Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1935-01-10
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THIS WEEK
A Long Swim
Money Flows West
SIS for $3.50

SIS for $3.50
: Not So Barren ]
The new year, 1895, latest contriDu-
tion Of Father Time to the long chain
of beads called "eterrity," is here,
and we are In it.
We shall continue to read opinions
and rumors, plans and criticism of
plans, In our slow progress to pros
perity's shore. 1t is long swim when
you are thrown overheard In the mid
die of Lake Superior. This country
was thrown overheard In another lake
of superior prosperity and unlimited
expectations back In 1929.
Farmers, newspapers devoted to the
farmers interest, big bankers of the
East, are interested In the fact that
. the money tide that for so long flowed
from producers In the West to accum-
ulators In the East, Is now flowing in
the other direction.
The money tide goes out toward the
farms of wheat raisers and stock, in
the West and Middle West, and to the
cotton farmers In the South. 1t is as
though the Great Lakes had been tilt
ed upward at the eastern end, and the
waters sent rushing toward the Rocky
mountains
The tide will not flow long In that
western direction, probably. Men that
have the mortgages and collect the in
ferest accumulate the money, in the
long run.
Long ago, a man wagered that he
would stand on London bridge offer
ing genuine gold sovereigns for shill-
Ing each and find few takers. The
gold sovereigns were genuine, but no
body would buy. Mel Smith, circus
official called Lucky" Smith, bet that
Los Angeles citizens would refuse to
buy genuine IS bills for $3.50. Hun
dreds walked by, looked at the genu-
inc bills. Some cried 'Fake!" Only
two purchased. Lucky" Smith won
q 500 wager.
Many Americans wish they had been
as skeptical about certain stock back
In 1929.
The distinguished George W. Rus
sell Of ireland, who signs his writings
"AE," says, II am always struck by
the terrible barrenness Of rural life
In America" He thinks we must find
some way to enrich It," and If we don't,
"then the disease which destroyed an
cient Italy will eat into America. You
win no longer feed yourselves, and
you will be struck with palsy of bread
and circuses."
Mr.. Russell may find greater rich
ness In Irish farmhouses, but 1t is a
richness Of the character and Of the
mind, not of surroundings. There is
little barrenness about, other than In
tellectual, in our rural life with its
automobile. radio, moving pictures
within easy reach, rural delivery, por-
acclaim bath tubs, mail order cata.
logues. prayer meetings, revlvals, an
nual circus, the public library, soon
reached by automobile.
Next summer our ships Of war, "ven-
turing almost to Oriental waters" will
engage In far-fiung war games cover
Ing more than 100000 square miles
Of the Pacific ocean.
How interesting that will be, and
how rapidly those ships would come
running home to hide away In port II
a few large bombing planes should
sail out from Asia. from Tokyo or Rus
sia's vladivostok, over those 100000
square miles Of the Pacific, and drop
explosive bombs and poison gas bombs
on the battleshipsl
Geological explorers from the Byrd
expedition. near the South pole, report
important veins Of mineral quartz, dis
covered In mountains along the coast
Of Marie Byrd Land.
II the biologists should bring back
actual samples rich In gold, how quick
ly men would find way to reach those
mountains, how Indifferent to death
they would be in the effort to get
fherel
We have piled up In Washington
already $S.OO0,0OO.00O worth Of gold.
What would happen If Byrd should
discover mountain containing $1,000
O00.O00O00 in gold? That would be
overriding II, for instantly our $780,
100000 in gold would shrink in value
TO almost nothing. and the gold metal
would be only metal. pot precious.
In Kansas a terrific dust storm, hid
ing the sun, suggests that the Agri-
cultural department help farmers by
developing some temporary covercrop
that could be sown on wheat and corn
fields when the crops come of, nitro
gen-fxing plant If possible. 1t would
protect dusty surfaces from high winds
and be plowed under, contributing
humus, before the next planting.
In the Northwest. farmers have used
the "duckfoot" cultivator. which cuts
path 90 feet wide, going through the
roofa of vvaads and NOT DESTROYING the