Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-11
Highlights ON the Wide World
Excerpts From Newspapers of Other Lands

stances. MT only a general habit, but
even a SOFT OF II tional art. To eat
well and aHund ntly has long bcen an
occupc ten which. beginning with lndl-
vioualg and environments, has spread
throughout the entire nation. 1t is one
of the m ST important factors in the
tourist trade. and 1t is the principal
element in domestic and especially con-
jugal felicity. Very few qu1rrels are
engendered behind an Appearing plate,
and very few differences of opinion fol-
low a lavi h repast served among
friends. That is why women who know
how to cook are in special demand as
wives. and are always assured happy
married life. No less are they sought
after for this qualification in the mat
ter of catering to the public palate.
And. as the philosopher has observed,
whereas a woman whose only endoW-
msnts are her youth and beauty must
sometime grow old. good cook IS al
ways a good cook
Physician Holds
Floor Nat Menace TO Health.
The Japan Advertiser, Tokio.-Dr.
Danjiro Nagami director of the medical
experimental department of the Toxic
Municipal HYGIENE Laboratory, is con-
WINGED that the tataml or thick mat
which ccverS the floors in japanese
houses is a menace to health. and is
prep ring to make a thorough research
of its effects with a view to fastening
its elimination. He believes the japanese
method of living is bound to under
60 radical changes during the next few
decades due to economical causes.
The prevalence of skin diseases In
this country is due in a large measure
to the use Of the japanese floor mat and
/ the national custom of sitting on the
! floor" Dr. Nagami told a representative
/ Ct the Japan Advertiser. when
| j panese wearing a kimono squats on
! the floor, or a cushion placed on the
/ floor some part of his body is very
likely II come in contact with some
one Cl-eS skin. This affords an ex-
ceI!ent opportunity for the spread OF
skin disease.
When the people generally come to
realize what menace the tatami Is
from health standpoint. they will be
glad to get rid of it. Tatami in infested
| with e,ms, Offering a fine place for
them to breed and for dust to accu-
mulate. The matted floor is little mere
than an extension of the sidewalk. The
Japanese house is so built th2t dust
from the streets finds easy entrance
aside from what is carried in by the
feet of members cf the family. All this
dust sinks into the mat or lodges be-
tween the layers CT mats. Yet here upon
this tatami people sit, eat and s'eep
without thought of danger to their
health
The long and short CT the problem.
DR.. Nagami cded. is that the floor
mat must go and Japan must adopt
the chair, the high bed and the hign
table.
Weaker Countries
Paying Up for Excuses.
Ell TEMPO, Bogot3-Never before has
Internal onal life and trade been in the
dcldrums that encompass it today. The
great nations are suffering an internal
diSequ lbrium without precedent and
each one of the detrimental economic
phenomena which torture them find:
|, its repercuSsion in the weaker nations
Our defenSeleSs countries of South
America as we'll as Cuba, Australia, ano
the pc pie of Africa, are alike paying
up for their errors, their extrava
g4nces. and their excuses, which the
high standards of life, and the arnbi-
tons of the United States and England
have beguiled them into.
Meanwhile the nations which remain
oppressed under the provisions OF the
treaty of Versailles continue to Sent
their heavy exactions to the Bank o.
France, and in the midst of an osten
sible peace none lives but hand-to
mouth existence. Worldwide reverSe
have conquered all the paraded soph
istries on which it was hoped to fount
the independence and liberty of the
peoples. Instead, a new system of serf
dom and dependence has been installed
, 1 In, 10
whelmed with the boiling over of all the
penalties long-simmering in the lives o.
those frenzied with the lave of golc
| The end no human knows.