p. 20 | News and Miscellany by Editor

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 23, 1913

News and Miscellany

By Editor

Notes and clippings from the daily and weekly press

— Herr Sablatring, a German aviator, carrying three passengers with him, on October 1 ascended 9,286 feet in an aeroplane, establishing a new world's altitude record.

— A native of Panama, Segundo Sanchez by name, proclaims himself to be the Messiah; and his followers are building an ark and collecting animals, in view of a flood which he announces is soon to take place to destroy the world.

— From statistics carefully compiled and just published it appears that the trade of the United States in the last fiscal year broke all previous records. The figures for our exports and imports reach $4,275,000,000, which exceeds last year's record by $421,000,000. The greater gain in exports was in manufactures ready for consumption; in this class there was an increase of $105,000,000 over last year. Most of our imports were from the United Kingdom and most of our exports were to the United Kingdom. Germany, France, Cuba, Canada, Brazil, and Japan follow in the order given.

— The German oil-burning vessel "Wotan," declared by her owners to be the largest screw motor-tank vessel in the world, completed her maiden voyage October 4, when she reached Bayonne, N. J., where she will take on a cargo of oil for Germany. The type of engine used by the "Wotan" was the invention of Dr. Rudolph Diesel, who was recently reported lost at sea. The arrival of the "Wotan" marks the addition of a new type of craft to the transatlantic cargo-carrying traffic. She was completed in Hamburg thirty days ago, and starting from the German city eighteen days ago, she developed 2,500-horsepower, making

an unbroken voyage at 8 1/4 knots an hour. The "Wotan" carries no boilers, being propelled by the internal combustion of oil burned in the cylinders.

— The two houses of the Wisconsin Legislature have passed bills providing for a health certificate with every marriage license, and also a bill providing for the sterilization of criminals, insane, feeble-minded, and epileptic persons in the State institutions. The latter bill will go into effect after the governor has appointed a commission of three doctors to carry out its provisions.

— The Democratic tariff revision, the second low tariff law that has been put on the statute-books in seventy-five years, is now a reality. President Wilson signed his name to the Underwood-Simmons Bill at 9:10 P. M., October 3, in the presence of an impressive gathering. Two hours and fifty minutes later, at midnight, the new law went into effect, with the exception of a few items. With the last stroke of the President's pen, ending seven months of continuous labor on the part of the Democratic leaders and many years of agitation, the President arose, and, facing the party leaders, whom he had invited to witness the ceremony, delivered a speech.

— Canton, which used to be reputed the wickedest city in China, is greatly changed, according to the Missionary Review. "There is not an open gambling den in this city of over one and one-half million people. Opium-smoking, China's greatest curse, is gone, never to return. Twelve of the thirteen Confucian temples of the city have been turned over to the control of the educational department of the government to be used as schools. These reforms undoubtedly are the result of the influence of Christianity upon China. Since the banishment of the Manchus and the formation of the republic, marvelous strides have been made toward the suppression of vice and iniquity. It is a fact worthy of note that within three months after the new Cantonese government was formed, this city, formerly one of the worst in China, has become practically a clean city."

— For some years there has been in force in Sweden forms of regulating the traffic in intoxicating drink. The success of those plans has been varyingly reported, but it would appear that there has been, in connection with steady and decisive effort, progress toward prohibition of the sale and use for beverage purposes. The temperance organizations are said to be the "most powerful political party in the nation," and they are demanding legislation prohibiting the production, importation, and sale of alcoholic liquors, and even beer. It is likely this campaign will be crowned with success. The government at Stockholm has announced that if the movement receives the support of the people, it will cordially indorse and champion the projected legislation. The queen dowager has long been an ardent and enthusiastic supporter of total abstinence. Her son, Admiral Prince Oscar Bernadotte, is the president of the United Temperance Societies of Sweden, and King Gustavus Adolphus, who is a total abstainer since his father's death, has got rid, at a loss, of the well-known brewery which was owned by the late Oscar II, and which was a source of considerable revenue.

The national legislature has lately given evidence of its views by doing away with all liquid refreshment of an alcoholic nature in the parliamentary restaurant.