News and Miscellany

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 12, 1914

News and Miscellany

Notes and clippings from the daily and weekly press

— The United States has issued a call for the holding of the third peace conference at The Hague next year. This government took that action, it is understood, at the request of Queen Wilhelmina of Holland.

— Automobiles killed twenty-three persons in New York during the month of January, trolleys killed nine, and wagons killed seven, according to statistics given out by the newly organized Association for the Prevention of Reckless Driving.

— That Chicago is to become yet the more a great city is evident from the movement now under consideration whereby a subway street car system is to be introduced on a large basis. It is proposed that the system be installed to the extent of from $80,000,000 to $150,000,000 cost.

— So alarming are the reports of the spread of pellagra, laid before Secretary McAdoo by Surgeon-General Blue, of the Public Health Service, that Congress probably will be urged during the present session to make a special appropriation to rent a hospital building in the South, establish laboratories there, and make a study of the disease in all its phases. Although pellagra is most prevalent in the Southeastern States, it is estimated there have been more than 50,000 cases in the entire country, the disease having been found in forty-four States and the District of Columbia. While pellagra has been recognized for several hundred years, it is still one of the most baffling diseases with which the medical profession deals. The Public Health Service has been struggling hard with investigation of the disease since its discovery in this country a half dozen years ago, but the alarming extent to which it has spread has brought a flood of appealing letters to Secretary McAdoo, and has led to a determination to urge Congress to act quickly.

— For one pair of pistols, said to have been used by George Washington, $4,000 was paid last week by Edward H. Litchfield, a collector, at an auction sale of American and foreign antique weapons.

— A beautiful church for the deaf, costing $25,000, was recently dedicated in Philadelphia. It is the only church of its sort in that city, and draws its congregation from many miles around. It has a vested choir that sings in sign language, keeping perfect time in gestures and by quick motions of the fingers.

— All the district councils in the provinces of China were dissolved by Yuan Shi Kai February 3. This dictatory action is regarded as another step toward the suppression of all semblance of popular government in China. The final move in this direction, it is said, will be the dispersal of the provincial assemblies. A mandate to this effect is being prepared by Yuan Shi Kai. This will be submitted to the administrative council in Peking for the purpose of giving legal color to the proceedings. It is a foregone conclusion that the council will approve anything which Yuan Shi Kai recommends. When this final step is completed opponents of Yuan assert the “republic” of China will be nothing but a name.