8 NORTH -SHG@GRE BREEZE 
North Shore Breeze 
Published every Friday afternoon by 
NORTH SHORE BREEZE CO. 
33 Beach Street Manchester, Mass. 
J. ALEX. LODGE, Editor. 
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VOLT CY, March 16, IgI7. No. II 
ALL Pusric SERvicE CORPORATIONS receive their 
share of more or less deserved criticism at some time or 
other. Perhaps no company is so universally recognized 
for the quality of its service to the public and the efficient 
conduct of its business for the benefit of the public as is 
the American Telephone and Telegraph Co., and probably 
no company 1s less justly attacked than this corporation. 
A corporation is liable to criticism because of its mere 
“bigness” when absence of real cause fails the dema- 
gogs. The value of “bigness” in a telephone company 1s 
demonstrated in the greatly increased ae of service of 
the American Telephone & Telegraph Co. by its expand- 
ing facilities. According to the annual report of the com- 
pany the year 1916 saw great increases in the territory 
connected with the Bell system. Over nineteen million 
miles of wire are now used by the company in its network 
of communications. The increase in wire mileage was 
over a million miles the past year. The value of the tre- 
mendous facilities of the Bell system for intercommunica- 
tion between various parts of the country was demon- 
strated by the U. S. government tests to determine the 
usefulness of the system to the army and navy under war 
conditions. The results were beyond the fondest expec- 
tations of the government officials. The great Bell sys- 
ten of telephone companies, extending all” over the con- 
tinent, would be an important element in national defense. 
It is well to remember that this wonderfully efficient sys- 
tem of communication has been built up by private en- 
terprise. 
Tue Town or Ipswicu has turned from No-License 
to License this year. The change had been unexpected, 
but careful students of the situation there are not sur- 
prised. There have been some unsavory liquor investiga- 
tions recently that have helped the “wet” elements. The 
spirit of retaliation inspired certain factions of the town 
to vote “yes” while many who had conscientiously voted 
“no” decided to vote “yes” on the old plea of ‘ ‘regulation 
and high fees.” 
In THE SyMPATHY WHICH Is AROUSED by the suf- 
fering abroad no one should be deterred from doing the 
tasks which lay at our own doors. There can be no 
honor in permitting our own great social service agencies 
to suffer for money even for the pressing demands abroad. 
The secret of true giving comes from doing well both 
tasks. Did you ever notice that it is usually the generous 
spirits who keep the great social agencies in operation that 
rise to the ewergencies ? 
CONGRESSMAN GARDNER is as successful as a Town 
‘Meeting moderator as he is an efficient Congressman. 
Mr. Gardner has acauitted himself well during these try- 
ing days and the Congressional district appreciates his 
loyal spirit and his far sighted policy. 
Now Tuat Town MEETINGS are about over there 
will be no more excitement until fall elections. 
THe Report oF THE Magority of the recess com- 
mittee appointed as the result of a special message from 
Governor McCall to the legislature of 1916 to investigate 
especially the problems of rate making and accident pre- 
vention has been filed with the legislature and recom- 
mends that the Mass. Employees’ Association be given 
a monopoly of the compensation insurance business; and 
that ‘“‘all stock and mutual companies be forbidden to 
transact Workmen’s Compensation insurance.” The in- 
surance companies effected are aroused over the pro- 
posed measure and are gathering their forces to combat 
it. They characterize it as paternalistic, unfair and un- 
American. Many manufacturers are also united in oppo- 
sition to the measure on the ground that the present com- 
pensation system. is generally acceptable to employers. 
There is evidently ground for their contention. 
Wuat Has Become of that economic law of supply 
and demand of which we used to hear so much? It is 
hard to reconcile the present upward trend of prices with 
the principles of the old law, but, perhaps, there is some 
basic reason for the advances after all. Farm produce 
has been one of the commodities to advance skyward with 
rocketlike speed. And this with thousands of acres 
of fertile farm land in Massachusetts lying idle. The 
old cry that New England farm land did not compare in 
fertility with that of Western land is not longer well 
founded and an effort should be made to induce farmers 
to increase their acreage of cultivation. A movement in 
this direction is being attempted bv the Boston Chamber 
of Commerce. It is worth a trial before we discard as 
obsolete the old economic principle of supply and de- 
mand. Denunciation of mythical or real “food combines” 
is less worth while than constructive effort along recog- 
nized economic principles. 
Tue Frencn Ark AWAKE to the far reaching effect 
of the present war and in his recent address President 
Poincare was expressing the mind and the spirit of the 
entire nation when he said: “What this sanguinary war is 
going to decide irrevocably is not only the ‘destiny of the 
nations engaged in it, it is the entire future of the planet 
inhabited by man. In order that a new world may live 
in peace and joy it is necessary also, that it be born in 
suffering, but as long and cruel as it may be, the suffer- 
ing will pass and the glory of France will be eternal.” 
The President has spoken his mind and the French people 
are determined to go through sorrow and suffering to 
victory and peace. France has taken up her cross. 
Tuere Arg Two Loca, CANpipAtEes for the consti- 
tutional convention. Augustus Peabody Loring of Pride’s 
Crossing has been nominated in the representative dis- 
trict and as he is unopposed he will be elected. Rev. 
Clarence Strong Pond of Beverly Farms has won a nomin- 
ation in the congressional district. If both candidates 
are elected, and they should be, the North Shore will be 
well represented. The convention is an important one 
and should have more attention from the average citizen 
than it is receiving. 
Tar Aniits Have BEEN MAKING Procress,; their 
enemy appears to be harrassed as never before, and the 
fall of Bagdad is a harsh bit of news to him. One of the 
ulterior aims of the war was the establishment of a Berlin 
to Ragdad railroad in order to give Germany and the 
allied powers the advantages of a near over-the-land 
route to India. The fall of Bagdad menaces their plan 
and frustrates anv present effort that can be put forth to 
attain that end. No wonder the news of the fall of the 
city has cheered all England. 
March 16, 1917. 
EE 
