June 16,1916. 
THE SpgEciIAL Arp Society for American Prepared- 
ness, incorporated, and affiliated with the American Red 
Cross and the National Civic Federation, The -National 
Security League and the League to Enforce Peace has 
begun a_ particularly difficult and absolutely essential 
piece of work. It proposes to co-ordinate all existing 
agencies that are at work for the country looking ahea.i 
to the time when an emergency arises requiring the united 
| efforts of this part of the country. It proposes to find 
‘out what can be done by every organized institution in the 
state. All of the churches are requested to furnish in 
formation concerning the number their parish house could 
accommodate, what could be done quickly by the gifts of 
mattresses and blankets or money. What assistance 
could be rendered by automobiles, by motorcycles, boats 
and otherwise. Information concerning the work which 
women can do will be carefully filed. While there are 
many thing which cannot be accomplished until the need 
arises, there is much to be gained by knowing just what 
can be done. The information that the Special Aid So- 
ciety is seeking can be obtained and if filed in the City of 
Boston and carefully kept up to date by an efficient com- 
“mittee there is every reason to believe that a valuable task 
| will have been accomplished. Then when a disaster does 
occur a central committee will have the facts immediately 
at hand and valuable time will have been saved. Every 
worker in the Salem Fire Relief Work appreciates the 
time that was lost, not so much from the inefficiency of 
| the workers, but because of the unpreparedness of the 
neighboring districts to meet the situation, That such 
| efficient work has been done in the past in relief work has 
been commendable, but how much better the work could 
| have been done and how much more quickly if a pre- 
| paredness program were possible. It is impossible for 
any community to make adequate .and satisfactory ar- 
rangements to meet every situation; but there iS deere 
tain amount of general preparedness that is not only 
| practical, but imperative. It is to be hoped that the 
Special Aid Society for American Preparedness into 
|} which Mrs. William Lowell Putnam is putting so much 
enthusiasm and interest will be able to complete the work 
| which has begun so auspicously. 
Tuer RepusLticAN NATIONAL CONVENTION adopted a 
| suffrage plank in favor of votes for women. The women 
}made a hard fight for their plank and they puce ceed: 
That the plank would be adopted was conceded, although 
the vote of twenty-six to twenty-one in itself tells the 
| story... The plank won by a margin of five. With twenty- 
one in the committee opposed, the endorsement was not 
'yery hearty. The vote accurately reflects public senti- 
|ment, however. There are just as many voters opposed .9 
| the women’s suffrage principle as there are in favor of 1. 
| The wonien have been fighting their battle too shrewdly 
to.be deceived by the successes already gained. ‘There is 
| much work still to be done. It is a long way to ultimate 
Success even after the Republican party has endorsed their 
The women will continue their work. | Only the 
| first line of trenches have been assailed as yet. 
- Tur Navar PLarrspurc appears to rival the mili- 
|tary Plattsburg in New York, especially in the coast 
towns along the North Shore and towns of Cape Cod. 
| Massachusetts originally and geographically is a mara- 
| time province and the enthusiasm with which the young 
men are rallying to the call is to be expected as in the 
| ordes of things. 
} "Ti Boston & Marne Rarrroap has settled the 
Tabor difficulties with its station employes and mechan- 
‘ical craftsmen. That incident is now closed. 
NORTH SHORE BREEZE and Reminder 
Mrs. Annie Borron Marrurws has left a bequest 
that will be to her honor for years to come. The Free 
-tlospital for Women in Brookline is made the agent {6 
I s 
the establishment of a new cancer institution. There 1s 
a need for a new study of this great scourge and the 
money left by Mrs. Matthews is well placed. » When 
science has discovered the causes and learns an affective 
way to cure cancer, great progress will have been made. 
Scientists all over the world are working away at the 
problem ; but the concerted work of many minds can only 
be made possible as funds are provided for the necessary 
buildings and investigations. Boston already has a num- 
ber of institutions that are at work doing good service, 
but there is a place for the special work provided for by 
Mrs. Matthews. In passing it may be noted, however, 
that this was not her only interest. The provisions of the 
will reveal the woman to have been of broad mind, care- 
ful discernment and particularly shrewd in calculating 
the merits of institutional work. The practical social 
service institutions all over the country have been sufter- 
ing because of the war, but many broad minded spirits 
are meeting the crises of the old world with their gifts, 
at the same time remembering the needed field this side of 
the ocean. 
THE CHILDREN’s Work being done by the North 
End Mission Society is being crowned with success. Af- 
ter thirty-one years of successful work a home for chil- 
dren has been established in Forest Hills where children 
from the city of Boston may be assisted either tempor- 
arily or permanently by placing them in good homes. 
This is an organization that is working on a great prob- 
lem and is meeting with success in its peculiar and needed 
field of social service. 
For ONE Hunprep Anp.Frrreen Days the Germans 
have been pounding away before Verdun in order to take 
possession of the valuable mining district which lays just 
beyond and have only taken the first line of trenches with 
a second line stronger than the first. This tells in a few 
words the futility and folly of this bloody war, ‘The 
gains made are not worth the price paid in blood and 
suffering. It is time that the cruelty and insanity of it 
all was appreciated and the conflict ended. 
For Many Years Harvarp was the name of a col- 
lege, but the broadening of the sphere of education has 
made it the name of a University. The collegiate depart- 
ment has for years maintained the voting rights handed 
down from the old days. Now Harvard has determined 
to take a step in advance and every graduate of Harvard 
University will be permitted to vote for the overseers of 
the University. 
Cuauncey M. Depew, may-have literally retired, bu‘ 
he has never really been retired by the American people. 
His brilliancy was the commen treasure of a generation 
ago. His address at Chicago last week was scintillating 
with witticism and captivated his audience as in the good 
old days. And this, too, in an era when addresses and 
chatauqua orations are commonplace. ' 
Tur Unsuccessrur Rar which Germany made and 
which ended in the terrific battle off Skaggerack ends for 
awhile Britain’s fear of any organized attack from Ger- 
many upon the English coast. 
First Summer Boarder: 
for his health. 
Second Summer 
hotel proprietor. 
Every one seems to be here 
Soarder: Yes, every one but the 
