. fre ies | 
_and the forsythia is in bloom. 
May 5, 1916. 
Tueré Are Pertons of legislative activities in which 
investigations, especially investigations of corporations, 
are as catching as the measles. ‘The complaint has broken 
out again in the Massachusetts legislature and one bill 
harrasses the Telephone and Telegraph company with an 
investigation and the other embarrasses the New Haven 
road with a proposed forced sale of certain of its hold- 
ings. There is no doubt but what there have been many 
wrongs that may be directly attributed to corporations 
and their methods; but are not corporations entitled to 
some rights? Is it not time to call a halt on freak legis- 
lation for a while! A truce if you will, giving the cor- 
porations an opportunity to recover from the depression 
that effected every industry at the beginning of the war. 
No corporation seeks immunity from the law or from the 
obligations of righteousness, but the will of the people 
may be as effectively executed by giving corporations an 
opportunity to adjust themselves to conditions. | Massa- 
chusetts has always had a reputation for excessive legis- 
lation. It will be a good thing for all when biennial meei- 
ings of the legislature have been provided for. 
Every YEAR THE CARELESS OBSERVER is wont to say 
how late the season is and how cold the weather remains 
and when will summer begin finally, while a consultation 
of the records show that the averages are being kept up 
and nature seems to advance rapidly. Last week Friday 
the ground was covered with snow and on May day the 
boys were able to find snow enough, in patches, to make 
-snow balls, to molest the passerby; but today the lilacs 
are throwing the buds and leaves, the horse chestnut 
buds are swelling rapidly, the swamp maples are a glow- 
ing red, and best of all peas are out of the ground and 
Nature keeps an accurate 
record that can not be gainsaid and despite the apparent 
backwardness of the season the official records show that 
the average daily temperature for April was higher by 
one half a degree. When this is continued for a whoie 
month its accumulative result shows. 
Great Impetus to THE MoveMeEn’ for the substitu- 
tion of electrical locomotives for steam on American rail- 
ways has been supplied by the success attained in the 
operation of the St. Paul’s electrified division over the 
summit of the Rocky Mountains. Four months’ experi- 
ence with the new system, over one of the most difficult 
stretches of track anywhere, has about convinced doubt- 
ing engineers that electricity as a motive power must sup- 
ersede steam wherever water. power is available for gen- 
erating current at a low cost. ‘The electrification of the 
New Haven road between Boston and New York, started 
some years ago, is gaining headway with moderate speed. 
It now extends beyond New Haven, on the way from 
New York, whereas it was Stamford where change of 
engines on the through trains took place. A more exten- 
sive harnessing of the streams and water-falls in the New 
England hills will be necessary before New England can 
keep apace with the West in the matter of electric motive 
power. 
Tue Housr Has Passep the Rowley small loan bill 
which prohibits a charge of more than three percent a 
month on small loans, those under three hundred dollars, 
and provides penalties for its violation. The bill will 
probably become law. For years the small loan business 
has been increasing at a rapid rate and the wrongs pos-- 
sible have not been duly recognized. This new bill wiil 
stop much of the injustice which has been possible. 
“TakKE THE TARIFF out of politics’—Oh, yes, take 
the salt out of the ocean. 
NORTH SHORE BREEZE and Reminder 
15 
SALEM Is TO MAKE an extensive campaign this sea- 
son upon the mosquito. Colonel John E. Spencer will 
head the war on the pestiferous insect at Juniper where 
the Juniper Improvement society has already authorized 
him to purchase a large quantity of oil to spread upon the 
marshes and lowlands. He plans to organize a campaign 
which will include the entire city and suburbs in the fight 
tc exterminate the noisome and dangerous pest. Last 
year Salem suffered from an unusual number of mos- 
quitoes which found breeding places -in the many un- 
covered cellars left by the big fire of two years ago. Not 
only did the city proper endure an epidemic of mosquitoes, 
but the swarms spread to other places along the North 
Shore making it unpleasant for people on summer even- 
ings. With Salem taking hold of the mosquito problem 
in an active manner the summer people along the North 
Shore will be heartened in their efforts to make the Shore 
a “mosquitoless” paradise. The survey, which has been 
made by an engineer employed to study the mosquito 
problem, shows that it is possible to rid the North Shore 
of the pest. It is said that a big fund will be raised to 
defray the expenses of getting rid of the breeding places 
of the troublesome insect. The removal of the breed- 
ing places will mean not only the wiping out of the mo- 
squito as an annoying insect but as a menace to health as 
well. 
NEWSPAPER PRrIN’TS of the medals given by Germany 
to the men on the submarine that torpedoed the Lusi- 
tania are appearing in this country. The front of the 
medal has a picture of the Lusitania sinking in the waves 
and the other side represents a banking window in Great 
Britain with the caption “trade over all,” It is difficult for 
the Anglo-Saxon mind to understand the processes of 
the German mind that would permit its government io 
recognize such a dastardly deed with such honor.  I{t 
would be not difficult to understand how the government 
might chuckle at the success of the enterprise, but to 
award a medal for the wholesale murder of innocevt 
people,—perish the thought ! 
THERE IS A GROWING IMPRESSION all over the world 
that eventually the Imperial Government will make an 
attempt to destroy the British navy. It is apparent that 
the German navy is resting and being kept up to prime 
in the Kiel Canal while the British navy is in service 
and deteriorating accordingly. The life of a great shin 
is limited and as certainly does it wear out, as does an 
automobile. Will Germany play a waiting game in its 
naval policy? And the Allies are evidently playing in 
their military movements. 
Tue Russtans Have BEEN ABLE to land, safely, 
four great armies in France and can easily send more 
troops from her vast resources of men by the same route. 
The distance traveled and the safety with which the oper- 
ation was completed is only short of marvelous. It dem- 
onstrates emphatically that the Allies are all working to- 
gether with but one purpose, victory. 
Tue WooLeN AND Corton INDUSTRIES are enjoying 
a period of prosperity that has not been equalled in a 
decade. A week rarely goes by but what news reports 
appear of increased wages that are paid for labor. It is 
to be hoped that with increased prosperity there will go 
increased co-operation and good will on the part of oper- 
ators and operatives. 
THe Mexican Expeprrron has developed a growing 
discontent in the army because of the inadequate aero- 
plane service that is possible. 
