davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Southern Jewish weekly. [volume] (Jacksonville, Fla.) 1939-1992, 1940-07-05

way aid in the campaign against
the dreaded typhus fever, was
hard for them to believe.
The value of exercise in promot-
ing health is often stressed. The
Jews in their long wandering in
the wilderness had times of mac
tivity but had ever to be ready
for sudden demonds on their ply
steal strength. General Moses had
what we might now call setting
up exercises" for his men to keep
them fit.
Cleanliness of mind was equally
stressed and in later pagan days
was recognized in the phrase mems
sana in cOrpOre sanO. What we un-
derstand by modern concept of
hygiene, is indeed no new thing.
Moses may have noted the bad
effects of close in-breeding dur
ing his peoples first-hand deal
ing with flocks and herds, and
thus have acquired the basis for
his table of kindred and affinity"
1t is interesting to observe that
Moses himself was the issue of
one of these prohibited marriages,
that of man with his aunt. Mod
The Southern Jewish weekly. [volume] (Jacksonville, Fla.) 1939-1992, 1940-07-05
PURE WATER

PURE WATER
1t is probably incorrect to think
of the camps of Moses as having
been distressed for a shortage of
water. We are told that at the
time of Exodus the mountain sides
of the Sinai desert must have had
a deep soil, where not a shrub
exists today. This is true of many
other parts of the world. Having
seen the bleak treeleSs rocky hills
of Macedonia, 1 can hardly visu-
alize the landscapes described by
the classic poets. If there were
deep soil and trees in what is now
desert, there must have been wa
ter i'm small streams and wells.
The countryside was in those days
fertile, with rich pastures.
There are accounts of but two
instances of absolute want of wa
ter during the wanderings of the
Israelites in the wilderness, but
those two, from our early school
days, have colored our whole con-
cept of the picture. Both are as
ISOLATED with miracles and both
occurred within year Of the time
that the Jews left Egypt. There
after there was no serious short
age until forty years later.
= An army in the field today uses
such measures as boiling or chlOri-
nation of drinking water to avoid
water-bOrne diseases, such as dy-
sentry, cholera and the typhoid
group. But this implies a know
ledge of disease as caused by liv-
ing heterogeneous. Moses could
have sought only to provide
a ainSt gross contamination.
Hence his orders on the subject
contemplated the prevention of
the pollution of waters such as
by the dead bodies of animals or
human beings.
Wells were efully safe
guarded, as one might expect in
a nation of nomadic shepherds. |
This was so in Abraham's day.
Isaac digged again the wells Of
water, which they had digged in
the days of Abraham his father,
for the philistines h a stopped |
them" (Gen. XVI 49,. Moreover |
Jacob had great stone placed
over the mouth of the well to pro-
tect it against pollution (Gen. Xxx
p. The wells were places of So
cial gatherings.
We may not infer that it is
The Southern Jewish weekly. [volume] (Jacksonville, Fla.) 1939-1992, 1940-07-05

ern eugenics teaches us in sci.
entific terms the dangers Of in.
breeding.
(To Be Continued
The Southern Jewish weekly. [volume] (Jacksonville, Fla.) 1939-1992, 1940-07-05

natural for primitive people to
keep their water supply pure and
free from contamination, as one
familiar with the filthy practices
of certain oriental peoples may
testify. The Greeks and Romans
were, like the Jews, far above 9TH
er peoples of antiquity in this re-
Spect.
The earthenware vessels It'll l
used for water in the East are diff
ficult to cleanse. I have seen them
in common use in Macedonia by
the armies of several countries,
for they keep water cool better
than any other contrivance,
thanks to the evaporation from
their porous surface. The j e w
required such vessels to be broken
when they had become "unclean"
by contact in any way with I'M
clean things (Lev. XII 32). "When
man dieth in a tent. every
open vessel which hath no cover
ing bound upon it, is unclean"
(Num. xix IA, 15). This is re-
markable example Of hygiene as
taught by the Mosaic Code, as
usual through appeal to religion.
To the Israelites "uncleanv meant
''unholy"; to us it means infected.
Food and drinks thus exposed
would generally become contami-
mated by flies after they have
come in contact with the dead
body.
1t is probable that milk was
protected indirectly in the same
way. Milk was used fresh and so
the modern problems incident to
its collection and transportation
did not exist. There are no laws
concerned directly with milk, ex-
cept as concern foods in general,
even in land Glowing with milk
and honey"
PURE AIR
Moses had no problem like that
confronting many military COM
manders of today in war and in
peace, concerning overcrowding.
He had ample space for the thir-
teen camps into which his main
body was divided, like the regi-
ments or battalions of a large
modern camp. He did not have to
provide for ventilation in very
cold weather, for he was marching
through tropical country.
On the other hand Moses knew
the value of pure air. The 'breath
Of life' was no meaningless ex-
preston (Gen. ii y. Camps were
placed where practicable, on hills
where there was current of air,
and of course there was also the
advantage of being able
to view the surrounding country.
PURE SOIL
Moses required cleanliness in
and about his camps. AS usual
a religious significance was given
to this: For the Lord thy God
walketh in the midst of thy camp,
shall it be holy, and no
thing shall be in it." No
military commander per-
mits his camp to be kept other
than clean, but it has not always
been so, for in some of the camps
of the middle ages and even of
comparatively modern times, filth
was everywhere and unacceptable.
The law of Deuteronomy (xxiii
IL, 1S) that concerns the disposal
of body waste is one of the most
in the entire Code.
PURE BODIES
Personal cleanliness is stressed |
throughout the Mosaic Code. Mo-
The Southern Jewish weekly. [volume] (Jacksonville, Fla.) 1939-1992, 1940-07-05
What Moses Believed
By 1T COL. EDGAR ERSKINE HUME
GAR ERSKINE HUME

Editors of a series Moses as
military leader by Hume USA Medical Corps
Evening star., 1940-05-26
Move 70 She|ve Changes
In Auto Models Denied
By the Associated Press.

DETROIT, May 25.-Automotive
News in its current issue discounts
rumors that the expanded war de.
tense program may move the Gov.
ernment to ask automobile com.
panies to forego model changes this
year and continue the 1910 style
Tor at least another season.
"Well-informed leaders in the in.
dustry point out" the trade paper
says, that the machine tool in.
dustry already has so well advanced
on Its automotive orders for 194l
models that work still to be dono
will not interfere with future Gov.
eminent orders. Retooling Of auto.
motive plants is planned months
In advance, all orders have been
In the hands Of machine tool SUD.
pliers for months and the majority
OF them already have been filled.
This would mean that model
changes will be made this year a
usual, with the situation for 1o42
dependent upon developments dur.
Ing the coming year. Naturally.
activity on the part Of car manu-.
facturers themselves may force q
s1mplif1cation of lines later, with
fewer styles and body choices, but
whether this will affect the l94l
season still hinges upon the quaint.
ty OF work motor makers will bo
asked to perform"
Evening star., 1940-05-26
April Furniture Sales
Far Above Year Aqo
BY the Associated Press.

CHICAGO, May 25.-Retail furni-
ture sales during April scored SUBJ
stantial gains compared with the
same month year ago and with
March this year, trade statistics
showed today.
Gathered from 168 separate home
furnishings organizations and classi-
fed according to Federal Reserve
districts by the National Retail Fur
niture Association, the statistics
showed gain Of 81 per cent over
March and gain of IA per cent over
April, 1899.
Sales gains over March ranged
from 7 per cent for the San Fran
cisco district to IS per cent for Min
neapolis. The st. Louis district was
up 80 per cent; Philadelphia, 80 per
cent; Cleveland, 20 per cent; Chi
cago, Is per cent.
For the four months ended April
80 this year sales in the IL districts
increased 8 per cent compared with
the corresponding period in 1899
and IL per cent compared with 1898.
The largest four month increase
was that of Atlanta, which was up
10 per cent compared with the like
1899 period.
Inventories at the end of April
were II per cent higher than the end
Of 1889 and 4 per cent higher than
at the end of April, 1899.
Evening star., 1940-05-26
Cos Utility Revenues
Ahead of Year AGO
Special Dispatch to The Star.

special OlSpAtch 70 Inc Star.
NEW YORK, May 25.-Manufac-
tured and natural gas utility rev.
enues amounted to $271 ,625 400 for
the first three months of 1910, as
compared with $246,812, 800 for the
corresponding period of 1899, an in
crease Of 10.1 per cent, it was an
nounced by Paul Ryan, chief statis-
tician Of the American Gas Associ-
alton.
The manufactured gas industry
reported revenues of $104 ,932, 500 for
the first quarter, an increase of &C.
per cent from the same period of
the preceding year. The natural
gas utilities reported revenues of
$166, ,692 900, or 1873 per cent more
than for the first three months of
1899.
Total sales of manufactured gas
for the first quarter were 1l1,7OO,-
100000 cubic feet, an increase of
lilo per cent. Natural gas utility
sales for the period amountde to
~, ,499, 500 900 cubic feet, an in
crease Of 124 per cent.
Evening star., 1940-05-26
Chicago Wheat Rise
Reflects Upturn
AT Winnipeg
Final Prices Show
Goins of ! to 15A
Cents q BusheI
BY FRANKLIN MULLIN,


CHICAGO, May 25.-Wheat prices
marked up net gains of l to 1as
cents bushel today, July closing at
847s-85 and September at 84a4 ~,
as the market reflected q rally in
securities and sharply higher prices
at Winnipeg.
Many traders were on the side
lines, due to the uncertainty in Eu-
rope, but while reports from the
war front remained confusing, some
regarded the outstanding strength
at Winnipeg as possible cue either
TO an encouraged Allied situation
or improved export business. After
the close private reports indicated
export sales amounted to 5000 900
bushels. mostly to Great Britain.
Corn closed hs-1 cent higher, July
63ls-A4, September 629s; oats, ss-s.
up; rye, 1ls higher and lard lower
to S higher.
Closing wheat prices at Winnipeg
showed gains of 4-43s cents from
Thursdays finish after a holiday
there yesterday. July wheat rose to
~ cents, or about 1lss cents below
the corresponding Chicago contract.
With the wheat market appar-
emily we'll liquidated as a result Of
last weeks price slump, most traders
found no new incentive to re-enter
the trade in view of the uncertainty.
Wheat was priced about cents
above the minimums established at
the close a week ago, while corn
was about 4 cents higher and rye 3
cents higher rs
Grain range at principal markets
today:
Evening star., 1940-05-26
Cotton Futures Sag
After Climb al
Midsession
Prices Close 4 Points
Higher to 5 Lower
At New York
By the Associated Press.

os inc hSSOClateo fTeSs
NEW YORK, May 25.-The cotton
futures market wobbled today after
a midsession try at higher prices.
The final range was 4 points higher
to lower.
Operators traded cautiously as
many preferred to keep their books
clear until the week end-and pos
sibility of new blitzkreig-is safely
by.
Trade accounts bought July ac-
lively which caused a still further
widening of the July premium over
new crop deliveries. Buyers were
apparently taking advantage of the
dif1erential between the July, or spot
month, price and actual cotton in
Southern markets, which currently
costs around cent a pound more.
Distant months gave ground to
moderate pressure believed to rep
resent hedging.
A mild rally started in the last
hour following improvement in
securities and encouraging war
reports, but profit taking and week.
end liquidation intervened.
Worth street textile markets re-
manned in the doldrums while cloth
men waited for steadier quotations
in the futures and spot cotton
markets.
Exports Friday 10,817 bales: sea-
son so far 6.057,032. Port receipts
1888; port stocks 2,626,910.
Range follows:
Evening star., 1940-05-26
Metropolitan Area Construction Advances
To New Peak After Trailing 1899 Marks
$l2,290,719 Building
Volume Reported
For April
T1NAN CIAL.
By DONALD B. HADLEY.

Following a decline in March,
public and private construction In
the Washington Metropolitan Area
jumped to $12.290,719 in April, a
new high for the year to date and
the best April mark on record, a
report from the Bureau of Labor
Statistics showed last night.
The months volume compared
with $5,899,607 in the preceding
month and $6,207 ,784 in April, 1899.
Residential construction valued at
$6,040,737 provided quarters for
1,647 more families in the area dur
ing the month. These figures also
were the best April marks on record,
we'll ahead of both the preceding
month and year ago.
They compared with $4,758,149,
providing for 1,070 families in the
previous month, and $4,323, 795, pro-
viding for 1893, in April, 1899.
The April expansion ran counter
to hopes expressed at the start of
the year that after a record-break-
ing volume for 1899 there might be
a slackening to avoid overbuilding.
Through April, total public and
private construction in the area
since the start of 1885 has reached
the spectacular mark Of $428, ,922 ,558,
of which $226,826,753 has repre-
sented residential activity, providing
for 55,284 families.
Total construction. residential and
families provided for in April OF
various years follow:
Evening star., 1940-05-26
Tire Replacement Volume
LARGEST Since 1882
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, May 25.-April ship
ments of automobile tires for re-
placement purposes jumped to
2,823, ,293 units, largest for that
month since 1882 and ~ per cent
ahead of 2,217627 in March, the
Rubber Manufacturers Association
said today. A year ago replacement
shipments totaled 2,795 ,293 units.
Automobile factories demands for
original equipment increased to
zoos, ,220 units in April, a rise of ~
per cent from March and 1874 per
cent more than a year ago.
Export shipments moved up to 81, =.
249 units in April from 77,797 in
March, but showed virtually no
change from April, 1899.
Total shipments stood at 5,009, ,762
units, against 4 4,345 ,674 in March and
4.457, ,735 last year.
April production was 5,105 ,953,
compared with 5,007,042 in March
and 4,3l0, ,424 in April, 1899.
Evening star., 1940-05-26

Foreclosures at New Low.
Foreclosures in the District of Co.
lumbia sank to new all-time lows IN
both April and the first four months
of this year, Charles Rush, secretary
of the Washington Real Estate
Board, reported.
Deeds for April were moderately
ahead of the same 1898 and 1889
month but failed to equal the 1887
mark. For the four months of this
year, deeds were above the same
period year ago but failed to equal
levels in 1899 or 1898.
The number of April deeds of
trust reached the highest mark for
that month since 1887. Their value
was above year ago but failed to
equal totals for April 1898 or 1887.
The number of deeds of trust in
the four months reached the high
est point for that period since 1929.
Their value failed to equal 1887
levels but otherwise was the highest
Tor the period since 1881.
Deeds, foreclosures and the num-
ber and valuations of deeds Of trust
IN April and the first four months
of various years follow:
Evening star., 1940-05-26
Picture Is Reversed.

The strong April upsurge reversed
the picture presented in the first
quarter when declines from a year
ago were registered. Volume for
the first four months of the cur
rent year forged moderately above
1899 levels to the best mark for
that period on record.
The four months total of S3l ,945,-
1873 compared with $30,413,137 in the
same 1889 period.
While $l7,465, ,44S worth of resi-
Dental construction sfor the four
months was slightly behind $l7,885,-
165 in the same period a year ago,
it was far above the same period
in other years. The number of
families provided for increased to
4,494, new record for the period,
which compared with 4,307 a year
ago. g ri
Total construction, residential and
families provided for, in the first
four months of various years follow:
Evening star., 1940-05-26
Nnn Presidential Total Tin

Non Residential Total Up.
Non residential construction for
April jumped to $5,756, ,O63, another
new April record and high for the
year to date.
It contrasted with only $765, AIT
in the previous month and 1922 ,26l
in the same 1899 month.
Additions, alterations and repairs
during April totaled $493.9l9, ahead
of the preceding months $376,041,
but far behind $1,26l, ,708 recorded
in April, 1899. The latest total also
was behind $500, ,404 in February this
year, but with that exception was
the best mark for 1910 to date.
Non-residential construction and
additions, alterations and repairs
for April in various years are given
below;
Evening star., 1940-05-26
Balance Shifts to ID. {

In both April and the four months
of non-residential building con-
tinued to account for a much larger
part of the total in the District of
Columbia than in the other sections
where residential construction domi-
mates activity.
However, the District also took
the lead in residential volume away
from the outside sections. OF the
1,647 families provided for in April
906 were inside the District, while
TAI were in the adjoining sections
In the four months total of 4,494
families 2,372 were in the District,
while 2,122 were outside.
This showing reversed the Situa-
ton of year ago, when residential
activity for April, 1899, provided for
only 378 families in the District and
705 in the adjoining sections. In
the four months of last year only
1858 families were provided for in
the District against 2,349 outside.
A number of large apartment
projects in the District and a slack
ening of such activity outside large
ly accounted for this shift in the
balance.
Various Sections Compared.
Among the various sections of
the Metropolitan Area the District
of Columbia and Prince Georges
County registered April gains over
both the preceding month and April,
1899.
The Arlington County total and
families provided for were above
March and year ago. The value
of Arlington residential construc-
ton was ahead of the previous
month but slightly behind a year
ago.
The Montgomery County total was
behind the previous month but well
above a year ago. Residential dol
lar volume was below the previous
month but ahead of year ago.
Families provided for were behind
both March and a year ago.
Alexandria building scored gains
over the preceding month but Jagged
behind year ago. Fairfax Coun-
ty, after an extremely active March,
registered sharp declines which car
ried totals well below 1899 marks.
Total construction, residential
building and families provided for
in the District and metropolitan SEC
tions Of the nearby counties tor
Evening star., 1940-05-26
Worst Farm Surplus
Problem in Years
Faced by u. 5.
War Closes European
Outlets and Barter
System Spreads
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Foreign markets closed by the Eu-
ropean war and the spread of the
barter system threaten to saddle
American farmers with one Of their
worst surplus problems in recent
years, despite production restrictions
imposed under Federal crop control
programs.
Administration farm officials,
deeply concerned over the outlook,
are searching at home and abroad
for possible new outlets for crops
which normally would be sold to
European belligerents and to neu-
trails cut off from American supplies
because of blockade and other trade
barriers.
The Agriculture Department pre-
diets that American farm exports
will be reduced almost a third
| this year.
Normal yields Of major crops this
season would materially increase
surpluses Of cotton, corn, wheat, to-
bacco, lard and many other products.
Prices Already Affected.
The prospects Of such production
kets already is depressing farm
and the shrinkage in foreign mar
prices. Grains have suffered sensa-
tional declines and cotton has lost
ground since German troops moved
into the Low Countries and France.
The barter system, once confined
to German trading operations, has
been spreading to all Europe, even
to the Allies, Agriculture Depart
ment officials said. Small European
countries recently brought under
German control are not only shut of
from American markets by the AL
lied blockade, but py the German
barter method as we'll
The British and French were said
to have adopted a modified form
OF barter with South American
countries.
As consequence, the Government
is preparing to invoke all phases of
its crop control legislation in an
effort to avert further shrinkage in
farm values and income. Surpluses
which otherwise might move into
foreign markets will be withdrawn
from market channels and stored
under Government loans to pro-
ducers. This operation may require
upward of $500, ,0O0, 900 in Federal
funds.
Subsidies to Be Used.
The Government Elans to make
the most of what foreign markets
are now available through use of
export subsidies. This device is de-
signed to enable exporters to meet
competition abroad during times
when other price-supporting meas
ures hold American crop prices above
world levels.
Subsidization of consumption by
low-income families in this country
will be given increased emphasis.
To carry on the operations. in
cluding benefits authorized farmers
for curtailing production, the Gov
eminent expects to have upward
of $3.50, ,000, 900.
Should crop control and subsidiza-
ton fail to hold prices at reasonably
satisfactory levels, the administra-
ton may turn, some leaders said,
to some form of price control. These
leaders emphasized, however, that
price-fixing would be proposed only
as a last resort" In the event of
an emergency.
Evening star., 1940-05-26

MlXeO lTcnuS SnOWn.
Because of the influence of earlier
months this year comparison of the
first four months with 1899 levels
differs from the April comparison
at number of points.
In total construction the District
of Columbia was well above a year
ago, along with Fairfax County.
Prince Georges was slightly behind.
Montgomery, Alexandria and Ar
lington also registered declines.
In residential activity the District,
Montgomery, Prince Georges and
Fairfax all were ahead of a year
ago, while declines were shown for
Alexandria and Arlington.
In families provided for the Dis
trict, Prince Georges and Fairfax
recorded gains, while Montgomery,
Alexandria and Arlington were in
the minus column.
Total construction, residential
building and families provided for
in the District and Metropolitan
sections of the adjoining counties
during the first four months Of 1910
and 1889 are compared below:
Evening star., 1940-05-26
Unemployment Shows
Drop During April
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
NEW YORK May 25.-Unemploy-
ment dropped to 1891 900 in April
from 9,267. 900 in 4 rch, a decline
of 81 per cent, the National Indus
trial Conference Board said today.
There were 614,000 fewer men and
women without work last month
than in April last year, the board
said.
A greater than seasonal increase
in employment OF agricultural
workers boosted total employment
to 1882 900 In April from 45,618,-
600 in March despite decreased en-
ployment in most other industries.
The conference board Is a research
organization supported by business
concerns.