of every thoughtful citizen and the 
report is awaited with interest. It 
will be read with interest not alone 
by women workers affected individ- 
ually by the report or the employers 
to be affected by the passing of laws 
suggested by the commission, but 
every citizen, the ultimate con- 
sumer and payer of the bills. 
Let the price for the commodity 
increase if need be. There is an 
ethical and social obligation laid 
upon every purchaser to see that the 
price paid for any article of mer- 
chandise or any commodity is ample 
to provide a just return to the 
worker under wholesome  condi- 
tions. 
There ought to be a minimum 
wage established for the problem is 
really a moral problem and society 
has no right to oppress any class of 
its citizens. The argument of Fish 
against the passage of a minimum 
wage law does reveal a_ possible 
danger in the new law if inaugu- 
rated, but it will be as nothing com- 
pared with the evils tolerated by the 
present conditions. This is a whole- 
some social activity and will have 
the approval of every thoughtful 
citizen. 
The Average Citizen 
Former President Roosevelt never 
chose a more practical theme for an 
address than his Christmas address 
at Oyster Bay this year. He says: 
‘““T don’t care how big a man may 
be, he is tiny in comparison with 
thé mass of men who must work 
with him to bring any real success. 
The big man must learn humility if 
he is to do his work well. If he 
aoes not realize how small he is in 
comparison with other men and 
women, he will not help the world 
go on. We must have the right man 
in the right position, but the work 
of any leader sinks into insignifi- 
eanee compared with the work of 
the average citizen.’’ 
This is a mighty truth. The 
leaders are given a position of ad- 
vantage and are expected to lead, 
but if there be no one to follow who 
ean lead. A leader must have fol- 
lowers. The significant thing about 
Mr. Roosevelt’s addresses about the 
“‘square deal,’’ ‘‘the necessity for 
political righteousness,’’ for ‘‘ fair 
play and honesty in capital and la- 
bor,’’ lays not so much in the fact 
that they are the expressions of the 
convictions of Mr. Roosevelt, citi- 
yen, but that he has given expres- 
sion to the convictions which are 
voiced by an unheard and unknown 
mass of honorable average citizens. 
It is the following of a_ righteous 
contingency which will make a 
NORT H 
S H ORE 
BREEZE 15 
righteous leader powerful. Single 
handed, he can only fail—sustained, 
the way opens for progress and 
success, 
Christmas Cheer 
Judge Sumner D. York has done 
a kind and enduring work in the es- 
tablishment of the Sailor’s Snug 
Harbor, a home for aged fishermen 
in Gloucester, which was opened on 
Christmas Day. This social activity 
was a real and Christian celebration 
of the day of Christ. After a long 
and tedious but pleasant work of 
two years the dreams of its found- 
ers have been consummated. Two 
years ago the Judge called in Dr. 
John Dixwell, a well known Boston 
philanthropist, and a fund was 
quickly raised. The home resulted 
from Judge York’s recognition of 
the needs of these old men. Every 
year old fishermen had voluntarily 
come to him and plead guilty of va- 
grancy and have requested that 
they be sent to Ipswich. They 
were old and unable to work. To 
spare honorable men the ignominy 
of a vagraney charge the home was 
established. John Hays Hammond 
became interested in the good work 
for these men and the Colby estate 
was purchased and a_ superinten- 
dent engaged. So Christmas was a 
real day to these old salts who have 
at last found a ‘‘snug_ harbor.”’ 
Let the good work go on! 
The Police Pension 
The Policemen’s Pension cam- 
paign committee and the entire 
force of the Beverly police depart- 
ment rejoiced Christmas week over 
the successful campaign for Bev- 
erly’s adoption of the pension ques- 
tion. A hearing was given early in 
the fight and representative citizens 
filed letters of approval and made 
speeches in favor of the act. After 
passing the board of aldermen and 
success seemed assured, the bill was 
vetoed by the mayor. But the bill 
was passed over the veto. The act 
does not provide for a ‘‘ service 
pension,’ but for disability pension, 
an entirely different matter. The 
service pension often opens the way 
for many injustices. This is evident 
particularly in New York where af- 
ter a service of years, able-bodied 
men have retired to take up other 
lines of work the remuneration of 
which enhanced by their pension 
would give them an income far in 
advance of their earning ability 
when even in their prime. The Bev- 
erly act provides for a pension in 
proportion to the number of years 
served to be paid to all policemen 
disabled while in the actual dis- 
charge of their duty and using the 
usual care and good judgment. The 
bill will not be an expense of great 
moment and the community ought 
to bear the added burden with 
cheerfulness. 
‘‘Our Dumb Animals ’’ 
The January issue of ‘‘Our Dumb 
Animals’? has reached us in most 
attractive new dress. The heavy il- 
lustrated covers are of coated stock 
(very similar to the Breeze) done 
in four colors, and new type is used 
in the text. 
This ‘‘National and International 
Magazine,’’ which ‘‘ speaks for 
those that cannot speak for them- 
selves,’’ is the official organ of the 
Massachusetts Society for the Pre- 
vention of Cruelty to Animals— 
‘““The American Humane Education 
Society.’ 
The leading article of the maga- 
zine is entitled ‘‘The Social Rela- 
tions of Men and Animals.’’ Its au- 
thor is Benjamin Ide Wheeler, LLD, 
since 1899 President of the Univer- 
sity of California, and one of the 
foremost scholars in the country. 
The human ingenuity of animals 
is exemplified in Robert B. Rock- 
well’s beautifully illustrated arti- 
ele on the ‘‘ Wonder Working 
Beaver.’’ 
Ernest Harold Baynes in his ar- 
ticle on ‘‘ Before the Fur Reaches 
the Counter’’ sounds a humane note 
in the awful agonies animals go 
through for the vanity and comfort 
of human beings. 
Edward Howe Forbush, a recog- 
nized authority on economic orni- 
thology, has a timely article on 
‘Why Stop the Sale of Game- 
birds ?’’ 
An illustrated article on the An- 
gell Memorial Animals’ Hospital is 
of great interest also. The new hos- 
pital will stand in Boston’s most 
beautiful section with the new Art 
Museum, Grand Opera House and 
YMCA as neighbors. The magni- 
tude and far-reaching work of the 
MSPCA is significant when one 
realizes that the cost and equip- 
ment of the new: hospital will be 
$250,000. 
There are the usual number of il- 
lustrated articles on household pets, 
how to care for them and regard 
them and many other departments 
all tending toward this widespread 
work of merey and care of animals. 
So many of our readers are lovers 
and owners of dumb animals, be- 
loved household pets, we cordially 
and heartily urge them to become 
regular readers of this famous little 
magazine which is branching out so 
broadly in its chosen mission. 
