to composition.”’ 
As Dr. Wheatley of Tufts college 
points out, ‘‘it must be remembered 
that the food and drugs act does not 
oblige that the composition of any 
- patent medicine be printed upon the 
label. It does not require that the 
presence of any but a very few of 
the most powerful drugs be made 
publie. Strychnine, prussic 
acid, arsenic or any one or more of 
a hundred equally dangerous and 
violent poisons may be used and no 
mention need be made on the label.’”’ 
The legislation proposed will pro- 
hibit lies concerning ‘the curative 
qualities of a medicinal concoction 
as well as untruths concerning its in- 
gredients. Dr. Wiley worked hard 
for an effective law, but there was a 
loop hole and it is well that it is 
discovered. It ought to be a erim- 
inal offense for charlatans to gain 
fortunes at the expense of the ig- 
norance of people. The law will be 
a great help, but an education of the 
public must also be conducted. 
One of the most helpful and in- 
spiring signs of our times is the 
brotherhood of helpfulness which 
the public sees in the men of the 
medical fraternity. Some of them 
are unworthy of their ealling, but 
the spirit of modern medical re- 
search and practice is service. The 
publie will be grateful to the pro- 
fession in its campaign of education, 
and to the servants of the people for 
making good medical laws. The 
public will welcome the day when 
Dr. Quack can no longer offer for 
sale ‘‘eanceroid—a _ positive and 
never failing cure for cancer, tuber- 
culosis and all other diseases. Guar- 
anteed by Dr. Quack under the food 
and drug aets,’’ and other equally 
dangerous and nretentious nostrums. 
The passage of such a bill may cut 
off revenue from the patent medicine 
department of the pharmacy, but it 
will correspondingly increase the 
revenue from the prescription de- 
partment. Intelligent people use 
money liberally. 
Forest Conservation of the North 
Shore. 
Treadwell Cleveland, Jr., has well 
said, worthy of the display given it 
in a recent number of American 
Forestry, ‘‘so great is the value of 
national forest area for recreation, 
and so certain is this value to in- 
erease with the growth of the coun- 
try and the shrinkage of the wilder- 
ness that even if the forest resources 
of wood and water were not to be 
required by the civilization of the 
future, many of the forests ought 
certainly to be preserved, in the in- 
NORTH SHORE BREEZE 
terest of national health and well 
being, for recreation use alone.’’ In 
the same magazine is an interesting 
plea for a National Capital Forest at 
Washington ‘‘for demonstration and 
experiment and as a setting for the 
United States Capitol.’’ 
The North Shore is fortunate for 
situation combining in a rare way 
the attractions of the shore with the 
delights of the wood. We have at 
our very doors great areas which 
should be preserved and developed. 
In line with Mr. Ellicott’s plea for 
a National Forest at Washington an 
excellent plea might be set up for a 
Forest Reservation at our very 
doors. There has been an awaken- 
ing to the value of our wood lands 
and thousands of dollars have been 
expended for the extermination of 
moths. 
With all the efforts being put 
forth it is a pity that commercial- 
ism has diven short sighted men to 
make destructive forest cuttings. A 
beautiful stand of timber is going 
down now before the woodsman’s 
axe and a saw mill has been set up 
on the Magnolia-Gloucester road 
just out of Magnolia. It is a pity 
that this wooded area could not have 
been purchased and left standing. 
Such activities ought not to be left 
to the enterprise of individuals, but 
a public policy ought to be formu- 
lated and executed. William Wood 
of Pride’s, recently bought a_ two 
hundred acre grove of trees in And- 
over, where he has a country estate, 
to prevent the devastation of the 
lumber man. We need more 
‘“woods’’ on the North Shore and 
while there does not seem to be a 
line of action that can be inaugur- 
ated to effect the end desired at 
present, the Breeze cannot neglect 
its opportunity to plea for the for- 
est, God’s first temples. Some brill- 
iant mind can thresh the problem 
out and win the gratitude of all. It 
may be impossible to create an in- 
come yielding municipal forests such 
as is the pride of Zurich in Switzer- 
land, but it is more than evident that 
a better protective policy could be 
inaugurated. 
Railroad Service. 
Railroads are the servants of the 
people and are dependent upon the 
good will and cooperation of the 
publie for the valuable franchises 
which they enjoy and the revenue 
which they receive. In return the 
publie asks reasonably clean, quick 
and convenient train service. These 
are not courtesies extended by, but 
are the just rights of the public. 
This spirit is inspiring our great ser- 
33 
vice corporations in these days so 
much so that one great railroad con- 
ducts its business with the professed 
axiom ‘‘in the public service.’’ 
The public can be patient—it has 
to be—it will not be unreasonable in 
the long run with its public service 
corporations. 
The service rendered by the Bos- 
ton & Maine railroad on the Glouces- 
for the railroad and an accommoda- 
ter Branch has been good business 
tion to the public. Up to six o’cloeck 
the train service is adequate and no 
complaint can be offered. After six, 
the service is unsatisfactory to a 
large number of people. The Boston 
& Maine has had attention repeat- 
edly called to the need of a new 
train at seven-thirty or thereabouts 
to Boston and one at ten thirty from 
Boston. 
It is true that the railroad has 
been obliged to reduce its dividends 
to a four per cent. basis and that 
the service must be economized. It 
is also true, on the other hand, that 
the millions involved in the proposed 
schemes for the good of the service 
about Boston are advanced with 
equanimity. The North Shore is not 
asking for a tunnel or a new electric 
air line road. It expects the Boston 
& Maine to give better service after 
six o’clock in the evening. The 
new trains were expected on _ the 
new schedule. They did not appear. 
Why? 
North Shore and Harvard Com- 
mencement. 
At the Harvard Commencement 
ceremonies the North Shore was 
much in evidence. George Edward 
Woodberry, ‘‘lover of letters and 
poet’’ of Beverly, was honored with 
the degree of Doctor of Letters. 
John Torrey Morse, ‘‘American bi- 
ographer,’’ was honored with the 
same degree and George von Leng- 
erke Meyer of Hamilton, secretary 
of the navy, received the degree of 
Doctor of Laws. At the Alumni 
Reunion Justice Oliver Wendell 
Holmes represented the semi-centen- 
nial class with characteristic dignity 
and power. His address was a 
classic of chaste English, deep 
thought, spiritual insight, broad ex- 
perience and sound sense. He was 
constantly interrupted by applause. 
Augustus Peabody Gardner, Con- 
gressman from this district, was ac- 
tive in his class reunions and work. 
This was the North Shore’s year at 
Harvard. 
If your pea crop is short blame 
the cut worm not the gardener. 
