Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1935-01-03
BRISBANE
THIS WEEK

| A Pretty Good Christmas
Germs Travel High
/ We Are Coughing Better
: Prairie Dogs, Catacombs l
1t was satisfactory Christmas, the
best since the depression began. The
nation AT least knows that the depres
sion is here and that attending to 1t
instead of talking about things "jusi
around the corner" Is the program.
The government knows that money
was made to he spent in emergencies
and that helping the people Is cheaper
than revolution. The government is
spending and helping.
Colonel Lindbergh proves, after
transatlantic flights. that bacteria can
travel across the ocean by air. The
winds OF the north Atlantic carry
microscopic germs of life through the
upper air. Disease germs might trav
ell, thus, across either ocean.
That interests anybody planning to
make war more interesting by adding
disease germs to poison gas and high
explosives.
Scientists already believed that,
since life cannot be created on the
earth. except supernaturally, life be
gan on this planet probably with
germs that had travelled millions. per
haps billions. of miles through space
at absolute zero. They started life Oh
the earth when 1t had sufficiently
cooled off, and may have been brought
In the wake of flying meteors.
Heat destroys microscopic life, cold
does not
Cheerful optimists, telling you that
conditions are getting better, remind
you Of Meyer Hecht's benevolent friend
who told each tuberculosis patient
"You are coughing better this morn
ing"
We all are coughing" little bet
ter. 1t has been the best, most free
ly spending Christmas season since the
depression began. Merchants testify
to that. The season of grand opera
opened In New York with every sea.
sold and a demand for seats nonexist
ent.
Mr.. Hull. able secretary Of state.
wants freer trade with foreign coun
tries. Those that shut their markets
to the outside world are like animals
which burrow in the ground" says Mr.
Hull. That might be true, without
proving that protection is unwise.
Animals burrowing In the ground
prairie dogs, etc.--would regret 1t II
they came to the surface and SAT
around inviting coyotes to eat them
Early Christians burrowing In the
catacombs were better OF than they
would have been on the surface
thrown to the lions.
It Is better for this country to bur
row under protection than be thrown
to the lions Of free competition Of la
Dor and manufacturing. i
Occasionally you hear what Mr.
Field called "a sour note" in the hope
full chorus of Happy Days Are Here
Again" Senator Dickinson Of Iowa
Republican, Of course-says MIRA
plans have collapsed. He finds that
monopoly" Is being encouraged. pri
vo - fufSfotfwA L. hafn0 dox,uoaaoSH oud
the small business man driven to the
wall-"The rich are becoming richer
and the poor poorer"
That will be news for some Of the
rich-they had not heard It. You may
hear many Of them say now, "If can
get together and keep enough to take
care Of my family, that Is ali ask"
and they mean It.
Projects thus far proposed by con.
gressmen and executives In Washing
ton would cost Uncle Sam, in addition
to money already spent. $4,000. 100000
and would double the national debt. I
the money were wisely created, wisel,
spent, the country would be better Off
with many employed in useful work
But If 1t is found necessary to infiat,
with interest-bearing bonds, instead OF
simply printing the money and later
retiring 1t as bonds would be retired
the $4,000, 100000 would cost the coun
try $e0,0O0,OO0,0O0.
Is II really necessary to force on
taxpayers that extra load of $4,000.
100000 for interest, when interest
bonds are just so much Imitation
in no respect different from
greenbacks?
According to dispatches from Nan
king, China's killing methods make the
efforts of Stain or Hitler seem feeble.
CAa Kfonn Kot Chaly crt.yoe nronP II