Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-31

terially heightened, even by the great
progress of medical science. For nearly
all OF the added longevity refers TO the
greater success in saving infants. who
formerly died in their first or second
year. Our new historians prize bald
facts" rather more than do old men
and so "threescore years and ten" re-
main approximately the limit OF the
average mans age.
The success of science In adding 10
the average longevity means that by
saving from infantile death the weak
llngs or the malformed. who formerly
died near birth. there has been great
increase of ulation--practically by
babies under or 5 years old
but IL does not mean that adults OF
today have / !uch greater "expecta-
ton" Of life than they had decades ago
II Is so easy TO twist statistics into say
ing sensational things which were never
intended to be so construed A day
or two ago the press quoted Mr. Edgar
Sydenstricker. the chief statistician of
the Public Health Service. as stating
that a baby born in 1928 would live
l40 days longer than the average OF
those Born in 1927 or 10 years longer
than would it's own father. or 20
wears longer than it, grandfather. All
those fantastic figures are based on
the average OF lives saved in early IN
fanthood. and do not apply TO increased
expectancy OF the averag, child, who
survived the mortality Of the ma'formed
who previously died almost at birth,
For example according TO the tables
issued in 1924 by thr United States
Public Health Service. the average "ex-
pectancy" Of life. for all infants, IN
1900, was 40 8 wears, while in 1870 that
expectancy had increased 10 81 years
an Improvement Of years But IN
1900 q man Of 80 years was rated as
HAVING an expectancy OF 1872 years.
and those who In 1870 we're 62 wears
of age had then an expectancy OF ias
Those e2-year-old men had increased
expectation amounting To only two
tenths of year greater than men OF
their age had had In 1920,
What has medical science done for
the matters Very little,
-
But mechanical science has done
great things We live more IN each
year tina could Our fathers, What
was "a days journey" IN Old Pales'
tlnep What does Lndberah make
days tourney now? An eiahth OF the
circumference OF the world
A hundred years ago news "flltted
on horseback perhaps 40 or 80 miles u
day while now II glrdleS the earth IN
the fraction OF second and may be
broadcast so that millions OF receiving
Instruments trap II throughout ths
world These miracles are today's com.
mouplace achievements
Within the span OF life OF men stu
active in business remarkable evnlu.
~
noted.
Time does bring changes In customs
and costumes in spite oi the saving,
The mere the change, the more there
h the same thing" A sermon preached
30 years ago Ii published In the Daily
Evening Star of January \, iatS Ii
beWrnya the youth Of that day
And now the gddy maiden, whose
tiny foot scarce touches the pavement
over which she sktps, flushed out IN
all the latest style OF fashion ana little
does the dapper yeuna gentleman IN
his eravat and boots fresh made o,
patent leather as he goes toisteting
from billiard hall and restaurants, vol
of the things here done lin Washing
ton, by the consuming labor Of hanu
aud brain, where, but a little while aao
Ia grey hen m aud the bittern hnN~
cred about III pools, and the tishNfe
men spread their nets Ia dry IN the
nonauay aun,
nut thus the cttip HE unfoldad,
through all the time et transformation
aud progress, with new difficulties
daily overcome"
10, with equal seve.lty, the olden
critics condemned The maldens all
flushed out" as do our critics look upon
our fiappers not at all flushed out"
hu rather going 10 the other extreme,
And those young men. dressed IN
crayats and patent leather honts our
grandfathera ought 10 have worm over
coats above their boot tops and heiow
their GravatA II Ia awful 10 knaw
how sddy were those early senerAs
,ceu,nsh, 1897 H., Paul colun.l