Nogales international., 1928-04-06
DISASTER RELATIVELY MILD.
POPULATION GROWING.
GIGANTIC "HOOK-UP."
INDIFFERENCE TO CRIME.
By Arthur Brisbane

The bursting of a dam, part OF
Los Angeles water supply in Sas
Francisquito Canyon, cost hun.
dreds of lives. Reasons are gives
for the dam giving away, but nc
.dequate excuse. Water, seepina
into the earth at each end of the
dam, weakened the hold of the
great concrete wall" It should be
someone's business to learn why
the dam was built that way-and
what danger there is at other dams
Why fragments of broken concrete
srumbled in the fingers.
Compared with familiar disasters
by food, California accident !,
fortunately mild. There was the
big food that drowned all but
Noah's family. The rainbow guar.
antees against repetition of that
wholesale calamity, but small
foods have wrought havoc.
Five hundred years ago in Hoi.
land 100000 were drowned, and al
Kaifong, China, nearly three hun.
dred years ago, 100000 lost their
lives; 100000 were drowned at
Bengal, in India, fifty years ago.
Many times in history eruptions
of the sea, river floods and similar
disasters have taken 100000 lives
and more at a time. This country
can congratulate itself upon the
fact that the Mississippi flood OF
last year, destroying hundreds OF
millions in property, cost only two
hundred lives. That was due to
admirable work done by the army
and navy, and to prompt scientific
direction by Herbert Hoover,
chosen by President Coolidge in
the emergency.
The Census Bureau says United
States population on July l next
will be l2O,013, 600. At the end
Of this century, if births, deaths,
immigration and health run alons
as at present, the population will
be 260,000,000. If the larger per
cent of that number know hcag "a
think it will be quite a nation.
In the last eight years popula-
ton has increased 14,302, $3.50. The
annual arrival of babies exceed by.
one million the number of deaths.
That is good news for the editor
publishing an up-to-date paper.
Bill Curley, formerly of Chicago,
now of New York, used to say,
Every birth is a new reader for
my paper, every death of an old
man means a reader forever lost
to the opposition. And it was
EYue.
A gigantic ''hook-up" of radio
stations will enable 100000 Amer
cans to hear all that goes on in the
Democratic and Republican con-
Tentions.
From the first announcement of
Aiabama's choice, to final bowling
when the winner is announced,
everything will be heard. How
ever, sad to relate, many of the
100000 that might listen to the
convention will not listen. They
Wiil tune in for jazz music, sad
Aeart-rending songs. or daily doz-
snS to keep thin. In this nation,
where only half vote that might
Eote, there IS little deep interest
"a politics.
Speaking of slush funds, bribes,
ttc.. you should read the book writ
ten by Judge Kavanaugh, of Chi
eago. after thirty-three years on
the bench. Three hundred and
hfty-thousand individuals make
their living, partly or entirely, by
crime in our happy country, he
says. Last year they contributed
1900 murders to the nations news
Items.
Public indifference Is to blame
rays the Judge. Each country gets
As much crime as its indifference
deserves. Judge Kavanaugh favors
nse Of the whip because:
mo crime leader retains the
respect OF his gang after he has
WINGED under the lash. The moron
and racketeer fear the c&s o. nine
s&ils more than prison. Our $50, 900
criminals steal yearly enough to
build the Panama Canal"
They steal more than that. And
public gambling at racetracks. an
Ither form of crime, legalized by
ysufting politicians, takes from the
public each year enough to build
he Panama Canal three times.
y
We have some millions Of farm
srs that would like to run this
country. partly, but they don't
rnow how to go about it, No real
organization for one thing. Next
Fall they will get wonderful prom
lses and then think it over four
more year&