records and
with the outgoing checks. All this
called for an immense amount of
clerical work, not only in the pension
bureau. but also in the mails.
At the call of Secretary OF Agri-
culture Wallace there is now in con-
ference i'll Washington a council of
economic experts seeking to visualize
the farm situation and the high cost
of living. Nowhere in America Is this
question of more direct Importance
than here in the nations capital. for
here 1t is condition and not a
theory. The cost of living is not
coming down. Nor are the profits
of food production throughout the
country going up, according to all
the reports.
The conference finds little comfort
for producers in the outlook for in
creased demand for food products.
There is no prospect that Americans
will "eat an extra slice of bread each
dav'' to please the Minneapolis mil